Due to its exploratory, knowledge-seeking, and unpredictable nature, hikers must master relevant wilderness survival knowledge and skills to deal with ever-changing field conditions.
Hiking through includes many types such as mountain jungle hikes, desert wilderness hikes, snowfield and glacier hikes, canyon hikes, plains hikes, mountain ridge hikes, Great Wall hikes, ancient path hikes, grassland hikes, lakeside hikes, and river hikes.
A healthy physique and good physical stamina are among the most important prerequisites for hiking through. There are no shortcuts—participants must develop a suitable physical training plan for themselves, gradually improving endurance, strength, and load-bearing walking ability. Endurance training can be achieved through swimming, mountain climbing, long-distance running, and cycling, while strength training can be maintained daily through push-ups, weightlifting, sit-ups, and pull-ups.
Basic principles and key points of hiking:
Hiking is not just a leg movement, but a full-body exercise. Be mindful of using arm swings to balance your body and adjust your pace. Control your rhythm—the best walking speed is one where you can walk without gasping for breath, and your pulse should stay below 120 beats per minute if possible. Keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed, use deep abdominal breathing, place your entire foot on the ground, and move from heel to toe. Always maintain your own walking rhythm—avoid fluctuating between fast and slow, running and stopping. Try to keep a steady pace.
When starting out, it’s okay to slow down a bit to let every part of your body warm up and adapt. After 5–10 minutes, you can then increase your pace. For safety, hikers should maintain a reasonable distance between each other—usually 2–3 meters—so that if someone needs to pause (for example, to tie shoelaces, take off clothes, or drink water), it won’t affect those who are still moving forward. Normally, those who stop should stay to the right, and those who continue should step over from the left. When encountering another group coming from the opposite direction, follow the same rule: I pass on the right, they pass on the left, yielding politely. The safe distance between a resting person and the group should generally not exceed ten minutes or 200 meters during the day, and five minutes or 20 meters at night. While walking, develop the good habit of staying focused—don’t laugh, play around, or sing loudly while walking. This not only distracts others but also wastes your energy unnecessarily.
When walking uphill, your center of gravity should be at the front of your feet, leaning your body slightly forward. When going downhill, shift your center of gravity to the back of your feet, lower your body, and lean slightly downward. For steep slopes, whether going up or down, it's safer to take a zigzag route rather than going straight up or down. Always test rocks, branches, or vines with your hands before using them for support or climbing—make sure they can bear your weight to avoid accidents caused by rotten or broken branches.
Resting during a hike also requires proper strategy—generally a combination of short and long breaks, with more short ones and fewer long ones. Brief rests along the way should be limited to under 5 minutes, without taking off backpacks or gear, and mainly involve standing and adjusting your breathing. Longer breaks should occur every 60–90 minutes, lasting 15–20 minutes. During longer rests, remove all heavy gear and stand for 2–3 minutes to regulate your breathing before sitting down. Avoid sitting immediately after stopping, as it increases the burden on your heart. You or your teammates can massage your leg, waist, and shoulder muscles, or lie down with your legs elevated to help blood flow back to the heart. Remember: rest should be active and intentional—not just lying down. When I hiked 100 kilometers with a small group including Native and Jingzhongyue, we adopted active and planned rest strategies, pacing ourselves and relaxing at set intervals, which helped all of us complete the 100-kilometer hike.
When hiking, carry enough drinking water—about 3 liters per person per day, adjusting according to weather conditions (it’s better to bring more than less). If you find natural water sources like streams, ponds, ditches, or rivers, always check for contamination first: look for signs of human or animal activity, dead animals nearby, feces, or caterpillar contamination, and check if the water is black, smelly, or otherwise suspicious. Based on your observations, treat the water by sedimentation, filtration, or separation before drinking. In general, it's safest to first dab a little water on your lips, wait 3–5 minutes, and make sure there’s no numbness, itchiness, smell, or taste before drinking. Whenever possible, boil field water for five minutes before drinking. Drink water in small amounts frequently—don’t wait until you’re thirsty. Take two or three small sips at a time. If you're very thirsty, you can shorten the intervals between drinks and increase the frequency, but avoid drinking too much at once—it not only goes to waste but also burdens your heart. The recommended hydration method for general hiking and outdoor sports is about 250CC every 15 minutes. Under normal hiking conditions, you should urinate approximately every 4 hours—you can monitor urine color to assess your hydration status. Dark yellow urine with slight thirst and a normal pulse indicates mild dehydration. Darker yellow urine, dry mouth membranes, thirst, a faster yet weak pulse suggests moderate dehydration. Severe dehydration is indicated by no urination, pale skin, rapid and labored breathing, intense thirst, drowsiness, and a fast but feeble pulse.