What are the Major Problems Faced by Hikers While Hiking

There is a growing number of millennials who are looking for adventurous activities that along with giving them a rush of adrenaline also helps in building character and hiking is one such popular outdoor activity that helps in the overall development of personality while providing you the opportunity to experience nature from up close.

Besides that, there is a huge attraction for hiking from both young and old because it also helps you in spending some good time with your family and friends. However, hiking is also a strenuous activity and it demands both physical and mental strength from the hikers.

This is because hikers especially individuals who are going for high-altitude hiking face several problems while negotiating through these tough trails. People with no experience in hiking can get a bad surprise while hiking. Here in this article, we will discuss some major problems faced by hikers while hiking.

Exhaustion

One of the common problems experienced by most hikers is exhaustion from walking for long hours. Now, here exhaustion means both physical and mental exhaustion. Getting physically and mentally exhausted depends on a lot of factors starting from the terrain & height of your climb to diet and overnight sleep.

All these factors have a bearing on your physical and mental health. This is why a lot of experienced hikers often opine that one needs to have a good night’s sleep before one goes on a big climbing expedition. When your body gets its required amount of rest, then you will have the energy to ascend the peaks.

Besides that, you must also pay equal attention to your food and drinks because you need to have a high amount of calorie intake which you can easily get from consuming high-energy snacks. In addition to this, you also need to drink a lot of water and often it is seen that some hikers don’t pay attention to their fluid intake which leads to dehydration.

High Altitude Sickness

Another problem faced by most hikers is related to high altitude sickness. This is quite common for people going for high-altitude trekking and if you are a beginner and going for a relatively small climb then you have nothing to worry about high-altitude sickness.

High-altitude sickness also known as Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) is something that every trekker needs to take seriously because it can often lead to fatality. Whenever you are going for a hike to high mountains, then you must know that the oxygen level decreases as you gain height.

High altitude areas have a rarefied atmosphere where the oxygen levels are very low and if your body doesn’t get its required amount of oxygen, then you will experience high-altitude sickness. That is why nowadays, a lot of importance is being given to acclimatization where your body gets adjusted to the new environment.

Joint Pain

Sore feet and joint pain are quite common among climbers and no matter whether you are an experienced trekker or trying out hiking for the first time, at the end of the day you are going to get sore feet and have some pain in your joints.

This is because nobody is accustomed to continuous walking and when you are walking for long hours and that too on difficult terrain, then your body at a certain time cannot handle the stress anymore and this is when you experience joint pain and sore feet.

This is why a lot of people try to prepare as best as possible for their upcoming hiking tour. By indulging in physical workouts you can accustom your body to handle stress for a long time which will help you in your hiking.

Formation of Blisters

Most hikers often complain about the formation of blisters on their feet while hiking. Blisters can be uncomfortable and painful which will make your walking difficult. Blisters are formed due to the accumulation of moisture, pressure and the continuous rubbing of your foot with the socks and shoes.

Now, your focus must be on avoiding getting blisters in the first place and that is why you must wear shoes and shocks that are fitting perfectly and are comfortable as that will help you avoid getting any blisters.

Finally

The above-discussed factors are some of the major problems that hikers encounter whenever they go hiking. Going through the problems one can draw a conclusion that all these issues can be avoided if one is well aware of the nitty gritty of hiking and is guided by an experienced guide on his hiking tour.