| Mountain hiking demands great gear and more | | | | during an average day wouldn't you be |
| education than your typical trail hike. Why? | | | | concerned? Add in the fact you're asking more |
| Because as you ascend breathing becomes less | | | | of your body in terms of keeping you warm in |
| efficient, passage grows rugged, and rescue | | | | a cooler/cold environment, you are constantly |
| becomes more challenging. So consider your | | | | losing water from your system, your reactions |
| mountain equipment to be your life support | | | | are slowed, and your not around the corner |
| system.Where in day hiking you may be able to | | | | from the nearest hospital. Your mountain |
| get away with wearing light-weight boots or | | | | hiking equipment becomes a more important |
| shoes, in remote mountain hiking it's a good | | | | consideration the higher the altitude and the |
| idea to wear heavier supportive boots to | | | | more remote your location.Depending on how |
| protect your ankles and feet. Walking with a | | | | cold the temperatures you might encounter are |
| sprained ankle on a day hike is inconvenient | | | | you'll probably want some good insulated |
| compared to trying to limp out of the | | | | hiking boots (depending on the altitude and |
| back-country mountains with the same problem | | | | temperature you may need mountaineering |
| and a heavy pack. Thinking ahead and being | | | | boots), hiking clothes, sleeping bags, |
| prepared with the right mountain gear, | | | | camping tents, and other equipment used for |
| guides, and information can literally mean | | | | hiking rated for lower temperature than what |
| the difference between a minor mishap and at | | | | you think you'll actually experience. This |
| times death. Take your safety seriously.As | | | | will give you an extra margin of safety. Also |
| elevation increases the atmospheric pressure | | | | keep in mind that mildly uncomfortable |
| decreases (amount of oxygen doesn't actually | | | | mountain hiking gear will become a bigger |
| drop until over 50,000 feet) which means | | | | problem...If you'd like more information |
| there's less pressure to 'push' the air into | | | | about mountain hiking click here for the rest |
| and fill your lungs. Because there is less | | | | of the article. You may also want to take a |
| air going into your lungs you'll fatigue more | | | | look at a couple of related articles on how |
| quickly. How much does the pressure really | | | | to pick the best hiking footwear.Marc Wiltse |
| change? According to an article (that can be | | | | learned how important good quality hiking |
| applied to mountain hiking) the barometric | | | | equipment and camping gear were after his pup |
| pressure can drop by 40% between sea level | | | | tent flooded with over 3 inches of water |
| (average 760 millimeters of mercury) and | | | | forcing him to sleep in the front seat of his |
| 12,000 feet (483 millimeters of mercury). | | | | 2-seat Honda CRX (translation: research is a |
| Obviously having 40% less oxygen available to | | | | good thing). His hiking equipment & camping |
| your body (because of the pressure drop) will | | | | gear guides & reviews save you time & money. |
| impact you.Now if you had a 40% decrease in | | | | Subscribe to his camping & hiking newsletter |
| your ability to deliver oxygen to your body | | | | & get the most usable information FREE! |