“Time to hit the trails!” Does that phrase fill you with excitement or deep, unsettling groans? When invited to go on a hike and all you can think of is trying to come up with an excuse as to why you can’t go, it may be time to figure out why hiking is so hard and if anything can be done about it.
Why is hiking so hard? Hiking is hard because you aren’t ready for it. You’re unprepared! For a physical activity that can put so many demands on you, you cannot jump in without some preparation and expect it to go well. For example you need to wear the right clothes and drink enough water. Here are 10 reasons why hiking is so hard and the solutions to show you the way to happy trails.
Table of Contents
1. You’re Unprepared
Basically, being unprepared as regards the where and when of your hike. If you plan to go on a new hike on Saturday at 3pm, but don’t look into where you are going until Saturday at 2:45 pm, your hike is going to be hard. This is different from visiting a nearby beloved trail that you know like the back of your hand. I mean rushing to find a new hiking experience at the last minute. This can lead to a lot of frustration and headache. You may think you are embracing spontaneity, but you’ve forgotten these details: how long does it take to get to the trail head? How long of a hike are you planning? If you start an unfamiliar hike late in the day, you could be caught out on the trail after dark. That can lead to getting lost or getting injured. Not fun! Or you might not get to hike at all when you figure out you don’t have enough time when you’ve already driven half way to the trail head! (Happened to me: hubby had a spot picked out to visit, figured out we left too late in the day while driving there, had to reschedule with disappointment. True story.)
What to do? Thankfully this is an easy fix of an ounce of prevention brings a pound of cure. Have a glance at the maps and distances for any new hike in advance. Especially if you have invited others to join you, take the time to know where you are headed and how long it is going to take to ensure an enjoyable experience. This doesn’t mean spending hours poring over maps and reviews for a light afternoon hike. Taking just a few minutes of knowing what to expect in terms of length of a hike and how to get to the trail head will have you on your way.
2. You’re Footwear is Wrong
Probably the number one reason that anyone could say hiking is (or can be) really hard is the pounding your feet take. Seasoned professionals know the wear and tear your feet will experience in this sport. Aches. Bruises. Blisters! Oh the blisters you can get while on the trail. Painful and sometimes bleeding, blisters can put you off of hiking in a hurry.
The best answer to foot troubles is foot care, and good foot care starts with proper footwear. Your shoes or boots need to be the right sort and right fit if you want to expect hiking to be a pleasure. This means having a good pair of hiking shoes or boots with adequate tread, ample arch and sole support, and fabric or material that will be rugged enough for the trail while still allowing your feet to breathe. Heel elevation should not be too high (no higher heeled boots, folks!) or your feet could be constantly sliding forward with each step. If you are going with a true boot, make sure the support for your ankles is firm enough without causing discomfort. As far as price, if you don’t plan on hiking day-in and day-out, you shouldn’t have to break the bank for a decent pair of hiking shoes or boots. Mid-range options can give you a good run. I loved my pair of Columbia light hikers that I got for under $100. I wore them for everything outdoors and they still lasted me nine years. If your footwear gets damaged or is showing its age, the support it provides will decline. At that point, get your hiking shoes or boots repaired, resoled or replaced. Your feet will thank you.
For fit, a good rule of thumb is one thumb-width between the end of your long toe and the end of your shoe. The width of your shoe should allow some wiggle room for your foot base, not being too snug. Having proper fitting footwear is a first step to preventing blisters. A shoe or boot that is too tight in the front can cause rubbing in the back and this will give you blisters.
Important, too, is the socks you will be wearing for your hike. Fabrics should wick moisture away from the skin and dry quickly. Wool and synthetic materials can be a good choice. Cotton retains water so is not as good a choice if you will be hiking in them for hours. Socks are great too for any added cushioning they can provide within your footwear.
