Biggest Mistakes Novice Hikers Make

New York Times, Aug. 12, 2022

At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, Americans flocked to the outdoors in greater numbers. In 2020, more than 68.5 million Americans participated in overnight backpacking and day hiking, a 13.6 percent increase over the year before, according to a report from the Outdoor Foundation. That surge has also accompanied an increase in the number of hiking-related injuries observed by park and rescue officials.

“Sometimes going out without the skills leads to bad circumstances,” said Jennifer Pharr Davis, who has hiked more than 14,000 miles of long trails and is the owner of the Blue Ridge Hiking Company. Kate Van Waes, the executive director of the American Hiking Society, added that hikers should learn to find their adventure within the expertise they have, which can always grow with experience.

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