Preparation and proper gear help you walk wilds safely

By Greg Johnston
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

W hether on wild trails or high traverses, it is imperative that hikers be prepared for any eventuality.

You must be able to keep warm and dry during a sudden snowstorm or a heavy squall featuring thunder and frightening lighting. On traverses especially, you may have to thrash through devil's club, cross snowfields and negotiate talus slopes.

On any hike, you must be ready to bivouac while waiting for a rescue party, say in the event you find yourself with a busted ankle beyond Boulder Pass.

The "10 Essentials" developed by The Mountaineers club should be carried by all hikers: extra clothing, extra food, sunglasses (mandatory on snow), knife, fire starter (chemical fuel or candle), matches in a waterproof container, first-aid kit, flashlight with extra bulb and batteries, a good map and a compass.

In Washington, most hikers insist on an 11th: quality, lightweight rain gear.

Those taking off-trail high routes will need more specialized equipment. An ice ax is essential as a "third leg" for balance on steep slopes, to hack steps in hard snow, and to stop a slip on steep snow or ice. Where snow may be hard or on ice, most bring crampons (spiked devices that strap onto boots). On high routes where glacier-crossing is required, your party should carry a mountaineering rope and know how to rope in, to prevent any member from falling into a crevasse.

At least one member of an off-trail party should carry an altimeter for high-country route-finding.

"You want solid, rugged boots," said Bryn Beorse, an avid backpacker and off-trail trekker from Aberdeen. "Lightweight boots are not a good idea because you're side-hilling and walking on rocks and need support."

Since balance is imperative, most people use internal frame packs, which fit more snugly to your back and provide a better center of gravity.

Your tent should be a quality, all-season shelter. Many off-trail hikers go a step further and carry "bivvy-bags," which are like a sleeping bag inside a weatherized shell.

A controversial item disdained by purists, but one that can save your life, is a cell phone. However, warns Forest Service wilderness specialist Gary Paull, "A cell phone is no substitute for being prepared."