A Simple Reminder of the Basics
No matter your skills or abilities you always need to prepare for a hike. You can find hundreds of lists online for the basic essentials for hiking but there are things not on those lists that you may need but don’t realize till its to late. On a quick look at simple lists there’s always the absolute basics i.e. Backpack, proper footwear, weather appropriate clothing.
Picking a backpack for a hike can be tough. what type of backpack external or internal frame just a simple day pack. If that wasn’t enough then you need to know how may liters of storage space you will be needing. Does the backpack have a spot for a hydration pack or do you need extra space for water bottles and purifiers? what other essentials do you need to bring because that could also increase or decrease the size of the bag.
Do you know how to pick the proper footwear for the trails your going to be on? You can do some self research online or any of the hiking apps or contact local guide services to find out what the trails conditions could be. If you have smooth flat trails like carriage trails a nice hiking shoe should be suffice. When you have the possibility of some rocks or rough terrain a hiking boot with good ankle support in needed. Knowing where your going to hike and the possible trail conditions can also effect what you need added to your footwear. If your hike brings you into a ravine or a gully you might come across spots in the later spring that could still be covered in ice and you’ll need to have micro-spikes with you to be safe. These same spots could have snow still and you will need a travel set of snowshoes so that you can continue on your hike without the worry of getting hurt by whatever lies underneath the snow.
When it comes to clothing its always better to over layer and be able to take off to cool down than not to have enough and run into health risks out on the trails. When you under dress on your hike and you didn’t know that the terrain ends up going down into a gulley where in the spring the temperature can be significantly colder you will wish you had warmer layers and trying to rush though that section of the hike can also be just as dangerous as not having that sweater or jacket. When you are prepared for the colder weather and you dress in layers you can help our body thermoregulate easier by just taking off your jacket and unzipping it slightly to release built up heat. Always be prepared for inclement weather some locations can have the weather change in the blink of an eye and you do not want to be caught in the middle of a random downpour or a quick snow squall without the proper equipment to keep yourself protected.
Now a guarantied number one item for your hike water. Every hike done either in the heat or the cold you might not realize it but you sweat and the only way to replenish yourself is with good old h2o. Make sure you bring enough water for your trip, too much is better than not enough. They make a wide variety of water purifiers now from straws you drink right from a stream to pills you let dilute in the water to fancy pumps that refill your bottles with clean water.
Besides water you will need some kind of energy source. I don’t mean battery packs to keep your phone charged but rather some sort of protein snack. Granola bars are a great source of energy from the sugars to the proteins. fruits and nuts are a very good and simple source of nutrition while out on a trail all things that take up only a small amount of space in your pack. Trail mix is the absolute perfect balance of carbs sugars and proteins your need to have a fun and successful hike.
Other very basic needs are First Aid kits, some sort of compass and map or gps unit. Always have a travel plan meaning let someone not going on the trip know where you are going. Make sure you bring hygiene products you never know when you will have to go to the bathroom when you are out in the woods and if you don’t have all those essentials it makes for a very interesting situation.
Now that you’ve looked over and brought yourself back to the basics just remember to enjoy yourself but keep the basics in mind while you are out on your adventure and always have a plan for your hike. Do your research before you go, you don’t want to be out in the middle of a trail and have something happen and not be prepared for it.
Until the next blog
Shawangunk Ridge Outfitters
Things to look out for while on a trip.
With the new year comes everyone wanting to try new things. New hikes, new camping spots, even new hunting ground. Not only do you have to be mindful of the crazy weather that always seems to change but nature itself whether that be plants to not touch, eat, or use for fires, or the unexpected predator animals. Not your typical scary bear or rattlesnake more the like ones that don’t typically warn you when you get very close to them. Here in the Shawangunk Ridge we have a few commonly known predators like the fox and coyote they don’t typically tend to let you know they are near you unless its at night then a coyotes howl will send shivers down your spine. There is however a what at first glance seems like an adorable weasel type creature that slinks around known as a Fisher then can be smaller or they can grow about 32-49 inches in length with their tail being 1/3 of that overall size. Even with being that size they typically only weigh in between 4 and 13 lbs. although short legged like a weasel they have semi retractable claws making them fast tree climbers and being agile they can jump up to 7 feet between trees to move around. They will usually take home in large hollow trees and eat smaller pray such as rodents, hares, birds, even porcupines. There is no real way to avoid animals such as these besides cleaning up when your done eating. Pack everything up for the night in sealed containers and hang them from trees when you can.
What Is Forest Therapy And Nature Mindfulness?
In the 1980s the Japanese government found that there was a health crisis of high burnout in the densely populated cities in the country. What they found was that their people were not spending time outside..so they did studies of effects of being out in nature. The results they found were that the phytoncides an essential oil produced and given off by trees increased killer T cells improving immunity, also there was an improvement in mood, decrease in heart rate and blood pressure, decreased level of cortisol in the body. These improvements would last for days even weeks after a forest bathing session. An actual session includes going out into the forest and practicing different mindfulness activities ending with a tea ceremony. The activities can include but not limited to breathing with a tree, gratitude walk, art creation, sitting with water, exploring shadows etc.
A session can be an hour or up to 4 hours. There usually isn’t any real hiking involved because of the slowness needed to engage in the present moment activities. I am A Certified Forest Therapy and Nature Mindfulness Guide through Cultured Forest.
Karen Knoll
In the 1980s the Japanese government found that there was a health crisis of high burnout in the densely populated cities in the country.. What they found was that their people were not spending time outside..so they did studies of effects of being out in nature. The results they found were that the phytoncides an essential oil produced and given off by trees increased killer T cells improving immunity, also there was an improvement in mood, decrease in heart rate and blood pressure, decreased level of cortisol in the body. These improvements would last for days even weeks after a forest bathing session. An actual session includes going out into the forest and practicing different mindfulness activities ending with a tea ceremony. The activities can include but not limited to breathing with a tree, gratitude walk, art creation, sitting with water, exploring shadows etc.
A session can be an hour or up to 4 hours. There usually isnt any real hiking involved because of the slowness needed to engage in the present moment activities. I am a Certified Forest Therapy and Nature Mindfulness Guide through Cultured Forest.