Wilderness Survival Tips & Backpacking Tips  

tip#11

TIP#11 – DARN! ANOTHER BLISTER. Blisters are the most common medical situation you will encounter in your hiking experiences. And beware – improperly treated blisters can result in infection and serious consequences. Here are a few tips: First, prevent blisters, or at least minimize their occurrence by keeping feet dry; by breaking boots in thoroughly before embarking on a long hike; by choosing socks carefully; by treating “hot spots” early. Even before these steps – choose your boots with great care. Seek sound advice. Look at your bare feet.  Bone spurs or protrusions, scars, hammer toes, burses, calluses and plantar fasciitis may all lead to hot spots and blisters.  Your feet will swell some as you walk, so take this into consideration when choosing size.  An orthotic device or insert may be necessary; if so, take them with you when purchasing your boots.  Wear the same thickness socks that you intend to wear with the boots when trying on prospective boots.  Forget what the boots look like - break with fashion.  Your arches are also an important factor.  consider orthotics, footbeds or inserts to relieve foot elongation or to deal with flat feet or severely arched feet.  Your selected boots should accommodate your feet and socks, but must not be either too loose or too tight.  You need toe room to accommodate elongation and downhill slippage, but a boot with too much room will result in slippage and blistering.  Neoprene rubber footbeds or inserts can take up looseness.  Use a "rubbing bar" to deal with potential or actual hot spots in the boot.  Boot "manipulation" can work wonders in ridding hot spots -- ask about it.  Only once you are satisfied that with the boot and its fit should you make the purchase.  Seek professional and thorough assistance.  Insist on the salesperson's time and assistance.  Does the salesperson ask to see your bare feet?  Does the salesperson measure your foot width and length both sitting and standing to assess elongation?  Are you asked to stand on an incline board to assess foot movement in the boot?  Does the shop have a "rubbing bar" to deal with hot spots?  If the seller doesn't provide the above services, go somewhere else.  Boots should then be broken in for at least thirty to fifty miles of walking, though many newer boots require very little break in time. If you sense that your foot moves too much inside your boot, use a sole insert or heel cup.  Always dry feet completely after “wet” creek crossings. If socks become wet, change them promptly and air the wet pair in case you need them again. I prefer a synthetic under sock or liner, combined with a wool sock. Some people prefer a polypropylene liner with wool sock. The principle is that the liner wicks away moisture from the skin, then the outer sock wicks it still farther from the foot where it evaporates. The liner sock also moves friction away from the foot just as another layer of skin would do. An additional trick is to deal with hot spots at once. Don’t wait until a simple hot spot becomes a painful blister. I like to tape over the toe or spot with adhesive tape – I sometimes add a small dollop of petroleum jelly on the exterior of the tape to fight friction. Having failed in the above, you now have a blister. What should you do? After kicking yourself firmly in the rump, sit down and deal with it. If the blister is unbroken and filled with liquid and you carry moleskin, do NOT break the blister. Cut a square of moleskin large enough to cover the blister and still have a good inch of surrounding material. Fold in half and cut out the center to fit over the blister. Rounding edges will also avert peeling off of the bandage.  Remove adhesive and place moleskin over blister; repeat without hole, if height of blister makes necessary. Some people prefer a product called Newskin – it serves the same purpose. Replace socks and boots. If the blister is not broken, but you carry no moleskin or the blister is too painful, break skin close to an edge with a sterile needle. Press out liquid, dry area completely. If the blister is already broken, press out liquid and dry area. Now, apply antiseptic cream or spray to wound (once the skin is broken, the blister becomes a wound and is subject to infection). Apply adhesive tape to area. For toes, I fold one end of tape over to keep the sticky part off of the wound, then I wrap the toe all around. I then place a small dollop of petroleum jelly to the exterior of the tape to minimize friction. Once in camp or later at a break, repeat above steps. Don’t forget the antiseptic. Oh, and duct tape works as well as adhesive tape.

