Safety tips Every Backpacker Should Know

We pursue the active outdoor life with zealous commitment. We put in the miles, embrace the challenge, and chase the reward that comes from truly earning our chosen lifestyle. This journey is immensely valuable, but we must be intentional about managing risk, especially as we get older.

The trail reminds us that we are not the final decision-makers; we are guests in a wild, unpredictable environment. When a crisis—no matter how small—arises, the highest cost is often paid by those who were unprepared for the inevitable day when things going wrong.

Safety is not just a list of rules; it is an act of intentional preparation that allows us to pursue our joy without undue anxiety. And it’s a mindset that helps position us for success. It is the foresight that ensures when we can no longer walk these trails, we can look back and truly say we gave it our all and that it was worth it.

Here are some intentional safety practices every hiker and backpacker should embrace.

1. Tell Someone: The Contingency Plan

Your life's inventory includes the people you cherish and who cherish you. They must be an active part of your lifestyle. Relying on an electronic device to get you out of trouble is a poor substitute for a human who knows where you are and when to worry.

Before you take your first step, leave a detailed itinerary with a reliable person who is not going with you. I have a “Leave-Behind Hiker Planning Sheet” on my Patreon page that you can use for all your hiking trips, making this incredibly easy and consistent for your loved ones. 

• The Four W's: Tell them Where you are starting and ending (specific trailhead names), When you expect to be back, Who is with you, and What your exact route is (names of trails, campsites, etc.).
• The Activation Time: Establish a hard, non-negotiable time (your terminus) when they are authorized to initiate a search or call for help. Make sure they understand that if you do not call them by that exact minute, they must act.

2. The Ten Essentials

The "Ten Essentials" is not a suggestion; it is a foundational commitment to self-sufficiency. This intentional collection of items is designed to get you through an unexpected night out or a sudden navigational failure. Don't leave camp without them, even for a short day hike. See more detail about the 10 essentials here. 

3. Weather Discipline

We cannot control the weather, but we can control our reaction to it. Ignoring a forecast is inviting a crisis. Adopt a policy of starting early and turning back early if needed.

• Morning Focus: Begin your day's journey—especially for high-altitude passes or exposed ridges—at (pre)dawn. The morning normally offers the most predictable weather and the largest window for safe travel.
• No Compromise on Noon: If you are hiking above the tree line, have a non-negotiable turnaround time, typically noon. Summit fever is the ultimate form of negative thinking, pushing you forward when all signs—darkening skies, building clouds, increasing wind—tell you to retreat. Lightning and hail can arrive with brutal speed in the mountains. The mountain isn’t going anywhere; you don’t have to do this today. Get that in your head.

Embracing safety is not about fear; it is about respecting the journey and ensuring the continuity of the experience. By being intentional about your plan, your gear, and your timing, you protect your body, secure your mind, and make the quiet commitment that the next day's turn on the trail will be just as rewarding as the last. Go get the good stuff, and be safe doing it.