Summer Hiking

[buck]

Apart from the heat, snakes, and maybe less water, are there any other things to be overly concerned about when hiking during the summer? It seems the vast majority of trail journals I've read involve non-summer month hiking trips. This causes me to wonder if there is something I don't know about summer hiking, but should learn fast.

[jedbear]

I seldom think about snakes on the trail; they wish to avoid you as much as you do (perhaps cottonmouths are
the exception). I do a lot of bushwhacking where you can't see the ground for the bush and ground clutter. I just
don't think about snakes. Now wasps and yellow jackets are another matter. They'll get you sooner or later!
The other problems are mostly nuisance pests; gnats, yellow flies, mosquitos. Probably of the mentioned issues
you noted, water and heat are the most needful in Summer. The hot months are the time to always pack the
extra common sense!

              jedbear

[auwesman]

Yeah, I dislike hiking in the summer with a passion.  I mean....I WILL....just not my favorite.  Mostly the heat.  I just wear out faster, require more water and my feet are on fire.  Generally if I'm hiking in the summer I try to stick to early mornings and evenings, even if that means hiking a few miles with a headlamp.  Plus the Alabama humidity, it just seems like you never get dry.  I usually wind up covering a lot less miles (I can go all day when its 50 degrees out!)
So to answer your question some concerns are:
1. Heat (stroke, more water needed)
2. MOSQUITOS/ticks
3. Burn bans
 and then all of the other things you mentioned.
So far so good on water availability this year!

[WolfVanZandt]

I agree......but then I think it's possible to be overly concerned about anything. There's not too much out there that will kill a "reasonable and prudent" person.

In Alabama, you can add summer thunder storms and the attendant flash flood in some areas.

And, of course, the despicable rarity of good milkshakes in the modern world.

Fact is, I don't like summer outdoor activities, not because there are dangers out there, but because it's so darned unpleasant. I hate being hot (it saps me). I hate my clothes sticking to me. I hate bugs biting me. I hate sweat in my eyes. I hate summer glare. I hate summer crowds. And although I don't hate children, I absolutely abhor being around them for more than just a few minutes at a time.

[ednotmilkman]

I'm trying to think of the positives to summer hiking in AL 

1) July huckleberry and gooseberries in Cheaha Wilderness; muscadines all over in Sept.

2)  no need for sunscreen with the leaves fully out. same for your shirt except after the shoulder straps rub your love handles raw.


that's all I can think of at the moment

[auwesman]

I've got one posative - Lighter pack.  I carry more water but it still doesn't weigh as much as: Warmer sleeping bag, jacket, vest, gloves, thermal undies, etc etc etc

[Uncle Wayne]

Poison ivy.  I know you can "get it" anytime of the year but I hate seeing it full and green in the summer.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Poison ivy.  I know you can "get it" anytime of the year but I hate seeing it full and green in the summer.

I didn't get poison ivy ONCE in Alabama. I was so lucky. Doing yardwork here before the leaves (last month) I got it in my EYE!

[dogwood]

I'll have to agree with "Ednotmilkman's"  post of positives, and add Rhododendron and Mt. Laurel in late spring.  Longer days are nice, but humid nights(especially if there's not a breeze!) can be miserable! However, wading and swimming in a creek, during a hot summer day, sure is refreshing...

[PastorLarryT]

Good question and comments!

I DO hike in the summer.  I hike because I enjoy getting outdoors so much.  The benefits (to me) of being outside far surpass the attendant discomforts.  The "dangers" associated with summer in the South can be mitigated by common sense.  Yes, I feel more comfortable in the Fall-Winter-Spring; but I do enjoy the Summer too.  

In brief:

01. Start hikes earlier (the early summer mornings are great!).  Avoid hiking in the middle of the day when possible.
02. Wear appropriate clothing (wide brimmed hat, shades, comfortable clothing)
03. SUNSCREEN & Repellent (Check yourself for ticks.)
04. Hydrate sufficiently (carry enough water)
05. Pace yourself -- enjoy GOD's Creation!
06. Include some "fun spots"  (a nice spring, waterfall, or creek to play in; favorite shady-spot for a picnic; a cave)
07. Couple the hike with a water related activity (kayak/canoe, fishing, swimming, etc.)
08. Watch where you step (but I very rarely see snakes on a hike -- they feel you coming long before you see them).

[Lesley]

I like creek hiking in the summer time, but with all the rain lately I'm going to have to get a boat.

[Joshua Szulecki]

I like creek hiking in the summer time, but with all the rain lately I'm going to have to get a boat.

I've destroyed more shoes and boots doing that...

[PastorLarryT]

I like creek hiking in the summer time, but with all the rain lately I'm going to have to get a boat.

I've never tried that... don't know why.  It makes good sense! 

[Uncle Wayne]

I've destroyed more shoes and boots doing that...

Yeah me too.  If you've never seen a snake in the Sipsey, try hiking down a creek during the summer.  I'll guarantee you'll see more than you want to when you do that or I always have.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Yeah me too.  If you've never seen a snake in the Sipsey, try hiking down a creek during the summer.  I'll guarantee you'll see more than you want to when you do that or I always have.

And the ones in water are my least favorite...

[Lesley]

Hmmm... never saw a snake doing that. Pretty butterflies like to suck on the mud though   I just wear regular old sneakers or trail shoes. Not boots. Socks are a must when doing this, preferably wool.  I tried chaco's and I ended up with a lot of pebbles in my soles and no easy way to get them out.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Hmmm... never saw a snake doing that. Pretty butterflies like to suck on the mud though   I just wear regular old sneakers or trail shoes. Not boots. Socks are a must when doing this, preferably wool.  I tried chaco's and I ended up with a lot of pebbles in my soles and no easy way to get them out.

