GOING BACKPACKING…..

“THE FORESTS ARE MY
THOUGHTS AND THE STARS ARE MY DREAMS,

THE WILDERNESS IS MY
HEART, IT IS MY PULSE,

THE SONGS OF THE
WILDERNESS WRITE THE MUSIC OF MY SOUL.”

UNKNOWN

GOING BACKPACKING…..

  

A few days’ backpacking can bring unrivaled freedom. Organization is the key to a good night under the stars and to make the wilderness your home. Backpacking makes you a free agent in the wilderness and keeps you in touch with nature. You get to experience it at its best, woken by sunrise and sudden rainfall……………

What to take

   When you go backpacking you basically need to take the same gear as you have for the day-walks, and supplement that with the things you need to sleep and eat. Thinking this way makes it easier to work logically through your kit list to make sure you have not missed anything essential.

Packing your backpack

   There’s a real art to packing a backpack because you need to consider a number of factors. Firstly, make sure the items you want during the day are easily to hand. These include waterproofs, hat and gloves and snacks; keep these near the top of your pack or in accessible pockets. You also need to make sure that your tent, poles, and pegs are easy to get to. If you arrive at your camping spot in pouring rain, you want to be able to get the tent up quickly without having to empty the contents of your pack.

   But you also need to create little dry pockets in your backpack. How you do this will depend on the design of your backpack. You could use a one compartment pack and a liner to create a dry area at the bottom of your pack. In there you put your sleeping bag and any spare clothes. So you know that when you set-up camp, they will be dry.

   If you are using a pack with side pockets, use one as a ‘clean’ pantry, to store water bottles and walking snacks. Store food and snacks in stuff sacks to make sure they don’t get contaminated. Use the other pockets to store your fuel bottle, tent pegs (an item that can easily get lost inside your pack) and any non-edible items that might contaminate food.

   Finally, you want to make sure that you pack heavy items above your center of gravity and close to your back as this will really improve the stability of your pack. Fold your mat and slide it into the pack nearest your back. This gives you extra padding and prevent items digging in while you are walking.

Fitting your backpack

   A poorly fitting pack can quickly make a backpacking trip miserable, so it is worth making sure that yours spread the load evenly across your shoulders and hips. The first thing to do is to loosen the shoulder straps and ensure that the hipbelt is resting just on the top of your hips. You should now adjust the back length so that the straps curve perfectly around your shoulders, and then tighten the shoulder straps using the chest height adjusters. Finally you need to tighten the top tensioning straps over your shoulders as to bring the backpack in close to your back. This helps to make the pack more secure, and also more comfortable as you are walking.

Using trekking poles

   Most people use trekking poles incorrectly. They are really useful for taking some of the strain off your legs, but if you are not using them correctly then you are not going to get the most out of them.

   The problem comes from how people use the wrist loops. You need to loop your hands in from underneath the strap and then bring your hand down to grip the handle and the top part of the loop.

   When you are adjusting the poles for length, take the bottom section of the pole to the stop line and then adjust using the middle section, as this keeps the end of the pole lighter. Your poles should be roughly at elbow height.

Approach to long walks

   When you start walking take things easy at the beginning. Go slow for the first hour to allow your muscles and heart to adjust. If you have been sitting in the office for the last week, you can’t expect your body to leap into action immediately.

   If you are walking over a few days, plan in a few rest periods. Take the first day fairly easily; aim to walk gently for no more than six hours with plenty of rests. The second day you can up the pace a little, but on the third day it is a good idea to drop back on the distance you covered on the first day. After that you can pretty much walk as far as you feel able, but do listen to your body.

Food and drink

   Have plenty of snacks and make sure you take more than you think you will need. Spare food is useful for emergency situations and you might surprise yourself with just how much your body requires.

   Try to eat something every hour and keep drinking at regular intervals. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to take a drink; keep sipping water throughout the day.

We as hikers, explorers, and
adventurers have the absolute duty to respect and protect our Wildernesses.
Nobody else will do it for us. Take ownership!

 

The End.

Safe Hiking.

References and Acknowledgements

From the book: “The Ultimate Hiking Skills – Hinkes/Bagshaw”

Photos:  Willem Pelser

Compiled by:  Willem Pelser

HIKING TRAIL HINTS

 “THOU WEAR’ST UPON THY FOREHEAD

THE FREEDOM OF A HIKER IN THE WILDERNESS”

HIKING TRAIL HINTS

COBHAM DRAKENSBERG

Safety is of the utmost importance and disregard for a few commonsense rules can turn a trail into a tragedy. In most cases where fatalities or serious injuries have occurred in the Wilderness they could have been avoided.

