How To Stay Safe On A Day Hike

Why safety is important even for day hiking

Living in Alberta, Canada affords many the luxury of being close to huge mountains and amazing hiking trails. During and after COVID-19 the amount of people enjoying the outdoors, especially hiking, exploded in popularity. One of the results of this increase in popularity is that a lot of newer, inexperienced hikers were day hiking. Of course this post is not meant to discourage anyone from trying hiking, there are just some precautions that should be taken before you head out on the trail. This is because every year people die on hikes they believed to be safe just because they were “day hikes”. In Alberta, there are many popular hikes that are close to the two largest mountain towns Canmore and Banff. These hikes attract people from all over the world to get amazing summit views overlooking the beautiful towns and valleys below. There is often a misconception that these trails are “safe”, “moderate” or “family-friendly” given their popularity. It was after I had done several of these hikes and saw hikers struggling that I realized many people had no idea what they are really getting themselves into. Things like inadequate footwear, no packs with extra water or food, wearing only tank tops and shorts with no jacket packed, carrying babies on packs and inadequate fitness. One hike that sticks out in my mind is named “East End of Rundle” or “EEOR” for short, a very popular trail near Canmore that takes around 4 hours, whose summit overlooks the town below. It’s sister hike across the parking lot “Ha Ling” has an established, well-maintained trail, so many people assume that EEOR will be similar. It is only when you get to the top 20% of EEOR that you realize there are sections of scrambling and mountain scree that this is not just a hike in the woods. Around two weeks after my hike up EEOR, a woman tragically passed away from falling on the scree. There are certain precautions that can help prevent accidents or improve survival when you are heading out on a day hike.

East End of Rundle (EEOR) overlooking Spray Lakes and Ha Ling on the left

1) Research the trail before you leave

As mentioned above, many people rely on word of mouth or various internet sources to gauge the difficulty of hiking trails. This system most often used by organizations like Parks Canada or apps like Alltrails is “easy”, “moderate”, or “hard”. Obviously this can lead to confusion given everyone’s experience and fitness, what might be a “moderate” hike for you might be someone else’s “hard”. I once experienced the wrath of my brother when he came back from a hike that I described as being “not bad” when for him it was “hard as hell”. So, my recommendation is to research the hike thoroughly before you leave. I like to read through many reviews of the hike on Alltrails, and try to gather a consensus from lots of peoples different experiences. When a trail has tons of reviews you’re more likely to get an accurate depiction of what it’s actually like, rather than relying just on Alltrails’ easy, moderate, hard rating system. Also, if you’ve used Alltrails before you’ve probably uttered the sentence “Alltrails said it was supposed to be (X)km but I’m already at (X+3)km and we’re not there yet!” So distances and elevations might not be 100% accurate so keep that in mind before you go. I have also used reputable blogs that provide great descriptions of trails. Two years ago I hiked “The Rockwall” trail in British Columbia and relied heavily on the information that I found on this blog to plan my trip. It is so helpful to have other hikers out there who can share their experiences so others can know what to expect. So check out other blogs for the trails you are interested in, I bet there will be multiple people who have written about it! Parks Canada does use the easy, moderate and difficult rating system, but if you dig a little deeper there are often more detailed descriptions of the trails, including distance, elevation and hazards. There are also maps for many trails that you can download onto your phone or print off before you leave so you don’t get lost.

2) Check weather and trail condiTIONS

On May 22, 2021 during a trail ultramarathon in China 21 runners died and 8 were injured when a freak cold front hit the participants during the race. This storm brought plunging temperatures, rain and hail down on runners who were wearing just tank tops and shorts, not anticipating colder weather. The 21 runners who died tragically succumbed to hypothermia. Other famous mountain races such as UTMB, which takes place in the Alps requires runners to have access to jackets, long sleeve shirts and pants to protect runners from changing weather conditions. Mountain areas are notorious for rapid weather changes, so even on day hikes that may only take a few hours it is important to be prepared. You should always have at a minimum a windproof rain jacket in your pack at all times. During hot summer days it is also important to prepare for extreme heat by bringing enough water, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat.

Trail conditions should also be checked before heading out on a day hike. In the winter trails can be closed due to avalanche risks, in spring and fall trails may appear to be dry at lower elevations but be snowed in or wet higher up. In the summer forest fires and flooding can cause trails to be closed. There may also be restrictions in the area for wildlife or trail maintenance. Checking trail conditions from other hikers on Alltrails, park websites or blogs will save you the hassle of showing up at the trailhead and finding out the trail is closed, or worse, encountering dangerous conditions you are not prepared for.

Lake Agnes Trail to the Little Beehive

3) Bring the proper equipment

One of my pet peeves when I’m out hiking is the number of people I see wearing improper footwear! I know I sound like a safety nerd but wearing your crocs, flip flops or basketball shoes is just asking for trouble! It’s a scary thought to think about but all of us hikers are really just one trip and fall away from a broken leg, arm, or worse. So, invest in a pair of trail runners or hiking boots and micro-spikes or crampons for winter hiking, it could save your life! I have bad knees so I always use trekking poles when I hike, they give me more stability when descending difficult terrain by always having three points of contact. They have also saved me numerous times from minor trips over roots and rocks. As I mentioned above, if you are partaking in early season or winter hiking, wearing spikes or crampons is essential to help prevent slips and falls. If your hike involves scrambling, bring a helmet to help protect you from falling rocks or hitting your head if you fall. Bringing basics like sunscreen with you in your pack, not just applying it at the trailhead, in case you are out in the sun longer than anticipated. Picking the proper bug spray to help prevent bites from mosquitos, black flies and ticks, that “kid friendly” bug spray isn’t going to do much in the deep woods, you should bring more heavy-duty spray.

Drinking a Bubly at the Summit of Ha Ling with EEOR in the background

4) Have the safety basics packed

There are certain things that you should always have packed with you on a hike, regardless of the length. These items can be tailored depending on the length of the hike but fall under the following categories: water, shelter, food, navigation, first aid, clothing, fire. This sounds like overkill for a day hike, but it can be adapted, for instance, carrying a small water filter, an emergency blanket for shelter, some extra granola bars, a downloaded offline map on your phone, a Ziploc bag of first aid supplies, and a lighter. All of these things together take up minimal space in your pack. The fact is that people get lost or hurt on hikes all the time and it is important to be prepared. If you bring your pet hiking it is also important to have emergency supplies packed for them as well like extra food, water and a first aid kit. If you are hiking in bear country it is important to carry bear spray with you at all times and to have it easily accessible. I see people all the time carrying bear spray attached to the back or side of their packs. In the event of a bear attack you need to be able to access your spray in seconds, so always have it close at hand.

An example of a survival blanket

5) Leave a trace

Contrary to “leave no trace” hiking and camping, I want you to leave a trace before you leave for your day hike. This means telling someone where you are going and how long you expect to be gone. That way if they do not hear from you within that time window they can call for help and know exactly where to find you.

In conclusion, a successful day hike is all about preparation and mindfulness. By following these five key precautions—researching the trail beforehand, checking weather and trail conditions, bringing the proper equipment, having a safety basics pack, and leaving a trace, you'll be setting yourself up for a safe and enjoyable outdoor adventure. These are just tips to help keep you safe while hiking, the only person who is ultimately responsible for your safety is you. Stay vigilant, embrace the journey, and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature.

Mount Burke Summit

Disclaimer: I am not a professional hiking guide or expert mountaineer. This post is my opinion only, not professional advice. Please do your own research, your actions are your own.