Adventure Safety
Every trail has a story. Some of them are beautiful. Some of them are unexpected. The best adventures happen when you are prepared for both.
Prior planning makes the difference between an outstanding adventure and a miserable one. Whether you are hiking one mile or ten, spending the night under the stars or just the afternoon, what you carry in your pack and what you know before you go can change everything.
One more thing before you hit the trail. No running. A friend of ours was hiking with her two daughters when one of them ran ahead. She called out for her to stop but she kept going and ran right off the edge of the trail. She only fell about three feet. It could have been a cliff edge. Stay aware of where you are, where the trail ends, and what is beyond it. The trail is not a race.
These are the things we try never to leave behind. Some of them are funny. Toilet paper and headache meds have saved more than one adventure. This is our suggested list, not the final word. Consult the expert in your life, check with your park ranger, and make it your own. Just don't forget the essentials.
Our Suggested Essentials
For any hike, any distance, any trail.
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Water
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Water purification tablets or LifeStraw
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Snacks or protein bars
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Headlamp
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Small first aid kit
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Emergency blanket
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Paracord
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Toilet paper
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Headache medication
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Whistle
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Map and compass
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Lighter or waterproof matches
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Sun protection (sunscreen, sunglasses or hat)
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Knife or multi tool
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Extra layers
The Overnight Kit
Everything in your day pack plus:
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Tent or tarp
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Sleeping bag rated for the temperature
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Sleeping pad
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Camp stove and fuel
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Food for the trip plus one extra day
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Bear canister or hang bag
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Change of clothes
Our Nice to Haves
Not essential but worth considering:
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Retractable s'more sticks
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Solar powered lantern or string lights
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A good book or journal
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A tiny hammock
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Star gazing app downloaded before you lose signal
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A bandana, a million uses on the trail
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Quick dry towel for washing up with minimal water
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Instant coffee packets
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Glow sticks for kids at night
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A deck of cards or a small travel game
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Binoculars for wildlife spotting
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A small bag of candy, because you earned it
Water Safety
Water is your most important resource on the trail and also one of your biggest risks. Never assume there will be water on the trail. Some trails have no water access at all and sources that were there last season may have dried up. Always research your trail before you go and carry enough water to get you there and back without relying on finding any along the way. Carry more than you think you need. A good rule is half a liter per hour of hiking in mild conditions, more in heat or at altitude.
Never drink from a stream, river, or lake without treating it first. Water that looks clean can carry bacteria and parasites that will ruin your trip faster than anything else. Purification tablets or a LifeStraw are lightweight and worth every penny. Waterfalls are beautiful and the rocks around them are deadly. Algae and moss make them far more slippery than they look. Stay on the trail, enjoy the view from where you are standing, and do not climb on the rocks at the base or near the edge at the top.
If you need to cross moving water, stop and think before you step in. If the water is above your knees it is not worth crossing. Period. Use a trekking pole or a sturdy stick for balance. And before you enter the water unbuckle your pack straps. If you go down you want to be able to get free of your pack. A pack can be replaced. You cannot.
Fire Safety
Before you build a fire, check. Not every campsite allows open fires and some areas ban them entirely depending on drought conditions and fire risk. Rules change seasonally so what was allowed last year may not be allowed this year. Always verify before you go.
If you are planning to bring firewood, stop. Most national parks and many state parks prohibit bringing your own firewood from outside the area. Invasive beetles and other pests travel in firewood and can devastate entire forests. Buy firewood at a ranger station or local store near the park, or scavenge what you can find within your camping area. Leave the wood from home at home.
Honestly, when backcountry camping we find it easier to skip the fire altogether and rely on a camp stove for cooking. It's lighter, faster, and leaves no trace.
If you do build a fire, you are responsible for putting it completely out before you sleep or leave the site. Douse it thoroughly with water. Add dirt on top. Stir it. Add more water. The ground around it should be cool to the touch before you walk away. Keep your fire well clear of any vegetation, living or dead. Dry grass and leaves catch faster than you think.
If it's not out, it's not out.
Remember what Smoky the Bear always says-Only you can prevent wildfires.
Heat Safety
Heat is sneaky. It does not announce itself the way a storm does. It creeps up on you while you are having a great time on the trail and by the time you notice something is wrong you are already in trouble.
We learned this firsthand. On one hike we had not hydrated enough and somewhere on the trail our legs started cramping badly enough that we had to turn around and hike out. That was the lesson. Hydration starts the day before your hike not the morning of. By the time you feel thirsty you are already behind.
Here is what to watch for:
Heat exhaustion, heavy sweating, weakness, pale clammy skin, fast weak pulse, nausea, dizziness. Stop immediately. Get to shade. Drink water. Rest. Do not push through it.
Heat stroke, hot red dry skin, rapid strong pulse, confusion, possible loss of consciousness. This is a medical emergency. Get help immediately.
