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Brittany

hiking safety tips
Hiking

7 Safety Tips for Solo Hikers

Hiking solo can be an empowering and fun experience, but only if you’re prepared. While it’s not for everyone, the solitude of being on your own out in the woods is an experience like no other. If you decide to head out alone, it’s important to do your research and set yourself up to be the best hiking buddy you can be to yourself. Familiarizing yourself with hiking safety tips is a great starting point.

While I love my friends and family, I’ve always been a person who really values alone time (a lot). I used to be an avid solo traveler and found that a lot of the safety practices I used to follow also apply to hiking. I used that experience as the base for the list below and added the rest through trial & error and a bit of good ol’ mistake-making.

The list below should be used as a jumping-off point and is not intended to be a comprehensive guide. Each person has their own unique view of safety and set of circumstances. Your list might grow as you get more in touch with your own needs.

Here are 7 hiking safety tips for when you’re traveling solo:

1. Share Your Location

If you don’t have a GPS system, at least give somebody you trust detailed information about your intended hike. I use my Garmin InReach Mini 2 to let my partner track my hikes, leave myself breadcrumbs if I’m in a tricky area, and send periodic updates if I’m taking longer than expected. Since it works off satellites, I can stay in touch even if I don’t have cell phone service.

Before that, I used AllTrails, which lets you send somebody a link where they can follow along with your hike.

hiking safety tips

2. Pack It Up

Being on your own means you need to be comfortable relying on yourself and adapting if things go wrong. If you’re just going on a short hike on a popular trail, you might not need as much gear – but you should still have the basics! Always bring the ten essentials.

I always ask myself, “if something unexpected happens, can I survive a night alone in the woods?”. This isn’t meant to be scary – it’s just a question to assess how prepared you are.

3. Bring Bear Spray (or not?)

There’s a lot of debate in my local hiking community about whether bear spray is necessary or not. Even though most animals around me are truly more scared of me than I am of them, I do tend to get myself worked up about crossing paths with a mama bear or a moose that’s having a bad day.

I personally feel safer carrying it, knowing that it’s very unlikely I’ll ever need to use it. As a woman hiking alone, it gives me peace of mind to know I have it and helps me settle into my hike more easily.

But why not bring a firearm? I live in an area where firearms are very common. I personally don’t think they’re necessary on the trail. Since I’m not comfortable using one, it would likely do more harm than good. Plus, it’s just uncomfortable to hike with and bear spray would do the trick just as well.

hiking safety tips

4. Know Your Limits

I cannot stress this one enough. Taking on an overly ambitious hike far above your experience level is not the move when you’re riding solo. If you’re itching to cross off that bucket list hike, go in a group or put it on hold until you have more solo hiking experience under your belt.

There are so many factors to consider besides the length and elevation of the trail. Firstly, consider where you’re hiking – not all terrain is created equal. You’ll also want to consider the weather, the gear you have available, your own survival skills if something were to happen, and whether the trail is heavily trafficked or not.

5. Follow Your Intuition

Our intuition doesn’t get enough credit. It’s CRITICAL to listen to it when you’re out on the trail, especially if you’re alone. You could have lots of energy, have all the right gear, and be cruising along on a blue-bird day, but something could still feel off. If your hair is standing up on the back of your neck or you’re getting a strong feeling that you should turn around, do it.

6. Be Humble

The mountains have a way of teaching us. Sometimes they show us that we’re more capable than we ever imagined. Other times, they remind us that we need more preparation and conditioning before achieving a goal we had in mind. I follow search and rescue events around me, both out of curiosity and as a learning tool, and so many events occur because people have a goal in mind and aren’t willing to diverge from their course – even if all the signs are encouraging them to do so.

7. Plan Ahead

Before you set out, it’s important to do at least some basic research and planning. Most importantly, you’ll want to check the weather. If it’s iffy, either choose a more suitable hike, adjust your gear, or hold off until a better day.

You’ll also want to get a feel for trail conditions to see if there are any hazards, such as high river crossings, you should know about. You can do this by using AllTrails or a similar site (I use TrailsNH for my local area). I like to read some reviews before I head out so I can get a feel for what I’m getting myself into.

