Today for my inquiry post, I researched “10 Essential Safety Tips for Every Hike,” and I found ways that technology can allow someone to implement these tips.

The first tip that stuck out to me was “Let Someone Know Where You’re Going”. This is one of the most important tips as it can save your life if you get lost or injured while hiking. Letting someone know where you are going can be as simple as a quick text or phone call. More specifically, the National Park Service recommends that your pre-trip plan includes a map with itinerary and route planned, expected return date and time, colour and license number of your parked vehicle, what colour clothes you are wearing, and a list of the people in your group if you are hiking with others. Technology can be used to record all of this information and conveniently send to one other person. If you are using an app like Strava, you can send the specific location and intended trail route prior to beginning your journey.

The next safety tip is related to mapping your planned route as it recommends you “Research Your Route In Advance.” Although aimlessly exploring and discovering new trails can be exciting, researching the trails and routes is much safer and has the potential to prevent dangerous encounters and terrain. Sometimes, a part of the trail will be closed due to flooding, avalanches, a fallen tree, or even frequent sightings of dangerous animals like cougars. While researching the route ahead of time, you will already be aware of these potential roadblocks. Additionally, mapping your route will give you a better idea of how long the hike will take to prepare an adequate amount of food, water, and the right hiking gear. This prior knowledge should also prevent you from getting lost as you’ll be more familiar with the routes and trail names.

The next tip is “Know What To Do In Bad Weather.” The first step of this would be to use technology to check the forecast. Watching the news and checking weather apps prior to hiking is a great way to prepare. However, weather can change fast and unexpectedly so it is essential to be prepared with extra gear in case a rainstorm begins.

Some other ways that technology can be easily utilized during hikes includes having an app that blows a horn or a whistle in the case you come in contact with a bear, having your phone charged or carrying a portable charger so that you can call someone or check your route whenever necessary, taking photos, and simply tracking your hike to look at data and stats. One instance where technology isn’t recommended is through headphone use. Wearing earbuds or headphones means eliminating a very important sense when hiking. Without hearing, your safety is compromised as you can’t hear other people, animals, thunder, or the sound of a branch/tree cracking. It is also a bonus to hear nature sounds instead of music while hiking.

Here is the source I used to find the “10 Essential Tips for Every Hike”:

https://www.tripsavvy.com/essential-safety-tips-for-every-hike-5176614