Essentials For A Day Hike.

When it comes to hiking and being in the mountains, there are a handful of things that you need to make sure you have every time you go out for a day hike. The mountains can be very unpredictable and accidents can happen, even to the most experienced hiker. Flash floods, thunder and lightning storms, heavy rain and possibly snow storms. For those of you who are experienced should understand even in the summer you can encounter one of these nature surprises. If you are hiking local to Southern California in the Angeles or San Bernardino National Forest, then it is LESS likely you will encounter a summer snowstorm BUT anything can happen. So be prepared no matter what! Now if you are in the Eastern Sierra‘s or up in Lake Tahoe you can definitely see snow in the summer. These mountain ranges can stir up a storm real quick. A perfect example; I was hiking Twin Falls near Tahoe a few years back, in the month of July when it was 85° and out of nowhere it started lightly snowing on us. Just always be prepared.

EXTRA WATER AND FOOD

Good examples;

Trail mix, nuts, dried fruit, beef jerky, Cliff bars, protein bars, etc.

It is very common for people not to bring enough water or food. My backpack reservoir holds 2.5 L of water. I always have it filled with water for every hike, with an additional 24-48 oz. bottle just to be extra safe. Do your research to determine water needed for your hike! Make sure you have electrolyte tablets/packets, Gatorade or something along these lines to help stay hydrated and prevent cramping. On a typical day I will pack 2 Cliff bars, 2 to 4 electrolyte packets, 2 packs of fruit snacks, 2 nature valley protein bars and beef jerky. This will always be more than enough food I will need for the day hike. The reason I pack so much is in case something goes wrong and I end up spending more than just one day out on the trail. Meaning if I were to get hurt or get lost then I have enough food until I receive help. This is obviously planning for the worst case scenario. There is no specific items you should bring, but you want to make sure they are lighter in weight, caloric dense and taste good to you. High caloric density is referring to food items which have a lot of calories in a smaller serving size. For example, nuts or trail mix. These are calorie packed but don’t take up much space and full of all the right nutrients to fuel you for your hike.

NAVIGATION - Map, Compass and Satellite Communicator

No matter how many times you researched a trail, you should always have some form of map to ensure you’re on the right path. Having a paper or a downloaded interactive map so you can access it when cell service is unavailable. I use AllTrails, which allows me to download the maps of where I’ll be hiking before going out in the mountains. I can then use it when I don’t have cell service. In case the trails themselves aren’t as distinct and easy to follow. Many trails go through boulder fields, scree, overgrown brush areas, and just are not a clear path to where you may be headed. In addition maps help when trails fork off, are unmarked or just are hard to follow along.

You can also use this as a compass.

For extra security I also bring my Garmin inReach Mini (satellite communicator). I mainly purchased this for the SOS option. Which if I don’t have cell service I can call Search and Rescue if something were to go wrong. This was purely for emergencies only. It gives you a peace of mind knowing you have communication when cell service is unavailable. You can also use it to text/message family, and as well know your GPS coordinates. Here is the link and more information about it. https://www.rei.com/product/140110/garmin-inreach-mini

FIRST AID - First Aid Kit, Blister Care and Insect Repellent

I have a small first aid kit that I bought from REI which has all the basic essentials. Here is the link to the one I bought. https://www.rei.com/product/113004/adventure-medical-kits-adventure-first-aid-05-survival-tin

I also always bring a roll of athletic tape in case of a sprained ankle, extra Band-Aids, extra ibuprofen for pain and anti-inflammatory, extra moleskin, as well as Vaseline for blisters.

Insect repellent is great to have because if you’re truly in the mountains you will probably encounter mosquitoes and many other bugs. I always get eaten alive by mosquitoes and tend to swell up when bitten so I hope to avoid having 1 million of these each trip. HAHA.

Toilet paper always makes it with me as you never know when nature calls!!!!

FLASHLIGHT (or Headlamp)

A flashlight is great to have in case you end up on the trail past sundown or if you choose to start a hiking before sunrise. Headlamps are also a great option but I choose to bring a flashlight just in case I end up out past sundown. Headlamps offer a hands free opportunity which may be your personal preference.

SHELTER/EXTRA CLOTHES

No matter what time of the year I always pack my waterproof shell/jacket. As I mentioned before you just can’t predict the mountain weather. So always be prepared with protection from the possible storms. Also a small packaged poncho is great to have for shelter purposes. Packing more items is acceptable too, just be weary of your pack size and weight.

SUN PROTECTION - Sun Hat and Sunscreen

If I’m not already wearing it, I make sure to pack my sun hat. Which is a wide brimmed lightweight hiking hat. I currently have one made by Columbia which works great. But no matter the brand, they all do the job. Keeping the sun off your head will keep you cooler and also reduce the chances for heat stroke.

Sunscreen is a must have! When you are hiking in the mountains you will be at higher altitude, a.k.a., closer to the sun. This means the sun rays are more intense! No one likes to be sunburnt and if you do end up sunburnt then your body temperature goes up. You become dehydrated quicker as your skin tries to absorb all the moisture from your body. I bring both, a face rub on and a spray sweat/waterproof sunscreen.

FIRE

Always having some form of fire starter is essential in case you get stranded and need to create a fire for warmth or any purpose for that matter. I personally carry a lighter but they also make waterproof matches that are a great alternative.

KNIFE

Just for basic protection it is nice to carry one. Also more importantly they are great for gear repair, food preparation, possible first aid, creating kindling or other emergencies.

There is always more things you can bring, and especially if you're planning to go backpacking for a couple days. But I think this will be adequate for most day hikes.

As always pack it in and pack it out!

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