JUNIA R VIII A

ADVENTURESPORTS
HIKING

Introduction
Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside.
Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.[1] Religious
pilgrimages have existed much longer but involve walking long distances for a spiritual
purpose associated with specific religions.

"Hiking" is the preferred term in Canada and the United States; the term "walking" is
used in these regions for shorter, particularly urban walks. In the United Kingdom and
the Republic of Ireland, the word "walking" describes all forms of walking, whether
walking in the park or backpacking in the Alps. The word hiking is also often used in
the UK, along with rambling, hillwalking, and fell walking (a term mostly used for
hillwalking in northern England). The term bushwalking is endemic to Australia,
having been adopted by the Sydney Bush Walkers Club in 1927.[2] In New Zealand, a
long, vigorous walk or hike is called tramping.[3] It is a popular activity with numerous
hiking organizations worldwide, and studies suggest that all forms of walking have
health benefits.

Equipment

The equipment required for hiking depends on a variety of factors, including local
climate. Day hikers often carry water, food, a map, a hat, and rain-proof gear.[6] Hikers

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have traditionally worn sturdy hiking boots[6] for stability over rough terrain. In recent
decades this has become less common as some long-distance hikers have switched to
trail running shoes.[53] Boots are still commonly used in mountainous terrain. The
Mountaineers Club recommends a list of "Ten Essentials" equipment for hiking,
including a compass, sunglasses, sunscreen, a flashlight, a first aid kit, a fire starter, and
a knife.[54] Other groups recommend items such as hats, gloves, insect repellent, and an
emergency blanket.[55] A GPS navigation device can also be helpful and route cards may
be used as a guide. Trekking poles are also recommended, especially when carrying a
heavy backpack.[56] Winter hiking requires a higher level of skill and generally more
specialized gear than in other seasons (see winter hiking below).

Proponents of ultralight backpacking argue that long lists of required items for multi-
day hikes increase pack weight, and hence fatigue and the chance of injury.[57]
Instead, they recommend reducing pack weight, to make hiking long distances easier.
Even the use of hiking boots on long-distance hikes is controversial among ultralight
hikers, because of their weight.[57]

Hiking times can be estimated by Naismith's rule or Tobler's hiking function, while
distances can be measured on a map with an opisometer. A pedometer is a device that
records the distance walker

Hiking with children

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The American Hiking Society advises that parents with young children should encourage
them to participate in decision-making about route-finding and pace.[58] Alisha McDarris,
writing in Popular Science, suggests that, whilst hiking with children poses particular
challenges, it can be a rewarding experience for them, particularly if a route is chosen
with their interests in mind.[59]

Young children are prone to becoming fatigued more rapidly than adults, requiring fluids
and energy-rich foods more frequently, and are also more sensitive to variations in
weather and terrain. Hiking routes may be chosen with these factors in mind, and
appropriate clothing, equipment and sun protection need to be available

Environmental impact

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Natural environments are often fragile and may be accidentally damaged, especially

when a large number of hikers are involved. For example, years of gathering wood can
strip an alpine area of valuable nutrients, and can cause deforestation;[62] and some
species, such as martens or Bighorn Sheep, are very sensitive to the presence of humans,
especially around mating season. Generally, protected areas such as parks have
regulations in place to protect the environment, to minimize such impact.[62] Such
regulations include banning wood fires, restricting camping to established campsites,
disposing or packing out faecal matter, and imposing a quota on the number of hikers.
Many hikers espouse the philosophy of Leave No Trace, following strict practices on
dealing with food waste, food packaging, and other impacts on the environment.[63]
Human faeces are often a major source of environmental impact from hiking,[62] and can
contaminate the watershed and make other hikers ill. 'Catholes' dug 10 to 25 cm (4 to 10
inches) deep, depending on local soil composition and covered after use, at least 60 m

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(200 feet) away from water sources and trails, are recommended to reduce the risk of
bacterial contamination.

Fire is a particular source of danger, and an individual hiker can have a large impact on
an ecosystem. For example, in 2005, a Czech backpacker accidentally started a fire that
burnt 5% of Torres del Paine National Park in Chile.[64]

Hazards

Hiking can be hazardous because of terrain, inclement weather, becoming lost, or pre-
existing medical conditions. The dangerous[68] circumstances hikers can face include
specific accidents or physical ailments. It is especially hazardous in high mountains,
crossing rivers and glaciers, and when there is snow and ice. At times hiking may
involve scrambling, as well as the use of ropes, ice axes and crampons and the skill to
properly use them.

