This is a post for all of my hikers or any aspiring hikers out there! Before I delve into more juicy details of my journey, I have to talk some important business. Because my primary focus on my journey was hiking, I learned more than I ever thought I could about properly packing for extreme environments and long distance hiking. I will be sharing a lot of hiking tips and tricks along the way, but I'd like to start with the almighty pack because believe it or not, what you pack and how you pack is really important for hiking in different environments. Whether you are just getting into hiking, are an occasional hiker, or have been hiking all of your life, these are some helpful tips of mine for anyone to use.
I have been very fortunate to spend time with experienced hikers from all over the world and have learned so many important things about safety, survival, and tips for hiking and proper packing. Obviously not all of us are going out and hiking in remote backcountry every day or doing 12-hour day hikes. However, even for hikes 3 miles and over, you should always be prepared for anything, especially depending on where you're going to be hiking. A lot of what I have learned about packing for hikes has come from both personal trial and error and learning from other hikers. Some of the best packing and survival tips I learned came from one of my Airbnb hosts in Iceland who is now a dear friend of mine. When I roadtripped around Iceland in May
2016, my host helped me plan my route and stops based on the hiking spots. Being an extremely experienced hiker himself, some of the best advice he gave me and something that I will remember for the rest of my life is how important it is to really be in sync with mother nature. Iceland has some of the most extreme weather in the world and has remote areas where there won't be any civilization in sight for hours. Between intense windstorms, snow, rain, and all of the other elements of that mysterious place, it is really important to know how to survive in extreme weather in case of emergencies. He told me crazy stories of him being on hikes both by himself and with others in which he got lost for days and had to survive off of one sandwich and being on the verge of hypothermia. He said the best thing you can do on a hike is to be prepared for anything because it could save your life and I took this advice to heart!
Packing your pack is personal to your individual needs, but it's also very important to have some base essentials. How you pack is also extremely specific to where you're hiking, how long your hike (potentially is), what weather is like, etc. For example, you could be hiking in the hot and dry desert during the day and have it drop 20 degrees at night. If for some reason you get lost or injured, you want to make sure you won't get dehydrated or freeze. My rule is: if you are planning to hike any sort of backcountry, forest, national or state/provincial park, there are important essentials that you should always have with you. Any experienced hiker can tell you that hiking does not always go as expected and when you're out in nature, mama earth is the one who has all of the power. We can feel comfortable being in parks that have incredible rangers and staff, but the truth is, some of these parks are so large that it can be hard for them to keep tabs on everyone!
Because of the areas that I frequently hike in, the way that I pack my pack is crucial. I went through the widest range of climates on my journey and hiked in some of the most extreme environments. Starting in the dry and hot deserts of Utah then moving onto mountain climbing and deep Rocky Mountain snow, I had to be extremely on top of packing my pack properly and sometimes there were things I wish I had. Also being a solo traveler, packing is even more important. Someone yell it one more time for the people in the back: Anything can happen when you hike! I like to emphasize this because it's so true. I have gotten lost for hours both hiking by myself and in a group of four. If you are by yourself, it's important to be responsible and on top of everything in case you get lost, injured, or stranded. It could literally save your life!
Like I mentioned before, packing properly is very subject to the geography and climate of where you will be hiking. This starts by having a good understanding of the environment you'll be hiking in. The most accurate information will usually come from the Park websites. Check National, State, and Provincial park sites to get the most accurate reports for weather, trail conditions, and animal sightings. You can also stop at any visitor center to get this information and chat with the Park Rangers about any questions or concerns you may have. These people are a wealth of information and they are very knowledgeable about everything regarding what you need to know before and during your hike. I also like to ask them for hiking recommendations! Most of these items can be found in any outdoor or sport store and on Amazon.
Basic hiking essentials (What's always in my pack, no matter what)
1. Lightweight Jacket
Find something small that is lightweight and rolls up easily. I recommend something waterproof as well. Same goes. You never know when you'll get cold or lost
2. Maps/Hiking book
I always recommend keeping a map of the park you're hiking or a detailed hiking book. You just never know when you'll need it! You can get detailed hiking maps at the Visitor Centers in all of the parks. For more detailed descriptions and pictures, there are thousands of hiking books out there for parks all around the world. You can find these online, on Amazon, or at many of your local outdoor stores.
