Great outdoor family adventures start with being prepared

Editor’s Note: A string of serious hiking incidents in Washington this month offers a sobering reminder that even a day hike can quickly turn dangerous. A 9-year-old girl was seriously injured in a fall while hiking with her family near Cle Elum; a 45-year-old woman died after she and her husband were caught by an early snowstorm in the Enchantments; and two men, ages 78 and 66, died in separate incidents on Sauk Mountain within days of each other. The circumstances were different — a fall, rapidly changing weather, becoming separated from family and steep terrain — but together they underscore the importance of heading into Washington’s mountains prepared for more than the hike with your kids that you expect to have.

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​Time spent outside as a family is one of the best ways to connect with one another and to engage all of our senses. Time in nature provides novel experiences—a bug you’ve never seen, clouds in new shapes, experiencing the soft yellow needles of autumn larches for the first time. The unpredictability of a day on the trail or at the beach spurs curiosity and exploration, and helps kids develop executive functions like resilience, delayed gratification, and personal risk management.

But that same unpredictability comes with inherent risks—circumstances that we can anticipate and prepare for. Things don’t always go as planned, but your level of preparation often determines whether surprise events are challenging and fun with a good outcome, or challenging and dangerous with a bad outcome.

Know the risks

Weather: The saying is “there’s no bad weather, just bad gear,” and while that’s not entirely true, being prepared for changing weather can make the unexpected “less bad.” And there are some conditions that we simply should not be out in, like lightning storms or heavy snowfall in avalanche terrain.

Injury: We can all make decisions that prevent injury, but just as we can trip and fall at home, injuries can and do happen outdoors. Whether it’s a bee sting, a scraped knee, or even a broken bone from a fall, it’s important to be prepared for injury, including anticipating risks and taking steps to prevent injury.

Wildlife: Most people enjoy spotting wildlife as long it leaves them alone. Small insects such as ground wasps and biting flies can turn an outing into being unpleasant or even dangerous. Habituated (fed by humans) critters like chipmunks and gray jays (commonly called “camp robbers”) . Goats and black bears, especially mamas separated from their young can become aggressive. While rare, cougar encounters do happen, especially at dawn and dusk.

Darkness: As we head into the fall, nightfall can surprise us as it gets earlier every day. At dusk and at night, navigation is more difficult, hazards are harder to avoid, and temperatures drop.

Hypothermia (getting too cold): In the Pacific Northwest, hypothermia is a risk year-round. When we stop moving, we stop generating our own heat. If we’re sweaty, if it’s breezy, or if it’s raining, we can get cold very quickly. The ground is usually very cold to sit on, and it makes us colder faster. Once we are cold, it can be hard to warm up, especially if we’re tired, because we need to move to generate body heat. Hypothermia inpairs your ability to think clearly and as it progresses, may become life threatening.

Getting Lost It is essential that hikers go out with at least one buddy – this is true even for experienced teens or adults with extensive outdoors experience.

Talk to your kids about trail risks before you go

Before you even start prepping for a hike — even a short one  on a warm sunny day — its important to tell kids what you expect of them on the trail in terms of safety and proper trail etiquette. Here are the five rules for hiking kids of all ages compiled by Washington Trails Association:

• No running and no throwing
• Remain with the group – younger kids within eyesight; older kids within earshot. The latter is important as older kids are most likely to meet danger by hiking too far ahead and getting separated from the group
• Always stop at a fork in the road and wait for others
• Be courteous to other hikers by stepping aside and always ask politely to pass
• Stress to kids that whistles are not toys, they are emergency devices

Set those expectations before you leave the house.

Teach kids to whistle and wait if lost

No matter how clearly you set the expectation, getting lost happens. About that whistle, which you find on the prepared hiker gear list below (one for each hiker big or small). Make sure a whistle is attached to your kid—their pack, their coat, around their neck, tied to their boot. If a child feels lost, teach them to make three quick blows on a whistle counting to three between each toot. That’s the trail sign for “I need help” or “I’m lost.” Stress to your child that they should stay in one place. Show them how to stay quiet after blowing the whistle and listen for someone calling to them. Then repeat the blowing and listening until they see someone coming to help. Emphasize that this is not intended as a fun hide-and-seek game – only for emergencies!

What it means to go into nature prepared

You can’t anticipate all the risks but your family can plan for the most likely ones listed above, even if they are unlikely to happen.

Find a suitable destination. Washington Trails Association www.wta.org is a great resource for finding hikes—you can filter by region, kid-friendliness, distance, elevation gain, and other factors. It’s important to choose hikes within the limits of every family member, not just the strongest. For a family this is the youngest, weakest member. Be sure to read the most recently posted trip reports from the hikers who  took the trail you are considering – the reports provide the most current information about trail conditions. 

Check the weather and conditions. The WTA site includes links to both recent trip reports and the weather forecast. Consider trail conditions, which may be snowy, icy, or muddy, as well as weather conditions. Remember to check wind forecasts, as well as temperatures and precipitation. Many trails in Washington are in avalanche-prone terrain, and snow arrives early in the fall and lingers late into the spring in the mountains compared to the lowlands. Check trail descriptions and trip reports to understand the avalanche risks. If there is any avalanche risk and you do not have avalanche training, choose a different destination. The Northwest Avalanche Center is an excellent source for learning about avalanches as well as getting reports on current conditions. 

Make a communication plan. Tell someone where you’re going, and what time you plan to be back. As many trails have minimal cell service, carrying a satellite device or a cell phone with satellite communication capabilities is highly recommended. Be sure you know how to use them before heading out. 

