Thirty Tips for Hiking and MountaineeringInsights
When you first start hiking, everything takes time and progresses step by step. If you’re just getting into outdoor hiking, don’t rush things. The following principles can serve as useful references for beginner hikers.
1. Always walk at your own pace: Don’t push yourself too hard or walk too fast, as this will drain your energy quickly and end up being counterproductive. If you’re hiking with a group, try to find someone who walks at a similar speed.
2. Scientifically assess your physical fitness: For your first few hikes, it’s better to focus on walking for several hours rather than trying to cover a certain distance. After a few such trials to gauge your ability, you can gradually increase the intensity of your hikes.
3. Don’t just focus on moving forward and miss the scenery around you: While hiking is good for fitness, it’s not about pushing yourself to the limit in a so-called “self-mortifying” way. Excessive physical exertion can sometimes do more harm than good. Remember, the ideal hiking pace is one that allows you to keep going all day.
4. Learn the right walking rhythm: Everyone has their own way of walking. During a hike, use a method that feels comfortable for you so that your energy is used efficiently and scientifically.
5. “Eat and drink more” while hiking: This doesn’t mean overeating or drinking excessively—if you eat too much, you might not even be able to walk. It refers to the frequency of eating and drinking. During a hike, your body loses heat rapidly, and to replenish energy, you need to consume water and food regularly. Drink a bit more water before climbing steep slopes. If it’s hot and you’re sweating a lot, consider adding a little salt to your drinking water.
6. Pay attention to resting scientifically during the hike: Generally, take a 10-minute break after every 50 minutes of walking. Adjust this based on your individual needs.
Hiking Poles: “The superior man is not different from others; he is just good at making use of things.” In outdoor activities, using the right gear can often bring twice the result with half the effort. For hikers, having two trekking poles can make your journey much easier.
Hiking Poles: “The superior man is not different from others; he is just good at making use of things.” In outdoor activities, using the right gear can often bring twice the result with half the effort. For hikers, having two trekking poles can make your journey much easier.
7. It’s best to have two professional trekking poles that are adjustable, portable, and shock-absorbing. If you don’t have them, you can also improvise with tree branches or sticks.
8. When walking on uneven mountain paths, trekking poles help maintain your balance and prevent falls or stumbles.
9. When crossing rivers, trekking poles provide an extra point of support, helping you stay balanced in fast-moving and slippery waters.
10. On uphill sections, trekking poles can assist your steps, and on downhill sections, they help reduce knee impact and minimize bodily strain.
11. When walking through bushes, there may be snakes. Use your trekking pole to probe ahead and scare away any hidden snakes.
12. Even if you’re not part of the Beggars’ Sect, having a trekking pole is like having a stick to ward off dogs. When passing through villages, you can use it to deal with stray dogs.
13. Use your trekking pole to prop up a ground tarp and create a makeshift sunshade when resting.
14. In winter, when walking under snow-laden low trees, use your trekking pole to knock off snow from the branches so it doesn’t fall on you.
15. Some trekking poles can also double as camera monopods. If you enjoy photography during your hikes, these poles are a great choice.
Know Your Location and Direction: Safety first is the premise of an enjoyable and safe hike. Getting lost in the wilderness is no small matter. To avoid getting lost, besides hiking with experienced leaders or guides, every participant should stay alert and be aware of their location and direction. If there are several such attentive “navigators” in your group, you’re more likely to find your way back if you do get lost.
16. As you move forward, always pay attention to prominent natural landmarks such as rivers, lakes, cliffs, or uniquely shaped peaks. These can help you find your way back if you get lost.
17. Most areas we hike in have some local activity. You can judge the path based on the size of the trail or signs of frequent use. If you’re on a popular route, look out for trail markers left by other hikers.
18. If you’re not carrying a compass, you can use the sun and the time to estimate your general direction of travel by observing your shadow.