In between hikes, give your feet plenty of time to air out and rest. Keep toenails well trimmed. Promptly treat any injuries your feet do encounter. Sometimes, no matter the preventative measures you have taken, a blister still manages to weasel its way on to your foot. Bandages and waterproof tape are lifesavers for protecting your skin while it heals. Tapes can also be used beforehand to prevent blisters in areas you know are prone to rubbing despite proper footwear.
3. You’re Out of Shape
Huffing and puffing but not blowing anyone’s house down. Frankly, hiking is hard because you are out of shape. If you spend 90% of your life sitting down, how can you expect to do that well when you want to get up and go? According to Dr. Kevin Fontaine, PhD of Johns Hopkins University “Being just 10 pounds overweight increases the force on your knees by 30 to 40 pounds with every step you take.” If you take that and the fact that the average person takes 2,000 steps per a mile, the picture painted for your joints and body will be an uncomfortable one when on a hike.
You’re diet isn’t doing you any favours either. Although those hot wings and quesadillas tasted great going down, the effects they will have on you and your hike afterward will be less than stellar. According to dietitian Carra Richling writing for Ornish Living, just one fatty meal can lead to slower blood flow and stiffening arteries. If blood flow to your heart drops low enough, you could even suffer from chest pain, something you definitely don’t want to face while out on the trail.
Thankfully, hiking can be a great way to get in shape for hiking. Start small and start level-surfaced, go walking really. Build up little by little until your body is in the condition it needs to be for doing the hikes you really want to do. It won’t take as long as you think. If increasing physical activity is just not an option yet, do some research and lose some weight. Switch from the high fat and over processed to the whole foods and more plants way of eating to not only see the pounds drop, but for your cholesterol numbers and physical performance improve.
4. You’re Going Too Hard
Hiking would be great if it just didn’t leave you feeling so exhausted. To think, you completed that six hour hike in only five hours and you have nothing to show for it other than an achey body, heavy eyelids and crabby mood. Who would want to hike any way?
Wait a minute! Hiking is to be enjoyed, a means of getting away from checklists that you need to checkoff. Bragging about how many hikes you completed in how short a time isn’t going to get you far socially. Unless you have signed up for a bona fide race, it isn’t one! Pushing yourself too hard to think you have to complete x amount of miles in a day can backfire big time, especially if you are new and untrained. Your body will fight back or break with exhaustion or injuries.
Go slower. Take breaks. Find a reasonable stride and pace that fits you, not someone you are not. Hiking will not be so hard if you know yourself.
5. You’re Not Dressed Properly
Ooh, hiking is too hot and it makes you sweaty. And there are bugs that bite you and it makes you smell. Not to mention the blasted sunburn. Its too uncomfortable to be enjoyable. Hiking is hard (insert angry emoji here).
So, there is weather outdoors that isn’t a perfectly dry and consistent 71.6 F? Well, duh! Its outdoors. The changing weather is part of the beauty and adventure of going outside. I like the approach, and I think you can benefit to, from what the likes of Billy Connolly, Justin Barbour (NOT BEAVER) and apparently some Scandinavian parents have repeated: there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.
This holds so true for hiking. While you will be outside and the weather can be unpredictable, you can be prepared for a comfortable hike if you dress smart. Choose clothes that are not too tight or restrictive. Pick fabrics that wick sweat and dry quickly. Keep in mind natural fibres do not get smelly as quickly as most man-made fibres. Since you are hiking, your body will be generating lots of heat so dress more on the cooler side than you would for a stroll in the park. But, keep in mind that the minute you stop your hike your body will cool down quickly, so have some layers prepared to put on when you are wrapping up your hike.
Beyond just warm or cool, your apparel should keep you dry and shielded. If inclement weather is predicted, a good rain jacket or medium fleece will be wanted. Don’t forget your head. Wear a hat to protect from sun when sunscreen might wear off. For that matter, consider wearing long sleeves even in quite warm weather to protect your skin from sunburn. I learned this the hard way on a trip in Florida when my sunscreen washed off and I wasn’t in the shade. I burned sufficiently enough to decide to buy a sun shirt the next day at the campground gift shop. Worked great and turned into one of my favourite souvenirs!
