Skills to Enjoy Nature
Rain & Wind is a lethal combination, especially at altitude. If caught out by bad weather on the trail, first seek shelter from the wind, then decide how best to stay dry, with the potential to still find dry tinder to light a fire, for cooking when raining. When hiking with a group, always carry an extra canopy, to shelter under to discuss objectives - these are a few important factors to consider, in combination with good equipment.
Food - stay healthy and try to avoid processed food, which is full of toxic chemicals. Organic wholemeal oats, rice and lentils, are excellent for sustenance, but require a lot of fuel, water and time to cook, which is a trade-off. In Nepal, the porters who stock the tourist lodges and carry enormous loads up to Everest base-camp, eat only chapattis (wholemeal wheat) dal (lentils) and bhaat (wholegrain rice) with spices, and don’t understand why westerners need to vary their diet daily!
Important Skills for Survival in the Wilderness:- Remaining Dry
- Maintaining Warmth
- Staying Nourished
Spending time-out in Nature, is often the best therapy for our culture's lack of initiation into adulthood, with it’s artificial life-style attractions and toxic distractions - stay connected.
Experience is gained on the trail from making mistakes, so never give up, just make sure you make lots of small mistakes, and never one big one! Use 'layering’ to maintain skin temp comfort, and avoid perspiring, especially late in the day as the sun goes down, when clothing will remain damp and cold, due to perspiration holding moisture from body-salts.
When packing for a trip, fill your back-pack in reverse, according to your daily needs, with warm clothing and rain-gear packed last, so these essentials are immediately available when needed ...
The following statements are intended to highlight what a novice camper needs to become familiar with:- An Individual's health and fitness are more important factors than a product's rating.
- Trail experience - the ability to anticipate environmental conditions and plan-ahead to shelter from rain and wind.
- As a general rule, body-heat retention relates to ‘thickness' of insulation.
- Wear ‘lightweight' footwear - research for the 1st successful 1953 Everest Expedition discovered 1lb on your feet, is equivalent to carrying 5lbs on you back.
- Practical solutions: Maintain rehydration, which is more important than food when resources are limited. Keep chest and torso warm - insulate arms to keep hands and fingers warm, and insulate legs to keep feet and toes warm. Cover your head which looses a lot of body heat, to keep your nose warm :)
- Hike with competent company for the journey planned, until experience is gained to enjoy the wilderness alone - true freedom takes place in solitude.
- Before leaving camp, make a habit of walking a ‘circuit’ to check nothing is left behind - every piece of equipment carried in, is essential for comfort and survival.
Take only Photos - Leave only Footprints
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