Plan Your Safe Hiking Vacation
Ken Snodin
Most of the outdoor survival situations that occur can be
prevented with a little preparation and planning. A survival
situation is something that can happen to anyone, regardless of
his or her experience or expertise in hiking. Survival
situations don’t always arise because someone is inexperienced
or reckless. If you want to have the best time you can on your
hiking vacation, while keeping yourself and your family as safe
as possible, there certain steps you can take.
First and most important, be sure to leave a travel plan with
someone at home. A travel plan lists the possible locations you
expect to cover while on your hiking vacation. It does not have
to be a detailed list. You can use a map and just mark the
spots on it where you plan to be. If you leave a travel plan,
then searchers will have an idea of where to look for you if
you become lost.
Second, always carry a few basic items with you in case you
have to spend the night on the trail. Take a garbage bag, a
lighter, a whistle, a pocketknife, and a water bottle. This is
the minimum number of essential items you should bring with you
whether you are hiking for a day or for a week or longer. These
items address the basic needs from shelter to water and heat.
Depending on your outdoor activity, level of skill, and the
climate you plan to hike in, you may need to carry more
extensive equipment.
Third, be sure to pack something you can turn into a shelter
quickly. A garbage bag is an example of such an item. It can be
easily made into a shelter. Just cut a slit in the middle of the
closed end and pull it over your head. This is a great solution
to the problem, and a bag is easy to pack in a pocket. It only
costs a few pennies, and it may save your life. Hypothermia can
occur even in 50-degree weather, so it is critical that you have
a way to make a quick shelter should the need arise.
Always carry a wool cap in your vehicle and your daypack.
Eighty percent of your body heat leaves you if your head is
exposed. You must always protect your head when you are hiking.
If you don’t have a cap, use a sock or a bandanna. You can wear
anything on your head as long as it keeps your head warm.
Finally, make a habit of carrying at least three fire-making
resources with you. Having a lighter is always a good idea, but
having only one source of fire making while hiking is
inadequate. Lighters may get wet, and then they won’t light
anymore. Also carry a spark rod and windproof matches in your
pocket or pack. You are like to make a fire in rainy or
otherwise bad weather. While this can be tricky, it can be
done. Just collect dead twigs from evergreens like pines, firs,
or spruces. These trees have a lot of resin so they will catch
fire faster than other types of wood.
About The Author: Discover articles and resources offering tips
and advice to improve your vacations by visiting
http://vacation-secrets.com
Back to
Index of All Recreational & Outdoors Articles
Back to Index of All Sports Articles
Find More Related Information:
