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Safe Backcountry Hiking
Retired National Park Rangers Offer 5 Tips to Reduce Injuries
2. Make sure your equipment, clothing and food are up for the trip.
Test your equipment before leaving. Having a little extra clothing, especially for inclement weather, may weigh a bit more, but it is worth it when things go sour. The same rule of "a little extra can't hurt" applies to food and drink. Better to lug around more than to be stranded with less than you need to survive.
3. Know your limits – and those of the other individuals in your group.
A military unit travels at the speed of its slowest member, and that is a good way to think about how to hike. Constant communication is also key. If traveling in a group, you should use a buddy system. Checking your partner for energy levels, blisters, food consumption and fatigue can prevent problems down the trail.
"Almost every park ranger knows of rescues or body recoveries that resulted from poor conditioning and bad judgment," says Jim Brady, a coalition member and the former chief ranger of the National Park Service and Superintendent of Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska. "Hiking is supposed to be fun, not a life-and-death struggle."
4. Always bring along proper emergency equipment.
When hikin by yourself, ensure that you have, at a minimum, a first aid kit. Some recommended items include Band-aids, medical tape, over-the-counter pain relievers, moleskin, anti-bacterial ointment and a compress or two and spare headlamp batteries. If traveling in a group, have a "community" first aid kit with additional splints, pads and braces.