We will provide some tips from time to time.

1. For almost all of our KHC outings, we would expect members and guests to carry a pack.   That’s where many of the Ten Essentials go and anything else you may need for the day.
2. All of us carry a first aid kit.    Hike leaders are not required to carry an inclusive kit nor are most trained in wilderness first aid.   The whole group helps with injuries and everyone plays their part by having a first aid kit.
3. Bring your meds and anything needed like antihistamines, aspirin (in case of a heart event), and so on.   A good practice is to carry a card with any medical information in the upper part of your pack, including emergency contact information.
4. For longer hikes, bring a headlamp, just in case.
5. Jeans are not a great choice.   If they get wet, they don’t dry well, they can get heavy, and they can chafe.   Most of us wear hiking pants made of synthetic materials that dries quickly.
6. Carry bug spray from mid May through August.
7. Arrive early to the meetup spot.   Most members do and some leaders leave at the listed meetup time.
8. If conditions will be muddy, bring a change of shoes so that you don’t track mud into someone’s vehicle.
9. Running shoes may be okay for some of easier trails, but if the route is off-trail, on rough terrain, or involves scrambling, you need good hiking boots.
10. Always size your hiking shoes and boots on the larger size because the damage happens on the downhills and if your toes are hitting the end of your boot, you will be hobbling.
11. Some of us carry an extra pair of hiking socks in a ziplock bag in our packs.   When socks get wet, blisters and rubbing can be a problem.
12. Hiking poles are very useful for taking the stress off knees and ankles on downhills, in traversing rough terrain, and for stabilization on a steep sideslope.   They are not needed for moderate established trails, but some hikers prefer to bring them each time.
13. KHC has no waiting list system and almost all (or all)  hike leaders have no desire to manage them.   This just increases their work load.
14. Carpooling is organized at the trailhead within the group.   The hike leader does not organize individual carpooling arrangements in advance (too much work), with the exception of some backpacking trips with longer traveling times.
15. If you need to contact hike leaders, a comment may not reach them in time.   The best way is to email them and a list of the email contacts is on the website under the Help Menu item on a page called Contact a Hike Leader.

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Doug Smith

Retired now, I get into the outdoors most days to hike, paddle, camp, snowshoe, run, walk, or explore. More information can be found at: KamloopsTrails.net.

Latest posts by Doug Smith (see all)

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