Hiking is a truly amazing sensation, and I want to help you experience it too! That is why I have prepared this guide. You’ll explore your thoughts – what’s holding you back and what’s motivating you – and how to prepare for the basics of hiking.
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What do you think of when you think of hiking?
Do you imagine long treks across difficult terrain? What if I told you that hiking can be short and easy too? Keep reading if the latter is appealing to you.
Although many people express interest when I tell them about my hiking adventures, many have hesitation when I encourage them to get started too.
The most common reasons people give for not hiking:
- I am not in shape.
- Getting all the gear is really expensive.
- I like sleeping in a comfy bed at night.
- Hiking alone is dangerous (for my solo hiking ladies).
Do any of those sound familiar?
These are all valid concerns, but if you’re reading this, then you clearly have some interest in hiking so let’s explore these fears – and how to move past them – together.
It was my hiking adventures that led to the creation of Ancorio. The name literally means anchored at the core and that has guided everything I have done personally and professionally. When I am hiking, I feel enlightened and a sense of oneness with myself and the nature around me. It is a truly amazing sensation and I want to help you experience it too!
Join me for Ancorio’s RESET Retreat on the coast of Oregon!
Tap into the power of nature to escape the stress of your business. This carefully curated RESET Retreat combines relaxation and executive coaching.
As you become more knowledgeable and proactive in addressing your personal wellbeing, you will simultaneously become more efficient and effective at work allowing you to grow or scale your business without feeling exhausted.
Pacific City, Oregon | May 18-21, 2023
Attend Ancorio's Next RESET Retreat
Tap into the power of nature to escape the stress of your business. This one-of-a-kind RESET Retreat is carefully curated to combine relaxation and executive coaching.
As you become more knowledgeable and proactive in addressing your personal wellbeing, you will simultaneously become more efficient and effective at work allowing you to grow or scale your business without feeling exhausted.
Hiking can be a productive and rewarding adventure
There are many reasons you may have to start hiking:
- Escape the stress and demands of daily life.
- Marvel at the beauty this world has to offer.
- Improve your overall health and fitness.
Whatever your reason for wanting to hike, I assure you, you can do it! However, preparation is critical to ensure you have a safe and fun adventure!
To begin, let’s explore your motivation for starting.
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Think about what is motivating you to start hiking. Be as specific as possible.
Examples:
- To visit every National Park.
- See pretty waterfalls in every state.
- Strengthen my mind and body so I can hike a 15-minute mile.
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Identify what is holding you back from getting started.
Examples:
- I am not physically fit.
- Where do I begin in the planning process?
- I do not have any hiking gear.
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Specify the steps you can take to overcome the barriers and get started.
Examples:
- I will take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Utilizing the library, Google, and Facebook groups, I will identify destinations I want to visit.
- I will purchase essential gear over the next year (consider asking for gear as a gift for your birthday, holidays, or anniversary).
What you need to begin hiking
Now that you are clearer on why you want to start hiking (yay!), let’s start to consider what you need to begin. Here, we will focus on planning the hike, but I encourage you to read our guide on clothing and gear too so you have all the information needed to get started.
There are several main factors to consider when planning your hike:
Weather
This is critical! It will help you determine what clothing and equipment you will need, as well as what hikes may be possible based on the time of year. If the forecast is calling for 12 feet of snow within the next 2 hours, it is not advisable to begin a 20-mile hike. Okay, that is an extreme example, but rain and fog may require a change of plans. Personally, I avoid mountainous hikes in these conditions since the views are likely obstructed. However, waterfalls or beaches are beautiful in all conditions. Difficult weather does not have to cancel your plans entirely, but you must properly plan for it.
To know what you are dealing with, here are a few apps that can help you plan are:
- Windy
- Weather Channel
- Park webcams (check each park’s website for the live feed)
Knowing the weather during the time you plan to hike will determine what gear you need, how strenuous the hike may be, and which ones might be most suited for that time of year.
Recently, I had been planning a trip to Mount Rainier. I knew it was late in the season and I had been active on the National Park website to know when snow chains were required, what trails were still open, etc. In the matter of just 2 days, everything changed!
I visited the Mount Rainier National Park website and the webcams confirmed that winter had officially arrived! Having this information allowed me to plan accordingly and, ultimately, I decided to postpone my hike.
Amount of Time
Let’s face it, it is easy to overestimate how far you can hike, but it is important to be realistic! The reason timing is so critical is that you never want to get caught in a situation where you headed out too late in the day or that you were unprepared for the length of time required to safely get in and out.
