What's the most profound bit of hiking advice you've ever been given?

Mine came in a backpacking shop,20 years ago, when I asked the salesman whether I should buy a headlamp to supplement my flashlight and candle lantern. He looked at me for a moment, then said: "When it gets dark, go to bed!" ("Idiot!!" was implied.)

That sparked a whole new approach for me, of really asking myself what constituted a "need."

CLASSIC COMMANDMENTS OF MOUNTAINEERING
by Gerry Roach


1. Never get separated from your lunch.

2. Never get separated from your sleeping bag.

3. Never get separated from your primal urges.

4. Carefully consider where your primal urges are leading you.

5. Expect to go the wrong way at least some of the time.

6. Recognize that first aid above 26,000 feet consists of getting below 26,000 feet.

7. Never step on the rope.

8. Never bivouac.

9. Remember that Surfer Girl is not in the mountains.

10. Never pass up a chance to pee.

11. Don’t eat yellow snow.

12. Have fun and don’t forget why you started.

There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore like an idiot.

Oh, wait, you said hiking.

Don't step on the wobbly one. You'll fall in.

That advice was actually given to me about canoeing the Buffalo River in AR, but I started having a lot more fun backpacking when I applied it to that too.

I've never read any books about backpacking yet. I think that's because I didn't really want outside influence. I never wanted to ponder someone else's reasons for heading into a wilderness, I had my own and that was all I needed.

I've learned a lot about what I did not need right here, from all of you, and that has actually been quite profound in how I've evolved with my backpacking trips. I supposed I could have learned some of that sooner from books, but I had a lot of fun getting here so I don't have any regrets.

I might read some Colin Fletcher one of these days though. I'm not likely to go any way other than my own now, but it's fun to read about where others have been and what advice they have as a result.

I think you'll like Colin Fletcher, Bill....at least if you read the Man Who Walked Through Time.

Best advice? Get out there and hike. That and the legendary advice from the temple of Apollo in Delphi:

Moderation in All things.

"I've never read any books about backpacking yet. I think that's because I didn't really want outside influence. I never wanted to ponder someone else's reasons for heading into a wilderness, I had my own and that was all I needed."

You'll like Fletcher - you've already captured the essence of his philosophy: books can help, but in the end it's all about what you want, not what "They" think you should want.

Mine is in my signature.

I've told myself that at least a hundred times, then ignored it, then fell in

Stay on the trail!

A traditional piece of advice that I don't always adhere to and probably should haha

"You will never regret starting too early, you will always regret starting too late" - Gaston Rebuffat

Don't Panic !!!

I believe the traditional way to write that is;

DON'T PANIC followed by at least five !!!!!

time your breathing with your steps going uphill for aerobic aid. Probably one inhale per 2 steps and one exhale per 2 steps.
Jim

I can probably scrounge up a fair number of pieces of good or helpful advice, but when I examine them none of them seem especially profound. On the other hand, my most profound experience while hiking was spending three straight weeks solo hiking on the PCT and hearing nothing but natural sounds the entire time (I arranged my resupply so that I never left the trail).

So, "silence is golden"?

Sounds good to me!

My favorite, which I've probably posted here before: Occasionally turn around and look at your back trail. It's especially important to do that at trail junctions and any place where the trail seems obscure. This will pay off when you are on your way back!

Besides, you otherwise will never know if something is following you!

Glenn
If I was to make a profound statement or two - lets see:
You could be severly injured by a flying object getting down food stuck in a tree.
Stand erect and in balance like you were walking down a sidewalk when on steep rock, and keep your weight on the balls of your feet.
Only try the difficult things after much practice. and get training befor doing things that could kill you.
Never thrash
Keep your dog on a leash

Frankly however, other than the potential for death or disaster and avoiding them, there's nothing really profound about hiking or camping other than the view and nature where you go. We're talking about walking in the woods with some gear - its not rocket science and we're not trying to save the Earth - well maybe some of us are, but thats another topic.
Jim

I guess "profound" could be either an "aha!" or "aw, crap" moment.

Profound? no...but its always been helpful for me...

When you hike set a pace you can keep all day:

If you start out like a shot your likely to be wore out when you get to your destination. If you push too hard your also more likely to injure yourself. Take your time.