When it comes to bugs, you can wear a bug jacket or wear bug repellant. It works well enough to prevent bug bites.
6. You’re Not Drinking Enough
I definitely mean your hike will be hard when you aren’t drinking enough water. Dehydration is no joke when you are on a hike. At the least it can make you thirsty and cranky. After that, it can quickly turn into tiredness, dulled thinking and danger.
Drink water and learn to pee in the woods if you have to. There are other beverages out there, but your body’s preferred liquid of choice is H2O. Carrying a bottle in hand can be all right if the hike is short and the bottle fits in your hand well, but I much prefer carrying my water in a small, comfortable backpack. Then I can also bring a few other items like a small first aid kit or a clothing layer.
7. You Picked the Wrong Hike
Hiking is hard when you go on a hike that isn’t for you. Too steep, too long, too short. Not enough trees, too many trees. The scenery is leaving you uninspired. Is there even a point to hiking?
This problem is kind of like when you are trying a new food for the first time and someone else orders for you. Like the first time I had Lebanese shwarma. My husband was trying hard to get me to like it, but because I was unfamiliar with the food, I didn’t know what to expect and thought I didn’t like it when really, it was how he ordered it, too many pickles! Turned out, I love shwarma when I had it prepared to my taste. Same thing goes for hikes. Know what you prefer and what you are looking for in a hike. Whether regarding difficulty level, scenery or size of crowds, take a few minutes to find a hike that matches you. Read some guidebooks for the hikes you’re interested in and sample the most promising ones. You’ll find you love a hike when its too your taste. Suddenly, hiking isn’t so hard, after all.
8. You Picked the Wrong Companion
Every time I go hiking with Kevin, its just hustle hustle all the time. Give me a break! This is dumb. Hiking is too hard!
– Or –
Oh dear, I’m stranded and nobody knows where I am. Uh oh.
Ahh! In both instances, the wrong companion was picked: someone diagonally opposed in what they want in a hike from you or no one at all. Both can make it miserable, either can make it dangerous. Be wary of the hiking companion that is the “Hey Y’all, watch this!” sort, is constantly trying to push you where you don’t want to head or is just difficult to listen to on the trail. Though you have your friends, in specific situations like hiking, being extra selective about your companions will protect your safety and sanity. Pick those with similar or compatible reasons for hiking that you have and you will get along well.
Just as important, don’t hike alone without informing someone of your plans and what time you expect to get back. Then, stick to those plans. Super important that if you get lost or injured, your back ups will have an accurate starting point from which to start looking for you. The outdoors are a great place to be, but you need to avoid the attitude “It can’t happen to me.”
9. The Terrain is Difficult and “Insert Here” Unexpectedly Happened
Even with the best planned hike, something can go so unexpectedly wrong as to make hiking hard. These sort of events should be rare when you have prepared properly, but sometimes you are merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sudden illness, crazy weather or an accident will make hiking hard.
And there is nothing you can do about it. In this one instance, it is truly out of your hands that the hike has become so hard. Turn your attention to safety and well being. There are a few things that can mitigate outright disaster, but keep your wits around you and do your best.
10. You Started Off on the Wrong Foot
“Hiking is stupid hard, and there’s nothing you can do that will change my mind!” you say.
You’re probably right. If you have decided to believe that hiking is hard and no amount of expert explaining or flat out fantastic experiences will change your mind, you’re doomed (there may be some other words that could describe this attitude, too). The only way to solve this is decide to believe otherwise. Like the travelling guru Rick Steves would say “If (it) isn’t to your liking, change your liking.”
Understandably, bad experiences can be hard to overcome. Whether from being dressed poorly for the weather or being out of breath from too many Twinkies, having a tough time hiking might be etched in your memory. If you take your time to know the enemy, the things that make hiking hard, and eliminate them, you win.