Prevention:
Start hydrating the day before. Hike early in the morning before peak heat. Wear light colored loose fitting clothing and a hat. Take breaks in the shade. Know the signs before you hit the trail. And always tell someone where you are going and when to expect you back. If you do not check in they will know to send help.
The trail will be there tomorrow. Listen to your body today.
Weather Safety
Mountain weather does not care about your plans.
One time we started a hike in 70 degree sunshine and by the time we reached the higher elevations it was snowing! Another time we saw a storm roll in so fast the sky went dark in the middle of the afternoon. We huddled under a tree and pulled branches over us to protect us while hail the size of marbles came down hard enough to hurt. That storm hit on day one of a two night hike. We turned around and hiked out over downed trees where the path used to be. No adventure is worth your safety.
Here is what we have learned:
Check the forecast before you go and check it again the morning of your hike. Mountain weather changes fast and forecasts for the valley below are not the same as conditions at elevation.
Dress in layers. What feels perfect at the trailhead can feel dangerously cold at the summit. Temperatures drop the higher you climb and wind makes it worse.
Watch the sky. If clouds are building and darkening in the afternoon turn around. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in the mountains especially in summer. Do not wait until the storm is on top of you.
If you are caught in a lightning storm get off exposed ridges and summits immediately. Do not shelter under a lone tall tree. If lightning is striking close crouch low on the balls of your feet with your feet together, hands over your ears, and minimize your contact with the ground. Do not lie flat. We have met hikers in Rocky Mountain National Park who crouched that way while lightning struck all around them. They made it out. Respect the storm.
Never hike in the dark without a headlamp. A trail you know in daylight is a completely different place at night and you cannot read a map in the dark. Always carry a headlamp even if you plan to be back before sunset. Plans change.
Altitude Safety
Altitude affects everyone differently and it does not care how fit you are. We experienced this firsthand hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park. At around 11,000 feet our hiking partner started having trouble catching her breath and felt lightheaded. We turned around. That was the right call.
The air at high elevation has less oxygen than you are used to. Your body needs time to adjust and if you push through the warning signs it can become dangerous quickly.
Signs of altitude sickness:
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Headache
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Shortness of breath
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Dizziness or lightheadedness
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Nausea
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Fatigue beyond what the hike should cause
What to do:
If someone in your group shows signs of altitude sickness the only real treatment is to descend. Do not wait to see if it gets better. Go down. Symptoms usually improve quickly once you lose elevation.
Prevention:
If you are traveling to a high altitude destination spend a day or two at a moderate elevation before attempting a big hike. Drink plenty of water. Avoid alcohol the first few days. Take it slow and let your body adjust.
Bear Safety
Bears are not the enemy. They are wild animals doing exactly what wild animals do. Your job is to be a respectful guest in their home and to make sure they have no reason to come looking for you.
We have encountered black bears on the trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Both times we made noise, the bear moved on or we backed away slowly and gave it space. That is exactly how it is supposed to go. Black bears generally want nothing to do with you if you give them the chance to leave.
Grizzly bears are a different conversation entirely. We have seen them at a distance across a lake and that is exactly where we prefer to keep them. If you are hiking in grizzly country, bear spray and a bear bell are not optional. Know how to use the spray before you need it.
On the trail:
Make noise. Talk, clap, sing, wear a bear bell. Bears do not want to surprise you any more than you want to surprise them. Give them the chance to hear you coming and move out of the way.
Never run from a bear. Back away slowly and calmly. Running triggers a chase response. Give bears space. The National Park Service recommends staying at least 100 yards from bears at all times.
If a black bear approaches stand your ground, make yourself look big, make noise, and back away. Do not climb a tree. Black bears climb better than you do.
If a grizzly makes contact do not fight back. Play dead, face down, hands laced behind your neck, legs spread to make it harder to flip you over. Stay still until the bear leaves.
At camp:
Everything with a scent goes up. Food, trash, toothpaste, chapstick, deodorant, lip balm. Everything. Use a bear canister or hang it on a bear line well away from your tent. If the park provides bear boxes use them.
Change into dedicated sleeping clothes before bed. Clothes you cooked in carry food smells. Keep your sleeping clothes only for sleeping and store them separately.
If you hear bears around your campsite at night stay calm and make noise from inside your tent. Do not go outside to investigate. Make sure everything is already put up and wait it out.
Bear spray is your best defense in an encounter with a grizzly. Carry it on your hip where you can reach it in seconds, not buried in your pack.
In Great Smoky Mountains National Park specifically it is illegal to willfully approach within 50 yards of a bear or any distance that disturbs a bear. The fine is real and the rule exists for good reason.
Every park is different. Rules and regulations around bears vary by location and change based on conditions and recent sightings. Trails can close without notice due to bear activity. Always check with the park ranger station before you hit the trail and respect every closure you encounter. They exist for your safety and the bear's.
We are not bear experts. We are adventurers who have done our research and learned from experience. For the most current and park specific bear safety information always consult the National Park Service or your park ranger.
And whatever you do, whatever park you are in, whatever bear you encounter. You may not ride it like a pony.
It's a bear!
