Northwest Hiking

Continuing with the previous survival first-aid theme that we started a few days ago, let us now look at first-aid kits built for more long term hikes.  These are not necessarily overnight hikes, but they are further away from civilization and can entail slightly elevated risks than included in a small couple hour hike.  I know for me, my worst injuries on the trail were when I was hiking more than 2 hours.  The many reasons for this include increased fatigue, tired and sore muscles, susceptibility to sprains, etc.  As such, in addition to the day hike first-aid kit we talks about, you should also include a few more items:

• Electrolyte replacement powder:  Gatorade or similar product will work just fine.
• Splints:  Particularly for the fingers.
• Extra Gauze
• Two days worth of each:
  1. Aspirin
  2. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen, whichever you prefer (are not allergic to)
• In addition, you may also want to consider a quick stop bleed reducing powder.  I have had several instances where I wished I had it.

Remember to be safe out there and to add to this list as you customize based on where you go, hiking habits, etc.  Happy trails!

Specifically, day hiking first-aid kits are going to change from region to region if you like to customize and change things to better suit your liking and environment.  In general, there are a few things that should remain constant from one kit to another, however.  These are the essentials that will let you treat injuries that may be inflicted from short hikes.  Kits like this should be able to be improvised to treat both minor and moderately serious injuries, such as fractures.  Below is the contents of a kit that I acquired a number of years ago from the product’s web page that can be improvised to suit almost any minor first-aid situation:

REI Hiker First Aid Kit:

• Zippered nylon case corrals contents, with hang loops for easy carrying or storage
• Comes with ”The Wilderness First Aid Manual” by Dr. William Forgey for quick reference while on the trail
• Wound materials: five 0.75 x 3 inch adhesive bandages, five 1 x 3 inch adhesive bandages, five knuckle elastic bandages, five fingertip elastic
• Two 2 x 2 inch gauze pads, 5 x 9 inch abdominal/pressure pad, six butterfly closure strips
• Two 4 x 4 inch gauze pads, two 2 x 3 inch non-adherent pads, 2 inch x 4.1 yards stretch gauze roll
• Sanidex wipe, four antibacterial wipes, three triple-antibiotic ointment packets, two pvp iodine wipes, three Soothe A Sting wipes
• For sprains and blisters: 2-inch elastic bandage, two 3 x 4 inch moleskin, 1 inch x 10 yards porous tape
• Medications: four Cetafen Extra®, four Nutralox®, four Proprinal®, two antihistamine, plus two pill vials and two labels
• Equipment: 4.5-inch stainless-steel bandage scissors, 3.5-inch splinter forceps, NeoPro latex-free gloves, 3 safety pins, accident report form, pencil

This kind of kit will let you treat most injuries without too much of a problem, and still be comprehensive enough to improvise for more serious ones.  On that note, be safe and have fun hiking!

It is essential to always have ample medical gear with you when hiking.  Whether you have a broken leg, or need a band-aid, a medical kit should provide you with enough supplies to at least improvise almost any emergency medical device or technique needed.

We’ll take a look over the next few posts on several different aspects of medical kits and which ones will be suitable for you.  The three categories are:

• Short Term Day Hikes
• Extended Hiking
• Camping
• Backpacking

Each have their own unique need when it comes to medical supplies, and great respect should be dealt with the handling and putting together of medical supplies for each.  In one case, a large medical supply kit might be necessary, but in another, a simple day first-aid kit should be ample.  Either way, stay tuned for the breakdown of survival and what it can do for you when hiking in the Northwest.  Happy trails!

Unfortunately, eye problems are a big deal on the trail.  I remember trying to climb trees and getting bark dust in my eye on a hiking trip.  Luckily, I had my brother there to carefully remove the pieces of bark, but had I not, I would have been in trouble.  Now, there are a few things I carry with me whenever I hike to take care of these problems:

• A mirror:  Just a mini one, but I have used it many times.
• An eye cleaner solution, like what you use for contacts.
• Tissue: To help remove dust when needed.

Although not by any means a comprehensive list, these will definitely help you a lot when you do need to take care of your eyes on the trails.

Unfortunately, even the most experienced hikers sometimes trip and fall or stumble on a hole or obstacle in the trail.  It is not by any means a fun situation, but learning and knowing how to properly treat such a situation is essential to prevent long term effects of a sprain and get you back on your feet in short order.

