Below is information you need to know before you go hiking. There is a combination of basic information and stories of people who have experienced issues while hiking and encountering serious issues. Check back from time to time. I do update this page with information or eliminate dead links and replace them with live ones.
Altitude Safety
- Altitude Will F&*K You Up—Unless You Follow These Steps
- Altitude to Oxygen Chart
- Hiking at Altitude
- Hitting the Button: Mount Whitney, Altitude Sickness, and a Heli Evac
- How to Identify and Treat Altitude Sickness
Bear Safety
- Backpacking in Bear Country
- Information from The National Park Service regrading bear safety
- Yellowstone National Park also has good information about being in bear country
First Aid
- Blister Prevention and Care
- Essential First Aid Packing Tips for Summer Vacations
- First-Aid Checklist
- How to Treat Burns
- How to Treat Cuts, Scrapes and Gouges in the Backcountry
- How to Treat Insect Bites and Stings
- How to Treat a Sprained Ankle
- Managing Chafing
General Hiking
- Backpacking With Your Period
- Day hikers are the most vulnerable in survival situations. Here’s why.
- Hiking During Hunting Season: How to Stay Safe
- How to Go to the Bathroom in the Woods
- How to Read a Topo Map
- How to Use a Compass
- Layering Basics
Heat Safety
Hydration
- 7 Tips to Stay Hydrated While Hiking
- Dehydration: Drink enough water to stay safe outside
- Hydration Basics
- When a Hike Turns to Agony
Lost and Found
- If You Get Lost – US Forest Service
- What To Do If You Get Lost Hiking – Gor-Tex
- What to Do If You Get Lost Hiking – Montem
Mountain Lion Safety
- Safety Tips Around Mountain Lions – US Department of Agriculture (US Forest Service)
- Stay Safe In Mountain Lion Country
Plant Safety
- Beating Poison Ivy
- Easy Ways to Protect Yourself from Poison Ivy When You’re on a Hike
- How to Avoid and Deal With a Poison Oak Rash
- Plant Safety
Sending An SOS
- How to Choose Between a PLB and a Satellite Messenger
- When to Initiate a Backcountry Rescue (with Your Garmin InReach, PLB, or SPOT)
Situational Awareness
- A Hiker Is Lucky to Be Alive After Following a Fake Trail on Google Maps
- Situational Awareness is Essential While Hiking
Snake Safety
- A Rattle with Death in Yosemite
- How to Keep Hiking if You’re Terrified of Snakes
- Rattlesnake Safety for Hikers
- Tips for Hiking in Snake Country
Wildfire Safety
- Escape Routes and Safety Zones: Tips for Hiking During Wildfire Season
- How Backpackers Can Manage the Risks of Fire Season
- How to Escape a Wildfire When You’re Hiking
- How to Plan a Hike During Wildfire Season
- How to React to Wildfires
Wildlife General Safety
Wild Boar
Ticks
Inebriated Hiking
It’s tempting and sounds fun, but don’t hike drunk or high. It can lead to disaster or even death as you lose your footing and fall over a cliff or tumble down a hill. You can get lost and have no clue where you are when you sober up or other terrible and unrecoverable things could happen. Respect the wildlands where you hike.
Google Alerts
I am also signed up for Google Alerts for “missing hiker” and get emails daily when there is a missing hiker in the news. I want to see what went wrong, and how I might be able to possibly avoid what happened to the hiker. You can create Google Alerts for yourself here: https://www.google.com/alerts.