I have made every single one of these mistakes myself. Now, I see these in various forms among the other hikers I come across. Learn from my pain!
The most common mistakes I see beginner hikers making on the trail are:
1. Wearing the wrong shoes
Firstly, it gets colder in the mountains than it does in the city at any time of year. You'll find me toques year-round on hikes. But even on easy hikes and walks, expect unsteady footing.
For winter hikes, good footwear means spikes for snow and ice, waterproof hiking boots good for the low temperatures, and multiple layers of socks (with spares packed too). On summer hikes, grippy shoes with good tread on the bottom.
Poles for hikes with incline, or if having poles are your general preference. And if it's a longer hike, a spare pair of shoes in the car so you can change out of those heavy hiking boots when you're all done!
2. Bringing the wrong gear (too heavy or too few layers)
I often have extra gloves, a sweater or extra shirt, and socks in my pack. I've seen people bring full on feather parkas on hikes on a +15 degrees celsius day, and that is more of what I'm referring to. Pack for the weather you'll encounter, which means checking weather reports the night before.
I've turned back on a hike because it was the first snowfall of the year and I didn't bring my spikes. I've turned around near the beginning of a trail to drop my jacket off, confident that it's too hot for it. And I've gotten back in the car after stepping outside because it was way too cold to stay outdoors for long. Below -20 is where I draw the line. Even with the exertion of hiking, I'm pretty miserable outside.
What you should bring: It depends on the weather, but this article on the Travel Banff Canada blog includes a good run-down of the essentials to bring on a hike - many of which you already have at home.
3. Bringing too much gear
I saw beginner hikers on King Creek Ridge (which I wouldn't recommend for beginners) with those hydration packs you strap to your back and a straw, which I'm fairly sure those are for trail runners who put in 12 hour+ days. I'm all for preparedness, but there's a case to pack exactly what you need if you're climbing a mountain. You're already doing something strenuous, why make it even harder with extra weight?
Honestly, I still bring extra items every time that I don't end up using (like bear spray), but try to be realistic about it. Balance the weight of the item with the expected use for it. Over the years, I've learned I'll drink at maximum one can of beer at the summit (I used to optimistically bring more than that, and it was just dead weight).
And I never feel like I can bring enough water, so I keep a bottle of water in the car for when I'm all done the hike. That extra water bottle is almost always empty by the time I get home.
4. Not pacing themselves
The mountains aren't timing you, they won't commend you for climbing them fast or slow. Absolutely push yourself, but at the end of the day, remember that you're enjoying time in your body, and time outside.
I've gotten into that negative thought spiral and had panic attacks on the sides of a mountain because I wasn't going as fast up it as I used to. Ultimately, it doesn't matter. Look around, breathe and take as many breaks as you need. It's meant to be enjoyed.
5. Not accommodating for the slowest in the group with empathy
Do either of these interactions sound familiar to you?
Me: "You guys go ahead, I'll catch up with you."
People I was with: "Are you sure? Ok, we'll see you up there!"
NO. Stick together, it's more fun and safe especially in bear country. And the better response to this, in my opinion, is "It's more fun to hike together. Let's take a break, and then you can set the pace." And then let them set the pace, and remind yourself that it's a fun day outside.
Another example:
Me, very out of breath: "I need a break, one sec."
People I was with: "Come on, push! We're almost there!"
NO. Everyone has different stamina, and there's no need to hold yourself up to someone else's if you're already giving it everything you have. I've got an as-many-breaks-as-you-need policy when I hike, because I trust we're all pushing as hard as we can. Build in the buffer time to take all the time you need going up and down, so you can take as many breaks as you need.
There were two times I've pushed through that feeling because it was starting to get dark, and I had to run down the mountain to arrive at the parking lot before nightfall. It's very scary and I learned to check the elevation of the hike and make sure it's within my fitness level, add on an hour or two based on other people's trail reports on Alltrails (because the average fitness level of a reviewer on Alltrails is way above mine, more on that in another post), and check in on timing mid-way through the hike. If I'm at all close to sunset, it's time to turn around whether or not I reached the turnaround point.
So what does a good hike feel like? 5 ways to know you're on a good hike are....
1. You are having fun with the people you're hiking with. Your body isn't in any pain beyond manageable exertion.
I purposely pick hikes that are on the easier side sometimes, like when there's something I have to do afterwards that will require energy. Or sometimes, I pick an easier hike to do with friends and family so we can all enjoy it and don't have to psych ourselves up into doing a tough workout that not everyone signed up for.
2. At the break of the hike, you're tired but not so depleted that the return is daunting.
If all you're thinking as you're on the way up, is 'Oh man, it is going to be so hard coming down,' chances are that you're on a hike that's beyond your limits. That's great, sometimes, but it's a tough place to be because the experience of going up is brought down with the dread of coming down.
3. You enjoy the views on the way and at the top/turnaround point.
You're taking all the pictures you want, enjoying the company you're with and no worrying about the descent.
4. You may or may not have reached the peak, based on your stamina and ability and/or the people you are with.
It's still a good hike if it's an incomplete hike. You had fun outdoors, in nature, in your body!
5. You want to go hiking again after!
This is my tell-tale sign that I'm having fun. I'm either pitching another time of year I want to redo the hike I'm on, or thinking about other trails I want to get done.
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