If you’re just starting out hiking, it could also be valuable to educate yourself on common mistakes made on the trail and mistakes others have made.

What are your favorite hiking safety tips for solo hiking? Please share below!

December 7, 2022 by
hiking tips for beginners
Hiking

8 Things I Wish I Knew as a New Hiker

As a new hiker, getting out into the Great Outdoors can be intimidating – especially when it comes to tackling longer or more advanced hikes. My first challenging solo hike was on Mount Moosilauke’s Beaver Brook Trail in the White Mountains of New Hampshire a few years ago. While it’s embarrassing to admit, I was wildly unprepared and forced to face and handle my mistakes out on the trail.

Despite the potential danger of the situation, I learned a lot and dove deeper into researching hiking tips for beginners and more advanced hikers later on. All of my hikes since then have been much more enjoyable.

To help you avoid the same mistakes and head into the outdoors safely, here are 8 hiking tips for beginners that I wish I’d known beforehand:

1. Be Aware of Weather Conditions

By the time I finally worked up the courage to take on this hike solo, it was mid-October. The high was around 45 degrees for the day, but I decided to go for it anyways. Why not? As a New Hampshire native, I’m used to the cold and figured I’d generate heat while hiking. What I did not account for was how different the climate would be up in the mountains.

The White Mountains are known for having dangerous and unpredictable weather. Above treeline, I was greeted with almost whiteout conditions, what felt like negative temperatures, incredibly strong winds, and about half an inch of ice covering the ground. I had no gear with me to get to the top (I didn’t even know what microspikes were at the time!). At that point, I made the potentially life-saving decision to turn around and give it a shot on a nicer day.

2. Cotton is Not the Move

For some, this is obvious. To me, it was not. I’d gone on day hikes in the summer before in just shorts and a t-shirt and just figured that was what everyone wore. I later found out how important it is to wear wool or synthetic fabrics. Why are they so important, you ask? They help wick moisture, while cotton absorbs it and holds onto it. In hotter temps, this is a recipe for an uncomfortable and sticky hike. In colder temps, it creates perfect conditions for hypothermia. This is one of the most critical hiking tips for beginners.

3. Bring Proper Navigation

Before heading out on this adventure, I’d really only hiked on popular trails. Because of this, I mistakingly thought that all established hiking trails were a breeze to follow. While I’m lucky that this trail was pretty straightforward, my phone (my only source of navigation) got so cold near the summit that the battery drained and shut off immediately.

Nowadays, I make sure that I bring a map and compass as a backup – even on short hikes. For my primary navigation, I generally use either my phone or my Garmin InReach Mini 2.

4. Tell People Where You’re Going

I told at least two people that I planned to hike Mount Moosilauke, but I didn’t specify which trail, how long I expected it to take, or any other information that would allow search and rescue to find me had things gone south.

In addition to using a GPS to allow my partner to track me when I’m hiking alone, I also give him specific information about what time I should get back to my car, which trail I’m hiking, etc. I also leave an itinerary underneath my seat (be sure people walking by your car can’t see it).

5. Bring Extra Food and Water

Being fresh out of food and water in the wilderness is no fun. Besides being potentially dangerous, it can make for a stressful and uncomfortable trip. I actually ended up bringing more food than I needed on this trip, but I brought very little water and ended up having to ration it during the hike.

It might take some trial and error to figure out how much water you need while hiking. If you’re unfamiliar with water sources on a trail or aren’t sure how much to bring, bring more than you think you’ll need. Once you get more experience, you might be comfortable with mapping out places where you can fill and filter water throughout the hike in order to carry less.

6. Leave No Trace

I had some knowledge of Leave No Trace (LNT) as a student of herbal medicine/wildcrafting and a lover of the outdoors, but it’s still a good thing to know about! In fact, LNT principles are just as important as other hiking tips for beginners. Leave No Trace practices ensure that you’re able to enjoy the outdoors with minimal impact and without affecting the experiences of others. For more information, LNT.org offers training courses and other resources.

hiking tips for beginners

7. Do Your Research and Know Your Limits

Most of the mistakes I made could have been avoided had I just done a little research. I would have chosen an easier trail and I would have either stayed below the treeline or waited for a day with better weather. Besides general internet searches, there are numerous hiking groups on Facebook and Reddit where you can ask questions and start getting into the hiking community – which is one of the best parts of hiking!

