Trekking and Hiking Tips

These suggested guidelines will help make hiking a safe and pleasant experience for everyone:

1. Stay on the trail. Taking a cutoff on a switchback trail will cause increased erosion.
2. When hiking above the treeline, stay off the fragile alpine moss, lichen and wildflowers.
3. Keep off private property. Landowners often give permission for the trail to pass over their land and may revoke that privilege if people stray all over their land.
4. Avoid hiking when the trails are wet, especially in the rain, as this can lead to trail erosion.
5. A fire should only be started if you are camping and it is in a special camp fire container. Fires are not permitted when the forest fire index is high. When leaving a campsite or a rest stop, walk a few yards away from the site, then stop and look back for items that you may have left behind.
6. If you smoke, make certain that your cigarette is completely extinguished when you are finished and carry the butt out with you.
7. When nature calls, go off the trail and keep at least 100 yards from streams and lakes to avoid contaminating the water. Bury your toilet paper and feces several inches deep.
8. Pack out any garbage that you have brought with you.
9. Leave nothing behind...not even footprints :)
10. Take nothing except photographs. Leave wildflowers and other plants for others to enjoy.
11. Don't feed the wildlife. Increasing a species' food supply can disturb the balance of nature.
12. When meeting a horseback rider, step off to the right of the trail and stand still until the rider passes. Any fast movement may frighten the horse.
13. Don't throw rocks or anything else over the side of mountains; they may strike someone passing below.
14. Take a five to ten minute break every hour, eating and drinking during each break. When resting, lay down and elevate your feet above your heart. Take off your shoes and change your socks.
15. Walk at a leisurely pace that you know you can keep up all day. Relax and stay in tune with nature as you walk. Remember you are doing this for the journey, not the destination.
16. On ascents, lace your boots loosely around the ankles to allow plenty of movement. On downhills, avoid toe jams by seating heels in the backs of the boots and tying laces tightly around the ankles but loosely at the toes.
17. Try Trekking Poles: they reduce the wear and tear on your knees and enable your upper body to participate in the hike.
18. To save internal water breath through your nose instead of your mouth. Walk at a pace that allows you to not sweat profusely.
19. If you are 100% certain of your next water supply, carry just enough water to get you there. Water weighs 2 lbs./quart and is much more important to your survival than food. So plan your water supply carefully. Filter all water on the trail unless it is coming directly out of a natural spring.
20. Carry a mixture of baking powder and baby powder and apply it to appropriate places a couple of times a day. Some people experience chafing, in their arm pits as they swing their arms all day, and in the crotch. This will help prevent the problem.
21. To prevent leaving behind gear always leave a pocket open until all items taken from it are returned.
22. Spray your clothing with insect killing medecine. This stuff repels and kills ticks and mosquitoes. Follow the directions on the container for application and use.