Every once and a while stop and look around:

Its important to help keep your bearings. Also you can miss some really beautiful and amazing things if your staring at your feet all day. It also helps keep me alert which is important if your backpacking solo.

Do not obsess over gear. Use what you have or can borrow. Just get out there and replace it when you can afford to replace it. Make sure that this is something you enjoy before you become too committed.

"Do not obsess over gear."

Now, that's just plain cruel!! ("Hi, I'm Glenn, and I'm a gearaholic...")

Standard saying from the old days at NOLS
"If you are hungry, cold, hot, tired, or otherwise miserable, you are doing something wrong. Hungry? stop and eat a snack Cold? stop and put on a layer Hot, stop and take off a layer, tired? slow down the pace, Otherwise miserable? Why not stop and camp- a good nights sleep does wonders." These are not the exact words, but you get the gist.

Another one "rules are for fools" judgement trumps rules any day

This probably only applies to the guys...

Never pee into the wind. Especially remember that during hurricane strength winds.


Other than that, my dad always told be to be alert at all times and listen/pay attention to my surroundings.

My mom used to say "I don't want to know where you are going, I don't want to know what you are doing, just make sure you come back. Her saying that made me more careful.

respect the mountain

plan ahead

doesn't matter how light your pack is if you left something home you needed

Hi Glenn!

Never pee on an ELECTRIC FENCE !!!

Since this is in the lite philosophies forum my profound advice would be to someone who is new to shedding pounds and ounces to get down to lightweight, or furthermore ultra lightweight. Don't shed too many things so then you are uncomfortable in camp! Then you can't get a good nights sleep and your next day hiking is going to be miserable and a lot tougher.

Pack as light as you possibly can, taking in mind seasonal weather conditions. Most important GET OUT AND GO! Just Go.

Another one, for those of us that guide (from my school's Outdoor Education instructor manual): "If you are cold, your students are freezing; if you are tired, your students are exhausted; if you are hungry, your students are starving; if you are uncomfortable, your students are miserable."

I like that last one a lot - I'm going to forward it to the local outfitter, who runs a few "beginner backpacking" one and two night trips every year.

I'd give the same advice about backpacking as I give to new mothers (when asked): Find what works for YOU and do it.

Anything can work for someone some of the time, but nothing works for everyone ALL of the time. Advice is often free, plentiful, and worth what is paid for it.

CM

You buried the best advice at the end: "Free advice is worth every penny you paid for it."

I usually tell new moms (and dads):

1. You'll spend the first two years of their lives teaching them to walk and talk, and the next eighteen telling them to sit down and shut up.

2. You won't make the same mistakes your parents made with you. You'll make entirely different ones.

3. Never ask, "What were you thinking?!" They will have no idea.

4. At some point, you will understand why some animals eat their young.

5. Remember that your parents are not your allies. They now operate under the theory that grandchildren are the best revenge.

5. In spite of your best efforts, odds are that the kids will turn out all right.

6. Someday, they will have kids - and it will serve them right!

As you can see, I was never in the running for father of the year.

Keeping an open mind is great advice. (Isn't the clinical definition of insanity, "doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results"?)

If conditions change, you have to adapt - and that means doing the best with what you've got. Keep your plans, and your ideas about gear and method, open to new ideas. Some of the best trips I've been on have not developed quite the way they were planned.

Good one, Glenn!

"JUST DO IT" Nike

Look up fall down, look down move forward. In many more words; if you are walking whilst gazing around you are more likely to trip on an object that you didn't notice. These are the words of my father.

Sound advice that I can agree with ,welcome to the forums

"Getting outside your comfort zone is...uncomfortable."

"Yo, hold my beer and watch this," will get you on TV.

"That storm's going the other way," means you'll eventually get drenched.

It is real simple for this group, don't worry about what others think of your decisions if they are based on experience.

It is the people with little experience that are concerned about being looked down upon. Backpacking is a personal experience with lots of room for different interpretations of what is right.

"Always stop and make tea at your favourite and most familiar places like, for example, when you discover you are lost."

"When your child stops to play, you have arrived."

"When you come to the fork in the road, take it" - Yogi Berra

I like this Jim and I functions similarly. Sometimes if I'm winded I'll take 3 steps of long inhale and then 2 steps worth of fast strong exhales... I figure I need the extra step for oxygen. *dizzy head... *CRASH*

The most profound piece of hiking advice I have ever been
given was: "Your head (i.e. think) is your most valuable piece
of equipment".