To begin, I encourage you to time yourself walking a mile. This just gives you a baseline for your average walking speed. Initially, I would double your walking speed to estimate how long it will take you to hike a mile. You can use trackers when you are hiking to get better estimates of your actual hiking speed, which will help inform future hikes. You can also use calculators that factor in distance and elevation.
A few things to consider when assessing your hiking pace:
- Weather – snow, rain, excessive heat or wind, or other weather conditions will impact your pace.
- Breaks – how frequently you stop to take pictures, soak in the views, or have a snack.
- Elevation – your average speed on a flat hike is going to vary dramatically from what you can accomplish on a hike with steep elevation gains.
- Terrain – hiking descriptions may note rock scrambles, switchbacks, exposed trails, etc. (see this helpful glossary to learn more), all of which take more time and effort.
Physical Strain
Hiking can be strenuous! However, there are various levels of trails that you can start on while you build up your strength and endurance. I found it helpful to start with shorter, easier hikes. Over time, I have incorporated a few more difficult hikes, but balance is key for me. Overall, easy and moderate hikes are still my preference but when I add a difficult hike, I may follow it with a day of rest.
A few things to consider when assessing physical strain:
- Weather – making your way through a foot of snow or hiking in 90-degree weather will certainly add strain to your hike.
- Elevation – both how high you are (initial elevation) and the elevation gain (steepness) of the trail plays a major role in the strenuousness of the hike. Some hikes are short distance, but they are very steep, so they are considered difficult. Other hikes are long distance, but little elevation and they are still considered difficult.
- Terrain – some trails are paved or smooth while others may be rocky or have a lot of cumbersome tree roots you need to maneuver. Hiking on sand, mud, or rocks, requires different levels of balance and will impact your muscles differently.
Remember to listen to your body! If you are in pain or feeling fatigued, it may be best to turn back. You can always return to complete a hike after you have built up some strength, but risking injury or death is not worth it!
Trail Map/Route
Initially, I just thought about what would be fun. Then, I Googled hikes based on what I was looking for. My first trip was planned entirely around seeing pretty waterfalls 😊 You can join Facebook Hiking Groups to see what others are saying. In addition, there are many helpful apps that can help you find trails:
Remember, you often will not have cellular service when hiking so you must have a physical copy of your map or have maps downloaded and available offline on your phone. If you go with the latter, ensure you have a Power Bank to ensure your phone doesn’t die. Personally, I always have a physical map on me just in case. If you cannot print it out in advance, the visitor centers often have them available.
In addition to planning which trails you want to take, you must look into whether or not permits are required. In the event a permit is needed, be sure to print it out in advance. Not all places will accept a screenshot and your phone could die so the hardcopy can help ensure access.
Finally, I highly recommend purchasing the America the Beautiful pass. This gives access to all National Parks, forests, and some state parks.
Hiking safety
An important thing to consider when assessing your route is (1) the animals that you may encounter on the trail and (2) whether it is a popular trail or not.
I have hiked trails that warn of bears, mountain lions, cougars, snakes, etc. Other hikes do not have signs, but my research has prepared me. My advice is to research the area you are traveling to. You can use Google, the park website, or Hiking Facebook Groups. I learned how to respond in the event I come across these animals (after all, we are in their home!) and I carry gear, such as a knife, whistle, and deterrent spray on me (read our guide on clothing and gear for more details).
The popularity of the trail can help gauge whether you are likely to encounter other people or not. This can be very helpful in an emergency, or it could create a safety concern. I hiked for over 5 hours on a “popular trail” and did not encounter another person the entire time, so it is always best to plan for scenarios where no one is around to assist you.
As someone who does solo hikes, there are a few extra precautions I take:
- I leave a detailed itinerary with a trusted person.
- Location tracking is enabled on several mobile apps and I have “Find My” enabled on my iPhone and Apple Watch.
- My Apple Watch has fall detection turned on and I have set up emergency contacts in the Pacer app.
- I remain vigilant about who is around me. Although I have been fortunate to only encounter friendly, lovely people on the trails, it is always advisable to be prepared for the danger another person can pose to you when alone.
Start your hiking journey today!
I hope after reading this, you are feeling energized and prepared to get started on your hiking journey. There are no limits to what you can achieve but proper planning is necessary!
Here, I reviewed ways to consider weather, time, physical strain, route, and safety. Another important element of hiking is having the proper equipment and clothing. I encourage you to read our guide on clothing and gear for more details.
Download your free essentials packing list!
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