Hiking in the Rocky Mountains may seem like a daunting activity if you’ve never gone before. Even experienced hikers from other regions might be apprehensive about hiking in bear country for the first time. These hiking safety tips are compiled to provide you with an overview of the different things you should consider before embarking on a trail, both to stay safe and to have an enjoyable time. A little preparation can go a long way in the mountains.
Plan and Prepare Before Your Hike
The first stage of any hike is the planning phase. This includes choosing a trail and doing some research before you go. Make sure to check recent comments from other hikers or review a detailed blog about the trail so you know what to expect.
If you are new to hiking, I recommend starting with easy trails and working your way up. As you gain more experience, you’ll be able to gauge whether a hike is a good difficulty for you based on its elevation, distance, and technicality.
Once you’ve decided on a trail, check the weather for the day you’re planning to go. Be cautious of weather that is extremely hot, cold, or stormy. Be sure to double check the weather the morning of your hike to stay informed of any changes to the forecast.
I’d also recommend planning a back-up trail in the area, particularly if you’re planning to do a popular hike. If the parking lot is full, you’ll still be prepared to do a different trail instead.
Hike in a Group
New hikers should always hike in groups of 2 or more. This helps to keep you safe in case of an emergency, especially when you are inexperienced in the backcountry. Every time you go hiking, make sure someone who isn’t going is aware of your plans. Tell them which trail you’re going to hike, if you have a back-up trail, and what time you expect to be back. This is vital in case of an emergency, as someone can alert parks services to check on you.
If you’re more experienced and want to hike solo, try to stick to busier trails where other hikers will be around. Make sure you inform a friend or family member of your hiking plans. I’d also recommend investing in a satellite phone in case of emergencies.
Be Bear-Aware
Wildlife safety is crucial for hikers to understand. While bears are often the focus of new hikers fears when heading into the backcountry, you should be aware of general wildlife safety practices before heading out.
Parks visitors centres are a great resource to learn more about the wildlife in the Rockies and become more familiar with recommended safety practices. These facilities often host information sessions as well. I lived and worked in Kananaskis Country for 3 summers, and we regularly had training from Alberta Parks staff on wildlife safety.
In general, you should carry bear spray and know how to use it. Bear Safety & More Inc. has free resources and paid bear safety courses available online. Bear bells have not proven to be effective in deterring bears, so I don’t recommend using or purchasing one. Instead, speak loudly, sing, or give an occasional call while hiking to warn any wildlife of your presence and give them time to move away.
Bears, and many other wild animals, prefer not to come in contact with humans. Therefore, the best way to prevent an encounter, is to give the animal a heads-up that you’re in the area and avoid startling them. For more information how to stay safe in bear country, watch this video from the International Bear Association.
Additionally, hikers should try to avoid close encounters with any wild animal, including deer, moose, elk, and mountain sheep or goats. Although these animals are herbivores, they can act defensively if they feel threatened. Do not approach any animals while on the trail and give them a wide berth if you need to pass by.
Leave-No-Trace
Leave-No-Trace refers to the principles of outdoor stewardship that all hikers should practice. In essence, leave-no-trace focuses on leaving behind nothing in the wilderness that you brought in, and taking nothing with you.
That includes packing out all your garbage during a hike, including organic matter like orange peels, apple cores, and banana peels. Although these items will eventually biodegrade and compost into the ground, they are far more likely to be found by an animal before this happens. This causes a dire safety issue.
If any animals begin to associate human trails or campsite with food, it puts both them and the humans on the trail at risk. Small animals like squirrels and chipmunks may become increasingly reliant on human food, which can be detrimental to their livelihood. Larger animals, like bears, may become food conditioned and associate human activity with easy access to high-caloric foods.
If a bear becomes food conditioned, it can behave aggressively towards humans. Food conditioning typically occurs because people fail to properly dispose of their garbage while hiking, camping, or visiting bear country, or from careless food storage while camping. This can be very dangerous for the people recreating in the space where the food-conditioned bear lives. A bear that associated humans with food often has to be killed to maintain public safety.
You can prevent this from happening simply by being mindful of your garbage, picking up any accidently dropped food, and packing out all your garbage, including organics, to be disposed of properly.
Hiking Safety Gear to Bring
The safety gear that you should bring will vary slightly depending on the season, but in general you should bring bear spray, a first aid kit, an emergency blanket, navigation tools such as a map and a compass, fire starter, and a multi-tool. I’d also recommend keeping a flashlight or headlamp in your bag, just in case.
If you are hiking in the winter, you should also bring micro-spikes, or hiking crampons, to give you sufficient grip on the ice and snow. If you’re hiking on more technical terrain, it may also be recommended to wear a helmet.
Clothes to Wear or Bring Hiking
Clothing is an important piece of staying safe and prepared on your hike. You’ll have a lot more fun if you are dressed appropriately for the weather.
The weather can change quickly in the mountains, and gaining elevation can affect the temperature and the exposure to wind and UV rays. You should always bring sun protection, no matter the season, including sunglasses with 100% UV protection and a sunhat. In the winter, you may opt for a toque (beanie) instead. I’d also recommend wearing sunscreen, whether it’s summer or winter.
I usually keep a thin pair of gloves in my hiking bag year round, as I have been caught in cool wind and rain storms that freeze your hands even in August. I also always carry my rain jacket and rain pants, in case the weather takes a turn for the worse. Staying dry can help you to stay warm–and it’s way more comfortable.
As well, I always pack in layers, and the forecast will guide me on how many layers to pack. Even in the warmest weather I bring an insulating layer, like a down jacket or fleece, and a waterproof layer (my rain jacket). In colder weather, I may opt for a base layer like long underwear, fleece-lined hiking pants, and two or three layers of jackets and water-resistant materials.
Dressing in layers allows you lots of flexibility to take pieces off while you’re warm and hiking, and put them back on to stay warm during breaks or if the weather gets cold. If you’re unsure of what to bring, download my hiking gear checklist.
Use Designated Trails
While using designed trails is part of leave-no-trace, I felt it needed to be highlighted as a safety tip. Wandering off the trail is not only bad for fragile alpine ecosystems, it’s the best way to get lost.
Sticking to the trail makes sure you know where you are. Even if you end up on the wrong trail, you’ll be able to turn around and follow your route back to your starting point. It also makes it far more likely that other hikers will pass by if you get injured and need help.
Bring Sufficient Food and Water
Variations in weather and unexpected delays while hiking can impact your food and water supply. It’s always a good idea to bring more food and water than you think you’ll need. If the weather is particularly hot, you should bring additional water.
I usually bring 2 litres of water with me on every hike. This is often more than I need, but I have gotten close to drinking it all before. My partner and I usually hike together, with our dog, and we bring an additional litre of water for him. While our dog doesn’t typically drink a full litre of water, having 5 litres between us ensures that we have a sufficient supply. It’s also wise to keep water purification tablets in your emergency or first aid kit, just in case.
For food, I bring 1 to 2 snacks and lunch. Then I’ll throw in a handful of granola bars, as they pack easily and can help provide energy and fill you up in a pinch. I’d recommend packing something calorie dense but light as your “emergency snacks”, such as energy bars, beef jerky, or trail mix, that will keep for a long time if you don’t need it.
Beyond the food and water I bring on the hike, I’ll usually also bring additional water and snacks that I leave in the car. This way I never have to worry about conserving water or snacks for the drive home.
For those new to hiking, check out these posts for more information to keep you safe on the trail: