When setting out for recreation in the wild, some basic guidelines to consider are:
Let someone know where you will be traveling and what time you will be returning, particularly if you are going into a backcountry area. As a estimate, the Adirondack Mountain Club suggests allowing about an hour to hike 1.5 miles (2.5 km) plus an additional 0.5 hour for each 1,000 feet (300 m) of climb.
Check the weather forecast before leaving home.
Wear proper hiking boots to provide good grip and ankle support. In Adirondack Park you can be fined if you require emergency evacuation in the case of an accident involving improper footwear.
Check your equipment before you leave home, to ensure that you have everything that you will need.
Wear a backpack containing:
food and drink
extra clothing (in case of a sudden drop in temperature)
rain gear
a first-aid kit
a flashlight
a pocket knife
a cigarette lighter or waterproof matches
two or three candles to provide heat and light
a lightweight emergency blanket or plastic tarp
a whistle (if you happen to get lost or injured, three short blasts will alert searchers to your location)
toilet paper
insect repellent
sun screen lotion
a roll of duct tape (to repair just about anything)
Eat and drink at regular intervals to maintain energy and hydration levels. Keeping well-hydrated is very important. Each person should carry 8 to 12 oz (250 to 400 ml) of fluid for each hour of hiking, more in hot weather. Coffee and alcoholic drinks should be avoided--they are diuretics that cause the body to lose fluid.
Carry a compass and a map of the area where you are traveling.
Know your limitations--in terms of both trail difficulty and distance--and hike on trails that are within your ability.
Travel in groups of three or more, especially if venturing into backcountry areas. If someone is injured, one person can stay with the victim while the other goes for help.
Don't drink untreated water from lakes and streams. It should be boiled, purified with a portable filter or treated with chemicals to avoid contracting giardiasis, or "beaver fever".
Know the symptoms of, and remedies for, heat stroke and hypothermia.
When in bear country, take precautions to avoid confronting a bear and know what to do if one occurs.
Wear bright colored clothing--particularly during hunting season--to avoid being mistakenly shot. Better yet, stay out of hunting areas during the fall hunting season.
Avoid walking or hiking in areas of New England, southern Ontario and other regions where deer ticks are common. Deer ticks can cause the debilitating Lyme disease.
Be careful when using shelters in the southern USA. The deadly hantavirus disease can be contracted by just breathing the air that has been in contact with the infected feces of rodents.
During lightning storms avoid mountain peaks, exposed areas and the bases of tall trees.
