Three Tips for New Mountain Explorers
Storms and lightning
There is a saying about thunder and lightning, and while it is a good thing to remember: “When thunder roars, go indoors!”, it is not always comforting when you are actively above an area of tree line, making your way towards some of the tallest points on mountains. In mountain states, storms can often form right above an area where you are hiking or climbing. The weather can appear sunny and warm, and within minutes storm clouds can be covering the area. Generally, if you can hear thunder, you are in an area that is within striking distance of lightning. Seek shelter if possible, or stay low and safely move towards lower areas. If you feel or see your hair sticking up, lightning is about to strike in the area. Therefore, good practices can be placing your head between your knees, and squatting, minimizing as much contact with the ground as you can.
Do NOT lie flat on the ground, stay under a lone tree or use a cliff or rock for shelter. Do NOT go toward bodies of water including ponds, lakes, or streams. Do NOT go near objects that are good conductors like wire, or metal objects. Or any powered device.
Generally, you do not want to be outdoors when you hear thunderstorms. However, the likelihood of one being near a shelter when recreating outdoors is not always plausible. So, following safe practices can help in emergencies. Crouch low and continue a descent. Summit fever is a very real thing, but the mountains will stay where they are, and lightning will eventually leave. Your life is not worth something you can go back to finish.
What if someone is struck with lightning?
Call for emergency medical care first, then attend to the individual. There is no electrical charge that someone carries after being struck so it is ok to help them.
2. Hydration
Electrolytes are ESSENTIAL to energy in whatever it is that you are doing. Often, when people think of hydration, they aim to consume more water. It is important to remember hydration is a combination of water AND key electrolytes like potassium, sodium chloride, and magnesium. They are all electrically charged minerals that are not only important but REQUIRED for muscle contractions and hydration balance in the body. Without these electrolytes, your cells cannot regulate themselves. Oftentimes, consuming more water without electrolytes will leave you dehydrated, and you may feel symptoms. For example, if your potassium is low, your blood pressure can dramatically increase. In addition, extremely low potassium can put you at risk for heart failure. Likewise, low sodium can make a person extremely lethargic, or you may find it hard to contract muscles at a normal speed. In addition, unbalanced sodium can cause confusion, panic, and in extreme situations, hallucinations. Magnesium helps muscles relax and prevent spasms, and you may feel more tense if low on it. The point is that these electrolytes are essential to regular daily activities, especially so when a person is exercising at a high intensity because they are excreted through sweat and water loss. Thus, it is important to eat foods with electrolytes like fruits and vegetables that have higher amounts of electrolytes. If you like salty foods, high-activity days are good days to eat them since salt loss can become extreme when moving for a long period, especially on a hot or sunny day. Some people will use electrolyte supplementations for more convenience and to be able to evaluate the concentration of electrolytes they are consuming.
One of the best brands out there now are LMNT. They have minimal ingredients and high electrolyte concentrations of potassium and sodium which is important for myself because I hike at very high elevations, and often sweat out a lot of key electrolytes. Having enough sodium completely changes my adventure between one of exhaustion to an adventure with maximal energy. You can try out a 12 pack that has 3 flavors in it if you are interested, it is linked here: https://amzn.to/3Tc5fNC
Obviously, everyone has their own personal preference for hydration, and it is mostly important to remember to stay hydrated on trails with whatever sources work best for you.
3. Emergency Bivy (emergency lightweight packs and shelters)
When venturing almost anywhere outdoors, you should be prepared for the type of adventure you are going to embark upon. Some of the most unfortunate recoveries of missing people were found to be less than half of a mile within a trailhead, vehicle or established trail. It is important to be knowledgeable of where you are going and to take a look at the trail statistics like mileage and recent conditions. Likewise, if you are planning to spend an entire day on a trail that is miles long, even if you are not planning to spend the night, you should always BE PREPARED to spend the night. There are a variety of unforeseen circumstances that could occur. Some of these include venturing on a break in a trail and going farther than you had known. Another is a sudden onset of an illness or maybe an unexpected encounter with an animal that delays your time on the trail. Whatever it might be, having some lifesaving items could be the difference between your life and death. One of these includes a Bivy. A bivy is a sack or tarp covering that is light and small to carry, a bit larger than a cellphone but lightweight. They are helpful because they can be significantly lighter than tents and tarps, and they can help cover you and preserve your body heat if you get stuck somewhere late at night when temperatures start to dip. They are also quite affordable, some as low as $5. While they will not keep you toasty warm, they can still save your life by protecting you from the elements. Survival equipment is supposed to help you survive more than keep you comfortable.
There are a variety of bivy’s from many retailers. Personally, I think the cheaper ones are fine, as long as you are carrying a bivy, you are much better off and prepared for an emergency situation. Here is the link for the one I carry, it is currently a little under $20: https://amzn.to/4c1BBDz
Part 2 will be coming soon.
Until Next Time,