Hiking

This article is about hiking on land. Hiking (sailing) is a different activity.

Two hikers in the Mount Hood National Forest

Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. It usually takes place on trails in rural or wilderness areas.

The word 'hiking' is understood in all English-speaking countries, but regional terms also exist. Off-trail hiking is often called cross-country hiking, bushwhacking, or bush-bashing. In the United Kingdom, the activity is often called hillwalking, or simply walking. Australians use the term bushwalking for both on- and off-trail hiking. New Zealanders commonly employ the word tramping, particularly for overnight trips. Hiking in the mountainous regions of Nepal and India is sometimes called trekking. Overnight hiking is called backpacking in some parts of the world. Hiking a long-distance trail from end to end is often referred to as thru-hiking.

Comparison with other forms of touring

Hiking is one of the fundamental outdoor activities on which many others are based. Hiking is the only way to reach many beautiful places overland. Enthusiasts regard hiking as the best way to see nature. It is seen as better than a tour in a vehicle of any kind (or on an animal; see horseback riding) because the hiker's senses are not intruded upon by distractions such as windows, engine noise, airborne dust in large quantities, and fellow passengers. It has an advantage over standing in one place because the hiker may cover a wide area.

On the other hand, hiking over long distances or over difficult terrain does require some degree of physical ability and knowledge, as well as a backpack to carry food, water and essential equipment. Hikers may be caught in inclement weather or suffer mishaps. Some jurisdictions (for example, New Hampshire) now require inadequately prepared hikers to pay for their own rescues.

The most common symbols used in trail blazing

Ecological impact of hiking

Hikers often seek beautiful environments in which to hike. Ironically, these environments are often fragile: hikers may accidentally destroy the environment that they enjoy. The action of an individual may not strongly affect the environment. However, the mass effect of a large number of hikers can degrade the environment. For example, gathering wood in an alpine area to start a fire may be harmless once (except for wildfire risk). Years of gathering wood, however, can strip an alpine area of valuable nutrients.

Generally, protected areas such as parks have regulations in place to protect the environment. If hikers follow such regulations, their impact can be minimized. Such regulations include forbidding wood fires, restricting camping to established camp sites, disposing or packing out fecal matter, imposing a quota on the number of hikers per day.

Many hikers espouse the philosophy of Leave No Trace: hiking in a way such that future hikers cannot detect the presence of previous hikers. Practitioners of this philosophy obey its strictures, even in the absence of area regulations.

A cathole may be dug with a trowel.

Human waste is often a major source of environmental impact from hiking. These wastes can contaminate the watershed and make other hikers ill. Bacterial contamination can be avoided by digging catholes 10 to 25 cm deep (4 to 10 inches, depending on local soil composition) and covering after use. If these catholes are dug at least 60 m (200 feet) away from water sources and trails, the risk of contamination is minimized.

Sometimes, hikers enjoy viewing rare or endangered species. However, some species (such as martens or bighorn sheep) are very sensitive to the presence of humans, especially around mating season. Hikers should learn the habits and habitats of the endangered species, in order to avoid adverse impact.

There is one situation where an individual hiker can make a large impact on an ecosystem: inadvertently starting a wildfire. For example, in 2005, a Czech backpacker burned 7% of Torres del Paine National Park in Chile by knocking over an illegal gas portable stove. Obeying area regulations and setting up cooking devices on bare ground will reduce the risk of wildfire.

Etiquette of hiking

Hiking is a recreational experience. As such, hikers expect it to be pleasant. Sometimes hikers can interfere with each others' enjoyment, or the enjoyment of other users of the land. Such interference can be minimized by hikers who follow good etiquette. Examples of such interference and etiquette include:
* When two groups of hikers meet on a steep trail, there may be contention for use of the trail. To avoid conflict, a custom has developed: the group moving uphill has the right-of-way. In other situations the larger of the two groups will yield to the smaller.

Hiking in a group increases safety, but hikers may wish to hike at different rates.

* Being forced to hike much faster or slower than one's natural pace can be annoying, and difficult to maintain consistently. More seriously, walking unnaturally fast causes dramatically increased fatigue and exhaustion, and may result in injury. If a group splits between fast and slow hikers, the slow hikers may be left behind or become lost. A common custom is to encourage the slowest hiker to hike in the lead and have everyone match that speed. Another custom is to have an experienced hiker sweep up the rear, to ensure that everyone in the group is safe and nobody straggles.
* Hikers often enjoy the silence and solitude of their surroundings. This enjoyment is disrupted by loud sounds, such as shouting or loud conversation. Some hikers purposely avoid loud sounds, out of deference to other hikers. Staying quiet will also increase the likelihood of encountering wildlife. (This is a hazard if dangerous animals are present; see "Personal safety hazards".)
* Hikers sometimes trespass onto private property. Such trespass can alienate the property owners and close down hiking rights-of-way. To maximize hiking opportunities for everyone, most hikers will understand where private property lies and avoid it â€" or get permission from the owner. Staying on trails will also minimize the probability of trespass.
*Often tree branches or other vegetation may hang low across the trail. A passing hiker may cause the tree branch to snap back in the face of the hiker behind. While it is courteous to warn the hiker behind you if a branch is likely to snap back, it is every hiker's responsibilty to allow enough space between himself and the hiker ahead to avoid the hazard.

Personal safety hazards

Any outdoor activity entails many risks, even if participants do not recklessly place themselves in harm's way. These risks include bodily injury (sprains, falls, etc.), metabolic disturbances (such as hypothermia and heatstroke), simply losing the way, and other unsavory possibilities. However, with the correct precautions, outdoor recreation can be enjoyable and safe.

External links

*Directory of regional hiking websites
*American Hiking Society

Hiking: Encyclopedia BETA