Summer 2011 Hiking Safety Tips

While summer has finally arrived to the lowlands of Washington, conditions in the mountains are more like spring than summer. We cover what should hikers know before heading out on hike this summer and how to stay safe when crossing snow or streams.

While summer has finally arrived to the lowlands of Washington, conditions in the mountains are more like spring than summer. Snow is sticking around, even in lower elevations, making hiking more challenging and

: Snow will be with hikers all summer this year. Be prepared and use common sense when hiking trails. Photo by phil.

hazardous than usual. Streams are running high and fast, making crossings cold and dangerous. And some trailheads may not even be open this year due to massive amounts of snow.

With reports of several hikers being injured and even dying on trails during May and June, WTA cannot emphasize enough how important safety is. For the past several months, we've been touting our "Spring Hiking Tips." Since it is now summer, we've updated these tips to be a bit more relevant to hikers in July and August who will be encountering these spring conditions.

Even if you have been hiking for years, please read these tips and be prepared on your hike. And please don't let your destination blind you to unsafe conditions. You can always come back another time.

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Be Prepared

Many hikers will admit that they sometimes forget to pack an important item in their backpack, especially when they are a bit out of practice. Every hiking party should carry the Ten Essentials. These essentials are a topographic map, compass, extra food, water, extra clothing, firestarter and matches, sun protection, a pocket knife, first-aid kit, and flashlight.

Some of these are particularly important for hikers:

Adequate extra clothing - It may seem warm when you begin your hike, but the temperature can drop precipitously on your journey and winds can be mighty cold atop ridges or at lakes. Bring clothing layers made of materials that wick sweat and moisture away from your body, such as wool or polypropolene. Don't leave your rain gear behind no matter how cloudless the sky. Pack extra socks, should yours get wet. And consider investing in gaiters to keep your legs dry when crossing streams and brushing up against wet plants.
Map and compass - Hikers should always carry these items, but this year they are especially important as hazards like snow and blowdown can obscure an otherwise obvious trail.
First Aid kit - When was the last time you looked at your first aid kit? This is the time to open it up and replenish its stores. You'll be happy you did when the first blister appears. Or if you slip and scrape up your knee.
Food and water - Hiking makes you hungry and thirsty. Don't skimp on the food and water.

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Choosing Your Destination

: Trails that look like this will be common this summer. Photo on the West Cady trail by Hike of the Week Club.

It's the question that all hikers want answered: where's the snow? Or rather, where is there not snow? As you're planning your hike this summer, keep in mind that conditions are about a month behind where they normally are. We will see snow on trails throughout July and even into August or beyond. So how can you find the best snow-free trails?

>> User-Generated Trip Reports

Fortunately, WTA can help you. Our user-generated Trip Reports are the best guide to what conditions are like on a specific trail right now. Check these reports for inspiration about where to hike and to find out what you may encounter on your hike. And when you have returned, please contribute a Trip Report of your own. This system is only as good as you make it.

>> Contact Ranger Stations

The closest ranger station is another go-to resource. Check the latest conditions on the Forest Service and Park Service websites, or better yet, call ahead and talk to someone on-the-ground. WTA has links to all of the major land management agencies here.

>> Check Weather and Snow Conditions

There are many excellent weather resources available to hikers. Our favorite is the National Weather Service's mountains forecast page that provides a detailed forecast for hiking destinations (not just towns and cities) throughout Western Washington.

>> Suggested Hikes

WTA.org is full of hiking suggestions. Try a waterfall hike. Or a conditioning hike. We have lots of seasonal hiking suggestions. If you hear of a hike you're interested in, check out our Hiking Guide. We have over 900 hikes from Mountaineers Books' Day Hiking series, and whole lot more.

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Hazards of Hiking this Summer

Snow. Rain. Mud. Blowdowns. Nasty roads. Traditionally a problem for spring hikers, these will remain major issues throughout the summer of 2011. But the good news is that each week, these conditions get better. Snow melts. Rainy skies give way to sunny ones. Trail crews remove downed trees and fix muddy spots on the trail (join a WTA trail crew to be part of the solution). And if we're lucky, roads get fixed. So what do we really need to know to stay safe and have fun hiking in the spring?

: This photo, taken June 30, 2011 on the East Fork Foss trail, shows just how high streams are flowing. To get onto the footbridge, hikers have to plunge into thigh deep water. Photo by cgass177.

>> Snow

Snow makes the mountains look pretty. But it is one of the major causes of hiker injuries and there is a lot of it in the mountains this summer. So what are you to do if you encounter snow? It's a delicate calculus, which requires preparation, experience and common sense.

In general, if snow is partly covering the trail, the pitch is not too steep and there is a well-worn boot path across it, hikers should be okay. It might be wise to bring along traction devices for your boots, but hiking boots do fine as well. Tennis shoes, five-finger shoes and flip-flops do not. Oftentimes, trails that start out partly obscured in snow only get worse as hikers ascend.

Furthermore, as it becomes warmer the snow becomes less stable. Post-holing (where your leg plunges through the snow up to your waist) is a recipe for spraining or breaking an ankle. This is especially hazardous where snow covers water. You might think you're on the trail, but it is easy to go astray when the snow covers it.

Hikers will also be finding plenty of steep slopes or avalanche chutes filled with lingering snow this summer. When encountering these patches, hikers should consider what should happen if they slipped. If there are hazards below - rocks, water, trees - then they should be equipped with an ice axe and the knowledge of how to use it. Even then there are no guarantees. The best course of action may very well be to turn around, even if you can see dry ground on the other side or the destination is so close. The trail can always be hiked another time.

>> Water

Stream crossings, always a challenge, will be dangerous well into the summer. Hikers report swollen creeks and rivers throughout the state. Logs and stones that most years help hikers cross stream are under water. Those that are visible may be wet or slippery.

Before plunging across a stream, hikers should determine if it is worth it. How cold is the water? How deep is the water? How fast is it flowing? How far is it to the other side. How tired are you? For the best way to ford a river or stream, please see Washington Trails' September-October 2009 issue. For the quick and dirty version, make sure you unclip your backpack so that you can jettison it quickly if you fall. Bring along some tennis shoes if you do not want to get your boots wet (never cross bare-footed). And use a stick or hiking pole to maintain balance as you walk slightly against the current as you cross. The deeper and faster the water, the harder the crossing will be. Never attempt a cross that is above your thighs.

The other water hazard is rain. Conditions can change quickly any day of the year in the mountains. Every hiker should carry rain gear and several layers of clothing, and anticipate changing the layers often to combat rain, wind, sweat and mists from waterfalls. It's easy to get chilled out there.

>> Mud and Blowdowns

Mud and blowdowns are byproducts of our northwestern winters, and are the two most common trail issues that WTA's trail maintenance team of volunteers combat each year. What happens, however, when you hit the trail before a trail crew can get out and fix it?

If you possibly can, stick it out and slog right through that mud or under that downed tree. When hiker after hiker tries to skirt a problem spot, fragile meadows are liable to be damaged. Keep your balance in these and other slippery spots with trekking poles. And when navigating a blowdown obstacle course, watch out for poking sticks.

>> Nasty Roads

It's also imperative to check road conditions before heading out on your hike. Many are gated in winter and may not have been opened yet. Others are a potholed mess, perhaps not suited for the family sedan. And still others are closed due to flood damage or road conditions. Ranger station websites are the best resource for road conditions. You can access the one you need from here.