Mountain hiking is an amazing experience and embodies the true feeling of hiking. You get to trek on and see wonderful views from your height, you get to breathe in and enjoy nature at its finest, and the elevation means that your body is likely going to get a good workout, helping you keep fit.
But mountain hikes are far from safe – there are many, many dangerous factors at play here that can turn what should be a lovely trek up the mountains into a tango with death itself. With this in mind, it’s best to keep in mind the best ways to keep yourself safe when going high up. Read this article to find out how to keep yourself safe.
Don’t overestimate your hiking abilities
You are not a superhuman. No one is. Mountain hiking is not as easy as a hiking in the forest and is far from being a walk in the park.
For starters, mountains have higher elevation, meaning that you will need to expend more energy to climb it, which is a far cry from the ground-level or close to it footing of forests and even deserts.
Not only that, mountain paths don’t exactly have even terrain – they can be higher or lower, but the point is that these paths can easily put you off-balance, and when you are in some steep chunk of rock hundreds of meters above ground level, falling off is the last thing you want.
Ideally, the hiking trail you would have chosen for the mountains is a trail that is up to your skills, or maybe even slightly easier than that. It is much better to research the terrain to see how much you can handle first and prepare accordingly. That also means that you should know when to turn back, and to not stubbornly push through if the trail ahead is blocked or a little too dangerous for you.
Dress in layers
Mountains are cold places, but the weather up there can also be unpredictable. Make sure you dress in layers to keep yourself protected from the elements and weather.
Wearing proper clothing when going on any hiking trip is crucial. If you know that the temperature will be going cold because you are going up the mountains in cold temperature, wear appropriate clothing and protect yourself from hypothermia – It will be very tough and dangerous for someone to haul you back down if the temperature affects you too much.
Inform other people of your hiking intentions
No matter which trail you might be headed, it is always a good idea to let other people know where you are going, especially if it is in a riskier place.
That way, if anything possibly happens to you and you get thrust in a potential survival situation, you will be able to count on your family or friends to call for help, especially if you may be incapacitated or unable to call for help on your own.
Research on the local wildlife
Finding wildlife is a fun encounter and can be a highlight of your trip, but they can also be deadly if not treated with caution and care.
Most animals take care to avoid humans and will run away if they spot one, but sometimes they can get confident and approach. If they are particularly hungry, angry, or both, they might even attack!
And let’s not forget that this is a mountain trail – these places are not ideal for running around unless you are a four-legged creature who can balance themselves well even on uneven ground making you run the risk of tripping over yourself and inflicting a lot of physical trauma and cuts if you make a mistake while running away. That’s not even getting to what might happen if a wild animal catches you while you’re down…
Do yourself a favor: Research on the wildlife for the trail you will be hiking on and prepare the equipment you need to deal with them accordingly.
Check trail conditions
Always keep yourself updated on the latest information on the conditions of the trail you will be hiking on. The more recent the information, the better. Mountain trails see no shortage of the occasional wild animal, blockage from rockfalls, and slippery, muddy, or wet terrain due to weather conditions.
Some trails will close up if they deem it too dangerous for any hiker to go in, but some may remain open if it is still possible to hike, albeit with slight risk (e.g. slippery paths).
Keeping yourself updated will help you determine as to whether or not you should proceed forward, especially when knowing the potential risk of doing so.
Prepare for possible weather contingencies
Weather up on the mountains can be a big gamble. What was originally a bright and sunny day can suddenly turn into a massive downpour with some lightning strikes streaking across the sky later on. If weather calls for rain at some point of the day, consider going on the hike earlier or putting it off for much later for your own safety.
But what if you’re already on the trail itself? This is where your research on the hiking trail comes handy – many hiking trails have trail shelters that might have emergency phones or fireplaces which are very useful in warming people up, especially those who may have been caught out in the rain.
Another thing, make sure you bring appropriate clothing to prepare once the clouds start rolling, and if the weather calls for a thunderstorm, get down from the tree line and make yourself as small a target as possible. Even more so if you’re at the summit or peak of the mountain, as you will be one of the tallest things in the area – a prime target for a lightning strike.