Hiking in high heat; how to keep yourself safe

LANSING, WV (WVNS) — With sizzling summertime heat across the country, outdoor recreation is taking a dangerous turn for those hiking into the wilderness without preparation.

Hiking is one of the most popular outdoor activities for both locals and visitors in West Virginia.

With incredibly high temperatures in the mix, however, a leisurely hike could turn into a life-or-death situation.

There are several risks to be aware of in high heat including heat exhaustion and dehydration.

Dave Bieri, District Supervisor for New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, has advice for those about to hit the trails.

“Well, there’s definitely some extra precautions to take when you’re hiking and it’s this hot out. Main thing is to bring plenty of water with you and keep drinking that water. Drink as much as you can before you hike too, it’s always better if you start off the hike already well hydrated,” said Bieri. “But definitely bring a couple quarts of water with you and drink it frequently as you’re on the trail.”

Bieri said adjusting the timing of your hike can help keep you safer as well.

Hiking early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid the hottest parts of the day can keep you from expending more energy.

Hiking higher elevation trails can also keep you cooler.

Bieri said trails higher up are cooler than trails that take you down into the New River Gorge.

He also said communication is a big help.

“A good tip anytime you’re hiking is to make sure you let somebody know where you’re going. There’s a lot of trails here and it’s really hard to find people if you know we get reports that somebody’s lost but they don’t know what trail they’re on,” explained Bieri. “So, tell somebody before you go, what trails you’re gonna be on, what time you expect to be back, that way they can relay that information to us if you end up not getting back on time.”

It is also good practice to stop at the park headquarters or the visitor center you are visiting and informing a ranger or employee of your plans.

Though hiking in the heat can be dangerous, Bieri said West Virginia has it a bit easier than out West.

“We don’t have as many heat-related problems as I’ve seen in other parks, mainly cause we’re really cooler than most places around.”

He still advised to take the high temperatures seriously while out on the trails.

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