Hiking Health and Safety Tidbits

Cleo Current • cfcurrent@aol.com

 

Winter Hiking Safety by Arthur Lieberman

Ice and snow are slippery, and falls can be dangerous. There are several ways to make falls less likely in winter. You can put spikes into the bottom of your boots, use STABILicers or Yaktrax, or carry hiking poles.

Hike leaders need to be especially aware of ground conditions, and avoid icy places. APTs are usually the worst place for winter dangers, because they are plowed but not salted and tend to become sheets of ice. Less traveled roads, such as many roads in the parks, are often a safer alternative. The outsides of trails are usually less icy than the middle because more people walk and compress snow in the middle

Controlling your body's temperature is another issue. Although the dangers of getting too cold are obvious, overheating and sweating are bad because you can then get cold from having wet clothes against your skin. The solution here is to dress in layers and to avoid cotton; wear wool or wicking fabrics.

Bringing a change of shoes, socks, and gloves in the car is another good idea so that you can go home dry instead of wet with little effort in changing. This can be especially important for people with poor circulation in the extremities or certain medical conditions. In fact, having a complete change of clothes in the car may be wise.

Enjoy the snow.

Amazing Fall, Wasn’t It?

Leaves on the ground can be tricky to walk on especially with wet weather hiding the mud underneath — nature’s way of preparing us for the coming snow and ice. The proper gear, including shoes and hiking sticks, make all the difference in preventing falls. Let the terrain and the weather guide you as to the gear you will need. Pick up your feet and pay attention to those covered roots and uneven sidewalks!

We have a wonderful selection of night hikes in area parks. Now that the leaves have pretty much fallen, flashlights aren’t as necessary; however, there is a proper way to use them when you do need them. Keep them pointing down to illuminate your footing not the person in front of you or behind. Best to be in the back if you need to use a flashlight — that way it doesn’t distort the light for the other hikers. It’s best to use a flashlight with soft light and a narrow halo.

Please wear reflective clothing or special reflective vests for safety. Night hike leaders especially need to have vests on. Please contact Cleo Current if you need one, and if you have extra reflective safety vests, please drop them off at the cabin.

As hikers we are thankful for all the wonderful friends we’ve made on the trails, the wonderful exceptionally maintained parks we are lucky to be surrounded by, and the wonderful group of volunteers who keep the CHC organization running smoothly. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!

Stubbornness or Pride

Hikers are usually very willing to give help when needed, but are often too stubborn or too proud to ask for or accept help themselves. There have been numerous instances on hikes of someone with a large cut refusing bandages, which would protect the injured area from further injury. The pain of a bee sting can be lessened by Benadryl® cream, so don’t refuse it when offered. If you don’t have moleskin, please speak up if you have a foot problem. If you need something on a hike, do not be too proud to ask or too stubborn to accept help.

This also pertains to more serious conditions, such as diabetes. If you’re diabetic and have forgotten your emergency sugar supply, don’t be hesitant to ask for help if you feel yourself running out of energy. Many hikers carry small snack items and would be glad to give you something.

The heat and humidity of summer can also lead to a dangerous incident. Sometimes a hiker will have great difficulty keeping up. If the hike goes by an air-conditioned nature center, anyone seriously affected by the heat should agree to wait there for a ride. At the very least, a hiker with heat-related fatigue should take the shortest way back to the starting point and do so with another hiker as an escort. Please be willing to stop if you are unable to safely continue on a hike

Think spring and Be Safe

April is the best of months and the worst. It’s a teaser in terms of weather and probably the worst time for colds — one day warm and the next snow. Yes, snow. So my recommendation is as always — layer your clothes. I’ve started hikes in sunny 40 degree weather, only to have it drop by 10 degrees and start snowing, so make sure you always have something to cover your head where most of your heat escapes.

April is my cotton scarf month, have one ready. You’ll be surprised the many uses you’ll find for it. It’s also the month to carry a fanny pack for those who don’t usually wear one.

What you should have with you on hikes:
· Tissue
· Personal medications
· Bandages
· Benadryl for allergic reactions to stings
· Neosporin-to-go packets
· Aspirin for heart
· Reflective vests on night hikes

Leaders should carry a cell phone or be sure someone
has one for emergency calls. Here are the park numbers
for your cell phones:
·  Metropark Nonemergency: 440-334-5530
·  Metropark Emergency: 440-333-4911
· CVNP Dispatch: 800-433-1986

Review of standing safety rules

Among the Club’s Standing Rules are these from the Safety Committee, which are to be published periodically:

1. On All-Purpose Trails we should always leave a free lane for bikers and other people walking in the park. We should hike two abreast keeping to the right side of the trail.

2. On roads, hike two abreast facing traffic and in single file when leader feels it would be safer.

3. On bridle trails, when horse and rider approach, stop, stand off to one side, and be still and quiet.
 
4. Leader should appoint a sweep for the rear, and one for the middle when the group is large, to help keep grouped and following the rules and also to see that no one is lost.

5. Cross streets at light or crosswalk only. Leader should wait until all cross before commencing hike.

6. No off-trail hikes after sunset.

7. Before the hike, leader should describe the hike as to difficulty, such as ridges, mud, water crossings, and length.

8. Reflective sashes or clothing to be worn on all night hikes recommended.

9. In a park hikers should not go off trail without leader's consent.

10. Do not lose sight of the person in front of you.

Watch Out for Ice

OK, hikers, I did it — I didn’t wear my boots with cleats and took a tumble on “martini” ice! I know black ice, never imagined martini ice! It’s ice covered with fluffy snow that sneaks up on you. I was lucky that I didn’t get hurt, but on that same day 5 other hikers fell; thankfully, no one was hurt, just our pride. The day before at same location, the trails were clear! That’s the nature of winter — you need to be prepared for hidden ice. Poles also are highly recommended for keeping your balance.