Bear the following in mind – they will not only ensure pleasant hiking, but could also save lives.

   The party should always be led by the most experienced person.

   Plan each day carefully. Start off as early as possible if you have a long day ahead of you, if the terrain is difficult or unfamiliar to you or in hot weather.

   Keep in mind that there is considerably less daylight in winter than in summer.

   Large parts of Southern Africa receive rain in the summer and thunderstorms are common in the afternoon. Try to reach your destination before the rain sets in.

COBHAM DRAKENSBERG

   Hike at a steady pace. Three kilometers an hour is a good average. For every 300 meter you gain in altitude an hour can be added. On steeper sections it is advisable to shorten your stride slightly, while maintaining your hiking rhythm. Avoid frequent breaks – rather have short rest stops and use the opportunity to appreciate your surroundings.

   Keep the party together. A member lagging behind is an almost sure sign of trouble, exhaustion or exposure. Establish the cause of the problem, assist the person by spreading the weight of his/her backpack and keep him/her company. In large groups it is advisable to appoint someone to bring up the rear. If you do this you will always know who the last person is.

   Keep your energy levels up by eating snacks – peanuts and raisons, glucose sweets, chocolate and dried fruit – between meals.

COBHAM DRAKENSBERG

   If you encounter bad weather, or if the route proves too demanding physically, do not hesitate to turn back if you have not reach the halfway mark of the day’s hike by midday.

   Misty conditions occur frequently in the mountains at high altitudes. If mist sets in seek a suitable shelter and stay put until it has cleared.

   Be aware of the dangers of flash floods. Never cross a flooding river. Fortunately most South African rivers soon return to their normal flow after flooding. Either wait until the flood has subsided or make a detour.

   Some routes necessitate frequent river crossings. At times it might be possible to boulder hop across, but avoid long jumps with a heavy pack which could result in a slip, and not only a soaking, but also injury.

COBHAM DRAKENSBERG

   If you are uncertain about a river’s depth, always probe it without your pack. If the river is shallow undo the hip belt of your backpack and loosen shoulder straps for quick unloading.

   Float packs across deeper rivers.

   Avoid crossing rivers near the mouth unless there is a definite sandbar. These rivers are more likely to be shallow and slower where they are wide. Steer clear of bends, where the water is usually deeper and the flow stronger.

COBHAM DRAKENSBERG

   Avoid the dangers of lightning by staying clear of prominent features such as trees ridges, summits, shallow caves and large boulders. Find an open slope; sit on a groundpad or a backpack, preferably on a clean, dry rock, with your knees drawn up, feet together and hands in your lap. If you are in your tent during an electric storm, sit in a crouching position and avoid touching the sides.

COBHAM DRAKENSBERG

   Always carry two water bottles. Remember that smaller streams are often dry during the winter months in summer rainfall areas and dry during summer months in winter rainfall areas. Unless ample water is available along the route it is advisable to ensure that you always keep a reserve supply of water.

   Water-bottles should always be filled from safe, fast-running streams above human habitation. Water below human habitation should be regarded as unsafe and should not be drunk before it has been boiled.

   Water suspected of being infested by bilharzia, cholera or other waterborne diseases should be boiled for at least 5 minutes. This method is preferable to using commercially available chemicals. Strain water through a handkerchief to remove debris before boiling it.

COBHAM DRAKENSBERG

   In the event of a veld fire, try to find shelter in a kloof or ravine rather than going up a slope. Avoid waterfalls and take care to minimize unnecessary risks.

   Always carry a whistle. It can be used to attract attention should you get lost. Remember the international SOS – three short, three long and three short whistles.

We as hikers, explorers, and adventurers have the absolute duty to respect and protect our Wildernesses. Nobody else will do it for us. Take ownership!

The End.

 

Safe Hiking.

 

       

    

Acknowledgements

Extract from the book - Hiking Trails of Southern Africa – W&S Swanepoel

Photos – Willem Pelser, The Mountain Man.

HIKING THE WILDERNESS - CARING FOR YOUR KNEES AND FEET

"I’VE LET MADNESS POUR
OUT OF MY SOUL TO SWIRL AMONGST THE VASTNESS OF THE WILDERNESS”

UNKNOWN

HIKING THE WILDERNESS

CARING FOR YOUR KNEES AND FEET

At the end of April 2018 it was time again to get lost inside the glorious Drakensberg Wilderness. A 5 day hike was planned and started at Monks Cowl Camp, wandering through to the Injasuthi area, and then back to Monks Cowl on a different route. As words are sometimes insufficient to describe the timeless beauty of this wilderness, join me on this photographic journey.

   The human knee is a troublesome thing, aching, breaking, and creaking at the slightest provocation. So where are we going wrong?

