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    Hiking Safety

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    Bechah Kak Ma
    Hiking accidents have occurred recently, reminding hikers of the importance of safety. Experts provide top advice, emphasizing the need to prepare properly before hiking - researching the terrain, weather, wildlife and having supplies like a compass, map, whistle and first aid. The most important rule is to never hike alone and always watch out for others on the trail. Extra precautions should be taken on difficult trails to avoid falls.

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    Hiking Safety

    Uploaded by

    Bechah Kak Ma
    116 views8 pages
    Hiking accidents have occurred recently, reminding hikers of the importance of safety. Experts provide top advice, emphasizing the need to prepare properly before hiking - researching the terrain, weather, wildlife and having supplies like a compass, map, whistle and first aid. The most important rule is to never hike alone and always watch out for others on the trail. Extra precautions should be taken on difficult trails to avoid falls.

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    Hiking Safety - clothings

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    Hiking accidents have occurred recently, reminding hikers of the importance of safety. Experts provide top advice, emphasizing the need to prepare properly before hiking - researching the terrain, weather, wildlife and having supplies like a compass, map, whistle and first aid. The most important rule is to never hike alone and always watch out for others on the trail. Extra precautions should be taken on difficult trails to avoid falls.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    116 views8 pages

    Hiking Safety

    Uploaded by

    Bechah Kak Ma
    Hiking accidents have occurred recently, reminding hikers of the importance of safety. Experts provide top advice, emphasizing the need to prepare properly before hiking - researching the terrain, weather, wildlife and having supplies like a compass, map, whistle and first aid. The most important rule is to never hike alone and always watch out for others on the trail. Extra precautions should be taken on difficult trails to avoid falls.

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    of 8

    HIKING SAFETY

    Hikers at the Boh Tea Plantation, Habu, in Cameron Highlands. Always hike in a group and
    never alone. Photo: Brandon Chee

    Top advice on hiking safety from the experts


    By MING TEOH
    Several hiking accidents recently have reminded us all to take extra care when it comes to safety.
    On Oct 2, Wong Tai Kiang, a seasoned Singaporean trail runner in his 30s, was found dead in a
    150m-deep ravine in Sabah. He was training for this months Mount Kinabalu climbathon.
    On Oct 3, Goh Chong Teik, a 49-year old Malaysian hiker was killed when he plummeted down
    a 10m slope while descending Bukit Tabur, a scenic hill with sharp rocks just outside Kuala
    Lumpur.
    And on Oct 15, Nobuhiro Syuki, a 65-year old Japanese man, fell almost 10m from the Bukit
    Tabur peak, during an early climb to watch the sunrise. He was injured but survived.

    What do the experts say about hiking safety?


    Leong Dee Lu, director of adventure gear outlet Corezone, said: As long as people do their
    homework and prepare for their adventure, hiking can be relaxing and fun.
    Unfortunately, in Malaysia, if a friend invites us to go hiking, we often say, OK lah! without
    any preparations. But its not really OK if we dont prepare, said Leong, who has been hiking
    since she was 13.

    Find out about the place before your hike. For example, Broga Hill in Selangor is rocky and
    sandy near the peak and you need to have the right shoes for this. Photo: Leong Dee Lu
    Before the trip, get as much info as you can about the place terrain/environment, weather
    conditions, water stops, campsites, local wildlife, nearest village, how large is the jungle, and
    how far you need to walk to reach safety if you are lost. You can easily read up blogs and social
    media posts about the place, she explained.
    On the trip, carry a compass. Know how to read a map. If you dont, then at least know that the
    sun rises in the east, and sets in the west. A lot of kids today dont even know that.

    If you get lost


    If you get lost and you have a mobile phone, you can try to use Google Maps. If there is no
    reception, go to the highest point and it might help (to see where to go). Stay on well trodden
    trails. Follow water sources like rivers (downwards) as it will eventually take you somewhere,
    explained Leong.
    The most important rule in hiking safety is: never go alone, even if youre experienced.
    There was a experienced hiker who was lost in the hills of Cheras, KL, and never found again,
    she recalled. In Gunung Tahan, a hiker was lost when he accidentally got separated from his
    group. There were some people ahead, and some behind. He went off the trail because he needed
    to go to the toilet.
    Thinking he would be OK as there were others behind, including the sweeper, his friend carried
    on walking, trying to catch up with those in front. But, the group behind and the sweeper passed
    by him without realising he was there. So, if you need a toilet break, get a friend to wait for you,
    she advised.
    If you really have to hike alone, do it only in places you are very familiar with, and only at trails
    where there are lots of people.
    According to Leong, many hikers make the mistake of not carrying a whistle.

