Hiking and Backpacking Skills Movement SkillsAscents Hiking in

Hiking and Backpacking Skills

Movement Skills-Ascents Hiking in the mountains is significantly different from walking on city sidewalks Normal heel-to-toe stride only good in light hiking shoes on flat ground Flatfooted hiking technique good for rough, steep or carrying a heavy pack to reduce fatigue and injuries

Ascents Essentials of the flat-footed technique Short strides Heel on the ground, even on up hills Quiet feet, heavy/tromping steps increase fatigue Rest step Weight transferred from one straight leg to the next giving the muscles a brief rest

Ascents Mountaineer Efficient Trekking Help stride technique for steep diagonal ascents Poles to transfer some of the impact from the legs to the arms Provide another point of contact on uneven terrain Personal preference on 1 or 2 poles as well as height of pole

Descents Can cause knee pain, be challenging, dangerous with loose terrain A few basic techniques Lean out from the slope with waist, knees and ankles flexed Take small steps In soft terrain, plunge the heels into the slope and drop into the step Lean forward and face straight down the slope to keep weight over the feet

Descents Bad technique: Turning sideways down the hill Lean into the slope causing the feet to slide out from underneath them

Camp Set Up When you first arrive you should look around and choose a campsite free of hazards; such as dead trees that could fall, low branches that could poke someone, animal trails or berry patches

Camp Set Up Choose durable surfaces that are slightly elevated so that they will stay dry in the rain Choose a site sheltered from the wind and close to the group

Camp Set Up Set up tent so that it is securely anchored, the fly is taut and the tie-down cords are anchored to rocks or pegs Dry items are secured inside the tent, anything outside is secured so it won’t blow away

Camp Set Up Keep a careful inventory of your belongings and keep an organized campsite When possible maximize ventilation in tents by opening screen doors whenever possible to minimize condensation and keep gear dry

Camp Set Up Camping location areas, kitchen set up, washroom

Meal Planning Break into groups and decide what meals you will eat which includes the food you must bring up Friday: Snack, Dinner, Snack Saturday: Breakfast, Snacks Everyone must bring their own waterbottle Sardis will provide ways to purify water up at Lindeman

Create a Grocery List As a group: Write out each meal, the food you need, and who will bring it

Supplies Backpack Sleeping bag Rain gear-jacket/pant Hiking boots/waterproof shoes Cup/plate/bowl/fork/ knife/spoon Garbage bags/ziplock bags Small games Couple pairs of socks Mitts, glove, hat (could get cold) Flashlight (headlamps will be provided) Food Camping pots/pans Tarps Tent Rope