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Make sure you're prepared and pack the right supplies when you hit the trails in Colorado. Wochit

I must admit that my column on “Hiking Safety” was remiss on several fronts. And readers from all over New York (and all the way to North Carolina, Kentucky and much of New England), sent me emails containing items that they felt should have been included in my list of things to take along on a hike.

In most cases, those readers were right.

The most common item mentioned was an LED headlamp. That makes great sense because a lamp can keep the wearer on the beaten path if darkness falls. And it makes finding a lost person much easier.

Hiking in the dark is downright dangerous for countless reasons. A handheld flashlight was second in numbers. Some readers suggested taking along both. And almost everyone who responded suggested taking along extra batteries. That is always a good idea, too.

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Another item that becomes invaluable when an emergency occurs is a whistle. When blown hard it becomes audible at some impressive distances, depending of course on the terrain it is used in. Weight is never a factor since a durable metal whistle weighs around an ounce and a plastic model is half that.

Something else I was remiss in mentioning was a knife. Even a small pocket knife can become an invaluable tool when the chips are down. I would recommend carrying two knives.

One would be a sturdy sheath knife with a sharpening stone in a case attached on the sheath. The other should be a multi-blade pocket knife such as those offered by Buck Knives (I’ve had a Buck knife since forestry classes in college, more than five decades ago).

I also have a really useful multitool made by Gerber. I purchased the “horseman’s” model because it had all of the survival “blades” I needed and I had two horses at the time. It comes with a durable nylon sheath and fits any belt size. I carried it for most of my LE career, and still carry it now when going afield.

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Other suggestions included a compass and map of the area to be hiked. However, a compass is only useful for telling north from south unless the person using it takes the time to learn how to use it properly in conjunction with a topographic map.

That knowledge is not difficult to obtain, and it is well worth knowing even if the knowledge never has to be employed in an emergency situation.

Water purification tablets were another much-mentioned survival tip. I doubt there is anything more frustrating than being very thirsty and coming across a bubbling mountain stream, and knowing the dangers of drinking “raw” water (any surface water that might be infected).

Giardia is a tiny little germ that can cause intestinal “distress” to anyone ingesting it. I have a friend, a fellow agent, who almost died before doctors were able to cure this terrible disease.

There are some devices on the market that claim to turn suspected water into safe, potable water when sipped (like a straw) through them. I have not had an opportunity to test any of them, so it is a buyer-beware situation.

But I have had multiple opportunities to use purification tablets, and they have always worked well for me when the directions were followed.

And here is an idea I have not heard of before. A small pill bottle containing cotton balls saturated with petroleum jelly will start a fire, even with some damp leaf litter. According to several readers that mentioned them, they burn hot for a (relatively) long time and will start a fire every time.

And here is one more tip. Carry two 50 gallon trash bags (tightly folded they take up very little space and weigh less than an two ounces) for either an emergency poncho or even a shelter or ground “cloth.”

Since being injured or lost during a rain day is doubly uncomfortable, it sounds like a really good idea.

And here are the two most important items to pack along on any hiking trip. They are knowledge and common sense.

Knowledge often comes from reading and asking questions from other knowledgeable people. And common sense comes from sound judgment, often at the expense of past experience. If something looks dangerous or unsafe, it probably is, so find another solution to that problem.

Len Lisenbee is the Daily Messenger’s Outdoor Columnist. Contact him at lisenbee@frontiernet.net

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