What should you prepare before hiking? Key points for preparing before hiking

Mountain climbing is a good fitness activity, and it is also a relatively safe and comprehensive way of exercise. Not only that, it can exercise the body and cultivate people's sentiments. After going through so much hardship and seeing the most beautiful scenery on the top of the mountain, I feel that the hard work of climbing all the way is worth it, and at the same time, I exercise the infinite charm of personal persistence.

Contents of this article

1. What should you prepare before hiking?

2. Key points for preparation before mountain climbing

3. Precautions for mountain climbing in summer

What to prepare before hiking?

Hiking routes

Learn about the route you are going to take in advance, plan the time and place for rest and meals, and it is best to have someone you know to lead the way so that you don’t wander around blindly in the mountains. Bring a map of the route.

Hiking Weather

You should be familiar with the climate characteristics of the mountain and pay attention to the weather forecast the day before the mountaineering. Bring warm clothes to prevent colds in the morning and evening; prepare sunscreen and skin protection products to avoid sunburn.

Climbing method

There are two main issues to pay attention to during mountaineering: first, you should control the speed of going up and down the mountain, and do not exercise too vigorously to cause muscle strain; second, when resting during the way, try not to sit on wet ground or in the wind. If you sweat a lot, you can slightly loosen your collar and try not to take off your clothes or hat to prevent colds. You can massage your waist and leg muscles by yourself during each rest to prevent muscle stiffness.

Hiking Clothing

In principle, mountaineering clothing should be flexible and adjustable, and should be warm, protective, and comfortable. Normally, the temperature in the mountains is lower than that on the plains, and the temperature drops by 6°C for every 1,000 meters you ascend. Therefore, you should pay special attention to the warmth of your mountaineering clothing. Even in summer, it is best to wear cotton clothes with sleeves to avoid catching a cold during the climb. Tourists who choose to climb Mount Tai at night should pay special attention to this.

Hiking shoes

It is the most important equipment among all mountaineering equipment. It is recommended that tourists choose light mountaineering shoes that suit them before climbing. This kind of shoes has high air permeability, comfortable walking, and high friction on the sole, which is most suitable for mountaineering. It is best to choose high-top, waterproof, and breathable hiking shoes. The size should be appropriate, and the sole should be thick and soft to prevent foot bruising. The sole pattern should be large. The weight should be light.

Sun hat and sunscreen

Tourists should apply sunscreen before climbing, and it is best to wear a sun hat to avoid sunburn. In addition, it is especially recommended that tourists do not use parasols during the climb, because the wind is strong on the mountain and the air convection speed is fast, parasols are not practical, but increase the burden of climbing.

Tips for preparing before hiking

Clothes

What kind of clothes should you prepare when you go hiking? Of course, loose clothes are better. You may sweat during hiking, so you might as well wear cotton clothes to help absorb sweat. You can't wear tights and high heels for beauty when hiking, unless you don't want your body. If conditions permit, you can choose professional shoes to go hiking. At the very least, you should wear sports shoes to hike. It's unreasonable not to wear sports shoes for exercise. If you are afraid that the strong wind on the mountain will hurt your head and cause a headache, then consider wearing a hat.

Food

We know that only eating and taking in enough energy from food can help you reach the top of the mountain. Therefore, you must bring food. For example, water, light bread, a small amount of fruit, and high-calorie compressed biscuits and chocolate can all be your must-have foods.

live

If you want to spend the night in the mountains, you can't follow the ancients and fall asleep anywhere. The temperature in the mountains is low and the humidity is heavy, so you should prepare a sleeping bag or a tent so that you can better enjoy the time in the mountains without being too cold to go down the mountain.

OK

Hiking, since you are going to climb a mountain, then the shoes under your feet can be professional hiking shoes or sports shoes that fit your feet. Of course, for those who are more strenuous in climbing, you can prepare a pair of trekking poles, which can help you reduce the weight on your body and make it easier for you to climb to the top.

Environmentally friendly tools

You brought food and drinks with you to the mountain, so you can't just throw away the garbage. Prepare one or two plastic bags for yourself. When you can't find a trash can, this is the best trash can for you to put your trash.

Things to note when hiking in summer

Route selection

To effectively reduce accidents, we must start with the mountaineering route. A well-designed mountaineering route must have a clear retreat route, and it is best to have supply and communication stations along the way. The length of the route and the extent of the ups and downs will depend on the physical fitness of each team member.

