Hiking & Climbing
Written by Ronald Last Updated on Tuesday, 12 May 2009 18:20
Here are some tips I can give you based on my own experiences in mountain hiking and climbing.
In one minute, regulary give a visible and/or audible signal 6 times. Then wait one minute and repeat the previous signal. Keep doing that until you get an answer. If you receive such a signal, answer with this: in one minute, regulary give a visible and/or audible signal 3 times.
Both hands in the air mean: YES - we need help. The right arm in the air, left arm down means: NO - we don't need any help (see picture below)
Always be aware of the weather and weather conditions. You should watch out for (old) snow, so do your hiking tours in the summer months (from about the 20th of June till about the 10th of September). Keep an eye on the weather during the winter; then you'll know if there will be less old snow or not during the summer. Note: on altitudes higher then 2600m there usually will be snow left, no matter what time of the year! Also be aware of mist and/or darkness (begin your travel as early as possible). Rain of course, makes hiking and climbing more difficult. Stone and rock get wet and very slippery. Even in the woods, the trunks of trees are very, very slippery. But the worst of all is when you get into a thunderstorm. Please keep an eye on the weather, notice the clouds! Not only do you have to watch the weather for it's bad conditions, you also have to protect yourself from the sun! Be sure you have tanning oil with you on your trip. Even if it's a bit clouded it doesn't mean anything .. Mountain rocks sometimes reflect the sunbeams from places where it's less cloudy.
If you are a beginner, begin easy with a well marked tour, alpine huts on the way so you can always take a good rest, and don't hike more than 2 - 3 hours. There are a lot of great and easy mountains to climb and places to visit in the mountains in that region, you won't get bored. You'll see, you will enjoy mountain hiking and climbing. That might be a cliché, I know, but it's true. I just used my own experience. I started hiking small tours and built it up year by year. Year after year we climbed higher mountains and made even longer tours (up to 10 hours a day!). In the tour description section you'll find nice routes for 'beginners'.
Another thing is that you know how to read a map. Its one of the basic things in mountain hiking especially when you hike long tours or you walk mountain paths that are not so well marked. Be sure you use an updated map because sometimes climbing routes can be renewed. If you get off the route, go back to where you came from untill you find the correct route again, don't just go on thinking that you'll find your way again, you won't.
Watch the time. If you have to drive to your starting point first, you should get up earlier. Try to get at your highest point (summit) by 1200h or 1300h, so you can be back before darkness (and dinner! ;)
Well, some hearty sandwiches or rolls, maybe a boiled egg, fruits (an apple or so). Drinks? Water! .. and softdrinks, Icetea or a thermos flask filled with coffee. Anything you like. Make sure that what you drink doesn't require a visit to the bathroom every half hour (especially for the ladies). Those are not available on a mountain.
The basic things you need to have for mountain hiking and climbing the way we do, are:
I hope all these things above haven't scared you, because that really isn't necessary. Most tours we made in the mountains (and are described in the travel reports, hiking tours etc.), don't require special equipment. Plus, with a bit of common sense, you can figure that out by yourself. "Common Sense" is also a basic in mountain hiking / climbing ... Well, these are just a few tips I can give you. I'll try to add more to them in the future.
