by Ken Torino
I have been hiking since I was 8. I first went hiking as part of a YMCA sleep away camp. Even though my first few hikes were all rained out I loved it. Being outdoors in the woods was freedom. Over the years I did more hiking. In High School, I would hike the Appalachian Trail on weekends. When I moved to Vermont, it was on the Long trail. I started hiking in the summer on day hikes and moved on to overnights and Fall hiking and finally Winter hiking. My two oldest boys and I had a tradition to sleep overnight over Christmas vacation. Along the way I have learned a lot about hiking and decided to write this series of articles to help those starting out.
Experience is the best teacher, they say. If you have been cold, wet, hungry and tired you tend to remember but perhaps I can impart some knowledge so that some of the experience I have gained can be passed on without repeating.
In each succeeding article I will go into more depth on various subjects but lets start with planning your first hike. The first consideration is who is going on the hike. The first rule is never going alone for safety reasons. The second is to plan the hike for the weakest member of the group. Hiking should be enjoyable and not an endurance contest or death-defying act.
In the beginning, start with a day hike. The length should be something that can be done comfortably. If it is fun, everyone will want to go again. So make it fun. Have a destination like a picnic at a pond. Gear it to the weakest member, oldest or youngest. Plan on hiking on a flat or gentle rolling area and in late summer. State parks are a good resource. Spring can be wet and buggy. Fall is beautiful and when you master summer you will want to move to Fall next.
When you hike, the most experienced hiker is in front and the next most experienced at the rear. A key challenge is no running. There are lots of roots and rocks to trip over. Carrying an injured child out is no treat. We will cover medical preparedness at a later article. The number one mistake new hikers make is to walk till they are tired and then turn around. Remember you have to walk back as far as you walked in. You need to turn back before you are tired. It takes longer to get back than to walk in, because you tire as you go. Also get back well before dark. Imagine walking back with a group of exhausted people, carrying children in the dark, tripping over rocks and roots and you get the idea. It is much easier to get hurt in the dark. When you are tired, walking on a twisted ankle is no fun.
Research the weather before you go. What ever you bring with you is all you will have, food, clothing, water and medical supplies. Next tip; turn off your cell phone. You should bring it for emergencies but be sure to turn it off. You may be used to your cell phone battery lasting days but if you get in the shadow of a mountain the cell will push power to try and stay connected and a full battery can be dead in an hour. Then when you need it, it will be dead. There are many stories each winter of skiers who went off trail and got lost. They call for help, cold, with a dying cell phone and fading light. And, they often spend a very miserable night until they are found.
Well, if I have not scared you off yet, read on. Remember it is supposed to be fun so plan the first hike for an easy day walk in late summer. In the next article, we will talk about your most important piece of equipment, your feet.