Yeah, you've got to stick to something synthetic like sneakers. Put leather in those conditions, and it will either be unwearable (at least for a while) afterwards, or it will self-demolish. I used to use those water sneakers (the stretchy ones for the beach/pool), but they are really dangerous with weak ankles.

[buck]

Summer Thunderstorms and Lightening: What course of action do you take when storms hit while you are deep in the woods? What are the do's and do not's?

[Joshua Szulecki]

Very very freightening...

The first thing I do is check the weather before I leave, which *usually* avoids the problem. I've also had Skywarn weather spotter training, so I'm halfway decent at guessing when it is time to go home, before the storm hits.

This advice isn't half-bad for when you can't avoid the storm:
http://www.cimms.ou.edu/~.../tstm_camping_safety.html

[auwesman]

Walk into center of nearest field, raise fully extended trekking pole or tent pole above head............ ......hope for the best    I kid I kid!

I really enjoy being caught in the wilderness during a good thundershower... well...sometimes .  If I've got a destination that I'm stretched to hit it can be rather annoying.  If it's just raining I normally trek on.  I have had one storm that was so severe we couldn't make shelter so we had to yank the rain fly out of the stuff sack and held on for dear life.  That was mostly to help sheild from the hail.  However I've only ONCE encountered a storm so bad I felt the need to stop.

[Cuffs]

I actually prefer to hike in the warmer months... yea, I know, strange!  But I have no tolerance for cold weather (especially cold and wet weather!)

I love Ed's reasons for hiking in warm weather.  Nothing better than reaching out your tent door to grab a handful of blueberries to toss into your cereal!!

I also like the shade provided by the leaves.  Being prone to AK (skin cancer) I still wear sunscreen, but the leaf cover helps alot!

Lesley:  I too love creek hiking.  I have a trip planned for July on the Jacks River Trail in N. Georgia if you want to go along.  Its only 16+ miles long, but your first crossing is within the first 1/4 mile and theres a total of about 45 crossings!!

[DeShazo]

I also love Summer hiking. Although being relatively new to backpacking, I have day hiked most of my adult life. I love the Summer because I love to find creatures and photograph them. Especially snakes, I know I am a weirdo. I always wanted to be a herpetologist when I was younger but never made time to go to school. I did several of the trails out at Desoto last weekend and found 2 snakes. A black rat snake and a brown water snake.

As far as the weather I don't mind the heat that much. So far what little backpacking I have done has been great. I am in a hammock at night and to me it is not near as hot as it was when I was in a tent, especially with the rainfly down on it.

[WolfVanZandt]

Yeah, I tend to love storms and will stand out in the open staring up with my mouth open in amazement....... but when I'm responsible for others......

At Buck's Pocket, we camped down in the gorge below the line of strikes. At Cheaha, storms seemed to go around the mountain. At Brushy Lake, the vehicles are close enough that we can head for the cars if a particularly bad storm comes up.

We've only had on SEHowl, though, since I started attending them, that we didn't have at least one horrific storm during the week.

[greened]

River trails. I usually hit North Georgia in the summer. Jacks river has 16 fords (I think) from Pen Branch to Dally Gap. If you're hot it's your fault. Others to hit are Conasauga, Panther Creek, Chatooga, etc... I've found that if you can camp next to a waterfall, the breeze coming off of it creates a natural AC for your camp site. Very nice...

[Joshua Szulecki]

I've found that if you can camp next to a waterfall, the breeze coming off of it creates a natural AC for your camp site. Very nice...

SACRILAGE!

Rule 11: "Don't camp around the waterfall. Never make a fire ring there." - http://waterfallchasing.b...rules-for-waterfalls.html

Just teasing! So long as you practice good LNT camping practices that first part isn't really all that relevant, because that is more a littering commentary than anything else.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Gosh I'm a dork. I just cited my own rule. 

[greened]

SACRILAGE!

Rule 11: "Don't camp around the waterfall. Never make a fire ring there." - http://waterfallchasing.b...rules-for-waterfalls.html

Just teasing! So long as you practice good LNT camping practices that first part isn't really all that relevant, because that is more a littering commentary than anything else.

I've never constructed a fire ring, near a waterfall or not. Never had much need, the trails are littered with them already. As far as camping near waterfalls, maybe I wasn't as careful with my wording as I should've been. Any time you can camp just downstream of rushing mountain water or a good cascade, especially in a bend, you will get a nice cool breeze through your site. I've never been one for camping next to big waterfalls for various reasons like too much traffic and people hanging out in your campsite all day... I can get that at a state park w/o all of the walking.

[Joshua Szulecki]

I've never constructed a fire ring, near a waterfall or not. Never had much need, the trails are littered with them already. As far as camping near waterfalls, maybe I wasn't as careful with my wording as I should've been. Any time you can camp just downstream of rushing mountain water or a good cascade, especially in a bend, you will get a nice cool breeze through your site. I've never been one for camping next to big waterfalls for various reasons like too much traffic and people hanging out in your campsite all day... I can get that at a state park w/o all of the walking.

The only spot I've even seen a campsite that was too close to a waterfall is at Upper Caney Creek Falls, where some people have been camping in the rock shelter directly adjacent to the falls. Of course, camping in rock shelters ads a whole new special dimension of things to watch out for. Squish.

I'm with you on the traffic. I've been known to drive 2 hours to photograph a waterfall, and turn back because I couldn't get some alone time with it. That's one reason why I love Sipsey... With the exception of Fall Creek Falls, the Big Tree, and Kinlock, chances are good you'll get to be left alone most of your trip.