Requirements:

Flowers – do 6 activities.

Triangles – do 9 activities.

Circles – do 11 activities.

Rectangles – do all activities.

1. Ten Things You Should Bring on Every Hike

1. Appropriate footwear.

2. Map and compass/GPS.

3. Extra water and a way to purify it.

4. Extra food.

5. Rain gear and extra clothing.

6. Safety items: fire, light, and a whistle.

7. First aid kit.

8. Knife or multi-purpose tool.

9. Sun screen and sun glasses.

10. Daypack/backpack.

BONUS: Trash Bag.

Explain why you would need these items for a simple day hike. Can you think of anything else that you would need to take?

2. Explain the most likely hazards you may encounter while hiking, and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent and respond to these hazards.

3. Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses that could occur while hiking, including hypothermia, frostbite, dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, sunburn, hyperventilation, altitude sickness, sprained ankle, blisters, insect stings, tick bites, and snakebite.

4. Complete a First-Aid/CPR class. Make sure you know how to treat the common injuries and illnesses that you learn about in requirement 3. Make your own First-Aid Kit.

While you can purchase ready-made first-aid kits at stores, you need to tweak it to suit your needs or even assemble your own. This will make sure that you are familiar with the contents and understanding how to use what is in it. The list below are suggestion of some basic items that should be in your personal first-aid kit.

A basic first-aid kit should include:

Any prescription medications in a zip locked labeled bag (to be given to your Leader)

Several sealed, single use packages of:

Ibuprofen

Imodium® (for upset stomach and diarrhea), and

Antihistamine (treats allergic reactions)

Moleskin and Athletic Tape

Various sizes of Adhesive Bandages

A Small Roll of Sterile Gauze

A CPR Mask

Several pairs of Latex or Nitrile Gloves

Alcohol based Sanitizing Gel

A pair of Tweezers

A Small Knife or Scissors

Antiseptic Ointment - to be used only after cleaning a wound

Hydrocortisone Cream - for insect bites and poisonous plants

Second Skin® or Liquid Bandages

Safety Pins

Electrolyte Replacement p\Powder - similar to Gatorade®

5. Explain hiking safety in the daytime and at night.

6. Finding the Right Boot for Your Hiking Needs

The most basic and essential piece of equipment that each hiker should own is good footwear. While you can generally get away with borrowing most gear from others, everyone should at least have their own pair of hiking shoes or boots. Since no two sets of feet are alike, the shape of a shoe becomes unique to its owner during the breaking in period. There are some basics to keep in mind when buying your very own boots:

Believe it or not, your feet are actually larger at the end of day than in the morning. People who are on their feet all day could easily relate to that swollen feeling. Shopping in the evening will ensure a better fit for the conditions your feet are likely to find themselves in on the trail.

If you are going to wear hiking socks on the trail, then it makes sense to wear them when trying on the footwear in which you plan to hike.

Since you probably wouldn’t buy a car without going on a test drive, it’s important to take your boots for a spin while in the store. If your arches feel a little funny after a brief walk around the store, imagine how they will feel after several miles. Some stores have an incline you can use to simulate walking up and down hills. You could even jump on small inclines to mimic the effect of going downhill. Make sure your toes are not scrunched up in an ill-fitting boot.

When trying on hiking footwear, the most important criteria are comfort and fit. The footwear must comply well with the shape of your feet, allowing a bit more room at the toe than you may be accustomed to. The heel of the shoe should lock your heel firmly into place and not allow it to “piston” up and down. The boot should hold your foot securely, not allowing it to twist or tip over. Your foot should feel good as soon as you put on the shoe, preferably without the need for a lot of breaking- in.

Traction is also important. Look for a tread a bit deeper than the average running shoe. Don’t be afraid to ask a salesperson for assistance. Some may be able to recommend boots based on your walking style or foot shape.

All the advice in the world from even the most knowledgeable of salespeople cannot hold a candle to the opinion of your own feet. Try on several different pairs of boots to find out what feels the best. Common sense will likely guide you to a good fit.

Break-in your footwear with short hikes, going out for a mile or two at first, and then lengthening the hikes as the shoes’ comfort increases. Wear your boots to school or around the house in case they do get uncomfortable. Some stores will allow you to return boots so long as they haven’t been scuffed up.

Go to a sporting goods store or a camping store and look over their hiking boots. Pick a pair that you like that fit your hiking needs. Try on a couple of different pair and see how they feel. Would you buy a pair of these boot? Why?

7. Dressing for Safety and Comfort

Regardless of whether one is hiking in warm weather or cold weather, it is always best to dress in layers. This allows a hiker to add or remove clothing to a point where they are comfortable and where perspiration is able to evaporate readily, helping them to stay dry.

