High temperatures and heavy rain both signal that summer has arrived. The early summer climate is perfect for hiking, but what should you pay attention to when hiking in summer? Below, HowToTrip introduces key summer hiking precautions—take a look.
1. How to Drink Water Healthily While Hiking?
Drink a glass of water before hiking to dilute your blood and reduce dehydration during exercise.
Stay hydrated during the hike—preferably with an electrolyte-containing sports drink, which can reduce fatigue and help restore energy more quickly.
Sweating during hiking causes loss of organic salts from the body, so for long hikes, it’s ideal to replenish salt-containing water. This timely salt replenishment provides energy to the body.
Don’t drink too quickly or excessively, as it can put pressure on internal organs. At high altitudes, the air is thin and pressure is lower, which is also a significant test for your lungs.
Drink small amounts frequently, with about 100 milliliters at a time being ideal. Drinking too much causes large volumes of water to enter the bloodstream, increasing blood volume and straining the heart. It also lowers osmotic pressure, affecting water metabolism and slowing absorption. Moreover, excessive intake leads to increased urination, causing loss of salts and disrupting the blood’s salt balance, which can easily heighten fatigue and trigger muscle cramps.
Avoid drinking large amounts of cold beverages during or right after intense exercise, as the sudden cold stimulus to gastrointestinal blood vessels can cause them to constrict abruptly, leading to stomach spasms and pain. Over time, this may result in chronic gastric conditions. Additionally, during strenuous activity, the capillaries in the throat are dilated, and sudden cold exposure can easily cause inflammation and coughing.
You can prepare a hydration bladder before hiking, adding sugar, salt powder, and fruit juice powder. A good pre-hike drink mix could be: for every 1000 ml of cool boiled water, add 4 grams of salt, 100 grams of glucose, and 150 ml of orange juice. This replenishes fluids as well as salt, glucose, and vitamins, helping maintain the body’s water-salt balance.
You can also bring sports drinks like Pocari Sweat, Gatorade, or Powerade to replenish electrolytes. Check which minerals the drink contains—ideally potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. A diverse mineral profile causes less stomach irritation.
Choose drinks at an appropriate temperature. If you’re drinking immediately, opt for room-temperature drinks; if you plan to drink later, go for chilled ones.
2. Who Should Not Go Hiking?
Although hiking is a great fitness activity, it’s not suitable for everyone. It’s best to check your health condition before hitting the trails.
If you have heart disease, it’s best not to hike. Hiking consumes significant physical energy, increases the heart’s workload, and can easily trigger angina or myocardial infarction.
Additionally, those with epilepsy, vertigo, hypertension, or emphysema should avoid hiking.
People with joint disorders or those prone to knee and ankle injuries should not hike.
Those diagnosed with clear heart conditions or hypertension should not climb mountains.
During infectious diseases such as colds or tonsillitis, it’s better not to hike.
People with severe osteoporosis face increased fracture risks during mountain activities.
Those with serious knee joint conditions—if the joints are deformed or severely damaged—will experience reduced flexibility while hiking, increasing the burden on the joints and worsening existing injuries.
Hyperthyroidism patients should avoid hiking. High altitudes often worsen their condition because ultraviolet rays can stimulate thyroid hormone secretion.
Individuals with latent infections (like periodontitis or chronic appendicitis) may also suffer sudden flare-ups at high altitudes.
3. How to Hike More Easily Without Getting Tired?
Do some light warm-up exercises before hiking. The altitude and duration of your hike should be determined based on your physical strength and usual activity level.
If you feel fatigued, or experience palpitations, chest tightness, or cold sweats, stop exercising immediately, rest on the spot, and never push yourself.
Mornings are the coolest part of the day, with large indoor-outdoor temperature differences. Sudden exposure to cold air can cause blood vessel constriction, triggering angina or heart attacks. Blood viscosity is highest and blood sugar lowest at this time, so it’s better to go hiking after breakfast.
Elderly people with limited mobility should use a walking stick when climbing and be mindful to lean slightly forward.
Keep your pulse within your target aerobic heart rate range while hiking—170 minus your age (do not exceed 180 minus your age). If your pulse gets too high, stop and let it slow down before continuing. You can stand still for 1 or 2 minutes before resuming, or take a break for 10 to 20 minutes.
Avoid sitting down immediately; stand for a while before taking a rest.
Do not lie down to rest, and make sure to put on more clothing to avoid catching a chill.
If you suffer an acute sprain while hiking, do not massage or apply heat to the affected area. It’s best to apply cold compresses for 20–30 minutes to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
Choose hiking routes with more people around, avoid cliffs and overgrown paths, and do not venture into untraveled wooded areas.
Don’t start hiking too early in the morning or descend too late in the day. It’s best to carry communication devices such as a mobile phone so you can contact the outside world in case of an emergency.