    A whistle is essential for hiking safety. Filepic


    Its the most essential tool for hiking safety. Many hikers have been lost or found dead even
    though they were so close to the trail, yet, they couldnt find their way out, she recounted.
    Realistically, if you keep shouting for help, after a few hours, youd have no voice left. And
    there are echoes in the mountains so people might not be able to distinguish which direction the
    sound is coming from, even if they can hear you. A whistle is sharper and louder compared to a
    voice, she said. Make sure you get a pea-less whistle which works well even when wet from
    rain.

    When hiking, be prepared to encounter insects or even bees, so bring repellents, lotions, and
    antihistamines. Filepic

    Prepare properly
    Brandon Chee, co-founder and director of the Explorer Outfitter adventure gear shops, said,
    Accidents can happen anywhere, in any activities that we do, sometimes, we even fall out of
    bed as well!
    You can minimise risks in hiking by preparing yourself and staying alert and focused at all
    times. Safety always comes first and dont do anything silly! he continued.
    Understand your environment and the risk factors. During a recent trip to an area which had
    seasonal fruit trees, we were attacked by some bees.
    A few of us were stung and suffered allergic reactions. If severe, these can be fatal. But I had
    brought along antihistamines and epinephrine, so things were under control. (Note: steroid pills
    like prednisolone are also helpful).
    A pair of hiking poles is also very useful to help prevent or lower the risk of injury. Not only
    does it reduce stress on the knees, ankles, hips and spine, it also helps you keep your balance in
    particularly tricky and slippery areas of a trail, said Chee, who has been hiking and camping
    since his teens.
    When asked about trail runs, Chee replied, Trail runners are usually very fit, but because they
    are running so fast, organisers need to have proper signages along the trails especially when it
    comes to certain junctions or blind spots. Just a slight miscalculation can make the difference
    between tripping and falling, or continuing to run.

    A pair of hiking poles helps when trekking through difficult terrain. Photo: Leong Dee Lu
    Personally, I think that marking the trail at eye level is best for any hiking or trail running event.
    This means having a semi-permanent marking like tape or flag tied to tree branches. Bits of
    paper markers on the floor of jungle trails can be blown or washed away and the chances of
    getting lost or injured will be higher, he explained.
    As for those who want to tackle high altitude hikes in places like Nepal, Chee said this requires
    good stamina and conditioning to acclimatise your body to the thinner air at high altitudes.
    Prepare by getting regular fitness training, have proper food for several weeks before and get
    good sleep every night the week before you climb. Dont climb if you are sick, he said.
    You also need to understand the signs or symptoms of high altitude or Acute Mountain
    Sickness (AMS), he went on. A high carbohydrate diet may decrease AMS signs/symptoms by
    up to 30%. If youre above 3000m, ascend not more than 750m to 1,000m within a 24-hour

    period. My sherpa friends asked me to eat garlic to decrease AMS. And yes, keep drinking to
    stay well hydrated. Theres no need to hold in your pee!

    Pay attention
    MK Rahman, the founder of the Hacam (Hiking And Camping Around Malaysia) group added,
    Hash trail runners use paper trails and everyone chases it. But hikers use guides, paid or
    voluntary, who are supposed to ensure proper procedures so that everyone on the trip is
    accounted for. Hikers shouldnt go alone, and they should watch out for each other.
    MK got hooked on hiking over 10 years ago when a friend first introduced him to Bukit Tabur.
    For hiking safety, its important to be attentive to the trail, especially high risk ones like Bukit
    Tabur.

    Extra care must be taken at tricky trails such as at Bukit Tabur, just outside KL. Photo: Bella
    Nabilah
    He is involved with the Mountain Search and Rescue Society (MOSARS), and has helped out in
    a few SAR Operations.

    In the recent case where a hiker fell to his death at Bukit Tabur, two young girls saw what
    happened it seems.
    According to them, he halted after climbing down a little bit from the top to let those who were
    climbing up pass, said MK. While waiting, he took pictures, and then he slipped and fell from
    the side of the ridge.
    It could be that he was not paying attention when taking photos at a risky section of the trail. Or
    maybe there were too many people and he had to let go of the rope so that those coming up could
    use it.
    MK Rahman said there are a lot of reasons why accidents happen but with the proper knowledge
    and experience, they can hopefully be avoided.
    Some hikers who got lost just went off on their own after viewing photos posted by friends, he
    explained. So its important to join a hiking group first and learn the basics. Go with a group of
    trusted and experienced people whom you can count on.

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