Mountain flood and lightning protection

The weather changes quickly in the summer, and sudden thunderstorms may occur at any time in the mountains, so you must be especially careful; staying away from valleys and rivers, and taking shelter in buildings or caves are all feasible strategies.

Anti-snake and insect

Snakes are very active in summer, so you must pay more attention to your feet when walking in the wild. It is best to take the approach of "startling the snake by stirring up trouble" to effectively reduce the danger. Bees in the wild are very aggressive, so when entering a bush area, you must always pay attention to whether there are groups of bees in the same area and do not leave. If there are, it means there may be a large beehive nearby, so avoid it; do not underestimate the caterpillars and fire ants on the trees, as they can also cause great harm to humans. A large, wide-brimmed hat and towel can provide effective protection.

Bring some clothes

In summer, there is a big temperature difference between morning and evening, especially in mountainous areas. There is also a big temperature difference between the mountain and the foot of the mountain, so you should prepare sportswear with good sweat absorption, as well as lightweight and breathable sports shoes or hiking shoes. It is best to have good non-slip function. Do not wear slippers or high-heeled sandals. In addition, the socks should also be breathable and absorbent. There are more showers in summer, so it is necessary to bring rain gear. It is best to check the weather before going out. Don't go hiking in too hot or rainy weather. Remember to prepare sun protection equipment, such as sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hats, etc. to avoid sunburn.

Pay attention to the climbing time

In summer, do not go hiking during the noontime (11:00-15:00) when the sun is the hottest. It is best to choose to go hiking in the morning to before noon or in the afternoon to evening when the weather is not too hot to avoid heatstroke.

Hydration

The weather is hot in summer, we sweat a lot, and water is lost quickly, so we must replenish water in time. It is best to choose functional drinks, light salt water and mineral water, drink small amounts multiple times, and avoid drinking too much ice water, which will cause gastrointestinal irritation and gastrointestinal burden.

Bring your medication

Summer outdoor sports are most likely to cause heat stroke and dehydration, so you must prepare anti-heat medicines for summer mountaineering, just in case. In fact, it is not recommended to climb in summer, because summer outdoor sports are really more physically demanding and the chance of heat stroke is higher.

It depends on the person

Although mountain climbing is a good fitness activity, it is not suitable for everyone. It is best to check your body before climbing. If you have heart disease, it is best not to climb mountains. Because climbing mountains consumes a lot of physical energy, increases the load on the heart, and is easy to induce angina pectoris and myocardial infarction. In addition, patients with epilepsy, vertigo, hypertension, and emphysema should not climb mountains. People with joint diseases or prone to knee and ankle injuries should not climb mountains (or climb stairs).

Step by step

Before climbing, you should do some simple warm-up exercises. The height and time of climbing should be determined according to your physical strength and daily activities. If you feel tired, or have panic, chest tightness, sweating, etc., you should stop exercising immediately and rest on the spot. Never force yourself to persist.

Preventing heat stroke

The temperature is relatively high in summer, and coupled with the heat generated by mountain climbing, it is very easy to get heatstroke, so you must pay attention to rest during the climb, and take a few minutes break every once in a while to avoid heatstroke caused by excessive heat. Try to choose shady routes during the climb and wear a hat. You can wet the hat slightly with water to help cool down. If you find signs of heatstroke, stop immediately, find a cool place to lie down, replenish water, take some heat-reducing medicines, and if the condition is serious, seek medical treatment immediately.

Refuse cold drinks

It must be extremely refreshing to drink a bottle of cold drink after exercising in the summer, but you don’t know the harm hidden behind it. Although a large amount of cold drinks can cool you down, they can also irritate the stomach and intestines, causing damage to stomach function. Mild cases can cause diarrhea, and severe cases may cause acute gastritis. Therefore, you should not drink a large amount of cold drinks quickly when climbing. You should drink slowly and in small amounts multiple times, and do not drink large amounts.

Use pulse to control intensity

When climbing, the pulse should always be kept within the target heart rate for aerobic fitness, 170 minus age (not more than 180 minus age). If it is a little faster, you should stop to slow down the pulse before climbing again. You can stand for 1 or 2 minutes before climbing again. You can also rest for 10 to 20 minutes. Be careful not to sit down immediately, stand for a while and then sit down to rest. Be careful not to lie down to rest, and wear clothes to prevent catching a cold.