One Best Hike: Mount Rainier's Wonderland Trail. Doug Lorain

on your trip around the mountain. Rain pants may also help to protect your lower body. Without them, your legs will get absolutely soaked, if not from the rain itself then from all the water that collects on plants that you brush up against while hiking. A warm knit pullover cap is also a requirement because an enormous amount of your body’s heat is lost through your head. In clear and cool weather the knit cap will also make evenings around camp much more comfortable and keep your head toasty while you are sleeping.

      In addition to the right clothing, you should keep your body well hydrated and, most important, well fed. At regular intervals refuel with high-energy foods, such as energy bars, nuts, and candy, which provide quick calories for your body to burn and warm up. Have these foods easily accessible, so you don’t have to stop to dig them out of your pack. When you stop to rest, do so out of the wind and cover up as quickly as possible because your body will rapidly cool down once you stop hiking.

Accidents

      As the old saying goes, accidents happen. And despite what your ego and emotions would like to believe, they can and do happen to you. Even the most experienced and best-conditioned hikers sometimes lose their concentration, step on a loose rock or icy patch, and find themselves either flat on their backside or, much worse, tumbling down a brush- or rock-covered slope. The rugged terrain along the Wonderland Trail is not only spectacularly scenic but also potentially hazardous. Badly twisted ankles and knees, broken bones, and severe cuts are just a few of the accident-related injuries that strike Wonderland Trail hikers every year. Most of the time these result in nothing worse than a lot of discomfort and a ruined trip, but occasionally they can be a threat not only to your vacation plans and ego but also to your life.

      I realize that this is going to sound simplistic, but the best way to avoid falling and injuring yourself is to use common sense and not do anything that overextends your body or that a disinterested observer might uncharitably describe as “stupid.” Before you cross a raging stream by walking over that slippery log, scramble out to that dangerously exposed point merely to get a slightly better picture, or step on that wobbly boulder without checking its stability first, remember that a hospital or, for that matter, any kind of trained medical assistance is a long way (and, more important, a long time) away. It is also worth remembering that despite what your ego would like to believe, you probably aren’t 18 anymore and your body more than likely is not as strong and limber as it used to be. Unfortunately, clear thinking like this becomes increasingly difficult when you are tired at the end of a long day on the trail.

      Here are a few tips to avoid getting into accidents while on the trail:

      1) Develop the habit of taking a deep breath and considering things before doing anything that could be dangerous. Initially this will seem a bit ridiculous and probably feel like overkill, but eventually it will become second nature and could save your life.

      2) Take regular rest stops, both to refresh your body and to keep your mind sharp. This is easy to do on long uphills because physical exhaustion will require that you take a breather. What far too many people forget to do, however, is to also take rest stops on longer downhills. People don’t feel winded so they figure that they don’t need a breather. Your knees and toes will greatly appreciate it, however, and, at least as important, your mind will have a chance to recharge and be more careful about foot placement and other safety issues.

      3) Avoid cross-country travel unless weather conditions allow for easy navigation, you are experienced in off-trail hiking, and the terrain is safe for travel.

      4) Be especially careful when crossing steep snowfields or anywhere that ice has formed on the trail—a frequent occurrence because mornings can be frosty in the mountains at any time of year.

      5) When hiking downhill, take short, measured steps and watch carefully for hazards such as ice, mud, wet rocks, roots, and loose gravel. It is also a good idea to use a hiking staff or pole (some people use two) to help with your stability.

      6) Finally, plan your trip to avoid long descents at the end of the day when you are probably going to be tired and are more likely to make mistakes.

Blisters, Aches and Pains, and Injuries