A walking holiday may take you to a different country. While hiking is a safe activity situations can happen and it is essential you protect yourself with travel insurance.
While on a walking holiday in Zermatt, Switzerland last year, I had a minor accident hurting my ankle to the extent where I could barely walk. I saw a doctor and paid the bill for the X-rays and the small cast. I had travel insurance and was reimbursed by the insurance company upon my return.
Travel Insurance coverage you need:
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Medical coverage – when hiking outside your home country and have an accident medical costs can add up. It is important that you have a plan with a worldwide emergency contact which can advance funds to pay upfront if necessary. Most travel insurance plans require you to call the insurance company immediately if you have an accident.
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Baggage coverage – some of your hiking gear can be expensive and if lost while traveling can ruin your walking holiday. Baggage coverage, although usually limited can help.
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Cancellation coverage – While in Germany in September 2001 our group had our flights unexpectedly delayed for four days and incurred hotel, train, meal and phone call bills. Our insurance plan covered 50% of the cost upon presentation of receipts.
Important lessons regarding travel insurance when on a walking holiday:
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Always have travel insurance when leaving the country
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Report any medical situations immediately
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Always ensure you have a worldwide contact will advance funds if necessary
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Coverage should include at least medical and cancellation coverage
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Do not judge the coverage by price alone
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Check with the insurance company or travel agent regarding pre-existing conditions if applicable
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Nondisclosure of medical information can void your coverage even if the non-disclosed conditions or symptoms have nothing to do with the conditions causing your claim
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Carry the policy number and contact information with you during your holiday
A lot of people when traveling assume they are covered office plans or their credit card plans. Review these carefully as there may be limitations and exclusions on the coverage.
Interesting reading on hiking safety is The Worst Case Scenario Almanac: The Great Outdoors
The best benefit of travel insurance when hiking is the peace of mind it provides, knowing that you are protected if something unforeseen does happen.
Crescent Moon Trekking Poles
Price: $71.95
Recommended for hikers, snowshoers, and even backcountry skiers between 4’6″ and 6’4″ tall. The3 section poles collapse to 24″ long and make them ideal to store or toput in a backpack. The spring loaded mechanism inside the pole can betwist adjusted to absorb shock or not, making it ideal for climbing(shock off) or descending (shock on) and all terrain. Carbide tungstentips, removable rubber tip covers, 2 baskets for both winter and summerand a sweat-resistant polyurethane handle-grip and strap are alsofeatured. The trekking poles are an excellent value and makesnowshoeing or hiking more enjoyable improving balance and reducingfatigue. Lightweight, durable, replaceable baskets for all season use.
Brand: Crescent Moon
Originally posted 2009-11-20 12:54:59.
Filed under Hike Safety by on . Comment. 
If you’re outdoors in the warmer months there are some important things you need to know about hiking safety concerning ticks. In the United States the tick is even more common than the mosquito and a leading disease carrier in humans.
Ticks are tiny arthropods that live in grasslands, trees, leaf litter, hayfields, swamp and marshlands which is where most people will be hiking. They may also be found on some animals and birds. They cannot fly or jump instead as you rub against the bushes, plants and grass, the tick attaches you. For reasons of hiking safety many wear long pants and long sleeve shirts to help protect themselves.
Ticks may move slowly on your skin for up to one hour before biting you. Ticks move warm and moist locations as your head, neck, armpits, ankles, or groin. A tick once attached to a hiker, will burrow into the skin without detection and feed its by biting you and drawing blood.
There are different types of ticks with the soft-bodied ticks usually have their fill after a few hours but the hard-bodied ticks may stay on the host’s skin for up to 2 weeks.
Have fun and hike safely. A majority of tick bites are harmless, however some can lead to diseases so if you discover a tick attached to the skin, remove it immediately. Lyme disease is what most hikers are concerned about from ticks. Typically the symptoms include an oval rash that gets larger over several days and can develop a clear spot in the middle, but not everyone reaction is the same and some people do not get a rash.
Other signs range from body aches and fever to much more serious ones like temporary paralysis, fatigue, weakness and joint swelling. For some people there is a Lyme disease itching symptom, but others report no itchy sensations. These symptoms can emerge anytime between one day and thirty days following the tick bite, depending upon the infection passed on by the tick.
There are two steps involved in tick bite treatment:
· Firstly the tick must be removed without it regurgitating its contents into the wound. It is not necessarily the actual bite that causes the problem, more the transfer of saliva and bacteria from the tick through the skin of the host.
Often when removing a tick a portion of the head remains in the skin as it has a barbed mouth to help secure it while feeding. So the tick must be pulled using tweezers and pulled out straight and not twisted. Use a sterilized needle to remove the head if necessary. Remember a tick has infectious saliva on it so once removed dispose of it carefully.
· Secondly the remaining crater type wound cleaned and disinfected.
As a further reference see Everything You Need to Know About Lyme Disease
Ticks and What You Can Do about Them
Price: $5.99
Learn how to avoid and remove ticks. This book describes the biology and distribution of important North American ticks and the symptoms of Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and other tick-carried diseases.