3. Flashlight/Headlamp
This is an extremely important thing to have in your pack! I always keep both a headlamp and a small flashlight in my pack. They are small and lightweight. We live in the time where your cellphone can pretty much do anything! A flashlight is a basic phone function now. However, I DO NOT recommend relying on your cellphone flashlight for light. If you happened to be on a hike when it's dark or you got lost, you don't want to drain the battery on your cellphone from using the flashlight. I keep both the flashlight and headlamp in case I need extra light or have another person who needs the light. Plus, I really like having the headlamp because it is hands free.
4. Warm hat and gloves
You never know when you're going to get cold! It could be the dead of summer, you're hiking, it gets a little later than you thought and you might start to get cold. They're small and lightweight, so throw a pair in there for emergencies and just leave them! I was just on a hike the other day with a group of people and I ended up doling out all of my gloves and beanies stored in my pack because everyone got cold!
5. Ziplock Bag
I always keep one in my pack just in case. Usually I am using them to pack up trash. Always pack your trash with you!!! Leave no impact or trace on the environment please. It's so easy to just keep a ziplock for trash so all you have to do is put it back in your pack and then throw it out later. This will be discussed in further detail below.
6. Some sort of protein and energy bar/nutritional food
Most hikers are familiar with the hiking munchies. Any time of day, any type of weather, we always tend to snack along the way. After doing all of that hiking and depending on what type of weather you're in, this can be really helpful to replenish your body and restore your energy. Bring at least one thing that's healthy and nutritious. Aside from that, it is always important to have food in case you get lost. We all go out hiking thinking we'll find the trail, stay on the trail, and are confident that we can trust our prodigious navigation skills. This is not always the case! Sometimes the weather can mask the obvious trail, we don't pay attention, or the damn trail is just so hard to find. Whether you get lost for a few minutes or overnight, having a small amount of food could literally save your life (Refer to the sandwich story above!)
BUT, if you bring food please remember two extremely important things: 1) Pack up your trash! This is where the Ziplock comes in handy! Don't throw your trash or food residue onto the trail. We all say, "My banana peel is biodegradable." Yes it is, but if you throw a banana peel in the desert, it will take it days maybe even weeks to decompose. Park Rangers are constantly trying to preserve the integrity of the environment in the parks or wilderness. Your food is not native to these environments and you also run the risk of attracting animals, which ties into number 2) DO NOT LEAVE TRASH AROUND FOR ANIMALS TO FIND/DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS. Just don't. It doesn't matter how cute the squirrel who wants a bite of your sandwich is, just don't feed them. By giving animals food, you are both making them reliant on people food as their food source and then they start associating people with food. Do you want animals like wolves, mountain lions, and bears to associate you with food? I think not. The problem with this is then more wild animals start coming into civilized areas looking for food because they know the food is where the people are and then they end up getting killed or putting people in danger. Please, just don't feed animals!
7. Bandaids/moleskin
I can't tell you how many times I have gotten cut, injured, or gotten horrible blisters while in the middle of the hike. It's always good to have bandaids around just in case. You'll be sorry that day when you don't. I have had to wrap up my blistered feet with duct tape and maxi pads before because I forgot my bandaids behind!
8. Extra pair of socks
This is just a duh. You never know when your feet will get wet, sweaty, cold, or hot. Just bring them, they're small.
9. Emergency (Sonic) whistle
This is a hugely important item to have, especially for me as a solo hiker/traveler. It is really crucial. It can save you in an emergency, scare away a threatening animal or person, and can help you if you are lost. I recommend getting a whistle that's extra loud and meant for the outdoors because they are so loud that you can potentially hear the sound for miles. If you get injured or hurt, you can give that whistle a few good blows and someone will hopefully hear it. They are very distinct sounding.
10. Compass
This goes without saying. Just have one! It may seem old school, but it's helpful to know which way North is!
11. Pocket knife
You never know when you'll need one! Good as a rule of thumb just to keep a small, sharp one in your pack. I've done everything from cutting food, cloth, to slicing open painful blisters on hikes with my knife. To be honest too, it's nice to know that you have something small for protection just in case!
12. Binoculars
You don't need to have anything fancy, I just think it's helpful to keep a small pair in your pack. It follows the theme of survival in case you need to find something far away or if you get lost, but also nice to have to see wildlife or anything that's farther away.
