Northwest Hiking

Hiking can be a fun and healthy activity to engage in, but even the most experienced hikers will admit—it’s not always totally safe.  When out hiking, protection can be an essential part of your safety equipment.  For some, that’s a firearm, for others, it’s a hunting knife and bear repellent.  No matter what you choose, we’ll look at two different kinds of things to protect yourself from.  The first is usually the more common occurrence: wildlife encounters.  The second is a more serious and potentially dangerous situation: people encounters.  Here’s a brief introduction before we go into part II and III of this series.

Wildlife encounters:  They are common and even though most encounters are harmless, attacks do happen, and proper protection is an important option to consider to be safer while hiking.  Protection varies widely, ranging from repellents to firearms.

People encounters:  The people around you can be some of the greatest friends you get to know.  Hiking enthusiasts often meet on the trail, forming hiking groups or buddies to stay safer while hiking and to socialize with like minded people.  Unfortunately, remote areas can also draw the wrong crowds.  Whether that may be drunk, partying teenagers, or convicted criminals, protection with these encounters is more serious.  Whether that’s a pepper spray or a loaded .357 is strictly personal preference, but we’ll cover all your options on part III.

Come back again for more information and to read part II and III!  Happy hiking!

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