8. Bring the Ten Essentials

Even if you’re just planning a short day hike, bringing along the 10 Essentials is…well, essential. Nobody expects things to go wrong on a hike, but ensuring that you’re prepared to spend a night in the woods in case things do could save your life.

The ten essentials are: navigation, a headlamp, sun protection, a first aid kit (don’t forget the bug spray!), a knife, a lighter or matches, shelter (an emergency bivvy will do for a day hike), extra food, extra water, and extra clothes. The exact items you take might vary depending on the length and difficulty of your hike.

What other hiking tips for beginners do you have? Let us know below!

hiking tips for beginners
November 10, 2022 by
how to use dandelion
Food & Herbs, Foraging

How to Use Dandelion: 7 Recipes and Ideas

Fewer herbs represent abundance more than dandelions. They sprout up in the most unlikely places and cover fields, gardens, and front lawns nearly everywhere. Dandelions teach us that we have so many resources available to us – we just need to learn how to use what’s around us! Learning how to use dandelion can open up a whole range of possibilities when it comes to caring for yourself and your community.

So many herbalists I’ve met use dandelions as a symbol of their apothecary or business, or just gush about how much they love dandelions in general. And what’s not to love? From a yummy snack to a colorful salad garnish to deep healing medicine, dandelions are versatile. It’s no coincidence that they’re so abundant – they’re the medicine our bodies need.

Every part of the plant is useful and medicinal – the flowers, stems, leaves, and roots. Dandelions are one of my favorite plants to experiment with because it doesn’t take much effort to find them and they’re safe and easy to use. The possibilities are limitless.

Here are just a few of my favorite dandelion recipes:

1. Dandelion Fritters

This is one of my favorite comfort food recipes. All you’ll need are dandelion flowers, some sort of batter, and oil. Once you have your flowers, you’ll simply dip them in the batter and fry them in the oil. Although I haven’t tried it, I’m sure they would be great air-fried too!

The recipe below is just a general guideline. You can customize the batter based on your preferences. Dandelion pesto (see below) also makes a great dipping sauce!

Ingredients:

Dandelion Flowers

2 Cups of Flour

2 Eggs

2 Cups Milk/Milk Alternative

Whisk the flour, eggs, and milk in a bowl. Add any extras you’d like, such as herbs or lemon. Dip the dandelion flours in the batter and fry in a pan with your oil of choice until golden brown. Enjoy!

2. Dandelion Capers

When I found out you could make capers from dandelions, I was just beside myself. What a creative and delicious way to enjoy this versatile plant! While you’re off in search of flowers or leaves early in spring, keep an eye out for the little buds that haven’t bloomed yet.

The first step is to learn what a dandelion rosette looks like. They’re super easy to identify and you’ll start seeing them everywhere once you know what to look for. You’ll find the buds at the center of the rosette. You’ll want to make sure that the bud is young and firm – ones that are close to blooming, soft, or partially opened will come out soft and mushy.

After picking the primary bud, you should find a number of smaller buds underneath, which are also great to use. Once you’ve collected enough buds, you can fridge pickle them! Here’s a basic pickling recipe to get you started:

Ingredients:

Dandelion buds

1 Cup Vinegar (I prefer apple cider vinegar)

1 Cup Water

1/2 tsp of salt

Bring the vinegar, water, and salt to a boil. Add any other herbs or spices you’d like. Place the dandelion buds in a mason jar. Once the salt is dissolved and the mixture is boiling, pour it over the buds until they’re covered. Screw on the lid and store in the fridge.

how to use dandelion

3. Dandelion Wine

Admittedly, I have yet to make a successful batch of dandelion wine. But this year is the year! Although it’s fun to do, it’s quite a lot of work. This is an activity for a quiet Sunday afternoon with not much else going on. You’ll need a lot of dandelions and you’ll want to make sure the flowers have no green leaves on them.