Brand: Wilderness Press
Originally posted 2009-08-27 11:54:59.
Filed under Hike Safety by on . Comment.
Hiking safety is to be considered on every walk. On a day hike recently we had to stop as one of our group had a blister. It was uncomfortable for the hiker as we were only about 5 kilometers into our 16 km hike and it would not have been enjoyable for the individual. Fortunately I always carry a first aid kit.
Hiking is usually a pretty safe activity, provides great exercise, and is fun and very socialable. You do need to follow some basic hiking safety tips:
1. Always carry Adventure Medical Kits
many hikers do not even carry the basic minimum which should
include:
– Moleskin, band aids (plasters), blister treatment
- Tensor bandage, gauze pads
– Tweezers and needl
– Pain medication
– Disinfectant or antibiotic cream (such as Polysporin)
2. Hydration & food – Carry plenty of water or sports drinks and
snacks such as energy bars, nuts, and bananas. Lack of energy
leads to making poor decisions and frankly you will not have a good
time.
3. Map & compass – carry a map of the route and understand how the
trail is blazed. For example the colours in Switzerland indicate the
level of the trail, understand that prior to starting. Also carry and
know how to use a compass or GPS. A great resource is The Essential Wilderness Navigator: How to Find Your Way in the Great Outdoors
4. Cellular phone – to have in case of an emergency is another hiking
safety tip. While hiking in the Lake Como area of Italy one of our
group slipped on a rock and could not walk. A quick call on the
cell phone meant a car was waiting when we arrived at the
nearby road to take the person to hospital.
5. Always tell someone where you are hiking. If for some unforeseen
reason you do not return they know where to start looking. It is
not a good idea to hike alone. If you do keep to popular hiking
trails with lots of people in case you run into problems.
6. Hiking clothes – good hiking boots and socks to prevent scrapes
and blisters. Hike for the weather; in layers if it is cold, sun
protection if required. Always at least a windbreaker as weather
can change quickly, particularly in mountains. Also hiking poles can
help.
7. Whistle to signal to others if in trouble, particularly when hiking in
a group.
Destination specific items may include bear spray, flashlight, rope.
Follow these seven hiking safety tips and have an enjoyable walk.
Adventure Medical Weekender First Aid Kit
Price: $49.99
The Adventure(r) Medical Kits Weekender first aid kit is designed especially for the weekend adventurer. It can be easily carried by everyone from the family that going car-camping to the backcountry skier.
Brand: Adventure Medical Kits
The Essential Wilderness Navigator: How to Find Your Way in the Great Outdoors, Second Edition
Price: $13.22
Pages: 173, Edition: 2, Paperback, International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press
Originally posted 2009-10-27 12:56:59.
Filed under Hike Safety by on . Comment.
If you’re outdoors during a storm there are some important things to consider about hike safety to avoid a lightning strike.
Always seek shelter in a building (not a picnic shelter) or car if possible to avoid a lightning strikes while hiking. However, during a hike those options are usually not available so following these five tips about avoiding lightning strikes should help keep safe during your hike.
Tip 1 – For hike safety during a storm move away from tall lone trees, hilltops and other high objects. If you are hiking on a trail in the forest look for some small trees or thick bushes in a low lying area to crouch under. You do not want to be the highest point.
Tip 2 – Never lie flat on the ground, but crouch down in a or low lying area, such as a valley. It is best to crouch on the balls of your feet and have them placed close together while your head is tucked down as this reduces your exposure.
Tip 3 – Again for hike safety reasons do not stand in swamps, streams or open water during a lightning storm. Be careful as ditches can fill with water quickly during a storm.
Tip 4 – If you are hiking with a group spread out and stand at least 100 feet apart. Lightning travels through the ground from the point of impact in random directions similar to tree roots. The smaller your group footprint, the less chance there is of you
or the other hikers of being hit from a nearby lightning strike.
Tip 5 – If you have a frame packsack or hiking poles made with metal parts place them on the ground at least 100 feet away.
When a storm does approach watch the distant clouds for the possibility of lightning as you can see a lightning bolt before the sound of thunder can be heard. By counting the seconds between the flash and the sound of the thunder it is possible to tell how close you are to the lightning. If you count less than 30 seconds take shelter as best as you can. Each second represents a distance of 300 meters and at 30 seconds it means the storm is less than 10 km way. Remember that the storm does not necessarily have to be right overhead you for lightning to strike.
For further information see Lightning Strikes: Staying Safe Under Stormy Skies
Follow the above hike safety tips about avoiding lightning strikes and have an enjoyable time on the trails. I hope the storm blows over quickly.
Lightning Strikes: Staying Safe Under Stormy Skies
Price: $12.95
Pages: 157, Edition: 1st, Paperback, Mountaineers Books
Originally posted 2009-08-25 11:57:59.
Filed under Hike Safety by on . Comment.