We laugh that we are only allowed to lose 10% of hikers but it’s no laughing matter when leaders take off-trail routes and don’t wait for all hikers in winter! We have many new hikers and a couple of reports have surfaced that at least one had to find his own way out of the park! That is negligence and too serious to discuss any further. Please, please make sure everyone keeps up with the leader, and we need to keep the buddy system at all times.

Dress in layers, hydrate, and be social. Happy hiking!

How to convert boots to ice boots

Here is a repeat of the instructions on how to convert an old pair of boots into cleated boots for icy conditions.

Safety Related:

Fron the August Newsteps: Hot Summer Nights and Lots of Bugs!
So Don't Get “Ticked Off”

 

Lyme disease is spread by ticks carried by deer in our Metroparks. Deer ticks are the size of a poppy seed. The bite is nasty and leaves a ring or rash. You need to remove the tick carefully and not break apart the body. You may not feel anything for 7 to 30 days, and the cure is antibiotics. Wearing a hat and checking for ticks after a hike will help prevent them from getting under your skin.

Another summer hiking tip: to prevent dehydration, Dr. Oz recommends adding a teaspoon of sugar to the water in your drinking bottle, plus a dash of salt.

The January 2002 hiking schedule listed points of Hiking Etiquette which are still applicable today:

1. On All Purpose Trails, walk no more than two abreast and leave room for bikes and others to pass.
2. On Roads, Ohio State Law requires that pedestrians walk single file on the left side, facing traffic.
3. On Bridle Trails, stand aside to let an approaching horse pass. Keep sticks out of sight.
4. On Evening Hikes, wear light colored clothing and/or a reflective item. Flashlights are advisable but keep out of others’ vision. Keep the persons in front and behind you in sight, and be sure the person behind you is aware of any change in direction.
5. Hikers should stay on the same side of the road with the group.
6. Dogs must be on a short leash and kept at the rear of the group. Dogs are not permitted on off-trail hikes.
7. Carry hiking sticks safely to avoid injuring other hikers.
8. As a member of the club, courtesy is always expected towards the leader and other hikers.

Information for Hike Leaders:

1. I would like to remind leaders to be the last to leave parking lot making sure everyone’s car starts, especially in winter.
2. Cross roads at pedestrian crosswalk, when possible, even if you have to go out of your way. Extra steps prevent accidents.
3. · Leader must count the hikers.
4. Describe the level of hike and whether there will be hills.
5. Ask if at least one hiker has a cell phone.
6. Hikers must notify the leader directly when they drop out of the hike and not another hiker.
7. If a hiker needs an escort, the escort gets full credit for the hike. It is up to the leader to decide if the dropout gets partial mileage or not.

Happy hiking and keep hydrated!!

 

Health Related:

We all know that hiking is good for our health.

The evidence is undisputable that nothing is better for overall health condition than a brisk hike.
In upcoming months, I will try to summarize the many health benefits that we may or may not be aware of.
To start with, an average size person (a 150 pound female in average to good physical condition) will burn approximately 100 calories per mile hiked at an average hiking rate of 3.3 miles per hour. So a five-mile hike will result in a calorie expenditure of 500 calories and can be much higher if the terrain includes hills or snow conditions. In addition, some hikers like to carry additional weights in their backpacks or on their bodies that will result in additional calorie expenditure.

There are 3,500 calories in a pound of body fat so it will take the average hiker about seven five mile hikes to lose one pound of body fat. Not too bad when you consider the additional social benefits of keeping in touch with your fellow hikers.

There are many Hiking Club stories that highlight the health benefits we derive, and I have been fortunate to have heard many such stories over the past few years. What I will do in upcoming months is to bring some of these stories to your attention and to continue to add health improvement information that you may find both interesting and helpful in meeting your personal health improvement and maintenance objectives.

 

Importance of proper hydration:

This is excerpted from the Chief Pathfinder's article in July 2010 Newsteps.

An article on About.com by Wendy Baumgardner dated November 22, 2008, said that the age old advice to drink, drink, drink while hiking not only results in extreme fascination with flora and fauna, but can also be dangerous. Too much water can lead to hyponatremia—excessive diluting of the salt content in the blood—which can be fatal.

Most hikers should drink on hikes only when they feel thirsty and they should not drink if they aren’t thirsty (caution-some older hikers may not experience thirst “reliably”). Don’t feel obliged to drink every time the hike leader calls for a “water break.” Frequent sipping of small amounts of liquid, an ounce or two every few minutes as compared to a full cup or two in one gulp, will allow your body to use the water better, and your urges to study flora and fauna will likely decrease.

Drink a tall glass of water a couple of hours before the hike to hydrate and allow time for the water to pass through. Then plan on drinking a water bottle of liquid, about a pint, an hour while actively hiking. This is only a rough guideline; individual needs vary depending on factors like activity level, fitness, body size, temperature, etc.—use your thirst to tell you when to drink.
Choose sports drinks or plain water depending on what appeals to you at the moment—let your body be your guide.

For hikes lasting more than an hour, however, hikers should supplement their water intake with drinks containing salts, or should eat some salty snacks. Stay away from alcohol and caffeine. Avoid carbonated beverages or dairy products if they cause discomfort when you hike.

If you aren’t sure that you are drinking the correct amount of water, weigh yourself without clothing before and after the hike. You should experience no weight gain and less than 2% weight loss. You should see a doctor and/or adjust your liquid intake, if you are outside these limits.