Since I’m still a learner in this aspect, I’ll direct you over to The Spruce Eats for a great recipe. I’d love to hear about your successes and challenges with this process!

4. Make a Salad

One way to impress your dinner guests is to create a salad using dandelion greens. Dandelion leaves are packed with vitamins, minerals, and all-around goodness, including antioxidants, calcium, iron, and zinc. They are a bit bitter, so be sure to mix some other greens in with them too. You can also sauté them along with some other vegetables!

5. Roast the Roots

Dandelion roots are hands-down my favorite part of the plant. This medicine has supported me through so much – most notably through some horrible skin issues. There’s a lot of debate about whether it’s best to harvest dandelion roots in the fall or spring. To me, it intuitively makes more sense that they’d have more energy in the fall, when the energy is moving downward and inward. I encourage you to do whatever feels right to you.

There are so many benefits that dandelion roots bring. They help purify the blood, provide exceptional liver support, and more! Check out this great recipe for making dandelion root coffee.

6. Use the Stem for Skin Ailments

The dandelion stem provides a great remedy for skin issues like warts, rough skin, callouses, and more. To use it, simply squeeze the sap out of the stem and apply it directly to the affected area. Some of my favorite herbal remedies are ones I can find on the spot when I need them, like this one.

how to use dandelion

7. Make Dandelion Pesto

Who doesn’t love pesto? Especially when you can make it with fresh, local, wild ingredients. You can make a large batch of dandelion pesto and save it in ice cube trays or a freezer-safe container. That way you have fresh pesto all year round! Here’s a basic recipe to get you started:

1 Cup Dandelion Leaves

1 Cup Fresh Basil

2 Garlic Cloves

1/2 Cup EVOO

Parmesan Cheese and Pine Nuts to Taste

You can also add other herbs, spices, and greens based on your tastes and what you have available! I like to toss in some carrot tops so they don’t go to waste.

Whether you’ve had a lifelong love of dandelions or are just beginning to realize their magic, working with this beautiful “weed” is a safe and fun way to begin working with wild medicinal plants. What’s your favorite way to use dandelions?

November 7, 2022 by
how to live a more sustainable life
Finding Balance, Sustainable Living

10 Ways to Live a More Sustainable Life

Learning how to live a more sustainable life doesn’t need to look like leading a tree-planting mission to the Amazon Rainforest or collecting trash in the ocean. It can start at home. In fact, I’m a firm believer that starting the change within ourselves is the best way to create change in the world.

I began my sustainable living journey about five years ago. I was living abroad in Colombia surrounded by natural beauty. I kept hearing negative news about the environment and I was frustrated because I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to do something immediately that would have a small tiny impact on the world – and potentially turn into something bigger.

My first step was to stop buying meat at the grocery store. Since raising cattle and other animals takes up so many resources, I figured this was a good first step. The universe has a funny way of helping us along when we have a goal. After that, I found other small ways to make a change. Below are some of the easiest and most immediate changes I’ve made.

If you’re looking to live more sustainably, don’t feel like you need to do everything on the list. Even just one can make a huge impact – and be easy enough that it will keep you motivated!

How to Live a More Sustainable Life

1. Buy Local Produce

Everyone loves a delicious pineapple in the winter, but choosing in-season, local, organic produce is the way to go. Why? For one, Local produce doesn’t need to be transported very far, so it’s responsible for fewer fuel emissions. Secondly, you’re likely supporting small-scale farmers. Small-scale farms generally have better farming practices (think fewer pesticides!) than large-scale industrial farms. Need more reasons to support local farmers? Check out this great article!

My favorite places to find local produce in the warmer months are farmers markets or my modest garden. During the winter or times I don’t have access to a farmers market, I like to go to my local co-op. Alternatively, you can sign up for a CSA.

how to live a more sustainable life

2. Thrift It

The fast fashion industry is…horrific (to say the least). Between terrible working conditions, toxic chemicals, harmful materials, and just SO MUCH WASTE, I try to avoid it at all costs. It turns out that choosing recycled clothes is not only good for the environment, but for your wallet too. Plus, it’s so much fun. I never know what I’ll find at thrift stores! Besides clothes, some of my favorite things to thrift are:

-Glass jars. These can get super expensive, especially if you use them for canning or other common purposes. Since I make mead, I also like keeping an eye out for glass bottles and jugs.

