Hiking Safely During the Spring Thaw

Mud, mud, mud!

It’s spring. The March Equinox has passed and days are getting longer. Temperatures are rising. You’ve been cooped up for months and you’re itching to get outdoors and hike!  But what about the spring thaw?

SPRING MELT HIKING TIPS

Here are some safety tips for the sloppy spring-melt season.

Tip #1: Be prepared for changes in the trails. Ones you have been in used to hiking may not be the same as they were during the summer.

Tip #2: Be prepared to turn back if you run into unsafe conditions due to extreme snowmelt and runoff. Here are some of those dangerous conditions that you may encounter:

A. Swollen streams,

B. Loose and unstable rocks due to a freeze/thaw cycle,

C. Trails cut off by rockslides,

D. Muddy trail sections,

E. Slippery slopes, rocks, roots etc.,

F. Mudslides,

G. Washed out trails.

Tip #3: Strongly consider hiking on flatter and safer trails at lower elevations.

Tip #4: Be especially careful when hiking beneath or near steep cliffs or overhangs where loosened rocks may fall.

Tip #5: Watch carefully for portions of the trail that could slough away after being saturated by ice and water.

Tip #6: Be especially attuned to environmental issues like increased risks of damaging the trail and the sides of the trail.

Tip #7: Dress for the weather. Wear jeans or long pants. Wear hiking footwear with good traction and thick socks. Take rain gear for the possibility of a downpour.

Tip #8: Consider taking trekking poles or even crampons to give you the best traction in steep and slippery conditions.

Tip #9: Make sure you have your regular essentials such as a fully stocked first aid kit, plenty of food and water etc.

Be prepared. Be safe. Come back alive and happy from your spring thaw hike.

by Richard Davidian, Ph.D.

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Tagged as: backpacking, Hiking, Outdoors, spring, Trails