Backpacking Safety Guide (page 5)
You also need to take temperature into consideration. If the nights are cold, if you are swimming in very cold water (or sitting in your underwear in snowmelt), or you are camping on snow, hypothermia may be a concern. This can be avoided with the proper clothing: make sure you have plenty of it, and wear wool or synthetic fabrics instead of cotton, as cotton retains moisture against the skin. Early symptoms include shivering, numbness in the hands, shallow breathing, and goose bumps. A warm sensation following these can be a sign of the body’s temperature decreasing, and if treatment has not already begun, it needs to be started right away. Keep the person dry and warm, and give them warm liquids until their body temperature returns to normal. On the other end of the spectrum, when hiking in warm areas, you need to be careful of heat exhaustion, which can lead to full-blown heat stroke (hyperthermia). Prevent your body from overheating by keeping well-hydrated and wearing loose-fitting clothing. Along with signs of dehydration, heat exhaustion causes heavy sweating, tiredness/weakness, nausea, paleness, and muscle cramps. Treat this by resting in the shade for awhile, and drinking plenty of water or Gatorade if it is available. If either of these conditions are severe or are not subsiding, you may need to cut your trip short and bring the person to the hospital.
Such emergencies are rare, but they do happen. If you are hiking in a group, and one person has a serious injury, somebody else may need to hike in for help. Do not try to force the injured person to hike, or try to transport them if it is avoidable. If you have more than two people, split up so that at least one person can remain with the injured person. Leave as much gear as possible with those who are staying put; speed is of the essence for whoever is hiking out for help, so they should bring only what they need. They should hike out until they can get a cell signal and dial 911, or can reach the closet ranger station. If you are alone and incapable of hiking, you will have no choice but to stay where you are. Activate your PLB if you have one, or shoot of flares if you have those. If you have neither, use your whistle. Three sound or flashes is the distress signal. Often there are other hikers in the area, if they hear or see you signaling, usually they will come to help. Otherwise, you will have to wait to be found. You did remember to give your friend your itinerary and call the ranger station if you didn’t return, didn’t you?
The same is true if you become utterly, hopelessly lost. It is not uncommon to loose your trail and have to backtrack, but if you get yourself in a situation where you cannot find your trail at all, it is usually best to stay put. Use your PLB or try signaling other hikers as above; they may be able to help get you back on track. If no one comes right away, stay where you are and do not spilt up the party. If one person is scouting around, they should not get outside earshot, or you may just end up with a group that is lost in two different places. In general, it is easier for you to be found if you stay in one place and wait.
Happy Trails!
Hopefully, this introductory website will help make your first backpacking experiences as fun and hassle-free as possible. Always expect the unexpected, but careful and thorough planning will minimize your risks so you can relax and enjoy yourself. Start off easy: even a short trip can be quite challenging! Later on, you can try more difficult excursions, and this is a hobby that will always give you more opportunities to push yourself to the limit. You can try longer trips, a more difficult trail, or hiking in extreme areas such as in a desert or on snow. You can pick the prettiest trail you can find and lug along a ton of camera gear and try to be the next Ansel Adams. Or you can just take it easy, sitting back at your base camp, relaxing and enjoying the peace and solitude of the wilderness. You can re-visit your favorite trails again and again, or explore something totally new each time. Remember, each and every trip is your trip, and only you can decide what would make it the perfect trip for you. Happy hiking!
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