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Potential hazards involving physical ailments may include dehydration, frostbite,
hypothermia, sunburn, sunstroke, or diarrhoea,[69] and such injuries as ankle sprains, or
broken bones.[70] Hypothermia is a danger for all hikers, especially inexperienced hikers.
Weather does not need to be very cold to be dangerous since ordinary rain or mist has a
strong cooling effect. In high mountains, a further danger is altitude sickness. This
typically occurs only above 2,500 metres (8,000 ft), though some are affected at lower
altitudes.[71][72] Risk factors include a prior episode of altitude sickness, a high degree of
activity, and a rapid increase in elevation.[71]

Other threats include attacks by animals (e.g., bears, snakes, and insects or ticks carrying
diseases such as Lyme) or contact with noxious plants that can cause rashes (e.g., poison
ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, or stinging nettles). Lightning is also a threat, especially
on high ground.

Walkers in high mountains, and during winter in many countries, can encounter
hazardous snow and ice conditions, and the possibility of avalanches.[73] Year-round
glaciers are potentially hazardous.[74] Fast-flowing water presents another danger and a
safe crossing may require special techniques.[75]

In various countries, borders may be poorly marked. In 2009, Iran imprisoned three
Americans for hiking across the Iran-Iraq border.[76] It is illegal to cross into the US on the
Pacific Crest Trail from Canada. Going south to north it is more straightforward and a
crossing can be made if advanced arrangements are made with Canada Border Services.
Within the Schengen Area, which includes most of the E.U., and associated nations like
Switzerland and Norway, there are no impediments to crossing by path, and borders
are not always obvious.[77]

FUN FACTS ABOUT HIKING :

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 Increased physical activity
Boosted melatonin levels
Increased bone density
Possible decreased body weight
Improved overall sleep quality
It’s a great full-body workout

REFERENCES :

● Amato, Joseph A. (2004). On Foot: A History of Walking. NYU Press. pp.

101–24. ISBN 978-0-8147-0502-5. JSTOR j.ctt9qg056. Archived from the
original on 2019-05-18. Retrieved 2020-11-25.
● ^ "Sydney Bush Walkers Club's history". Archived from the original on
2017-02-22. Retrieved 2017-02-21.
● ^ Orsman, HW (1999). The Dictionary of New Zealand English.
Auckland: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-558347-7.
● ^ McKinney, John (2009-03-22). "For Good Health: Take a Hike!".
Miller-McCune. Archived from the original on 2011-04-29.
● ^ "A Step in the Right Direction: The health benefits of hiking and
trails" (PDF). American Hiking Society. Archived from the original
(PDF) on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
● ^
● Jump up to:

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 ● a bcd
Keller, Kristin T. (2007). Hiking. Capstone Press. ISBN 978-0-7368-
0916-0.
● ^ "Bushwalking Australia home". Bushwalking Australia. Archived
from the original on 2016-03-22. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
● ^ Orsman, HW (1999). The Dictionary of New Zealand English.
Auckland: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195583472.
● ^ Mueser, Roland (1997). Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the
Appalachian Trail. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-044458-7.
● ^ Nicolson, Marjorie Hope. Mountain Gloom and Mountain Hlory; The
Development of the Aesthetics of the Infinite. W.W. Norton & Co., Inc.
[1963, c1959]. p. 49. OCLC 1031245016.
● ^ Cassirer, Ernst (January 1943). "Some Remarks on the Question of the
Originality of the Renaissance". Journal of the History of Ideas.
University of Pennsylvania Press. 4 (1): 49–74. doi:10.2307/2707236.
JSTOR 2707236.
● ^ Halsall, Paul (August 1998). "Petrarch: The Ascent of Mount Ventoux".
fordham.edu. Fordham University. Archived from the original on 8
January 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
● ^ "Civilization, Part IV §3, beginning". Archived from the original on
February 3, 2007.
● ^ Cassirer, Ernst; Kristeller, Paul Oskar; Randall, John Herman (1956).
The Renaissance Philosophy of Man. University of Chicago Press. p. 28.
doi:10.7208/chicago/9780226149790.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-226-09604-9.