This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Anthony Guigliano. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Hiking Alone… woah, that is a very strange and scary series of words. I was raised in a city so you can imagine that being alone in the wild would scare me. However, I like many find the concept interesting. The art of survival and knowing the woods and utilizing it to your advantage is a great skill to have. So, I wanted to make a list of hiking alone tips and explanations of why they are useful. However, I must point out one major thing.
If you do not have the proper experience: do not go out hiking alone. I am not a trained professional.
Study Your Location
It is very important to know your location when you are out hiking. If you go out on trails it is very common to not have any cell reception. So whatever apps you are using can get wonky or not work at all. That is why having a good ole map and compass to know and plan your location can get you out of your bind. Likewise, if your device dies having this as a backup makes for a vital tool that anyone can employ simply.
Pack Food and Water
Many people in this day and age, especially Zillennials forget to ingest water. Everyone thinks that Gatorade, coffee, and caffeine drinks are going to get them moving. However, solid foods and pure water are proper fuels for the body. If you go out hiking, and especially if you go out hiking alone, you need to be properly energized. Hiking is all motion and energy, moving from place to place, and a body not properly fueled can shut down. And if you are alone who knows what can happen?
Bring The Proper Tools
I know what people are thinking—axe, big knife, machete—like survival is an action movie. However, many survivalists will carry a decent-sized knife for many needs or even a multitool to employ for numerous situations. It may not be as cool, but it will get the job done, and in a survival situation that is the best you can ask for. Bring spray as well! Not just for bears, but also for insects. Small insects like ticks can lead to serious diseases, and I bet no one wants pesky mosquitos biting all over them or something or even hanging around their campsite.
Whistle
A whistle is a simple and effective tool for letting others know where you are in a bind! If you are hiking alone on a familiar trail, if you are stuck and need help, a whistle may alert a passerby who may be able to aid you. Also, a precaution as well would be telling a friend or family member before you hike where you are going to go and whatever path you are planning on treading. This can be the difference between life and death.
A First Aid Kit
A first aid kit is a great thing to bring on any expedition! In the hands of a person, they can heal many wounds or scrapes that may arise. If you are hiking alone this tool is vital. Knowing how to get a high grade med-kit is also important and it is good to research what sort of brands you are interested in getting.
Well, this wraps it up. I hope you learned something. Hiking alone is a very interesting activity, while to some people it is very exhilarating it is very dangerous and like many things, it should be handled maturely and with caution. Learn, research, and practice before attempting such a thing before you’re ready.
What other hiking alone tips would you recommend? Did we forget anything? Let us know in the comments below!
Leave a Reply