Whenever I see these lists of “essential” equipment, I always want to add one item: safety glasses. Many of our summits in the Northeast US are thickly wooded and I am often a solo hiker. If you have ever had to lead an injured hiker with a bandaged head on a 4 mile evac hike down a rocky mountain trail, you will always remember to wear your safety glasses or some form of eye protection.
Stay well & 73!
Mike, WB2FUV
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amen!
Human predators. I’ve come across bears many times and never had them do anything but run off. I’ve yet to have an incident, but I’ve had some sketchy interactions with random humans in the back country. I also carry pepper spray (not bear rated, just human-oriented stuff), the gun wouldn’t be the first thing I reached for.
FWIW, if you can and are going to be armed, you should absolutely get some training. Not marksmanship training, but training in “managing unknown contacts”, knowing when you can or should resort to weapons, first aid (“stop the bleed” type training), and aftermath management. Just strapping on a gat isn’t enough.
Chris
Hi Mike
I must be missing something - why do you need safety glasses on a mountain trail??
Dave
Dave, My trails are often very narrow “herd paths” through thickly wooded terrain or bushwacks with plenty of overhanging branches or shoulder-high trailside brush. There is always a potential for stepping on or pushing aside a branch which then snaps back toward your head. During the last 2 years I recall two occasions when I was struck in the face by branches, and one other time when I stumbled on ice face-first into some blueberry bushes. I am a retired land surveyor and our safety protocols required us to always wear eye protection whenever working outside. As a solo hiker and former EMT, I am confident that I can survive almost any emergency outdoors, but if I am blinded my odds go down drastically.
Stay well & 73! Mike, WB2FUV
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Great photo, I bet you need those glasses to keep the branches from poking you in the eye!
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