I've also been given advice (hiking and otherwise) that involved my head, but I don't remember it being called "valuable."

Fall down seven times;Get up eight times.

Or, as John Wayne put it in The Train Robbers, "It means you're a man now; you'll spend the rest of your life getting up one more time than you're knocked down." (He was using "man" in the context of "adult," the conversation was about people maturing, not about any inherent differences between men and women.)

From my Dad, one of the greatest people I have ever met: "When you wake up in the morning you can decide to be happy or sad. Pick happy, it makes for a much nicer life".

The slower you walk the more you will see!

good advice - not generally taken these days as everyone is in a hurry. I'd like to ad to that - some of the best places are 500 feet from the road and everybody charges past. Don't overlook the easy camping spots - you can carry more gear or food.

Colorado...
profound. Yep everyday we decide are we gonna have a good one or a bad one.
Jim

Maybe we could use the word "tough" instead of man.

You really want to open that can of worms again?

Let's not.

Definitely not...

The map is not the trail.

There will never be water there.

The weather man is a liar.

Don't forget the TP.

Bring extra foodies for the injured hiker.

JUST DO IT!

The group moves at the pace of the slowest member.

OK, here it is . . . drum roll . . . "Hike your own hike"

Never eat anything larger than your head.

I dont worry as much about the gear and just go.

classic one: Climbing up is optional. Climbing down is not.

In another thread, Gershon said: "It's not about beating [conquering] the trail."

That is perhaps THE most profound thing I've ever read on these forums. It's backpacking distilled to its essence.

90% of fatigue and injuries happen after 80% effort.

Going up wears you down, going down tears you up.

do not feed the bears or annoy the bull.

always take a towel

if you cross over a fence you are probably trespassing. That can turn out badly.

You are never lost, merely temporarily misdirected. So don't panic.

If you listen to music while you walk, you will miss the rattling sound on the other side of the log.

Finally, a paraphrase of a bit of advice given by my old footbal coach. "If walking the trail is no longer fun, get off the trail." (His actual advice was "if the game stops being fun, get off the field")

Unhappiness arises when you compare the current moment to some other idealized version of it.
(Thank you, Zen Buddhism!)

The map is not the territory.
(This means more than just "your topo might be inaccurate." Basically, every conceptualization is at least a necessary approximation and and worst wrong.)

Don't camp too far away from the others at the campsite.... you'll end up over a cathole.

Of course, we're all too polite to ask how you know that...

Correct Glenn, you are very gentlemanly not to ask that.

Never approach a bull from the front,a horse from the rear,or a fool from ANY direction.

Best advice I ever had.... "Take A Hike"

Man, if I made a "Top 10" list of what's been offered here, I'd be hard pressed to not put that at #1

Me, too - without that piece of advice, the rest isn't necessary.

Of course, we're assuming that whoever gave that advice meant it literally, and in a helpful spirit!

"Don't forget your towel"

"Don't Panic"

Thanks, Hitchiker's Guide!

I thought I was noticing a Douglas Adams philosophy in this thread!

I guess the saying "two is one, one is none" wouldn't apply too much to lightweight hiking...but it can be important if your source of fire fails, or if your backpack strap blows out (as mine did).

If not a backup, at least the knowledge and means to improvise a fix.

Or perhaps it refers to the goal of sensible multiple usage of gear? (Hiking poles doubling as tarp/tent supports, etc.)

Wildthing's Advice for Having Fun in the Backcountry

1. Make your own trail

2. Enjoy the journey

3. Take less

+1

If you don't set a date for your next trip and commit to it...it probably won't happen

Don't loan out your favorite gear.

Better yet don't loan out gear your not willing to or can't replace!

Best piece of advice has been given to me many times in the last couple years and in a few different ways, whenever I've considered hiking the AT: "Go do it."

Best piece of advice I'd give someone out backpacking would be, "Take care of your body, and feed it well."

Saw this on a T-shirt in Sedona, AZ last month - Bring a compass. It's awkward when you have to eat your friends.

Life is good. Eternal life is better!
Richard

Excellent! Besides, most of my friends are tough and stringy, well past their prime....

Funny....they said the same thing about you.

I think I need to find that shirt and bag Donner peak wearing it.