Tend to your own needs, parents. When planning outdoor adventures, take care of yourself. Adults often worry so much about preparing the kids that they set their own needs aside. When you’re out in nature, you put your kids at risk if you don’t take care of yourself.​

Customize some items specifically for your family. Is there a portable game you can bring just in case you need to sit and wait, either while someone rests or (worst case) you are waiting for rescue? Are there special favorite snacks you can sneak in to pull out when things become challenging?

Musts: The 10 essentials and a loaded first aid kit

Carry the 10 essentials. Planning more than a well-groomed local hike? Headed to back country? Back in 1930s, The Mountaineers came up with a list of 10 essential items that should be carried when going into the wilderness and the list is still used today. While most of these items won’t ever come out on a Cougar Mountain trail, having them on hand is added protection for your family:

1. Map. I always recommend taking a map-and-compass or navigation course, even if you use GPS. These courses are offered online,at REI, atThe Mountaineers, and plenty of other places. If you have theGaia Maps app, you can search for your selected hike, and it will take you there so you can follow the route on your phone. Be sure to download offline maps before heading out, since many hikes have limited to no cell service. Be sure you have a device that can identify the latitude and longitude of your location since communicating the latitude and longitude is critical for rescuers to find you in an emergency. The 15′ Green Trails maps are perfect for trails. Off-trails its best to have 7.5′ USGS maps. Yes, you can use digital maps and apps, but have a paper map too, in a sealed plastic bag, in case you lose signal.  And/or Download your trail map before you go out, in case you lose cell phone coverage. 
2. Compass. A map is no good without a compass and a compass is no good if you don’t know how to use it. So consider learning this survival skill with your child. Consider taking a map-and-compass or navigation course, even if you use GPS. These courses are offered online, at REI, at The Mountaineers, and plenty of other places.
3. Water and a way to purify it. All water sources can harbor tiny organisms, so be sure to purify all water with a water filter or purifier, chemical tablets, or boiling before drinking water you didn’t bring with you to the trail.
4. Extra food. Bring more food than you think you’ll eat, and at least a liter of water per person for a half-day adventure (more if it’s a high-exertion adventure). Minimally bring at least one extra day’s worth of food and water. Food should be the type that stores for a long time, requires no preparation, and is high in energy. If possible have each child carry a pack with clothes, food, and water.
5. Rain gear and extra clothing. Weather can change quickly in the mountains or lowlands. And avoid cotton clothing in favor of wool or poly blends that wick moisture away from your skin. I recommend a foam or inflatable sit pad to insulate from the cold ground, a winter hat, one layer warmer than you would typically wear in that weather and rain pants and jacket. In the spring/fall/winter, gloves and neck gaiters are a good idea, as well as much warmer layers.
6. Firestarter and matches. Always bring along waterproof matches in a water-tight container and have a dry or waterproof striker. You might also bring a cigarette lighter as a backup. And in the Northwest, you can expect to have to deal with wet kindling. A candle, solid chemical fuels, or balls of compressed wood chips work well.
7. First aid kit. See below for what should be in a first aid kit.
8. Knife or multi-purpose tool. You wouldn’t believe the number of things a knife can do, not the least of which is cutting a splint from a tree branch.
9. Flashlight and extra batteries—Carry at least one light source per person. Even if you don’t plan to be out in the dark, having light makes a world of difference if it gets dark. Headlamps are great, but flashlights will do the trick. Don’t rely on your phone’s light – it’s too easy to drop, and tends to run out of battery faster than a headlamp or flashlight.
10. Sunscreen and sunglasses – Your eyes need protection, especially if you are on snow or above treeline. Sunglasses are a must. ​

Check and restock your first aid kit and out it in your pack. At minimum, you should have a first aid kit with:​

• Bandaids
• Gauze
• Medical tape
• Butterfly bandages
• Antibiotic and antiseptic wipes
• tweezers
• blister pads and bandaids
• Emergency space blanket
• Ibuprofen

Pre-made first aid kits are a great purchase, and often include SAM splints and triangle bandages, which are both great to have. Even if you don’t know what to do with them, someone else on the trail might. And consider taking a wilderness first aid course. To be best prepared, check out The Mountaineers “Mountaineering First Aid Kit List.“

 

Education is the best preparation

Consider taking a course in ourdoor hiking yourself and enrolling your kids in outdoor programs that teach preparedness. The Mountaineers offers beginner, intermediate, and family hiking courses, as well as backpacking, navigation, avalanche, and first aid courses. The Mountaineers also offer a suite of youth programs.​

No matter your experience, when you take a course, you’ll learn new tips and meet a great community of people who will support you as you make outdoor memories while managing risks along the way.

What to do in a hiking emergency

When a 9-year-old girl was injured while hiking on the Red Top Lookout Trail near Cle Elum this month, rescuers were called out to the trail. In fact, they were called to the trail twice in September according to Fire Chief Aaron Lowe of Kittitas County Fire District #7. Such incidents, while rare, are a good reminder for parents to head to any trail prepared. If injury does happen, here’s what to do, according to Lowe and the National Park Service:

• Call 911 for a serious injury. Give your exact or best-known location, GPS coordinates if available, trail name, nearby landmarks, nature of the injury and relevant medical information. Give your phone number immediately in case the call drops.
• Stay put after rescuers know your location, unless there’s an immediate danger where you are. 
• Stabilize the person and minimize movement. Control serious bleeding with direct pressure and keep the injured hiker warm and dry.
• If there’s no cell service, send for help rather than trying to move a seriously injured person. If you’re in a group, send at least two people while others remain with the injured person. A passing hiker can also be asked to reach service and call 911.
• Make yourself easy to find. Bright clothing, an emergency blanket or tarp, a whistle, flashlight or other signaling device can help rescuers locate you.
• Be prepared to wait. Backcountry rescue can take hours or even days depending on terrain, weather and available resources, which makes being prepared all the more important.