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tip#12

TIP#12 – SELECTION OF YOUR CAMPSITE is important to the enjoyment of your camping experience. Would you rather waken to a sunny morning or a cold, damp shady greeting? Some times you have to accept the campsite your map and plans have led you to, but even then, there are usually several choices as to where you put your tent or tents. Guide books will usually rate established campsites. Here are things I look for: 1. A level spot big enough to accommodate my tent and the tents of my buddies, and also a spot suitable for cooking. Avoid areas full of rodent holes; camp away from game trails. Avoid camping near wood piles or other possible snake dens.2. Threatening trees full of overhead deadwood. Even large falling cones can provide a painful awakening. Nearby signs of rockslides.3. Gullies, narrow valleys, etc. Flash floods may pose a serious and lethal hazard. I find that camps above the valley floor but below hill crests offer fewer mosquitoes, pleasing breezes, which also mean drier ground, without the high winds of hill tops, sunnier exposures, and better views.  These are also more lightning safe.4. Camp away from hiking trails.5. Use established fire rings. If you must make a new one, clear ground, make a shallow pit, circle pit with rocks, and cover rocks with tin foil to avoid blackening and high impact on area. Do not remove stones from creek beds – internal water may expand and cause the stone to explode. Collect only dead, fallen wood for your fire. NEVER, NEVER pull wood from trees or shrubs. NEVER. Keep fires small – don’t waste wood. It takes time to replenish itself and other campers would love to find some wood available, too.6. If others are camped nearby, try to include some physical separation (trees, boulders, etc.); 9:00 PM is Quiet Hour. Many campers are up by 6:00 AM to get an early start on the trail. Respect the privacy of others.7. Make sure there is a water source nearby. 8.  Restore campsite, as much as possible, to its "pre-you" state.

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tip#13

TIP#13 – CROSSING RIVERS AND STREAMS can be perilous and unpleasant, but with proper steps (no pun intended) can be fun and safe. I am lousy at crossing water, partially due to poor balance and partially due to a lack of confidence at it. Here are a few safety tips: 1. Always unsnap your backpack straps – if you go down you can rid yourself of your pack and avoid being drowned by its weight.2. Wear sandals, lightweight camp shoes with decent tread, or aqua socks to protect your feet from cuts and general pain from sharp rocks.3. Choose your crossing site carefully. If you can safely boulder hop, go for it, but be alert to slippery surfaces. This is no place or time to break an ankle. If boulder hopping cannot be accomplished safely, go to the water. Generally speaking, deeper but slower flowing water is safer to cross than shallow, swift moving waters. Avoid narrow channels where waters usually flow faster and with more turbulence. Test the water’s “pace.” Remember that the added weight and top heavy traits of your pack make you far less agile than you might be accustomed to. Be careful.4. Walk facing upstream – towards the rushing water. Walk sideways. Use your walking stick as a third leg. Move slowly and deliberately, while leaning your weight slightly forward and against your walking stick.5. Roping or shuttling (bucket brigade style) packs across might work well. Always carry critical gear and clothing in water-proof bags. The first time you topple into the water, you’ll understand why.

