In today’s hectic world it is becoming increasingly difficult to align your schedule with those of your friends in order to arrange a day of hiking on the trails. You may not have friends who share the same interest in the great outdoors as you do or you may just be drawn to the peace and tranquillity that the countryside and mountains offer and would rather enjoy it alone.
Whatever your reason for setting out on a solo hike, without having a companion to fall-back on in the event of an emergency, you do have to prioritise your own safety even more so than usual.
We have put together a list of some useful tips to help keep you as safe as possible on your next solo outing.
1. Inform Someone Of Where You Are Going And When You Intend To Be Back.
The first and most important piece of advice is to tell a family member or close friend where you are going, where you are parking, how long you think that you will be hiking for and when you will be back. This means at least one person knows that there may be a problem and can raise an alarm if they don’t hear from you at your intended return time.
It would be even better if you could leave a copy of your route with them to narrow down your possible location and speed up the search for you. Remember, if nobody knows you are missing then there is no reason for anyone to search for you.
Also make sure to inform that person of what you are wearing on your hike so that they pass on your description to the emergency services to aid with their search.
2. Keep Within Your Abilities And Stick To A Familiar Route.
You should try to keep any new routes that you might like to hike for days when you have a hiking partner to accompany you and keep the routes that you are familiar with for your solo hikes. You don’t want to find yourself committed to a route that is tougher and longer than you originally thought.
By tackling a route that may be beyond your abilities you run the risk of injury, exhaustion or finding yourself out on the trails when darkness falls.
If the weather conditions take a turn for the worse, you will find it a lot easier to navigate your way back along a familiar route than to try an navigate a route that you have never been on before.
We all love to push our limits a little bit but choose your challenges wisely.
3. Stick To Your Intended Route
Exploring new territory is one of the great joys of hiking. Taking a detour to visit a new vantage point could reward you with a view that makes the whole day out worthwhile. But as appealing as it sounds, it would be best to avoid this scenario if you are hiking alone.
If you were unfortunate enough to have an accident while venturing off your original route, this could create problems for the search and rescue team that are trying to find you when the alarm is raised.
Precious time could be saved in the search if the team had a narrower search area and you stuck to the original route that they were informed about.
4. Always Make Sure To Carry A Fully Charged Mobile Phone
If an emergency arises then your mobile phone could be that vital link between you and the help that you need. It is vital that you have enough battery life not only to make the initial call for help but to stay on the line to the emergency personnel on the other end the phone. If you are injured they can provide essential guidance to you and they might also need your guidance when it comes to finding your location.
5. Bring A Spare Battery Pack
If you are using a phone app for navigation or to track your route, then these app’s can be quite hard on your phones battery life over the course of a day. Bring an additional battery pack from which you can charge your phone mid-hike before it runs out completely and you find yourself unable to make any calls or texts.
6. Pack A Map & Compass
With modern technology offering hikers convenient solutions to their navigational needs, it is easy to become over dependant on phone apps like Viewranger or specific GSP devices. But with technology also comes potential for error. What if your device battery dies or the app doesn’t load correctly? You do not want to find yourself in a situation where your only form of navigation is now nothing more than some extra weight in your pocket.
Packing a compass and an OSI map of the area that you are hiking in will give you that extra safety net you might need if technology fails you. If you don’t know how to use a compass or read an OSI map, then we would suggest taking a one day navigation course or a 2 day Mountain Skills course. Both these courses will teach you the basic skills of map reading and compass use and give you the confidence to rely on them if the time comes.
Alternatively, there are many helpful videos on YouTube that teach the basic skills required to read a map and use a compass so set aside some time to learn the basics.
Most seasoned hikers will have a head torch as part of their mandatory kit in case of emergencies. Apart from using it to see where you are walking if you get lost or your hike takes longer than expected and you are out after dark, it can also be used as a flashing beacon to help a search team locate you if the situation arises.
A light flashing on and off in the darkness could catch someone’s eye and draw attention to your situation.
8. Bring A Whistle
Similar to the point above, a whistle should also be part of your mandatory kit. If you become hurt, injured or even lost on a hike, a whistle can help you to draw the attention of a nearby hiker or a member of a search team.
9. Pack A Survival Blanket
If you become injured and can’t continue with your hike, your body temperate will drop very quickly in cold conditions when you are stationary. Also if you become lost and find yourself out after dark temperatures can drop very low overnight in our climate.
A survival blanket will help keep you warm while you are waiting for help to arrive or if you need to stop for a while to rest. They are light, compactable and take up very little space in your backpack and are relatively inexpensive.
Any good outdoor pursuits store should have them in stock making them a simple but effective addition to your safety kit.
10. Bring A Personal Location Beacon
These devices are a top addition to your safety kit if you are a regular solo hiker who likes to tackle more remote routes.
Although more expensive to buy than any of our previously mentioned items, they are definitely worth the investment. These devices do only one thing, and that is to send a warning signal with your location to the emergency services, who will in turn initiate a search and rescue operation.
There is no two-way communication with these so bear in mind that once activated a full scale rescue operation will be launched.
They should be kept for emergencies only, when other forms of communication just won’t suffice or are not an option.
To Sum It All Up…
Although the vast majority of solo hikers enjoy their hike as planned and without any incidents, you can never be too careful when it comes to your own personal safety.
Try to hike with a friend whenever possible or maybe join a hill walking group for company on the trails.
Simple things like a wrong turn on a trail, a change in weather conditions or a twisted ankle could land you in a serious situation, so if you do go it alone then try to implement some or all of the above measures ensure that you can enjoy your next solo hike safely.
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