I have seen many bad decisions made on the trail because of dehydration and over-exertion.
Don’t let this happen to you.
- Get up early — so you have enough time to eat and get to your destination before the crack of dawn has even though about showing itself.*
- Dress in light water wicking clothing and the hiking shoes that work for you. In hot weather, I hike in a pair of Teva sandals or my Keen mesh hiking shoes (yes, these are also affiliate links. I appreciate your support!) depending on the trail and how many sharp rocks I may encounter.
- Eat breakfast, skip the caffeine, have an OJ, and drink lots of water.
- Tell your keepers where you are going to be and what trails you are hiking.
- When you arrive at your hiking destination — park where you think there will be shade and if there is no shade — don’t forget to put up your sun-shield in your car and cover your steering wheel with a beach towel. It’s going to be hot in there when you get back. ((I usually pack a cooler full of ice with a few extra Nalgene bottles full of crushed ice, that way when I get back I have some nice cold water to drink.))
- Make sure your vehicle is locked and any valuables are well hidden (BTW — you should leave the valuables at home). If you do have valuable don’t go hiding them in the trunk while you are in the parking lot. You might as well paint a big target on your car. You never know who could be standing just a few feet into the woodline and watching the parking lot.
- Start your hike.
- Stay hydrated through out the hike.
- Take it easy hiking. Don’t go running through the woods.
- Enjoy your hike and that icy cold water when you get back to your car!
Hike early and get done before the big wallop of heat hits in the early afternoon hours. (Big wallop is a technical term, I just made up — you can use it to look super smart in front of all your friends. I give you permission that’s a $59 Value!)
* The crack on dawn occurs roughly one-half hour before the listed sunrise time. If you have great night vision or a really good flashlight and know the trail well, you could push this time a little further into the black and get hiking in the wee hours of the morning. NOAA (National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration) has an accurate sunrise/sunset calculator here.
Be Safe and Hike Happy — no one likes a ticked off hiker. 😉
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