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tip#14

TIP#14 – HIKING ALONE / SOLO HIKING is a controversial topic. Some people would tell you that it is reckless and unnecessarily dangerous. Others would insist that it’s safe and sane. The truth is that both sides are correct to one extent or another. I don’t want to encourage inexperienced hikers to try solo hiking, but I also don’t wish to discourage experienced hikers from trying the solitude and adventure. Assuming that you are considering a solo hike, here are some tips which may mean the difference between a safe and fun hike and a disaster in the making: 1. Know the area you plan to explore. If you haven’t hiked it before, study maps and guidebooks; talk to local Rangers or Forest Service professionals about the area and any likely dangers you might face. 2. Leave a detailed itinerary and marked-up map with someone. Make sure they know your vehicle license plate number. Check in with the Ranger or Forest Service Center – promise to check-out with them, and DO IT! 3. Carry a complete Emergency Pack – see Tip #2, above. A Cellular phone is a must, if not for you, then for the peace-of-mind it will bring to your loved ones. 4. Know which “potentially dangerous” creatures you might encounter, and know what to do in the event that you have a face-to-face encounter. See Tip #4, above. In bear country (especially Grizzly country), carry Bear-strength Pepper Spray. Since you won’t be conversing (except to yourself, perhaps), bear bells might be a good idea – or sing to your heart’s desire. Let the bears and lions hear your approach. Now, I violate this piece of advice quite a bit – especially when I am in search of wildlife. But you need to know that a quiet approach, while increasing the odds of seeing wildlife, also increases the odds of your startling the wrong “feller.” Alone, you are far more vulnerable to attack by Mountain Lions and Bears. Be alert. Listen for rustling or huffing sounds. Check to your rear and above occasionally, especially in heavy undergrowth areas and spots where trails run beneath overhanging rocks or trees. Lions tend to follow their prey for awhile, looking for the ideal spot to spring an ambush. Your high-carried backpack makes you look too large for a lion and also protects your neck against attack; daypacks do not afford this protection. Carry a snake bite kit and know how to use it – current thinking warns against cutting into the bite and untrained use of a tourniquet. 5. Avoid tackling dangerous conditions such as unstable hillsides or treacherous waters. Be patient. Seek an alternative crossing or trail. Remember: you’re alone and a simple injury could turn life threatening. 6. Women are generally at higher risk than men. First, they tend to be smaller, and therefore easier prey for Mountain Lions and Bears. More important, they are at higher risk from encounters with men – unfair, perhaps, but a fact-of-life that they need to accept. Encounters with “crazies” are far more likely on day hikes and within five miles of a trailhead. Solo female hikers need to take additional precautions, though some of these precautions apply to men as well, albeit to a lesser extent: a. Be wary of meeting strangers along the trail. Don’t be paranoid, just “trail-smart.” Trust your own instincts – if you sense something isn’t right, say goodbye and put distance between you and the strangers. Let them know that “the rest of your group” is not far behind. A white lie that could avert danger. If accosted or threatened, remember that your Bear Pepper Spray works against humans, as well. b. Camp out of sight of trails – you don’t wish to attract attention. Camping in a populated site is also a good idea. It might be a mistake to camp in an empty developed campsite – you never know who might come along. 7. Finally, make your first overnight or multi-day backpacking trek fairly short. Many people find the solitude boring and intimidating. Bite off a little at a time. Solo hiking and camping isn’t for everyone.

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tip#15

TIP #15 HYPOTHERMIA, FROSTBITE, HEAT EXHAUSTION, ALTITUDE SICKNESS, and other such problems can bring a fun trek to an abrupt halt. How can you avoid these hazards? What can you do if you do succumb to one of these conditions? As always, Prevention is the best medicine. 1. Hypothermia – the failure or inability of the body to retain heat. Hypothermia can occur in 50 degree weather – it does not require freezing temperatures. Sure, cold is a key, but wind and rain add to the peril. So, watch out for getting wet, being exposed to wind, and onslaught of cool (not just cold) temperatures. Be prepared. Always carry adequate clothing to endure a cold spell, even in the summer. Rain gear is key to staying dry. DO NOT delay – hypothermia creeps up on you. It robs you of judgment. Recognize early that you are cold, wet and uncomfortable. Always observe your hiking partner(s) – watch for signs in them as well. Prolonged shivering: a case of dropping things or reduced dexterity; faltering speech; staggering walk – these are symptoms. The final stages are more obvious to a bystander, but may be unrecognized by the failing victim -–bluing flesh, drowsiness, poor vision, and irrational thinking. Hypothermia calls for immediate attention. Seek shelter from rain, snow, and wind. Dry socks, clothing and headgear should be donned. In cases of severe hypothermia, body-to-body heat sharing may actually endanger the victim – severe hypothermia is accompanied by acid pooling in the blood – body-to-body contact may warm the acidic blood too quickly, leading to heart attack – No Fooling! Instead, place victim in sleeping bag. Keep victim awake. Allow only conscious persons to drink warm liquid. No alcohol should be consumed by the victim. In severe cases, rest and minimal movement is critical. Cold heart muscles can seize-up or arrest. Once victim is stable, seek evacuation. Do not allow victim to hike, no matter how much protest you receive. 2. Frostbite, unlike Hypothermia, does require below-freezing temperatures. It generally afflicts toes, fingers and face – exposed flesh and extremities which have little circulation. Frostnip comes first, along with numbness and whitish/waxy skin. Avoid wet or cold objects. Get warmth to affected areas – quickly. DO NOT rub area with snow – that’s nuts, no matter what you’ve heard. If Frostbite ensues, seek evacuation and medical attention. Improperly treated Frostbite can lead to amputation or loss of life. 3. Heat exhaustion is rarely a problem for hikers. The body normally gives out long before a danger point. Dehydration and severe sunburn are more common hazards. Taking in plenty of liquid (electrolyte replacement drinks (Gatorade, ERG, etc.) works well. Salt tablets are also a good idea. Sunscreens are recommended. If one pushes too hard in high temperatures, heat exhaustion, even heat stroke can occur. Watch for dizziness, headache, nausea, and cool, clammy skin – these are early signs. Seek shade, drink plenty of liquids, cool down in a creek. Be alert to dry skin (you’ve stopped sweating), and elevated temperature (fever). These are signs of the more serious heat stroke. The victim MUST be cooled at once and fed cool liquids. Again – No Alcohol. 4. Altitude sickness occurs when the body receives inadequate oxygen – this situation occurs as you walk or climb to higher elevations. Generally, healthy persons notice some shortness of breath under exertion as low as 8,000 to 9,000 feet elevation; headaches increase at elevations above 8,000 feet. Each person encounters the problem at different elevations. Watch for fatigue, headache, nausea, even decreased coordination. STOP! Go no higher. If slurring of speech, staggering gait and irrationality occur, don’t just STOP, get lower, and fast. The sickness becomes life threatening as elevation increases. Mount Everest has claimed dozens of lives, many due to acute altitude sickness. Cerebral or pulmonary edema occurs and death ensues – this life-threatening condition may also claim more elderly hikers at lower elevations. The Sierra Nevada Mountains of California present a special problem – many people come from virtually sea level lives and attempt 12,000 foot elevation increases overnight. The key to averting problems is to allow a few days to acclimatize oneself. Spend a day or two at lower elevations before going for it all.

