5 beginner hiking mistakes and how to avoid them

By reading this blog post, it might sound like I am a really foolish hiker… but I promise I have learnt from these mistakes and experiences; so now I am sharing all my embarrassing moments in order to help you avoid them. 

1. Wrong shoes

I was definitely a victim of this mistake. Thinking my mum’s ancient boots would be adequate for my first multi day hike, I put them on and laced them up, ready to go. Not even an hour had passed on the trail when the soles started completely separating from the shoe. Not my smartest moment, but luckily a friend had string which we attempted to use to tie each shoe together; which I had to make do with. So I hope I have convinced you how important it is to wear comfortable and quality shoes.

2. Ignoring weather conditions

Snow in April in Australia seems unlikely, if not impossible, right? Well, I thought so too, so you can imagine my surprise when I experienced extremely heavy snowfall during a 6 day trek in Tasmania. We were not prepared or expecting these extreme conditions, but luckily there was room in the hut that night so we could take shelter; otherwise we likely would have faced some serious issues. This leads me on to my next point; the importance of the correct gear.

3. Wrong gear or incorrect use

During the extreme weather shown above, I was having some gear problems, which was not very optimal. The first issue was my sleeping bag had gotten wet, and refused to dry because of the cold and wet weather; so I had to sleep under a pile of spare clothes from my friends (don’t recommend - not warm at all). Another issue was our tent had a gaping hole as a result of a possum chewing through the inner material in the middle of the night to get to our food (also don’t recommend). So, ensure that not only you have the correct gear for extreme conditions, but that you use it correctly (make sure you waterproof your sleeping bag…)

4. Not fuelling properly

Hiking is intense and often exhausting, so making sure you are replenishing your energy is important to prevent fatigue or dizziness. It can be easy to forget to eat regularly when you’re out on the trail, but hiking on an empty stomach is not fun, or easy. Plus, don’t forget that eating your food makes your pack lighter!

5. Underestimating trail difficulty

Before you set off on a hike, it is important to gain an understanding of the trail; especially its length, difficulty, and elevation gain. A common mistake that has happened to me too many times is trails that look real on a map, but in reality are unfindable; leading to intense bushbashing. So if you want to avoid this, make sure the trail exists and is walkable. Elevation is another key thing to consider, as you don’t want to be hours into an ‘easy’ hike and stumble across a really steep section that you aren’t prepared for (which I don't recommend if you are afraid of heights like me - see photo below).

If you enjoyed this post or found it useful, let me know in the comments and I hope you stay around for the next one!