Our Top Safety Tips for Mountain Walks
While the mountains are an extraordinarily beautiful place to explore, they are also dangerous places to walk. From razor-edge ridgelines to highly changeable weather, these are challenging environments and you should never underestimate them. Staying safe means understanding the risks involved and knowing how best to protect yourself and your fellow walkers. With this in mind, we created a quick guide to our top safety tips for mountain walks.
1. Always keep an eye on the weather
For better or worse, the weather always impacts your enjoyment when walking in the mountains. If you are ill-prepared, it can quickly turn a lovely day out into a bit of a trudge and something to endure rather than enjoy. However, the weather can also have far more significant implications and impact your safety. If inexperienced, the rapid weather shifts that occur in the mountains can catch you out and expose you to considerable risk. Heavy rain, low visibility or high winds can make it hard to navigate or move safely across the terrain. They can also leave you cold, wet and tired, further endangering your health and ability to extricate yourself from the situation. And the consequences of a blizzard or thunderstorm in the mountains don’t bear thinking about.
As a result, you always need to keep one eye on the weather forecast, respect how changeable mountain weather systems are, and only head out in conditions you know are safe. We recommend the following three weather resources:
2. Recognise the importance of planning
Walking in mountain environments means exposing yourself to a certain amount of risk. How you manage and mitigate that risk determines how safe you are. Pre-walk planning is arguably the most effective and important risk management method. Using reliable maps, guides and information to plan your route enables you to calculate distance, elevation gain and difficulty. It means you can tailor the walk to your ability and tell someone where you plan to be and your estimated return time – which is especially important if you are heading into remote areas. It also allows you to establish several “escape routes”, so you know how best to get back if you find yourself in trouble.
3. Layer your clothing and dress for the top
Dressing appropriately will help you stay safe and comfortable in the mountains. We recommend adopting a layered approach to clothing, as you can add and remove items to adjust your temperature gradually. Sweat-wicking base layers, breathable outers and waterproof shells are all useful, and technical clothing designed for outdoor environments is always preferred to everyday streetwear. Strong, sturdy and supportive hiking shoes or boots that fit well also contribute to a more enjoyable experience and minimise the likelihood of rolling an ankle, slipping or losing your footing.
The temperature will decrease by 1°C for every 100m of altitude you gain. That means the tops of the bigger mountains in the UK will be around 10oC colder than where you start from. The wind gets stronger the higher you go too, so watch out for the wind-chill effect – that could make it feel up to another 10oC colder on a wild day too. Be ready to wrap up warm!
4. Don’t forget your essential safety items
All mountain walkers, no matter how experienced they are, should carry safety essentials if they are heading out into remote mountain environments. Our essential safety kit includes:
- • Navigation tools – at the very least a map and compass. GPS devices are also useful. Crucially, you need to know how to use these tools effectively. If you want to develop your navigation capabilities, our Mountain Skills or Winter Mountain Skills courses are an excellent option
- • First-aid kit – should contain bandages, antiseptic wipes, plasters and any personal medications
- • Emergency supplies – these items will help you get out of tough situations and include things like a head torch, spare batteries, multi-tool, whistle and emergency thermal blanket
5. Adequate food and water are crucial
Staying nourished and hydrated will ensure you have the energy to continue your walk and make sensible and safe decisions. Regular snacking ensures your energy levels don’t drop too low, while water replaces the essential liquids you’re sweating out due to the physical exertion. While water is even more important in hot, sunny weather, adequate hydration and nutrition are critical to your safety in all conditions. High-energy snacks like nuts, dried fruits and energy bars are an excellent way to maintain energy levels over an extended period.
6. Hike with a partner or group
Unless you are a highly experienced mountain walker, we suggest you always head into the mountains with a partner or as part of a group. If walking solo, a simple slip can prove disastrous as there is no guarantee that anyone will find you. Walking together offers safety in numbers and ensures people are always looking out for you. If you don’t have anyone to hike with, consider joining our sister company Climb Snowdon’s Guided Walks. They are a great way to meet like-minded people and always feature a friendly and supportive atmosphere.
7. Ensure you know how to react in an emergency
While staying safe in the mountains is all about minimising your exposure to risk, you can’t eliminate it entirely. Consequently, you need to know how to respond if things go wrong. From navigating in extreme weather conditions to using winter mountain equipment to halt a fall, understanding and practising emergency techniques and processes is essential as you spend more time in mountain environments. If you are interested in learning more about these emergency skills, check out our Mountain Skills or Winter Mountain Skills courses are an excellent option.
8. Know your limits
Finally, staying safe requires you to know your limits and respect them. We all have different physical and technical limits. While pushing our boundaries and challenging ourselves is often enjoyable and rewarding, it can put us in danger. If you want to try something a little more difficult or out of your comfort zone, we suggest you do so accompanied by an accredited Mountain Leader. It’s also important to recognise that knowing your limits applies to the entire group you are walking with. There may be walkers who are not quite as strong or experienced as you, and adapting the walk to their needs means everyone has a fun and safe experience.
Staying safe with RAW Adventures
At RAW, we want to empower outdoor enthusiasts to explore our spectacular mountain environments in the safest and most responsible way. Our Mountain Skills and Winter Mountain Skills courses are designed to achieve exactly that. If you are interested in developing the skills and techniques you need to enjoy the mountains more independently, we suggest you check them out. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions too.
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