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TIP#18 – NO TRACE CAMPING ®, or minimum-impact camping is your investment in keeping campsites pristine and attractive to the next camper to come along. This concept is especially important if you have chosen to create your own campsite rather than using an existing campsite. Some things are obvious – pick up all your trash and burn or pack out, for example. Other steps may be less obvious, such as: 1) don’t camp on vegetation – look for barren ground; 2) stay at least 100 to 200 feet from any water source;3) do all washing of dishes, clothing and self well away from water sources;4) dig a 12" deep hole for your fire and don’t ring with rocks which only become blackened – or dig no hole, but ring fire area with rocks wrapped in tin foil – that’s what I do; either way, before leaving, cover pit or embers with soil after thoroughly dousing with water and stirring to put out any embers;5) gather firewood away from camp – don’t strip the immediate area of dead wood, and NEVER pull wood off of trees, even if it appears half-dead (that’s also half-alive);6) keep fire small;7) camping in existing campsites is a form of minimum-impact camping as it keeps all the damage to one location;8) choose a new site hidden and/or sheltered by trees and rocks;9) scatter stones or logs you may have dragged in for seating purposes and sweep area to return ground to untrammeled look;10) last, do not place items in your fire which will not fully burn – aluminum packaging (dehydrated meals containers, for instance), glass or metal, and some plastics.  One of my readers advises, "Be prepared.  Know where you're going, expected weather, group size, facilities available for trash and waste disposal, availability of existing campsites, etc.  Knowing these things ahead of time will allow you to prepare for No-Trace Camping."

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TIP#19 – COUNTERBALANCING FOOD KEEPS BEARS, AS WELL AS YOUR FOOD, SAFE! OK, now this may be difficult to describe without a sketch, but here goes.1) Evenly distribute food, toothpaste, soap, sunscreen, lip gloss, gum, other aromatic products, and your garbage (yes, it smells, too) in two stuff sacks. Do this after everyone is ready to say goodbye for the night to these items;2) tie one end of a 50’ rope to a rock and throw that end over a tree branch no thicker than two inches and situated twenty feet above the ground, taking care to hold the loose end of the rope all the while;3) after the rock falls to the ground, untie the rope and retie securely to one "bear bag;"4) now, pull the loose end of the rope until the "bear bag" is almost touching the branch;5) tie the second "counterbalance bear bag" to the rope as high up as you can reach and secure extra rope as well, and then use your hiking stick or another long stick to shove the lower bag up – this should cause the higher bag to drop down some. Using your stick, play with the bags until they are both at least ten feet off the ground and at least five feet below the branch;6) in the morning, use your stick to retrieve your bags.7) do NOT tie one end of your rope to a tree – bears are wiser than you may give them credit; also, choose a fairly thin-diameter branch as wise momma bears often send their cubs up and onto branches too small to bear their own weight.

This may all be unnecessary if you carry a bear resistant container – I do, and I love it. See TIP#4 for Bears and other creatures.

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