-Yarn. In the winter, I love spending time crocheting. What makes projects even more rewarding is using thrifted yarn. I’ve found so many cool color combinations that I would have never found otherwise.

-Furniture. While I probably wouldn’t buy a second-hand mattress, I’ve found numerous tables, coffee tables, desks, and other furniture items. A lot of second-hand furniture items are still in great condition!

3. Forage What You Can

Grocery stores are responsible for so much food waste. Plus, why pay for your food when you can find high-quality nutritious food right in your backyard? Any item I’m able to forage is one that I don’t need to buy in the grocery store. For example, I try not to purchase raspberries or blueberries in the spring/summer because they’re abundant. I also grow catnip, mint, basil, tomatoes, and other vegetables and herbs in my garden, which means I never have to purchase these during the growing season.

how to live a more sustainable life

4. Plant A Garden

Which brings me to my next point: planting a garden. Regardless of how much space you have, there are so many creative ways to grow a garden – even if it’s just a modest herb garden. By planting a garden you’re creating more green space, potentially attracting and supporting bees, and helping yourself buy less at the grocery stores by sourcing things (very) locally. This is a great step towards learning how to live a more sustainable life.

5. Take Advantage of Local Springs

It’s almost impossible to buy spring water at the store without also buying plastic. Filtering tap water is another option, but all of those filters will also end up in a landfill. So what’s the best option? Spring water straight from the source! In most places throughout the U.S., there are springs just bursting with fresh, ice-cold groundwater. My personal favorite spring, which I will never reveal the location of, is in the mountains and the absolute purest water I have ever tasted. Want to find a spring in your area? Findaspring.com is a great resource!

how to live a more sustainable life

6. Do A Trash Audit

Sometimes we don’t realize how much trash we’re actually throwing away. Take a week and monitor all of the trash that you create. What is creating the most trash? Is it something you can change or find an alternative for? As an example, you might replace plastic coffee cups with a reusable cup, which can cut down significantly on your waste. You might also consider using your own containers when you go to the grocery store. Even though using personal containers was tricky for some time (thanks COVID), it seems like it’s finally OK again!

7. Eat Less Meat

As I mentioned, this was my first introduction to learning how to live a more sustainable life. The factory farming industry is responsible for 37% of the world’s methane emissions. Not to mention all of the hormones and chemicals that are used on animals in factory farms. While it might not seem like you eating less meat will change this, it can make a bigger impact than you think. As more and more people move away from eating meat with most meals, demand will hopefully start to go down (I’m not an economist, but it seems logical).

8. Turn Off The Sink

Turning the sink off while you brush your teeth and cutting down your shower time can save a significant amount of water. And neither of them takes very much effort. Being mindful of your water usage can have a huge impact on our freshwater resources!

9. Don’t Leave Your Car Running

As a New Englander, I know that it’s absolutely necessary to leave your car running sometimes, like in the winter. However, there’s no reason to leave it running all the time. Even just turning off your car while you’re stuck in dead traffic or while you’re waiting for a friend can reduce your emissions.

10. Spend More Time in Nature

In my opinion, the best way to learn how to live a more sustainable life is to remember your motivation. The Earth is a sentient being that needs our help. She has provided for us and quite literally supports life. If you’re quiet enough, she’ll give you wisdom and guidance. So many of my steps towards living more sustainably began as a thought or spark of inspiration in the woods.

how to live a more sustainable life

Taking the journey towards living a more sustainable life one step at a time can make it less overwhelming. We’re all at different stages in our learning and in our lives. I might live a lower impact life than some people, but there are plenty of people living more sustainably than me as well. The important thing is we’re ALL learning, so treat yourself with kindness. As long as you’re trying to be mindful and taking small steps forward when you can, you’re doing enough.

What advice would you give someone who is learning how to live a more sustainable life?

March 22, 2022 by