Mountain Hiking Secrets: The Ultimate List of Dos and Don’ts From a Seasoned Hiker!

Survival tips every hiker must know.

In the year 2005, a couple went camping in a remote provincial park in northern Ontario, Canada.

After setting off in the woods, the couple realized they’d forgotten their phone and became lost. From that point onward, their camping trip turned into a fight for survival when they found themselves stalked by a predatory black bear.

Their trip inspired a movie called Backcountry (2015), a truly amazing thriller.

This plot is loosely based on the true story of a hungry man-eating black bear that attacked Mark Jordan and Jacqueline Perry in the back country of Missinaibi Lake Provincial Park, Ontario.

Spoiler alert: The story in the movie is reversed. In the true story, the woman is killed and the man escapes; in this movie, the man is killed and the woman escapes.

End spoiler.

Here’s the deal: The characters in that movie made some serious rookie mistakes that cost them dearly. In fact, based on how their trip played out in the movie, I reckon following the next few steps would’ve easily saved their lives.

Here are a few dos and don’ts when you’re out in the wild, from a seasoned hiker. These tips will ensure your safety in the wilderness.

1. When you’re out in the wild, worry about survival before you worry about comfort. Always.
2. Never hike with a backpack that’s more than a third of your body weight.
3. Never leave your food uncovered in the wilderness.
4. Always have extra energy bars and food in your backpack. Also, eat in rations, you never know what might happen next. Various unforeseen circumstances such as a sprained ankle, an upset stomach, or getting lost on different routes can occur, causing delays during your return journey on foot.
5. When you decide to take a break or to call it a day, NEVER leave food in your tent.
6. Always keep a survival whistle on hand. Survival whistles help scare off wild animals and serve as a signal in emergencies. Mine came in handy when I hiked in the Andean forest in Argentina.
7. Always keep a survival knife on hand.
8. Always keep a candle in your backpack. It’ll help keep you warm in extreme weathers, especially if you get lost in the wild (check out this video to learn more). For this technique to work, you will need something like a poncho or a blanket.
9. Learn basic first aid skills to fix yourself or other hikers in case of an emergency.
10. Always make a mental map of where you are and where you’re headed. A great hiker always knows where the nearest plain is. Plains are safer than the woods. Also, if there’s a rescue helicopter looking for you, you’d want them to actually see you.
11. Always check the weather before you head out.
12. When packing your gear, try to pack the heavier gear against your spine with the lightest items on top and equal weight on either side. Remember to pack your rain jacket last so that it is accessible if needed suddenly
13. Make sure all loose straps are secured and neat so they don’t catch on anything as you walk.
14. Make sure your clothing ALWAYS remains dry. Take it off as soon as it gets wet or damp. I made this mistake twice, once in Sweden and once in France, and both times I thought I was never going to make it. Never again !
15. Speaking of clothes, do not wear cotton anywhere near cold, wet weather. Especially thick cotton like jeans and sweatshirts.
16. If your clothes get wet in a cold, wet weather, here’s the most effective way to dry them: First, wring out you wet clothes as best you can. Then, lay out your clothes on top of a spread out (dry) towel. Roll up the towel with your clothes and wring it. The towel will absorb most of the moisture. You can also sit or stand on the wrung roll to get more moisture out. The clothes will dry in a fraction of the time.
17. Another way to dry your clothes off (if it’s not pouring) would be to start a fire and to hang them near it. Thats not something you set and forget, however. You’ll need to monitor it. Note: Turning the pockets inside out will help dry pants and jackets much faster. P.S.: If it’s extremely cold out, it’s still better to strip down before you start a fire. Just wrap a blanket around you, even it it is less thick than the clothing.
18. Learn more about the wild animals in your area and how to deal in the event of an unexpected encounter (bears, wolves, boars, snakes, elk, moose, cows, goats..)
19. Learn more about edible plants and roots in case you run out of food.

• Closing Thoughts

Goes without saying but be careful when you’re out there. We humans are much weaker than we think we are, and sh!t happens, all the time so better safe than sorry.

Thanks for reading.

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Till next time!

Peace.

Tee.