They don't call it wilderness for nothing. Hiking into the back country isn't like a walk in the park. If you get into trouble - often through no fault of your own - there may be no one but you who can get you out. It's just common sense to educate yourself on backcountry and outdoor safety basics.
Just because many rules are common sense precautions doesn't lessen their importance. For instance, when exercising at home or at the gym, it's important to stay hydrated. This is even more important when you're in the wilderness. It can mean the difference between survival and the grim alternative.
A person needs to drink 2 to 3 quarts of water on a mild day when they're exercising. If it's a hot day, the allotment goes up to 3 to 4 quarts. When the weather is cold, the recommendation also rises to 3 to 4. This may surprise you, but a lot of moisture is lost through respiration into dry winter air. On hot days, you should add a little salt and sugar to your water, or some electrolytes. It just makes sense to carry water with you in the wilderness. Unless you have one of those super filtration bottles, you won't want to drink from creeks, lakes, or puddles.
Check the weather before you go. It's important to know if high humidity will make hot weather harder to handle, or is the wind chill will make a cold day even colder. It's important to maintain a normal body temperature, but that's difficult when moist air keeps your perspiration from drying and cooling you off. Of course, we all know that getting chilly takes all the fun out of winter sports.
The right clothes are important. A light jacket may be enough when you start out, but the weather can change. If you get caught in the rain and your clothes are not designed to be warm when wet, you can get chilled enough to impair you. Layers are great on the trail, since you can take them off and put them on according to what the weather does.
Hikers who get overheated or chilled put themselves and others at risk. People with heat exhaustion or with hypothermia may become disoriented and may not be able to go on or to hike out. It's so much better to know what you're doing and plan for all contingencies than end up needing to be rescued.
This brings up another point that you need to consider. What if you or a companion needs to be evacuated? It's vitally important that you have a plan for such a contingency. Make sure the folks at home know where you're headed. Know how to summon help if you need it. Cell phones don't always work well in the outback. Educate yourself on ways to send emergency signals.
Plan ahead on how you will handle things like animal attacks, sprains or fractures, heat exhaustion or heat stroke, hypothermia or frostbite, and dehydration (which can be caused by not drinking enough water, blood loss after injury, or diarrhea). Educate yourself on what to expect on the trail and how to handle a crisis if one should arise. First aid training is wise; improper procedures can make a bad situation worse.
Just because many rules are common sense precautions doesn't lessen their importance. For instance, when exercising at home or at the gym, it's important to stay hydrated. This is even more important when you're in the wilderness. It can mean the difference between survival and the grim alternative.
A person needs to drink 2 to 3 quarts of water on a mild day when they're exercising. If it's a hot day, the allotment goes up to 3 to 4 quarts. When the weather is cold, the recommendation also rises to 3 to 4. This may surprise you, but a lot of moisture is lost through respiration into dry winter air. On hot days, you should add a little salt and sugar to your water, or some electrolytes. It just makes sense to carry water with you in the wilderness. Unless you have one of those super filtration bottles, you won't want to drink from creeks, lakes, or puddles.
Check the weather before you go. It's important to know if high humidity will make hot weather harder to handle, or is the wind chill will make a cold day even colder. It's important to maintain a normal body temperature, but that's difficult when moist air keeps your perspiration from drying and cooling you off. Of course, we all know that getting chilly takes all the fun out of winter sports.
The right clothes are important. A light jacket may be enough when you start out, but the weather can change. If you get caught in the rain and your clothes are not designed to be warm when wet, you can get chilled enough to impair you. Layers are great on the trail, since you can take them off and put them on according to what the weather does.
Hikers who get overheated or chilled put themselves and others at risk. People with heat exhaustion or with hypothermia may become disoriented and may not be able to go on or to hike out. It's so much better to know what you're doing and plan for all contingencies than end up needing to be rescued.
This brings up another point that you need to consider. What if you or a companion needs to be evacuated? It's vitally important that you have a plan for such a contingency. Make sure the folks at home know where you're headed. Know how to summon help if you need it. Cell phones don't always work well in the outback. Educate yourself on ways to send emergency signals.
Plan ahead on how you will handle things like animal attacks, sprains or fractures, heat exhaustion or heat stroke, hypothermia or frostbite, and dehydration (which can be caused by not drinking enough water, blood loss after injury, or diarrhea). Educate yourself on what to expect on the trail and how to handle a crisis if one should arise. First aid training is wise; improper procedures can make a bad situation worse.
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Be sure to take a look at the following web pages featuring backcountry and outdoor safety tips. Here you will gain an insight into this educational topic by checking out the related site at http://www.mra.org/training-education/public-education.
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