Recreation & Leisure, Today It Is Unwise To Head Off On A Hike Without Your GPS


by Donald Saunders - Date: 2008-05-11 - Word Count: 601 Share This!

If you are among the many thousands of individuals who like hiking then you ought not to set out without the correct equipment and that means food, water, a first aid kit and the best GPS hiking system you can afford. Hiking through the woods, or through one of our many lovely state parks, can be very exciting and you will get a lot of exercise and see a lot of plants and animals which you might not get to see at other times. However, if you manage to get yourself lost while you are hiking, especially if you get injured as well, your lovely day out hiking could well turn out very differently from the day that you planned. For this reason taking a GPS tracking device is crucial because it will help to get you back on track and back home safely.

Should you suddenly find that you are lost when you are out hiking you easily can program your GPS device to indicate which direction you are heading and this will prevent you from accidentally walking the wrong way. Then, once you have regained your bearings, you can find your way out of the woods and you will discover that most of the state parks have rest areas and other similar places that can be used as landmarks. Even if you are unable to find your way out with your GPS system then usually rescue units will be able to locate you merely by tracking your signal.

Should you be out hiking on your own and have taken a GPS system with you for emergencies then you can also make use of it to gauge how many miles you have traveled. By keeping track of how far you travel you can then find your way back onto the correct track by simply retracing your steps and will know just how far you have to walk to return to your starting point. As a result you will not simply be traveling for miles questioning just how far you will need to go to get back on track. It is also a first class way to make sure that you do not walk too far in the first place and will often prevent you from getting lost at all.

Anybody who has ever been lost in the woods will know just how frightening an experience it can be and knowing where you are and how to get back out again will help to keep you and the rest of your group calm. You will discover that you are able to locate significant areas and landmarks with your GPS system. Just as importantly, having decided how many miles you wish to hike during the day, your GPS system is able to indicate when you have reached your goal and stop you from hiking too far which can be dangerous. A knowledge of when to stop is very important and will help you to remain healthy and stear clear of injuries to your body.

Going for a hike alone is not a wise idea but if you do decide to go hiking alone do not forget to take your GPS so that you will feel safe and you will be ready should an emergency arise. Finally, do not forget to tell somebody where you are planning to go and when you expect to be back so that they can alert someone if you do not return as expected.

The-Hiking-Club.com provides information on all aspects of hiking and covers everything from buying discount hiking boots to navigation and the problem with gps


Related Tags: gps, navigation, hiking, global positioning system, getting lost, finding your bearings

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