Camping and hiking are perfect outlets to enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors. To ensure a safe and enjoyable Hiking Trip, it is crucial that you carry along the necessary essentials, along with emergency gear. Knowledge of hiking, common sense, and emergency gear will help keep you safe.
Hiking is an exhilarating sport, but it can be very dangerous in certain terrain and weather conditions. Hikers should always be prepared for anything, including emergencies. One of the top ten things you must bring along is a detailed map of the area you will be hiking in.
The 7.5 minute USGS maps are great for those who are blazing new trails because they are very detailed. When hiking on trails the 15 minute Green Trails map, along with others, will keep you on course. Remember, it is crucial to know how to use a map properly, regardless of where you hike.
The next item you will need to carry along and know how to use is a compass. It is wise to have a compass that is liquid filled, and offers a base plate, an adjustable declination to discern between the Magnetic North and True North, a mirror that folds out, and a clinometer to measure slope steepness. Two other essentials are waterproof flashlights and headlamps.
It is important to carry along extra food and clothing to help you in the event of an emergency. Taking along a waterproofed tube tent and a mylar Space Bag are also great to have in a pinch. You should always carry an appropriate pair of glasses that have lenses that will protect your eyes from natural elements such as snow and sunlight. Another important thing to carry along is a First-Aid Kit that is packed with first aid essentials that are commonly needed on hiking trips.
Packing a pocket knife such as a Swiss Army Knife will provide you with most of the tools needed during an emergency. Waterproof matches and fire starting equipment are also important to carry along. Using common sense and packing other lightweight emergency essentials and Hiking Gear will also help to ensure your safety. Please check back often for new and helpful hiking articles.
American Southwest Magazine 
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Interesting read. On St Helena we have a wide variety of very challenging hikes (or walks as we call them), which is surprising as the island is quite small, just 47sq/miles. Items such as tents and compass wouldn’t really make our list as it’s impossible to get that lost, however, our emphasis is more on taking adequate water, a sun hat, and good shoes/boots. And being a photographer my must pack item would also have to be a camera as it would be a crime to see some of the views we have and not take a picture! We have a few walks posted on our blog if anyone’s interested, gives you a great appreciation for our scenery. Take care, Darrin.
Hi, if you supply your email address we can send you a download link for our e-magazine, Breeze. There’s a contact form on our blog. Cheers, Darrin
Nice post on hiking needs! We need to spend more time hiking in your beautiful state. Thanks for stopping by and following my travel and photo blog as well. I will enjoy following your posts as well, especially those related to hiking and camping.
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