Safety
Dangerously hiking too late in the season
Safety is key in the mountains; no matter if you’re close to home or off the grid.
Be prepared! Always do your research beforehand. This includes: mapping and downloading the trail, preparing yourself and materials for the technical and physical difficulty of the trail, checking the weather and snow conditions, preparing proper materials for unexpected weather, and learning how to securely pack.
Link to hiking scale (in German and French): SAC Hiking Scales (auf Deutsch) CAS Hiking Scales (en français)
Typically, hikes that I recommend will be red-white trails, which require hiking shoes, basic navigating skills, and some physical or technical skills. Blue-white hikes will be clearly mentioned in the descriptions, these hikes are physically and technically challenging so they require more training, experience, and materials. The conditions of these paths are more critical. Careful planning is absolutely necessary.
Weather preparation can be found in my weather article, which includes tutorials on how to check the weather using different apps. The general times of year recommended for each hike can be found in each of my hiking descriptions.
The Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) provides a comprehensive list of safety tips while hiking here: Safety when hiking 10 useful tips
Communication is key! Be sure to let someone outside of your hiking group know your hiking plans, including locations, start times, and estimated finishing times. That way if something happens and you aren’t able to communicate then someone knows where you are and when they should hear from you, if they need to alert the authorities. Always keep a cellphone on you and regularly update people on your progress. A satellite phone is particularly useful in the mountains, since the connection is unreliable. Communication is especially important when you are on trips alone. When I go alone, I always message my partner regularly with my latest location and updates on my fitness. I always pack a portable charger for my phone because searching for connection in the mountains can take a lot of battery power. Additionally, the cold temperatures can also drain the battery or shut it down.
Cautious but confident. Before starting a hiking you should try to match the hike to your current fitness and technical level, but there are sometimes unexpected challenges along the trail. In general, staying calm and positive will help, but you also need to create a plan to get out of the situation. You must feel confident in executing this plan whether it is to attempt a difficult crossing or rerouting your planned route. If you are not able to figure out a safe solution, then the best options are usually to signal for help from nearby people, Rega (the rescue helicopter), or to turn around. I have had hikes where the trail became too confusing or was closed and I had to turn around. It is disappointing when it happens, but it’s better than putting yourself and others in a dangerous situation.
