Survival Tips for Hiking

Why hike? Well, whether you are simply walking down a famous esplanade (malecón in Latin America), climbing Mount Everest or hiking the Appalachian Trail, walking and hiking are two great ways to enjoy nature or learn about the typology and ecosystem that makes up the wonderful place you are visiting. Here are a number of tips for hiking that will help you really enjoy, and most importantly be safe, during your time outdoors.

Tips for Hiking – #1

First, a full disclosure and the first of our survival tips for hiking. Yes, we were hiking in the Great Smokies. But to be honest, we found the Appalachian Trail a little above our capabilities. We did a few hundred feet and turned around. Therefore, tip for hiking number one, know your capabilities. Nevertheless, it was a good Instagramable moment.

Tips for Hiking – #2, A few more words of caution:

My wife and I are not expert hikers. Like our skiing experiences, we stick to easy and moderate trails. Therefore, if advanced and difficult trails are your preference, we will refer you to others who are more advanced hikers. In fact, we are also cutting back on even the moderate, hilly and rocky trails that we have done in the past, as Cos recently had a bad fall on a particularly rocky climb that we were not properly prepared for. It resulted in a trip to the emergency room and five staples. As we said earlier, we are sharing both our good and bad experiences.

Tips for Hiking – #3, Finding Great Hikes

Clearly, finding and learning about a hike, before you do it, is a smart thing to do. There are a number of sources where you can get information about a hike before you are on the trail. We have found All Trails to be a fantastic source of information that we always access long before we are on the trail. It is also a great source of information while on the trail. Make sure you download the map in case the reception is not good.

Our Favorite Place to Hike

For the longest time if Cos was asked his favorite place to go on a vacation, it was undoubtedly Hawaii. (See our Post –Things to do in Hawaii for Couples). However, now that we have been travelling more, Hawaii has some competition. They certainly didn’t handle Covid very well regarding tourists, and when the Maui Mayor said he wanted no more tourists, that was a turning point. Nevertheless, we still love to go there. In fact, on our 2023 trip to Asia/Pacific we stopped in Hawaii in both directions, and in 2024 we plan to go there twice, once in the winter and once in the fall.

One thing we love about Hawaii is the ability to get out and really explore nature on all the Islands. There are plenty of really enjoyable, fairly easy hikes. Pictured above, in the sliding picture gallery, are two of our favorites on the eastern side of the island. The first is climbing Diamond Head, which looks challenging, and since you will be climbing over 750 feet, you will want to be in fairly good shape to take it on. You will also want to get there early, as you will find traffic into the small parking lot, is already backed up at 7 am. The second hike at Koko Head is also a climb, (Cos is taking a break) this time only 640 feet, but the path is totally paved, and you will be rewarded with some wonderful views of the Makapu’u Lighthouse, as well as looking back towards Diamond Head.

Tips for Hiking #4 – Difficulty of the Hike

This is the most important of all the hiking tips. There are a number of sources that will advise you on the difficulty of the hike. Most hikes are ranked against a five-point scale, but you most likely will only need to worry about the first four, unless you are planning on doing rock climbing which is class five, and we know nothing about it. So, here is the scoop on the other four classes:

• Class 1 is easy and usually means a well-maintained trail with good markings. There may be some elevation, but nothing too strenuous.
• Class 2 is a little more strenuous and may require some poles, which we recommend. We have Leki Hiking Poles, which fold up nicely into your luggage and can be purchased at REI or other stores. (rei.com).
• Class 3 definitely gets more difficult as you will be faced with some scrambling or challenging climbs. Robin and I definitely avoid these rocky trails, especially after my recent fall.
• Class 4 involves very steep and dangerous terrain. We are talking about the need for a helmet, ropes and perhaps a harness. This is way beyond our ability to hike.

Hiking Equipment

Once you have a good idea of the difficulty you will have with your hike, the other two factors to consider in deciding what to pack for your hike are distance (day-short, long, or overnight), and weather conditions. With longer hikes, weather conditions can easily change, so this is even more important. We have developed a free checklist of all the equipment you might need for your day hike. If you would like to receive it, please click on the button below and download the checklist.

One of the best places to get hiking equipment, especially hiking boots, is Amazon. Possibly, get your new boots delivered to you the same day.