Mountain Safety Handbook: Your Guide to Safe Hiking

　　As the weather has recently turned sunny, it has become increasingly common for residents to organize hiking trips with family and friends on weekends. Here’s a reminder to everyone: whether you’re taking a short walk to enjoy nature nearby or heading out for a more challenging mountain hike, outdoor activities come with certain inherent risks. It’s essential to be well-prepared before setting out.

　　At around 9:00 PM on March 15, the Huangtan Police Station in Ninghai received an emergency call reporting that a couple of tourists from Shanghai were lost in the Shuangfeng Mountain area. Officers from the police station immediately launched a search operation and, after nearly 8 hours, successfully located and escorted the couple down the mountain safely.

　　At 2:10 AM on April 14, the Xikou Fire Brigade received a distress call from a visitor, stating that their friend had been injured by a wild boar trap while walking on the mountain behind Qixia Village in the Xikou Scenic Area and was unable to free themselves. Firefighters promptly set off with the necessary equipment and successfully rescued the tourist.

　　At 7:30 PM on April 21, the Hengxi Police Station in Yinzhou received a report that a man and a woman had gotten lost while hiking at the peak of Meiling Mountain in Yinzhou. Local authorities deployed over 200 officers and, after 17 hours of search and rescue efforts, finally brought the two hikers down the mountain safely.

　　In recent years, there has been a surge in “mountaineering fever,” but many citizens only view hiking as “something you do by walking up and down with your legs.” Few take the time to thoroughly research their chosen mountain, understand weather conditions, assess their hiking companions, or prepare essential supplies and safety measures in advance.

　　A statistical and analytical review of mountain hiking accidents in the Ningbo area in recent years reveals numerous causes, among which the following are the most frequently encountered:

　　1. Hiking without a guide in unfamiliar terrain, leading to getting lost;

　　2. Lack of essential gear such as drinking water, food, and medications, resulting in an inability to address issues like exhaustion or heatstroke when far from help;

　　3. Steep and rugged trails, especially challenging for the elderly, women, and children, or injuries that halt progress;

　　4. Unclear signage along the way, causing hikers to wander off course and eventually get lost;

　　5. A desire for exploration and thrill-seeking, leading hikers—especially younger ones—to spontaneously change routes, get lost, and then have to call for help.

　　Based on these situations, police advise hikers to make thorough preparations in advance, with particular emphasis on properly planning your schedule and route, as well as packing the right supplies.

　　When it comes to scheduling your time and choosing your route, whether you’re tackling towering peaks or simply enjoying leisurely walks on low hills, it’s crucial to select a scientifically sound and reasonable hiking path based on your physical condition, as well as factors such as weather, transportation, and accommodation. It’s recommended that hikers set out in the morning and return by evening to minimize the risks of nighttime emergencies, which are harder to manage and rescue. When planning your route, always consider your own fitness level—avoid the temptation to choose “off-the-beaten-path” trails purely for novelty or excitement, as this could put you in dangerous situations.

　　For supplies, the basics generally include appropriate clothing, food and drinks, emergency medications, and commonly used hiking tools. Based on local incidents in Ningbo, police specifically highlight the following items that you should definitely bring.

　　Medications: Include cold medicine, anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers, bandages, and gauze—all of which are important. Injuries or colds can occur at any time during a hike, and timely treatment is key to preventing infection and keeping you in the best possible condition for rescue.

　　Tools: Waterproof and windproof jackets, safety ropes, and flint stones. Windproof jackets provide warmth and rain protection. Safety ropes can be used to secure both people and objects. Flint stones can start fires for warmth or cooking, but most importantly, they can be used in emergencies to create smoke signals for help.

　　Communication Devices: A mobile phone and 1–2 spare batteries. Maintaining contact with the authorities in an emergency is critical. Be mindful of your phone’s battery life. Ideally, agree on a communication schedule with responders during your initial call—typically every 15 to 30 minutes—to maximize battery usage.

　　If you find yourself lost during a hike, the first thing to do is stay calm and avoid panic. Try to determine your location, as knowing where you are will allow rescuers to begin searching more effectively. If you truly can’t figure out which direction is which, take stock of your belongings, ration your water and food in case of prolonged trouble, stay in touch with emergency services, and begin “self-rescue.” The following methods might help you orient yourself or even find a way out.

　　1. Head for higher ground. Climb to the nearest ridge or high point. This allows you to get your bearings and also gives you a better view to spot signs of human activity, such as smoke, buildings, power lines, or farmland.

　　2. Create a “smoke signal.” If no houses are in sight, find an open, preferably treeless area at the mountaintop, clear a space, and build a makeshift “fire pit” using stones and dirt. Place dry grass or other flammable material inside and light it to send up smoke. This is a way to signal your location to search and rescue teams. Make the fire pit cylindrical and as tall as possible for denser smoke and greater safety against forest fires. Keep some water nearby to prevent accidental wildfires.

　　3. Turn back to the starting point. If none of the above works, conserve your energy, check that all your supplies are still with you, then start retracing your steps. Remember to carefully observe the vegetation along the path—choose trails where plants appear to have been deliberately disturbed by human passage. By following these "footsteps," you should eventually make your way back to where you began.