You love to wander in the mountains. You frequently feel the urge to seek out places of solitude where no one can find you and the only sounds you hear is the wind through the trees and the breath on your lips. Going to the same places over and over is not your style. You constantly look for new terrain that offers greater challenges. As a savvy outdoors enthusiast, you know there is a big difference between feeling excited and feeling afraid. Nothing will steal your love for nature faster than the very real threat of death. So before you head out on your next nail-biting adventure, make sure you are prepared to take it to the next level. Plan for Your Trip This is possibly the single, most-essential rule for safety in the backcountry. When people run into trouble recreating in the great outdoors, it is usually because they failed to plan ahead. In order to ensure a safe, comfortable, and fun trip—plan ahead. Ask yourself the following questions to make sure you are ready.
Hypothermia is the number one killer in the backcountry. No matter what the forecast says, bring extra clothing to stay warm and double what you think you will need. If you are planning an adventure during the winter—have the right gear and know how to wear it. All coats, socks, and gloves are not created equal. You need to find snow clothes with waterproofing technology. Wear wool, moisture-wicking socks and have at least 2 pair. Research methods for layering clothing. To avoid hypothermia, you have to maintain your body’s ideal temperature—in other words, hotter is not better. Your body is naturally warm, but it is also naturally moist. You are omitting moisture constantly. When outdoors in the cold, the goal is to trap the heat, while not trapping moisture. Getting wet, even when the liquid is your body’s own sweat, is dangerous when temperatures drop. Layering clothing and wearing the right type of fabric are the keys to maintaining the ideal temperature homeostasis. Pack for Your Adventure Okay, you have prepped and you have all the clothes you need. What else should you pack? What you need to pack for your trip will depend on the activities you are doing. However, there are some essentials you should always keep with you on the trail.
Prepare for the Worst If you are heading out to conquer nature, always think in terms of ‘before’ so you don’t feel sorry after something goes wrong. For example, test your equipment before you need to use it and make camp before it gets dark. You can apply this safety principle in many ways. It’s essentially planning, but always planning for something to wrong. Similarly, avoid doing things that increase the likelihood of something going wrong. Another example, don’t drink alcohol or take recreational drugs while wandering in the mountains. Don’t stray from the group you are with. Don’t do anything that is risky or reckless. In the event of an emergency, or if you do get lost, stay calm and stay put. It’s better to stay where you are and let search and rescue find you. Happy trails to you!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorExamples of blogs I have written for clients. Archives
December 2015
Categories |