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Holly Mandarich
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Dale Nibbe
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne, United States
Words by Jamie Strand
After spending too much time in the city, you’re ready to take a nice, long trip outdoors. There’s something about returning to nature and getting away from phones, cars, and computers that melts your stress away.
Whether you’re going hiking or climbing, you need to make sure you enjoy your trip. You can’t let something that’s supposed to relax you end up stressing you out. That’s why you need to follow these tips for training, packing, and keeping your home safe for your return.
Train Ahead Of Time For A Healthy Trip
One of the biggest mistakes people make before heading outdoors is picking a hike or climb they are not physically ready to take. That long hike or climb might sound glamorous, and you want to challenge yourself. But you also need to train for it beforehand.
The Big Outside recommends you start training three months before your excursion. This will give your body time to build strength and endurance at a healthy pace. Focus on exercises to build your core (back and abdominal muscles) and balance. Planks, crunches, and standing on a balance trainer with one leg are all great.
Fitclimb.com has a 12-week fitness plan that will work for both hiking and mountain climbing. It spells out exactly what exercises to do and for how long.
Bring This, Don’t Bring That
One thing that will hurt your trip even if you are physically fit is a lack of proper gear. That means not bringing what you need, but it also covers bringing what you shouldn’t. By focusing on the essentials, you can lighten your pack and keep your excursion relaxing.
The American Hiking Society lists 10 things you need to bring. These include: good footwear, snacks and water, extra clothing, first-aid kit, sunscreen, a light, and a whistle. Hopefully, you won’t have to use all of these, but having them in your pack when hiking or climbing can make a huge difference should an emergency happen.
As for what not to bring, remember that you’re roughing it. That means no jewelry, makeup, or large cameras. You also want to focus on things that serve more than one purpose. For example, a few Ziploc bags can be used in many ways but weigh next to nothing.
Keeping Your Home Safe While Away
You’ve trained for months, and you’ve managed to pack the essentials and not much else. You’re ready to get hiking and climbing! But whether you’re going for the day or several, you need to worry about the security of your home. Criminals hit homes when people are gone, so leaving puts your house at a higher risk.
Here are a few tips for making sure your home stays safe while you’re away enjoying nature: make sure all doors and windows are locked; if you have an alarm system, make sure it’s working and active when you head out; and avoid talking too much on social media about your excursion. Just be sure to tell someone where you’re going and when you should be back.
Keep Your Trip Fun & Safe
The main reason for going hiking or climbing is to enjoy yourself. That can be hard if you’re not prepared. Start training at least three months before your trip. Then make sure you bring the right gear and take steps to keep your home safe until you return. This can make the difference between a trip you’ll regret and one you’ll love for years and years.
Author
Jamie Strand is an unashamed nerd. He teaches community college and loves spending time with his two daughters. He wants to share his love of science and math with kids today and that’s why he and a friend got together to create Scicamps.org.