When you first sprain your ankle, evaluate whether you have some range of motion to ensure that you have not actually broken your ankle instead.  After you have evaluated it and reasoned it to be a sprain, soak the ankle in cold water or apply an ice pack (snow works great, too).  Do not continue your trip on a sprained ankle.  Seek medical attention as soon as possible and use crutch devices or the shoulder of another person to keep your weight off of that ankle.

If you are like many people in the U.S., you aren’t exempt from headaches that plague pretty much everyone at one time or another.  On trails, I will sometimes get heat headaches or headaches due to lower than usual consumption of water. When out on the trail, here are some tips to remember to keep headaches away, or at a minimum:

• Drink Water:  If you are dehydrated, chances are you’ll get a headache, so there’s a simple way to keep them away.
• Watch Your Elevation:  If you aren’t used to high elevation, start slow to acclimatize.  If you ascend too quickly, you can also get a headache.
• Last Resort:  As a last resort, keep a pain killer with you.  This doesn’t replace drinking plenty of water, but it will help you a lot if you do get a headache.

Remember, be safe on the trail and have fun!

Although not necessary in the day and age where antiseptic wipes are readily available in most first-aid kits, it doesn’t hurt to go the extra mile.  One of the main ways in which to do this is carrying some kind of antiseptic liquid to help further treat wounds.  The two most popular ones, hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol, both offer a small amount of initial wound treatment aid.  Here are some tips to using them:

• Pack them in small bottles.  A few ounces will help you a lot, so small bottles in your first-aid kit work fine.
• Clean the wound first:  As soon as you get a scrape or small cut, immediately clean it!  If water is not available, hydrogen peroxide may be substituted, but you should make all attempts to remove debris first.
• Apply a bandage after:  Even though cleaning out a cut with hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol can help avoid infection, that doesn’t warrant leaving it uncovered.  Always properly dress a wound after injury.

As always, prevention is the best medicine!  Be careful and have fun on the trail!

As something you’ll want to add to your backpack for colder weather, vaseline or a petroleum jelly can be a real life saver out there in the cold.  As an exceptionally good cold weather block, petroleum jelly works amazing at keeping your lips and ears warm.  Most people think it a little strange, and granted, you are not going to want to slather it all over your face for the fun of it; the truth is, however, it can be a real benefit to carry around with you.  In places where frostbite is a real issue, you will definitely want to keep it with you.

To use, just apply to areas where cold may penetrate and possibly lead to frostbite or extremely uncomfortable cold conditions.  This includes ears, cheeks, lips, nose, etc.  Apply liberally to these areas to keep them from getting too cold.  It is a cheap and effective way to stay warm when extreme temperatures warrant it.  Happy hiking!

As supplies are depleted, remember to restock your first-aid kits for the next year packed with hiking and outdoor excursions.  The biggest problem hikers will face involving first-aid kits and supplies will actually be the lack thereof from not restocking their kits.  It is essential that you restock with supplies as soon as possible, and that any perishable or expired items are replaced at least once per year.  Here are some of the things that you’ll want to look for the most:

• Band-aids
• Gauze
• Antibiotic Ointment
• Anti-itch Cream
• Meds and Prescriptions

Those are just a few of the things that you’ll want to look for, but are some of the most important.  Again, I can’t stress enough that expired items must be replaced and checked often.  See you out there on the trails!

Hiking takes a huge toll on people.  After a long day, it’s not uncommon to feel that dreaded pain and aching in your hamstrings.  Although it’s not exactly the best feeling in the world, treatment is easy and can aide in quick recovery.  Here are some quick tips to remember when you get sore hamstrings on the trail:

• Liniment:  An article was already posted on using liniment, and it is strongly suggested that you use liniment as soon as possible to aide healing blood flow to the area.
• Cool the Muscles:  As soon as you stop, cool your muscles in a stream or river to help prevent soreness from developing.  If your muscles are sore, a cool down can still do wonders for your aching and sore muscles.
• Anti-inflammatory Meds: Ibuprofen is a good thing to have to help reduce swelling and kill pain.  It’s definitely something I suggest you always take with you.

As always, I say that prevention is the best remedy.  Don’t overkill on the trail, remember to cool down your muscles, and stay well hydrated.  This will aide in the prevention of soreness.