13. Sunglasses
You never know when stuff will get in your eyes. Sun, blowing sand, blowing snow. They're nice to have just in case you need something to cover your eyes.
14. Chapstick
No description needed. Just always essential!
15. Lighter
Another survival tool because fire is crucial for emergencies! You may never need to use a lighter for anything, but it's always a good small item to have in your pack. If you got stuck somewhere, needed to sanitize something, or start a fire, it's a good thing to have. It's like a pocket knife. You may never use it, but it totally comes in handy when you do need it. HOWEVER: Please use fire in the wilderness with care. Make sure you are following fire rules and regulations of the area to avoid wildfires.
MOST IMPORTANT: Water
You can never bring too much water! Especially when hiking in hot climates like the desert. Bring extra!!! You may not be a huge water drinker, but seriously, it gets way hotter than you think sometimes when you hike. There is nothing worse than running out of water on a hike, especially in the desert when there is usually no natural water source for emergencies. Would you usually just bring one bottle on a hike? My rule is always triple the amount. I usually bring about 3-5 bottles for myself on desert hikes. Seem excessive? It could save your life! Every time you go to hike the desert, you will see signs everywhere that say "DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH WATER?" This is because sadly many deaths have occurred in parks due to dehydration. If you are on a hike and you run out of water, turn around. It's not worth risking the chance of getting lost or dehydrated and then having search and rescue have to find you. If you are by yourself, that could also take hours too. Just be smart! In my opinion, this is one of the most important rules for hiking.
These are my basic essentials for my pack when I hike. These are the items that I will never leave without. Everyone is different and everyone brings what works for them, but some of these items could potentially save your life and sometimes people do not think to pack some of these things. What I have learned to pack has come from extensive hiking experience in all types of environments as well as learning from much more experienced hikers than myself. Hopefully there was something helpful in here for other hikers! Before, I mentioned that some things I pack are specific to the climate I am hiking in. The remaining lists are small things I will add to the already existing essentials that are specific to certain environments I hike in.
When I hike the desert
The pack I use for desert hiking is (pictured on the right) my East Pak. The material is made out of leather and a heavy and durable canvas. This is great to avoid wear and tear on your pack when setting it on the ground.
-WATER: Did I emphasize enough how important water is when desert hiking? It might make your pack heavy, but you will be happy in the end when you go through all of your water.
-A hat that will protect you from the sun
-Sunscreen
-A protective light layer (in case you overheat)
-Bandana (Can protect your face from dust)
Traversing the mountains
Are you hiking in the mountains? Don't wake up and take that weather forecast too seriously. Mountain weather can change rapidly incredibly fast, so it's important that you are prepared for anything. With this all being said, that also does not mean that you have to pack 100-pounds worth of stuff. Everything I suggest will be lightweight and small enough so that a day hike doesn't feel like packing for backcountry camping.
-Sturdy waterproof pack (pictured on left). I just recently started using a New Outlander pack from Amazon.com. I have also been very happy with Osprey packs in the past. The only thing about my Eastpak is that it isn't waterproof and when you're hiking somewhere with unpredictable or wet weather, you always want a waterproof pack to keep your stuff dry.
-Bear or "Murderer Spray"
If you are hiking in territory with potentially dangerous animals like bears, wolves, cougars, etc., this is something that is crucial to have! If you're not 100 percent sure, always check online for animal warnings. My friends also like to call it murderer spray because I'm often hiking by myself. Good to know that you're always armed with blinding spray that can shoot up to 30 feet (9 meters)! Please read online about how to properly use bear spray. I may do a post about it one day, but this stuff is so strong and potent that you would have to evacuate a building if you sprayed it inside. Never use it unless you have to!
-Warm clothes
I recommend bringing layers when you hike in the mountains! Especially in the winter. I will always add in an extra base layer like a turtleneck sweater and one extra lightweight waterproof jacket.
-Trekking poles (if needed)
-Gators and cramp-ons
Good for when there is ice and snow on your hike. Can be found at most outdoor stores.
Miles and miles of forest
I always use my waterproof pack!
-Waterproof Layer
-Bug Spray
-Bear Spray
-Trekking poles (if needed)
-Some sort of hat with a brim to protect against water and bugs
