Fall is upon us. Fall weather can be unpredictable. Cold in the morning then hot by lunch time. Maybe cold all day, maybe hot all day. Who knows. Plus hunting season kicks up during the fall months.
A Few Safety Points to ALWAYS Follow…
Itinerary. I always tell someone where I am hiking and when I expect to return. I do this whether I’m solo hiking or with my son, even if it’s just a mile long trail and the weather is perfect. I tell someone when I’m going and when I’m done.
A good supplement to this is to place an itinerary in your vehicle. I have written my plans on paper, folded it in half, written “itinerary” on it, and placed it on my dash. That way if something happens and searchers find my car they can find out about my plans. Itinerary should include: names of all people and pets on the hike, desired route of travel, the time you left, when you expected to return, contact info, medical considerations.
Have multiple ways to navigate. In the age of technology, folks often find themselves lost in times of a dead cell phone or no cell service. This is one of the most common things I see as a park ranger. Technology is great when it works, but you need to be able to find your way without it. Download the hiking route on All Trails, pick up a physical map of the area you’re hiking in, always take a compass with you (and know how to use it), and know proper etiquette for the instance that you do get lost and someone is searching for you – like staying in one place instead of wandering around and potentially getting more lost.
Look at the weather and be prepared for it. Below I’ll talk about layering and I have a whole post about it. Know what the weather is expected to be on your hike, but be prepared for changes. I’ve been on hikes where it was predicted to be absolutely beautiful but a terrible thunderstorm rolled in while I was exposed at the top of a mountain. I had packed a light raincoat and was thankful I did.
Pack water, snacks, and a first aid kit. I’m currently working on posts about proper nutrition and hydration while recreating outdoors, as well as my recommendations for different first aid kits for different activities.
Child Backpack Carrier
First, let’s talk about backpack child carriers. My son is 16 months old, so I carry him on our hikes. I’m a huge fan of Osprey’s Poco child carriers. I currently have this one. I’m actually a fan of all of Osprey’s products. The Poco line of carriers has several options, from light day-use child carriers to backpacking child carriers. They are pricey, but the suspension system on Osprey’s packs is what sets it apart from other carriers and backpacking packs in general. If it will save my back and keep myself and my son safe and comfortable, I will spend the money. Especially because I use it a lot. I have also seen many for sale on Facebook marketplace and Ebay. If buying second-hand (a lot of our clothing and outdoor gear is second-hand) just make sure all safety mechanisms, clips, straps, moving parts, etc. are there and that they work properly.
Layering
Proper layering is essential when recreating outdoors. Keep in mind that if you are carrying your child in a backpack carrier, they aren’t moving like you are, so they will require more layering than you. A moisture-wicking base layer, an insulating mid-layer, and a protective outer layer. I take a deep-dive into layering and how it works in this post. For my son’s base layer he has the REI brand mid-weight top and bottoms. This heavy-weight fleece base layer set from Burton is also great. I tend to use the mid-weight set in the fall, then the heavy-weight fleece set in the late fall, winter, and into the early spring (weather dependent). Just don’t use cotton when layering. Ever.
My son’s mid-layer is usually just a pair of sweat pants and a sweatshirt. A set of fleece pajamas is top-notch. Or a fleece bunting.
I have a few top layer options for my son. This Patagonia coat packs down easy, is durable, and keeps my son warm. On the coldest days or days of snow he wears an insulated snowsuit. The one we have is Columbia brand that I bought off second-hand of eBay last year.
We recently bought this Therm All-Weather Onesie. It’s fleece-lined with a water/wind proof outer shell. We spent a week camping in the White Mountains earlier this month. He wore this onesie A LOT and he played hard in it. He played on playgrounds, played on the ground, in the forest. There isn’t a scratch on this outfit, and it kept him dry. I definitely recommend it.
HIKING DURING HUNTING SEASON
Here in Pennsylvania there are a lot of hunters, myself included, and a lot of land that is accessible to hunters. The fall brings in elk, deer, bear, turkey hunting in PA. Rifle, shotgun, archery, muzzleloader are all used. It is a legal requirement for hunters to wear fluorescent orange in the state, but not hikers (unless you’re hiking on State Game Lands during deer rifle season). It’s not a requirement for hikers but I strongly recommend it. You can snag a fluorescent orange vest at any outdoor shop for a couple bucks. Fluorescent orange clothing is also an option. I wear an orange vest while hiking, but my son has a fluorescent orange sweatshirt. We also have orange hats and I put fluorescent orange fabric on the back of my biking pack that I carry my son in. My 2 dogs also have orange vests. Don’t forget your furry friends.