On May 18, 2010 Gerald Marois was walking in the woods alone in southern Ontario (Canada) when he was attacked by a bear. Although he was a local resident this is a region where many people including this author hike as well.
Gerald heard the bear first before he saw it, which was 50 feet away. He immediately started to climb a nearby oak tree as the bear charged and then followed him up the tree. The bear bite him on the leg and pulled off boot before knocking him to the ground. Staff from the Ministry of Natural Resources belief that as he was bending over and wearing hip waders the bear may have thought he was prey, we don’t know. And to date they have been unable to trap the suspect bear.
Although he was not hiking there are some important lessons to learn about safety from this event:
Bear Spray
Mobile (cell) phone – after he was knocked to the ground he called his wife for help. When hiking alone always carry a mobile phone in case of any emergency.
GPS receiver for hiking
In this situation an air ambulance flew him to a hospital in Toronto where stitches to his face and plastic surgery on his leg will be required.
While there are a number of things you should do when hiking in bear country consider at least carrying the above three for a safe hike. Other suggestions may be found in book highly rated in Amazon, Living With Bears: A Practical Guide to Bear Country
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.
Poison ivy grows all over North America and like all hiking safety issues prevention is best achieved with knowledge. If you know what poison ivy looks like you can easily avoid contact. A good resource for all outdoor hiking safety issues is Wilderness First Responder, A Text for the Recognition, Treatment, and Prevention of Wilderness Emergencies
What does poison ivy look like?
Poison ivy is a hearty plant that can be found growing in tall grass, along roadsides, in the woods and even in campgrounds. It has three pointed leaves that are smooth with the center being slightly longer than the two on the sides. The leaves changes color throughout the year: reddish-yellow in the spring; green in the summer months; and red, orange or yellow in the fall. Also small greenish flowers in bunches along with clusters of small white berries develop in late in the season.
Are there any benefits of poison ivy?
Surprisingly yes, no for you or I, but for many small animals and birds which eat the berries and are not impacted by the oil.
Why is poison ivy so poisonous?
Poison ivy contains urushiol oil which can penetrate deeply and quickly into your skin, in fact in a matter of minutes or a few hours. For about 85% of us our immune system reacts to the poison urushiol oil as it is seeping into our skin and leads to unpleasant blistering, itching and a rash.
Later a red inflammation of tiny bumps, blisters with a clear fluid ooze forms. This fluid from the blisters can even cause the rash to spread so never break open the blisters. It can take a few days to five weeks for the itching rash to go away by itself if left untreated as each individual reacts differently.
Urushiol oil is tenacious, it is not water based and does not evaporate. It can contaminate and stick to items such as hiking clothes, shoes and gear for over a year. It is therefore possible to because infected long after your original hike. Also it can stick to dogs as well.
Poison ivy treatments
It is always a good idea to see a medical professional immediately if in doubt as to how to procedure. If you experience blistering or your eyes swell shut do consult a doctor. People will react differently to the poison.
There are many home remedies out there and over the counter products are also available from your drug store. Whatever you do you need to react quickly before it spreads.
· First immediately wash the affected area in warm water and rubbing
alcohol on the rash and immediate area. This is to help the rash dry out.
· Then immediately take a full body shower using soap, not a bath to help get
rid of the oil. Some recommend dish soap as it is made to cut grease.
· To help with the itching try white vinegar, hot tap water, baking soda as a
paste. And calamine lotion Gold Bond Medicated Anti-Itch Cream
additional suggestions
Have a safe hiking experience and hopefully you never get poison ivy along the trails.
Originally posted 2009-11-03 07:55:59.
Filed under Hike Safety by on . Comment.
