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Five Tips for Safe Desert Hiking
Desert hiking? Yeah, you heard me. When most people think about hiking, they think about thickly-forrested hills with trails cutting gently up the slopes, or canyoneering through northern Arizona with some spectacular views. But some people don’t have access to a whole lot of country side except…desert. And if you’re a desert hiker, that’s just fine by you.
Of course, desert hiking does come with a few risks. If you want to hike safely in the questionable terrain, here are a few tips that should help you on your way.
1. Plan a hike in advance. Don’t just know where you’re leaving on your hike, know where you’re going, what you’re bringing, who’s coming with you, and how to get to your destination. Without a plan, you’ll be far more susceptible to the potential dangers that come with desert hiking. Is every desert hike very dangerous? No, but being prepared will minimize your chances of something bad happening.
2. Remember water and electrolytes. If you’re going on an extended desert hike, you have to remember that water is crucial. Even if you think you can handle a certain amount of exercise, remember that hot air and the sun can also contribute to dehydration – and you often don’t know it until it’s too late.3. Protect your skin as much as you can. Remember to use light white fabrics that wick away sweat and protect your skin from the sun. White reflects more sunlight back to the sun, while black absorbs it. Dress in a lot of white and bring plenty of sunscreen so that the exposed parts of your skin still have some protection. You don’t only want to avoid sunburn, but you want to avoid your skin baking up and losing a lot of hydration.
4. Don’t go alone. It can be tempting to throw caution to the wind and go of adventuring by yourself, but if you bring a hiking partner, you’ll have a lot better chances of finding where you need to go, and making sure that you’ll stay safe.
5. Tell someone else about your plans. If you’re going to be gone a good while – or even going to be gone at all – make sure that someone relatively close to you knows where you headed and when you headed out.
Photo Credits: heatkernel
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Exercise Benefits of Hiking
If you’ve ever been hiking, walking, or even running outdoors, you know the feeling of gratification that occurs when you open that door back into the house. You remember how it feels good to be back out of the cold – or the heat, depending on where you live – taking a shower and feeling like you’ve really done yourself a favor. “Hmm,” you wonder. “Why don’t I do that more often?”
Well, why don’t you. There are plenty of benefits to exercise, but what are the benefits of using hiking as your form of exercise? Here are some quick benefits you’ll notice when you start taking those treks into the wilderness:
-Fresh air and sunlight.
Depending on the day, of course, sunlight can be a variable, but when it’s there, you get a nice dose of Vitamin D that humans have been wired to enjoy and soak up since the days of Adam and Eve. The fresh air also does wonder for the lungs, gets you outside of your head for a while, and allows you to fucs on what’s important. Many people even forgo the iPods and mp3 players – why distract yourself? Being outdoors gives you a mental energy and focus, a sharpness that will last you throughout the day, which is why so many people enjoy going in the morning.
-Leg strength.
Hiking has its challenges, and for that you should be grateful – without the challenges, there’d be no growth happening. Hiking is a great way to build lower-body strength and stamina, giving you a confidence about being in the outdoors that you didn’t have before. After you’ve hiked ten miles through some treacherous woods, you feel like you can beat anything, and after habitual hiking, you’ll find that your legs grow stronger, healthier, and ready for action. That’s personal growth you can’t buy.
-Endurance.
Endurance is also one of the hallmarks of the hiker, particular those especially-devoted hikers who can’t get themselves out of the woods. Keep in mind that while you’re enduring out there, getting out of your comfort zone, you’re also building endurance for next time, constantly building up your ability to enjoy this fundamental exercise. The more sweat, the better – you know you’ve accomplished something when you finally step on the bottom of that hill, soaked in sweat, looking up at the hill you just conquered. There’s no feeling that substitutes for the natural high of endorphins that comes with endurance.
These are just some of the benefits of hiking. To experience it for yourself, in short, get out there! You don’t know what you’re missing until you try it just once – and you never know; you might get hooked.
Photo Credits: footloosiety