Fabric Types

Cotton – This is the most commonly found fabric in your closet. It is soft, comfortable, and practical for everyday situations. Why is cotton impractical to wear hiking?

Wool – Wool used in outdoor clothing today is soft to the touch, while still retaining the fabric’s many benefits. What benefits does wool have for hikers?

Synthetics – Today, the majority of sports clothing is made from synthetic fabrics. Synthetics encompass a wide array of slightly different materials that are specific to a brand. What can synthetic materials do for hikers?.

Fleece – Fleece can be tightly woven to provide greater wind protection or knitted loftier for additional warmth. Why is fleece a good material for hikers to wear?

8. Hikers follow a few unwritten rules that can help make your hike and the hike for others more pleasant. Among some commonly observed practices are:

Hike quietly. Speak in low voices and turn your cell phone off. Enjoy the sounds of nature and let others do the same.

If taking a break, move off the trail a ways to allow others to pass by unobstructed.

Don’t toss your trash – not even biodegradable items such as banana peels. It is not good for animals to eat non-native foods and who wants to look at your old banana peel while it ever-so-slowly decomposes? If you packed it in, pack it back out.

Hikers going downhill yield to those hiking uphill.

When bringing a pet on a hike, be sure to keep it on a leash and under control. Don’t forget to pack out pet waste as well.

Don’t feed the wildlife. While many animals stay hidden, others are not so shy. Giving these creatures food only disrupts their natural foraging habits.

Leave what you find. The only souvenirs a hiker should come home with are photographs and happy memories.

When relieving yourself outdoors, be sure to do so 200 feet away from the trail and any water sources. Follow Leave No Trace principles.

Walk through the mud or puddle and not around it, unless you can do so without going off the trail. Widening a trail by going around puddles, etc. is bad for trail sustainability. Just because it looks easy to cut the corner off of a switchback doesn’t mean it is a good idea. Help preserve the trail by staying on the trail.

If hiking in a group, don’t take up the whole width of the trail; allow others to pass.

Why do you think that these rules are “unspoken” among hikers?

9. One of the key things to remember when hiking is to explore the trail and what is on it. Have fun and be flexible. If this is your number one goal, everyone will be happy. If things aren’t working out well, change the plan. Let the hiker with the steady pace lead. When you stop for lunch, explore your surroundings and examine new bugs, spider webs and birds. Make sure you have snacks and plenty of fluids. Pick a short, interesting hike and allow lots of time for your first hike. Learn new trail songs. Learn what signs to look for concerning impending weather; how to use a compass and read a map, and how to identify plants and animals. Why do you think that these things are important for hikers to know and have?

10. Explain how hiking is an aerobic activity. Develop a plan for conditioning yourself for a 10 mile hike, and describe how you will increase your fitness for longer hikes.

11. Why do hikers carry cameras? Because hikers are eager to capture the beautiful sights they see so they can be re-lived in all of their vibrant glory when memories start to fade.

Over the course of several hikes, take the following pictures:

1. Look for shots that feature bright colors.
2. Take outdoor photos at dawn or dusk for warmer light and fewer harsh shadows.
3. Get up close and fill the entire frame with your subject.
4. Turn your camera for vertical shots.
5. Take photos from an unusual viewpoint or angle.
6. Choose subjects that are full of character — or take photos of details or patterns.
7. Use a tripod, fencepost, rock, or other stationary object to eliminate blurry photos.

Arrange your photos in a special way and show them to your group!

12. When your Leader gets Lost Outdoors

You need to remember to stay “found”. Here are some general tips to help you stay found:

∙ Bring a map and compass, even on short day hikes and know how to use them.

∙ Pay attention. If you are returning on the same trail you used on the way in, turn around periodically and look at the trail. It looks different in reverse!

∙ Don’t panic. Stay calm and take some deep breaths. Odds are that your Leader hasn’t strayed too far from the path, and by staying calm, you might be able to hear her/him nearby.

∙ If your Leader is genuinely lost, stay put. Rescuers will be looking for her/him where they know you’ve been hiking. Don’t put yourself in danger by wandering away from a known location.

∙ Periodically blow your emergency whistle in bursts of three.

13. Take the three following hikes, each on a different day, and each of continuous miles. You will want to take these hikes in the following order to help build your stamina:

One 5 mile hike

One 10 mile hike

One 15 mile hike

You may stop for as many short rest periods as needed, as well as one meal, during each hike, but not for an extended period (example: overnight).

∙ Prepare a written hike plan before each hike and give it to your Leader.

∙ Include map routes, a clothing and equipment list, and

∙ A list of items for a trail lunch.

After each of the hikes, write a short reflection of your experience. Give dates and descriptions of routes covered, the weather, and any interesting things you saw. It may include something you learned about yourself, about the outdoors, or about others you were hiking with. Share this with your Leader.