Читать книгу Afoot and Afield: Portland/Vancouver. A Comprehensive Hiking Guide онлайн

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Just carrying these items, however, doesn’t make you “prepared.” Unless you know things like how to apply basic first aid, how to build an emergency fire, and how to read a topographic map or use a compass, then carrying these items doesn’t do you a bit of good. These skills are all fairly simple to learn and at least one member of your group should be familiar with each of them.

More important to your safety and enjoyment than any piece of equipment or clothing is exercising common sense. When you are far from civilization, a simple injury can be life-threatening. Don’t take unnecessary chances. Never, for example, jump onto slippery rocks or logs or crawl out onto dangerously steep slopes in the hope of getting a better view. Fortunately, the vast majority of wilderness injuries are easily avoidable.

Some Special Hazards

Sadly, venturing out into the natural world doesn’t guarantee an escape from the problems of civilized life. Car break-ins and vandalism are regular occurrences at trailheads, so hikers need to take reasonable precautions. Don’t encourage the criminals by providing unnecessary temptation. Leave your shiny new car at home, and drive a beat-up older vehicle instead. Leave nothing of value in your car, especially not in plain sight. My car has been broken into three times over the years; the last two times, the thieves only took home some pairs of ratty old tennis shoes, to which they were welcome. If all trailhead vehicles held only items of similar value, the criminals would soon seek out more lucrative targets.