Always be prepared for trouble on the trail
Ashort hike can be a wonderful thing, especially here in the Bay Area. But every year, it’s not unheard of for people to get lost or injured while visiting one of the Bay Area’s many open spaces and local, regional, state and national parks. According to park officials and hiking experts, It happens more frequently than most people realize.
“It only takes some bad luck or perhaps a poor decision to change an easy hike into a dangerous situation,” said Jane Huber, founder of the Bay
Area Hiker website and author of the book, “60 Hikes Within 60
Miles: San Francisco.”
Huber said hikers who flock to Bay Area parks looking for easy access to nature often assume they are “safe” because they aren’t venturing into backcountry wilderness. But nature is filled with many hazards: disorienting forests, deep ravines, lonely beaches, deadly waves, steep and rocky terrain and surprisingly isolated spots where others never pass. This winter’s torrential rain destabilized hillsides, turned shallow creeks into raging rivers and caused significant trail erosion. And if you need help, that cell phone will be useless, if there’s no signal.
THE CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS AND U.S. FOREST SERVICE RECOMMEND THAT YOU:
Hike with a buddy. If you’re hiking in a remote or rugged area, bring three; if someone is injured, one person can stay with him, while the other two hike for help. Always tell someone where you plan to hike and when you plan to return.
Carry a paper map, a whistle and a fully charged cell phone. Pay attention to signs at trailheads and trail junctions.
Pack a flashlight or headlamp; people routinely underestimate how long a hike will take, and darkness falls swiftly on a wooded trail.
Carry plenty of water — at least 2 quarts per person per day — and food.
Bring a basic first aid kit with bandages, gauze, disinfectant and surgical tape.