19. It’s best to carry a watch while hiking so you have a clear sense of time and know how much distance you have left to cover.
20. Sunset times vary by region but generally follow certain patterns. Ask locals about the usual sunset time in the area, and plan to find a campsite or rest accordingly. Try to avoid walking as it gets dark.
Hiking and Knee Protection: As the saying goes, “The legs age first as you grow old,” and the knees are often the first to show signs of wear. Many hikers suffer from knee pain due to insufficient protection. The longer you’re into outdoor activities, the more you realize how precious your knees are. The knee is the weakest joint in the human body, yet it supports the longest bones and strongest muscles. Whether you’re navigating city concrete or trekking through rugged mountains on weekends, your knees bear the most pressure. Knee injuries can come suddenly, but recovery is slow—like recovering from a chronic illness. To protect our health, improve our outdoor performance, and continue living happily, special attention should be paid to knee care.
21. The most important rule: Never run or jump downhill—go slowly and carefully. Charging downhill is the most damaging to your knees, and many injured hikers suffer because of this. The correct way to descend is to lean your weight slightly back and lower, shifting your weight only after your front foot is firmly planted (don’t slam your weight down onto your front foot), and always keep one foot on the ground.
22. Minimize your load as much as possible. Before setting out, assess your limits realistically. Even on a short hike, it’s normal to be walking upright for over four hours. Generally, if your load exceeds a quarter of your body weight, you should control your pace to protect your knees. Under special circumstances, try not to carry more than a third of your body weight.
23. Before starting to climb, do thorough warm-up exercises, including stretching, to properly prepare your joints, muscles, and ligaments. You can also rub the lower edge of your knees with your fingertips to promote the secretion of joint lubricant.
24. Use knee pads and trekking poles. Choose reliable trekking poles, preferably two, so your upper arms can help share the load from your legs as much as possible. I’ve noticed many people look down on using protective gear, thinking it’s too “fussy.” I don’t quite understand why, but I strongly recommend using both, especially the trekking poles.
25. Don’t show off—doing so only proves you’re immature. If you really want to enjoy the climb more, show your speed on the way up, and don’t forget to carry water for everyone while you’re at it.
26. Climb mountains that match your current fitness level. Tackle new challenges gradually. It’s advisable to correctly assess your physical strength and outdoor capabilities before setting out, and consider whether you can keep up with the pace or schedule of your companions. Ideally, don’t overexert your knees.
27. Wear shoes suitable for mountain climbing, and remember that generally soft soil, grass, gravel slopes, and snow are relatively knee-friendly. However, watch out for slippery surfaces, and when walking on gravel paths, always be mindful of the person below you—otherwise, that’s just bad form.
28. Don’t “lock your joints.” When your thighs are overly fatigued, you might unconsciously lock your joints by straightening your legs completely. This reduces the burden on your thigh muscles and provides temporary relief, but it can easily lead to knee strain, knee impact injuries, ankle strain, and ankle sprains.
29. Strengthen the muscles in your legs. Well-developed muscles can help alleviate the pressure on your knees to some extent, minimizing knee damage. Regularly strengthen your quadriceps (front of the thighs) and cruciate ligaments. If possible, work out at a gym, preferably with a trainer to guide you, as this helps avoid incorrect postures that could cause injury—it’s really not worth getting hurt during exercise (I injured myself last year while training my quads and regretted it for over half a year!). As for specific training methods, we can discuss that another time. Girls, avoid using excessively heavy weights and consider combining muscle stretching exercises like yoga or leg presses. Don’t worry that building leg strength will make your thighs bulky—at normal intensity levels, it actually speeds up fat metabolism and aids in weight loss. It’s actually quite hard to get bulky even if you try.
30. Lastly, if your knee damage is already quite severe, it’s not advisable to continue mountain climbing. Consider picking up other hobbies instead, such as swimming, rowing, playing CS, gaming Warcraft, playing pinball, or trading trading cards.....
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