Add a Comment (0)
Original URL: http://life.familyeducation.com/summer/hiking-camping-safety/62401.html

life.familyeducation.com

Safety Tips for Hiking and Camping

Hiking is an ideal warm weather activity for families. It gives you and your kids a chance to be active, explore nature, and spend time away from the lure of television and video games. Whether you're planning on a quick day hike, or a camping adventure, take the time to review some basic safety guidelines before you hit the trail.

Plan Your Itinerary

The first step in planning a hiking or camping trip is deciding where and when to go. The United States National Park Service offers a handy tool to find parks and trails in your state. You can also explore state parks, and independently operated trails such as the Appalachian Trail, and the Audobon Society wildlife sanctuaries. When deciding on a hike, keep in mind the difficulty level of a trail, the type of terrain you'll be crossing, and how far it is from home.

Just as important as the location of your hike is when to go. Trails in the northern part of the country, or at high altitudes, may hold deep snow well into spring. Even when the snow does melt, you may have to deal with the resulting runoff. On the other hand, southern or low-altitude trails may be scorching hot in the height of summer. Choose a seasonally appropriate hike, and keep an eye on the weather forecast before you go.

It's also a good idea to leave a copy of your itinerary with somebody at home. In addition, many trails have a registry at the trailhead that you can sign, so park officials will know who's on the trail.

Hike at Your Own Level

Make sure to ease your kids into the activity of hiking. Get a few easy hikes under your belt before attempting a day-long or multi-day trek. While most kids will have plenty of energy for the journey, not all of them will have the attention span. For your first few hikes, don't worry about how far or long you go. Try a local walking trail, where it's easy to head back to the car on short notice. Once your child has shown both aptitude and interest, you can consider planning longer journeys deeper into the wilderness.

Pacing is important. Frequent breaks will help kids conserve energy and hike a longer distance. Don't simply march across the trail from start to finish. Stop and appreciate anything that catches your eye, like a waterfall, an interesting rock formation, or a body of water. Encourage your kids to be observant of nature.

Get the Right Gear

The most important piece of hiking gear is a good pair of boots. Look for boots with thick soles and sturdy ankle support, for keeping you upright across uneven terrain. Boots should lace up tightly, but leave room for you to wiggle your toes. Waterproofing can be helpful, as well. Make sure to break in your boots before your hike. Try to walk a few miles in them over a period of days or weeks.

Because kids' feet grow so quickly, hiking boots can be an expensive accessory. But it's not always necessary to buy them a new pair for each hike. Sneakers can work, but follow the same guidelines that you would for boots: ankle support is essential, along with sturdy, gripping soles. Think high tops as opposed to tennis shoes.

The right socks are just as important. Don't wear cotton athletic socks - they get soggy quickly, and don't dry out. Instead, look for a wool-poly blend, which will wick away moisture and help reduce the chances of blisters. It's a good idea to bring a few extra pairs of socks for longer hikes, or hikes across soggy terrain.

On multi-day backpacking trips, you'll want a pack that will keep all your gear in place high and tight against your back. External-frame backpacks, which have a metal skeleton outside the bag, are often a good choice for this, although they tend to be heavier than internal-frame packs. No matter which type you choose, pick a backpack with thick straps and strong buckles. The idea is to keep the contents tightly packed and immobile, which will help you keep your balance and prevent back strain. Stay Hydrated

Nausea. Fatigue. Chills. Dry mouth and throat. Those are just some of the signs of dehydration, and they're among the last things you want to be experiencing on a hike. Fact is, the single most important thing you can do to stay healthy on your hike is to hydrate early and often. People need to drink plenty of water every day, but hiking on a hot day is likely to require additional fluid intake.

Because water is one of the heaviest things you can carry, it's important to strike a balance between bringing enough to last you between fill-ups, and not weighing yourself down so much that you tire quickly. Two-to-three quarts is usually a good amount, although your needs may vary depending on how much you can carry, how many opportunities you'll have to fill up along the trail, and what the weather will be like.

Having kids carry their own water is a good idea -- teaching responsibility to stay hydrated is an important lesson for the budding outdoorsman. Parents may need to help out a bit, since younger children may not be able to carry all of their water on their own. One fun option for kids is the camelback-style backpack, which has an internal bladder that you can fill with water, and then drink from it directly from a straw while walking.

Drinking from lakes, ponds, and streams is a bad idea. Water sources in a nature are often teeming with bacteria and parasites - even running water, like rivers and brooks, are risky. When replenishing your water supply, make sure to use a water filtration system, available at your local outdoor store or on the Internet. Other options for purifying water include chemical tablets and boiling.

One last tip: Feeling thirsty is not the first sign of dehydration, so make sure you stay ahead of thirst. Sip often, and fill up whenever you have the chance.

Bring Enough Food

For a day hike, as long as you eat a healthy breakfast, it's sufficient to bring along a light lunch or some snacks for the hike. (However, it's never a bad idea to bring extra food, just in case.) What you'll be looking for is a pick-me-up to get you through those last few miles, or, depending on your plans, a scenic picnic.

On an overnight camping trip, the calculus changes a bit. You'll want to pack as many calories into as small a space as possible. Trail mix is a popular choice for this reason. Its combination of nuts and dried fruit is dense in nutrients and calories. Dried meats, such as jerky, salami, or summer sausage, are also a good choice for a protein-rich food that doesn't take up much room in your pack. Certain types of candy, like peanut M&Ms, can be a surprisingly good, kid-friendly choice for a short-term energy boost.

Whole fruits and vegetables aren't a great choice for backpacking food. Although rich in vitamins and minerals, they're composed mostly of water, and therefore have an unfavorable calories-to-weight ratio.

