Upload
cathy-walker
View
98
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
Citation preview
Having Fun HikingBy Practicing Safe Hiking
Presentation to Guides and Pathfinders
Cathy WalkerRidge Meadows Outdoors Club
2014
If you can walk, you can hike• You get to see so many beautiful and
interesting places and things• As well as getting great exercise
Have fun!
• Diez Vistas, Buntzen Lake
See beautiful places
• Marion Lake, UBC Research Forest
See beautiful plants
Cute animals
Interesting geology
Have lots of fun!
• Mt. Nutt, Golden Ears Park
You can hike in the winter with snowshoes
What do you need to know to enjoy hiking and backpacking?
Take care of your feet
• Tend to hot spots Before they become blisters
What do you need on a hike?
• Most important: boots that fit
How to find good boots?
• Go to Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC is in Langley at Willowbrook Mall) at end of day when your feet are slightly larger
• Wear hiking socks: merino wool are best (Costco’s are great quality and by far the cheapest); some people wear two pairs of socks, inner and outer
• Let the MEC store clerk fit your boots • Wear the boots in the store as long as you can, go up and down
inclines• At MEC, you can take them back if they don’t work out on the
trail• If you can’t find boots at MEC to fit, go elsewhere
Find a good pack• Packs also need to fit• Best ones have padded waist belt;
weight rests on your hips• Make sure it’s big enough to carry
what you need• Get MEC clerk to help you choose a
pack and load it with stuff; walk around the store
• At MEC you can take it back if it doesn’t fit right on the trail
• Or, go for cheap – Canadian Tire• For overnight backpacking, fit is
Essential
What to wear?• Comfortable clothing• Dress in layers• Wear clothing that dries quickly – synthetics like
polyester, not cotton• Remember, your clothes will get wet and dirty• Can go to Value Village or other thrift stores if you
don’t have suitable clothing
What’s in your day pack?
• Your lunch• Your water• Your snacks
What’s in your day pack?
What else to bring on a day hike?
What do you need for
backpacking?
Trail Etiquette• Stick to the trail, especially
in alpine and sub-alpine areas to prevent damage to eco-system and trail erosion
• Take out all garbage you brought with you (and pick up other people’s garbage too)
• Clean up after your dog – the main reason for dogs to be on leashes
• Let other people get by who are coming the other way
• Many people Hate the sound of bear bells (some people call them bear dinner bells)
Trail Safety• Don’t get lost• Read the map first • Know how far you’re
going, what the elevation gain is and about how long the hike will take
• Know what time dark will be and what time the park will close
• Weather forecast will let you know what to expect
Trail Safety• Go with someone who has done the trail
before• Make sure there’s at least 3 of you• So if someone gets hurt, there’s one to stay
with them and one to go for help• If someone is injured, keep them warm and
dry
Trail Safety
• Have a leader and a person at the back
• Count the number of hikers and re-count at every stop
• Keep together on the trail; don’t get too spread out
• Wait for people at Every junction
• Take time for breaks (5 minutes every hour) to have a rest, a drink of water and a snack; it’s not a race
Trail Safety – Whistle Signals
• One whistle – Where are you?• Two whistles – Come to me• Three whistles – Emergency!• In each case, wait a minute between whistling• If it’s an emergency, keep whistling till people
find you
Trail Safety• Make sure you wait for slowest
person periodically and don’t take off the instant they catch up
• If necessary, break the group into two groups, one slower and one faster
• If someone can’t continue and wants to go back, make sure someone goes with them or the person stays put and waits till the group returns and take them back with the group
Trail Safety• Take a cell phone but
remember they often don’t work in remote areas including most of Golden Ears Park
• Make sure someone at home knows where you are going and approximately what time you are expected back; call them when you get back
• If there’s no-one at home, leave a note on the dashboard of your vehicle saying where you are going and approximately what time you are expected back
Trail Safety• If you get lost and it’s getting dark, stay put• Keep warm and dry and wait till morning to
find your way again
Where to hike near here?
Where to hike near here?
UBC Research Forest
How to get there
Where else to hike?
Where to hike and take long walks?
What’s the
biggest danger in the
woods?
It isn’t a bear, not even a grizzly bear
It isn’t a cougar
It’s water: Too much can make you very, very cold; Too little can make you dehydrated
Here, it rains
• A Lot!
Two dangers
• Too much rain• What can be caused in your body when it’s
both cold and wet?• Hypothermia• What can be caused in your body when there’s
far too little water and you get dehydrated?• Heat stress or heat stroke• Both can kill you
So it’s very important
• To keep dry and warm when you stop in the rainy season, especially if you are lost and have to stay out overnight
To keep hydrated in the hot season
But most important of all• Have fun hiking!
Thanks very much!
• http://www.rmoutdoorclub.ca/• Any questions?