   Walkers don’t often see themselves as sportspeople, but if you are going for an eight-hour walk, you are putting as much stress as someone who plays squash or going running a couple of times a week. Women are more prone to bio-mechanical injuries because their wider hips give them a shifting centre of gravity.

   When people first experience knee pain, often they accept it or try to manage it. When it becomes a problem, you might buy a pair of trekking poles. These do work, but only to a limited degree. You can help the symptoms improve, but the underlying cause is still there.

The most common knee injuries

   Walkers often complain of knee pain on descents, pain in the inside knee or behind the knee-cap, and pain in the outside knee.

The causes

    Everyone has a distinctive gait which becomes more exaggerated as we get older. Very few people have perfect gait, with the body’s weight aligned perfectly through the feet, ankles, knees, and hips. Most people have a slight bio-mechanical imbalance, which your body will compensate for – from the feet upwards – in an attempt to bring the centre of balance back in over the feet. It could be a roll of the foot, a flick of the ankle, or an outward or inward movement of the knee. However, in some people, there is excessive movement, and it concentrates pressure on a part of the joint that can’t carry that kind of load. If your knees hurt, you have to stop the movement and encourage the body to adopt a more neutral position. You can do that with off-the-peg or custom-made orthotics.

   Even if it’s the jarring of a steep down-hill that brings on the symptoms of pain or discomfort, it’s only an aggravating factor, not the cause. Most knee injuries relate to excessive movement in the joint, rather than shock transferred through the limb. Cushioning or shock-absorbing insoles can add another kind of movement.

   However, orthotics – EVA sport insoles personalized to cradle and lift the foot – fit inside the boot and hold the foot in a more neutral position to control excessive movement. This reduces stress on the joints and soft tissues in the legs and lower back. You can buy off-the-peg orthotics or have them fitted by a qualified podiatrist.

   Knee injuries caused by a twist, tear or knock will usually repair with a few weeks of rehab and rest. If, however, your injury ‘just happened’; if the pain worsens with activity, but clears up when you lay off, then you may have a bio-mechanical problem. This won’t just go; it will need specialist attention if you want to stay active. Ask your doctor for advice, or make an appointment with a podiatrist.

Coping with age

   It’s not inevitable that you’ll have aches and pains as you get older. Problems appear because as the body ages, the degree of discrepancy in skeletal misalignment increases: the collagen which makes up tendons and ligaments becomes less resilient, so things are more like to snap rather than spring back into place. People start to have problems such as fallen arches, which become set in position. It sounds depressing, but the good news is that this process is not irreversible. Over time the orthotic encourages the ligaments and tendons to stretch back, allowing the foot to adopt a more relaxed neutral position when non-weight bearing, and to be less gnarly. Hiking is one of the best ways to stay active in later life, but as you get older you can’t take your body for granted.

Make your knees last a lifetime

   There are three things you can do to ensure your knees are still in good order when you are hiking the wilderness in your dotage.

   First, every time you go out, take it steady for the first five minutes of your walk, and don’t burn up the first hill you come to. This will dramatically reduce your chances of sustaining a knee injury.

   Second, get into the habit of stretching your hamstring, Achilles, and quads afterwards. This stop the leg muscles from contracting and shortening after exercise.

   Third, if you go to a gym, build some knee-strengthening exercises – leg extensions and squats – into your work—out. Speak to your gym about this as it’s important to build balanced muscle groups that work together, so as not to pull the limb out of alignment. Some osteopaths also recommend glucosamine sulphate supplements. This promotes cartilage repair and make joints more resilient.

Blister advice

   The old wives’ tale says to rub surgical spirits or perfume into your feet to harden up the skin. This works, but large blisters can form between the hard layer and the soft skin beneath. So what can you do to prevent them? Try these if you are prone to blisters, or wearing in a new pair of boots.

   Wear a thin sports-type sock under your thicker walking socks to lessen friction between the boot and your skin.

   Rub talcum powder into your feet before you set off.

   If you’ve got a ‘hot spot’ – an area that’s prone to blisters no matter how far you walk – stick a hydro-colloid plaster, or strap zinc oxide plaster, surgical tape or micro-pore tape over it before you set off.

   Ordinary plasters fold and rub against the sock and your skin – especially in a moist environment – so they’re more likely to give you a blister than save you from getting one!

We as hikers have the absolute duty to respect and protect our Wildernesses. Nobody else will do it for us. Take ownership!

The End.

Safe Hiking.

References and Acknowledgements

From the book: The Ultimate Hiking Skills Manual – Hinkes/Bagshaw

Photos:  ©Willem Pelser

Compiled by:  Willem Pelser