Key Hiking Principle #1: Health and Safety

When I'm teaching backpacking, I like to share three key principles. In this post, I will speak to one of these: health and safety.

Everyone wants to stay healthy and safe, both on trail and in street life. When hiking, the risk of illness or injury is elevated as we:

• increase our body weight by 20% or more
• move over uneven terrain, often including steep grades
• have greater exposure to the weather
• rely on natural water sources
• spend time in an environment with potentially dangerous plants, animals, insects, and reptiles.
  

Furthermore, we put ourselves in locations that may require significant time between the onset of illness or injury and receiving definitive medical care.

To hike without attention to the elevated risk of injury and illness is irresponsible, in my opinion. What can we do to mitigate the risks? Preparation ahead of time, and conscious attention during the hike.

Preparation includes making care-full choices--such as about gear, clothing, food, and the trip's itinerary. It also includes education--such as about wilderness first aid, basic survival, and what to do in various weather conditions.

While hiking, it is the responsibility of each hiker to pay attention to her body to ensure that she stays well-hydrated and well-fueled, maintains a relatively constant body temperature, and is not receiving injuries such as sunburn and blisters. Care should also be taken when walking (especially off-trail where rocks and sticks hide under leaves and duff) and when putting her pack or other gear on the ground, avoiding such things as poison ivy and bees' nests.

Maintaining good hygiene practices is also an individual responsibility. "Washing" hands after going to the bathroom and before eating is perhaps a no-brainer, but I have met hikers who don't do this. On trail, we don't have as much access to soap and water, but alcohol gel (a.k.a. "hand sanitizer") is easy to carry.

A corollary to staying clean is to be care-full when sharing food. Never eat food that someone else has touched; likewise, don't offer to share food you have touched. Another no-brainer? Not! I often see hikers reach into each others' bags of trail mix, nuts, chips, etc. Get into the habit of pouring from a snack bag rather than reaching into it. (People are bad about this in street life, too, but at least our hands have a better chance of being clean when sinks and showers are available.)

Staying healthy and safe in an environment of elevated risk requires conscious attention. But it's worth the effort, as it's much easier to have fun when you're feeling well!