Day Hiking 101

On my last hike down the mountain, Chris, Katie, and I started hiking after dinner. Knowing that the sun was going to set before we made it out, we all had flashlights and extra batteries. We encountered three day hikers that had left the lodge around 5:30 pm and had only made it half way before the sun the set. They were now hiking without flashlights. This can make for a very dangerous scenario. We left them with one of our flashlights and continued hiking to the car. Our discussion quickly turned to what makes for a safe day hike. These, of course, are all suggestions.


1. Make sure someone knows where you are going. Have       a contact person to call when you get off of the trail. 
2. Always carry plenty of water. Carry more then you           think you are going to need. 
3. Have a sturdy day pack to carry some emergency             supplies.
4. Supplies: an emergency kit with a mirror, space                 blanket and some general first aid supplies, such as           bandaids. I always carry duck tape wrapped around my     water bottle. Duct tape has fixed many of my hiking           gear. Flashlight is a must. Snacks. I always carry               some form of fire starter, just to be on the safe side.
5. Do your research about the weather. What kind of             temperatures? Change of socks is always good. If it is       going to be cold, take layers to put on or take off               according to your activity. It is extremely dangerous to     get caught in cooler conditions in cotton. You do not           want to have soaking wet clothing and catch a chill.           Cotton does not dry fast enough to keep you warm.
6. Now, the important information. Always keep in mind       how long you have been on the trail, when the sun goes     down and how long it is going to take you to get out. If     you are prepared with a flashlight and the correct gear       to get you thru the night, it is not going to matter. If         you are day hiking and you do not have the correct           gear, turn around in time to give you plenty of time to       get back to the trail head. Do not be concerned with           reaching the top. The peak is not going any where and       you can hike it later when you are better prepared.


As I stated before, these are all suggestions. We have witnessed many different emergencies on the mountain and a lot of them could have been avoided if they followed some of these suggestions. I hope these help with your next day hike. Happy Hiking.