5 Mistakes To Avoid When Planning a Hike

Do you remember a time when you said to yourself ‘I should have known this’ or ‘I wish I knew this before I did this and that’? There are times where you just have to make your own mistakes and learn from them. Then there are times you can learn from others. If you’re new to hiking then avoid these 5 mistakes when planning a hike.

Black lake (Crno jezero) in Triglav National Park

Buying a map but not understanding it

This is a funny little story. In Slovenia, we went from Bovec to Trenta by car just to get a map for our next hiking trip. A 40km drive resulting in us taking a look at the route and feeling content that we have a non-digital map in case we need it. It is really helpful to use the information such as numbers and lines that tell you what you will face during the hike especially on maps with a map scale of 1:25000, as they are more detailed than a map scale of 1:100000. Detailed maps are used by mountain climbers who need to know the terrain well to stay safe. Make sure to have someone explain a map to you or use the Internet there is a lot of good content. Check out this video on How to Read a Topo Map, which explains this quite well.

Assuming that “easy/moderate hike” is a universal term

I do trust other people’s opinions but again if you want to be safe and have a good time make sure you know what you’re doing and check if a specific trail suits your current fitness and skill level. You don’t want to end up hiking on a steep mountainside if you’re afraid of heights. I was planning a hike in Slovenia and read a couple of blog posts that said that the route from Koca Pri Savici to Triglav Hut (Koca Pri Triglavskih Jezerih) is an easy to moderate hike. It sounded perfect to me, as I wanted the walk to be a bit more challenging than just easy. I assumed that an easy hike is just wide boring paths. I wanted it to be a bit more adventurous - moderate seemed to be the ideal term for a hike that is easy yet not boring. My understanding of easy and moderate hike was wrong! The journey was so cumbersome and tiring due to the ascend. I will write about my first real hiking adventure soon.

Not checking how to get to the trailhead a day before

We woke up at 6 am (pretty early) but it took us some time to get ready. In Bovec, we decided to spoil us with a nice breakfast - an avocado sandwich with poached eggs and smoked fish. We sipped on our lattes as we looked at the "Bovec map" that we bought at the tourist information the day before to finally decide what trail to take on Triglav mountain. We went to another tourist information center to make sure the route of our liking was open for hikers. It was about 11 a.m. by that time and I couldn’t wait to start the hike and enjoy the nature that awaited me. I assumed a 20 min ride to the trailhead from where we were because it didn’t look too far on the map! I entered the destination on google maps and saw the distance was 55 km but the duration of the drive was about 2hrs?! I asked myself if this is possible and if there isn’t an alternate route or if I even entered the wrong place. Now, what did we do?! I thought that we should just choose another hiking route closer to us. Nevertheless, we somehow mutually and silently decided not to abort the initial plan. Guess what...we arrived at the trailhead at 13:20! A round trip of a total distance of 12.5 km and a total of 1192 m ascent and descent! You don't want to be hiking on a narrow mountain trail when the sun is setting, as it is more difficult to see in the dark even when wearing a headlight.

Choosing inappropriate gear - sandals in alpine (mountainous) terrain

Wow okay, this one was some noob action right here. Check out my foot support on the below image and remember this was on the toughest hike and first real hike in my life. As mentioned earlier I thought it’ll be an easy hike. I also must admit that these hiking sandals had better grip than my 5-year-old Nike sneaker. Kind of a clever but not so clever idea. If you have shoes with good support and profile then there is no need to invest in robust hiking boots yet. For the route that I took though - it would be highly recommended!!! I’m glad I didn’t injure my toes! They were exposed and hit a couple of rocks - tough cookies. My best advice is to stay on routes that fit your current gear.

Not knowing the right behavior while hiking

There are a couple of reasons why you shouldn’t run in a forest. Number one would be that you could slip on wet leaves or trip on roots and rocks. In the case of my first hike in Slovenia, where bears and wild cats are part of the environment. I think it’s advisable not to run, as running could kick in the instincts of an animal predator. You also do not want to go around a corner and surprise a wild animal. So, it’s better to walk calmly and make noise such as talking to each other or even play a radio.

Conclusion of 5 Mistakes to avoid when planning a hike

If you plan your first hiking adventure, please make sure that you do the following:

1. Before heading out anywhere make yourself familiar with the map. Know how to read it.

2. You can read other people's reviews on trails but keep in mind everyone has their interpretation of what's easy and not.

3. Ensure that you choose a terrain that is suitable for your shoes. Or choose gear that is suitable for the chosen trail.

4. Check how long it will take you to get to the trailhead from your current location. If it’s too far then strategically choose closer camping sites.

5. Know where you will be hiking and what animals are part of the park.

Another advice is to have a gear checklist to ensure you won’t forget an essential item like a rain jacket! This happened to me! Take a look at my Top 10 essential Hiking Gear for Beginners (*coming soon*).

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Planning a HIke Infographic

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