Some campers enjoy dehydrated, ready-to-cook meals at the end of a long day of hiking, but be wary: These pre-packaged foods, though tasty, aren't always healthy or nutritious, and they also require you to tote along a stove and a pan. It's your call whether the trade-off is worth it. Avoid Sunburn and Heat Ailments

Eight hours or more in the sun is a wonderful way to spend the day, but it also comes with some hazards. Sunburn is the most common sun-related ailment from hiking, and also the easiest to prevent. Apply SPF 15 or higher sunscreen to all exposed areas before you begin your hike - give it at least half an hour to absorb into your skin. While many sunscreens claim to be waterproof and to last all day, it's still a good idea to re-apply every few hours, since you're likely to be sweating. You should also wear a hat, and, temperature permitting, long pants and sleeves.

Sunburn isn't the only thing to watch out for. Sunstroke, heat exhaustion, and other heat-related ailments can plague hikers. Staying hydrated, as detailed above, is the first step toward regulating your body temperature. It's also a good idea to take frequent, brief stops (which will also help you appreciate your surroundings!).

On the flipside, watch out for hypothermia. Temperatures can drop precipitously at night or in the shade. Even sweating, your body's natural cooling system, can cause you to cool off too much if you suddenly stop moving and there's a breeze. Dress in layers, adding or removing clothing as appropriate.

Respect Wildlife

Encountering wildlife is one of the true pleasures of hiking. The woods are full of activity, including birds, snakes, and mammals large and small. Unlike house pets, though, these wild animals are best viewed from a distance, preferably through binoculars or a telephoto lens. While animal attacks are rare, they do happen, and are best prevented with some simple safety practices.

Most animals prefer to avoid humans altogether. If they hear or smell you coming, they will flee. Hikers in groups are often noisy (and odorous) enough to give the animals plenty of warning. Solitary hikers, or pairs of hikers, run the risk of surprising an animal, which can be dangerous. One easy tip is to attach a bell to your backpack. It'll jingle with every step.

At night, round up all the food in your party in a plastic bag, and hoist it up over a tree branch. This is called a "bear bag," although it's intended to protect you and your campsite from all sorts of hungry critters. A few tips for bear bag placement: Put it up further from your campsite than you may initially think is necessary - at least several hundred yards. Try to get it at least 20 feet above the ground, because bears can reach nearly that high when they stand on their back legs. And finally, keep it away from the trunk of the tree, because bears are adept climbers.

Research what kind of wildlife you may encounter in your neck of the woods. The more docile black bear, common in the northeast, rarely tangles with hikers, while the northwestern brown bear may be a bit more aggressive. Moose can be territorial, and are best avoided altogether. In all cases, stay away from the creatures' young. Remember that most animals will steer clear of you. You should extend them the same courtesy.

Other Safety Tips

Avoiding injury is of paramount importance. Besides wearing good boots, using a walking stick can help. Walking sticks are helpful for a few reasons: They can help hikers maintain balance across uneven terrain, like rocks or streams; they reduce the stress on your shoulders and hips from carrying your pack; and they're great to rest on when you stop. You can buy wooden walking sticks, or light, sturdy ones made from synthetic materials. It's also possible to find one in the woods from a fallen branch, but don't saw or snap a branch from a live tree in order to make a walking stick.

Insects are more dangerous than bigger animals in some ways, because they seek out humans, and they're certainly more numerous. Apply bug spray early and often to fend off mosquitoes, horseflies, and other bloodsuckers. Periodically, you may want to check yourself and the kids for ticks. And steer clear of bees' nests, anthills, and other such hives.

Make sure that you and your kids can identify and avoid dangerous plants, such as poison ivy and poison oak. And although kids may be tempted by wild berries or mushrooms, it's best to refrain from eating them even if you think you know what they are. Not only are you robbing animals of a potential food source, but it's hard to be sure what you're putting into your body when you find it in the wild.

Nothing can seem more dangerous than ending up stranded or alone on a hike. Carry a whistle and make sure your kids do, too. And have a meet-up plan in the case of separation. Backcountry Ethics

Teaching kids to respect nature is one of the many benefits of hiking. Follow rules of courtesy and common sense when you're on the trail. The first and most important rule is: Leave everything you find, and take only what you bring. That means no littering of any kind (not even toilet paper - put it in a plastic bag and bring home with you!).

It also means not bringing home a souvenir. It may be tempting to bring home a pretty flower or interesting fossil, but doing so can have a profound effect on the ecosystem. Most parks prohibit taking any flora or fauna from the woods, although it may be acceptable to take leaves or acorns that have fallen from trees on their own. Under no circumstances should you or the kids pick live plants to take home.

You can protect the balance of nature in a few other ways. Don't stray off the marked trail, if you can help it. Keep clear of sensitive areas off the trail, like wetlands or lakeshores, and stick to marked spur trails for scenic overlooks and other noteworthy stopping points. If you must go to the bathroom, do so at least 200 yards from any campsite, and bury solid waste at least 6 inches deep. The goal is to leave as little a trace as possible.

Be sure to treat other hikers courteously. Move aside for faster hikers, and if you're heading downhill, yield to uphill climbers. If you bring your dog, keep it on a leash at all times, as dogs have a tendency to try to "protect" their owners from other hikers and from wildlife. (And note that many trails forbid dogs altogether.) At shared campsites and overlooks, respect the rights of others to enjoy nature in peace and quiet.

Everyone in the group should pack the following:

Every group should have at least one of the following:

*For overnight trips.
Add a Comment (0)

© 2000-2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.