Summer hiking tips
By Heather Benjamin
In some ways, summer is prime hiking season—full of sunshine, long days, and lush, green trees—but in North Carolina, it can also be hot and humid.
Ranger rescues spike in the summertime, often for preventable oversights by visitors who overexert themselves or become dehydrated. Take care of yourself on your summer hikes, and help rangers stay available for rescues of the seriously injured.
Here are some tips for making the most of your summertime outdoors:
- Bring more water than you think you’ll need. Hiking alone? Bring water. Hiking with your kids or friends? Bring even more. Hiking with your dog? They need water, too! Many’s the hike I started thinking it was too short for me to need to carry water. Of course, I would later be trudging back to my car feeling thirsty. Even if you don’t want a day pack for that two-mile hike, just carry a water bottle in your hand. You’ll thank me later.
- Carry snacks. When you’re exerting yourself in the summer heat, bring replenishing snacks. Now’s the time to indulge in salty, carb-based items like trail mix, pretzels, and chips. Fresh fruit is also great for its natural sugar boost and water content.
- Wear a hat or sunscreen. Don’t forget the SPF or baseball cap while you’re taking part in outdoor recreation. Even overcast days let through the rays that cause sunburn. Since I often forget to bring a hat when I leave the house, I keep an old one in the backseat of my car just to be on the safe side.
- Take a raincoat or poncho. Afternoon storms are not uncommon in North Carolina in the spring and summer. Squish a raincoat or poncho into your pack, at least for longer hikes where it would be uncomfortable to get fully drenched and still have 8 miles left to walk in a soggy t-shirt.
- Wear synthetic fabrics. Speaking of t-shirts, think about wearing nylon, polyester or other moisture-wicking fabric instead of cotton, which can be uncomfortable and heavy when you sweat or fall into a creek. When there are major drops in temperature, wearing wet clothes can also put you at risk for hypothermia.
- Choose your trail wisely. If you’re new to hiking or recovering from an injury, a 90-degree day might not be the right one on which to try a particularly steep trail for the first time. Assess your capabilities and choose a trail that works with your and your companions’ wishes for the kind of day you want to have. A pleasant walk? A 5-mile workout? If you’re not sure what trail to take, stop in at the Raven Rock visitor center and ask for a recommendation.
A little bit of planning ahead for contingencies makes it much more likely that you’ll have a wonderful time in the woods this summer, making lots of happy memories. Remember, there are no awards for being “the tough one”—but there are plenty of rewards for being the smart one.