Solo Winter Hiking and the Dangers You Can Walk Into
Author
A keen runner, skier and nuts about cycling. Karl lives in Cumbria, where he loves encouraging his two children to follow in his outdoor lifestyle. Whilst out and about keeping active, Karl keeps a diary and shares it with Outdoor Look.
Hiking all your way alone is dangerous for more than one reason. I am not talking about ghosts, phantoms, and cannibals. I am referring to daily-life hassles that may seem minor but become massive obstacles once you walk out alone on a hiking trail. Wondering what those threats are? Check out this list:
Injuries
The risk of snowshoeing always clouds an adventure, especially when the trail gets difficult like in the mountains. There are times when you will get out of this hassle without any injuries if you have patience but there are also chances of you breaking a bone if you are not careful. If that happens and you are alone, the hiking would not be what you planned.
Exhaustion
Another important factor to keep in mind is that you will be exhausted. Hiking is no picnic, especially when it comes to breaking the trail all by yourself. The exhaustive task can have you sink into the powdery land even though you wore your most protective snowshoes. Every step you take can mean sinking into the snow which gets exhausting to walk. Added to that is the weight of the snowshoes which makes it tiresome.
Losing the Trail
Losing the trail, especially after a fresh batch of heavy snow has covered all the tracks is not something unheard of. The trail gets covered such that you won't be able to see where you are walking towards. It is also very easy to mistake some other trail for the one you are looking for. And, if you don't have a map or a compass, things can become scary.
Lack of Motivation
The entire idea of hiking with a group of buddies in winter is to feel motivated until you reach the find point. Friends are the motivation you need. Plus, they are interesting companions throughout the journey. It's better to walk a slow walk throughout the trail, talking to your friends, than hike alone. Have you noticed you hike faster when you're alone and thus get more out of breath? Not only that, friends usually encourage you while hiking. Winter hiking in the mountains can take a lot of energy and effort and with a group of friends, the humor and lighthearted attitude can be maintained.
Spruce Mountain Traps
There are so many poorly blazed trails that you may find while hiking. Take the White Mountain or the Avalon Trail which is even easier to get lost. Climbing through these areas, you will realize that you can always mess up by missing a turn or wandering on the wrong track. There will also be some steep slopes that pose certain risks. Moreover, there can be spruce traps – traps made of snow that are difficult to get out of on your own. You may freeze to death in such conditions. These spruce traps are mostly found at the base of the trees and are not to be taken lightly.
Author
A keen runner, skier and nuts about cycling. Karl lives in Cumbria, where he loves encouraging his two children to follow in his outdoor lifestyle. Whilst out and about keeping active, Karl keeps a diary and shares it with Outdoor Look.
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