Forum Index > Trail Talk > How to hike in the COVID-19 era
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Cyclopath
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
PostSun Mar 22, 2020 8:10 pm 
I want to share some advice and thoughts about how to hike safely during this dark time. I hope this sparks a good conversation. If anybody else has good info I'll update the OP. It's ok to hike, but you have to avoid other people, and you have to not get hurt. First let's go over some facts: a lot of people aren't working, schools are closed, NPs are waving entry fees "in an effort to aid public social distancing," the media is pushing hiking as a good way to escape the boredom at home, and nothing else is open. This means: there are a lot of people hiking now who wouldn't normally hike, so expect crowding, and weekday vs weekend doesn't mean that much right now in terms of how crowded it will be. You can't always get 6 feet away from the trail, there are natural obstacles. Parking was overflowing at several I90 trails all weekend, lot of opportunities for people to be too close, especially when some of them are breathing heavy from exertion. 1 - Don't do popular trails like Wallace Falls or Lake 22. 2 - The further you drive, the more solitude you'll find. 3 - Don't go to peaks, lakes, or waterfalls, they bring people out. 4 - Hike without a trail, obviously only if you know how to navigate with a map and compass. 5 - Lower your standards, it doesn't have to be the most scenic trail in the state, it just has to get you out and in a natural setting. Look at the map, find opportunities for nice hikes that won't occur to other people. 6 - Stay within your limits. It's not fair to ask SAR to come get you during a pandemic, and you don't want to be taking up a hospital bed. 7 - Don't touch hand rails on bridges and other surfaces other people will touch. 8 - Bring enough food and water for the trip, both the hike and for the drive home. Remember, people are contagious days before they have symptoms, just because somebody did Mailbox Peak doesn't mean they're not shedding virus.

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zephyr
aka friendly hiker



Joined: 21 Jun 2009
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zephyr
aka friendly hiker
PostSun Mar 22, 2020 8:19 pm 
Cyclopath wrote:
I want to share some advice and thoughts about how to hike safely during this dark time. I hope this sparks a good conversation. If anybody else has good info I'll update the OP.
This is awesome. Thank you. ~z

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RichP
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PostSun Mar 22, 2020 9:00 pm 
Don't forget there are 1000's of miles of logging roads in the region. When they are snow covered, they are like a wide trail to ski or snowshoe. Not wilderness but away from the crowds and you still get some exercise.
On 3520+.'
On 3520+.'

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CBTalbert
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PostMon Mar 23, 2020 6:14 am 
Washington Trails Association put out an excellent set of recommendations several days back which follow the same theme: https://www.wta.org/go-outside/hiking-in-the-time-of-coronavirus

Cheryl aka TreeLady
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thunderhead
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PostMon Mar 23, 2020 11:43 am 
Round up 5 other teenagers and bored UW undergrads. Drive in 1 car. Find a dog. Go to rattlesnake. Play loud music. Leave dog bag behind. Post 46 selfies on instagram. You mean that's not it? Weird.

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Cyclopath
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
PostMon Mar 23, 2020 12:14 pm 
CBTalbert wrote:
Washington Trails Association put out an excellent set of recommendations several days back which follow the same theme: https://www.wta.org/go-outside/hiking-in-the-time-of-coronavirus
Thanks for adding this. It mostly agrees with the advice here, except for staying near home vs driving further to use less-crowded trails. Any thoughts?

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bullfrog
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PostMon Mar 23, 2020 12:24 pm 
Great tips. I might add that we had a lot of washouts in December, which means many access roads are closed miles from the trailheads. But this means you can do a road walk away from other people and enjoy the wilderness even if the trailhead is too far away. Check the road conditions posts here on NWHikers.net or the WTA blog for a list of road closures, drive to the barriers, and then enjoy the solitude.

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tmatlack
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PostThu Mar 26, 2020 1:57 am 
All, May I assume that it is ok to solo drive to a solo hiking spot? Tom

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gb
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gb
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PostThu Mar 26, 2020 6:28 am 
Here is an interpretation of the Governor's order at Crosscut. Notice that there is a link to interpretation as to hiking within the article: https://crosscut.com/2020/03/heres-what-washingtons-new-stay-home-order-means-you I think that driving to the mountains is questionable as to the intent of the order. But it seems that is not yet clearly defined. One thing is sure, if hikers are not careful to follow the intent of the order by avoiding any grouping the restrictions will get tighter.

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Cyclopath
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
PostThu Mar 26, 2020 9:49 am 
tmatlack wrote:
All, May I assume that it is ok to solo drive to a solo hiking spot? Tom
Wear gloves when you gas up. Pick a hiking spot no one else will be at.

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nordique
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PostSun Mar 29, 2020 4:33 pm 
Definitely! Nowadays, none of us carpool to hikes.

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Gwen
LO Girl-of-the-Month



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Gwen
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PostTue Mar 31, 2020 11:42 pm 
Cyclopath wrote:
Thanks for adding this. It mostly agrees with the advice here, except for staying near home vs driving further to use less-crowded trails. Any thoughts?
Driving afar potentially takes you into rural communities and open up an opportunity for the virus to spread into said communities. These small towns don't have the medical infrastructure to handle what will happen if the virus is introduced there. THAT'S why not to travel afar.

Tomorrow's not promised to anyone, so be bold, scare yourself, attempt something with no guarantee of success. You'll be amazed at what you can achieve. -Olive McGloin
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ale_capone
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PostWed Apr 01, 2020 8:57 am 
Exactly six feet long. If I can touch you with it, I'm gonna use it like a Singapore prison cane. wink.gif

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Bosterson
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PostWed Apr 01, 2020 10:39 am 
Walking briefly past people on the trail should not really be a concern. (Not that walking on trails is very possibly right now anyway...) If you walk past someone, hold your breath briefly.
Quote:
Like influenza, some experts now say, this virus appears to spread both through large droplets and droplets smaller than five micrometers — termed aerosols — containing the virus that infected people might release especially while coughing, but also while merely exhaling. They emphasized that the level of virus in both types of particles is low, so simply jogging or walking by an infected person does not put people at risk. “If you have a passing contact with an infectious person, you would have a very, very low chance of transmission occurring,” said Dr. Benjamin Cowling, an epidemiologist at the University of Hong Kong.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/31/health/coronavirus-asymptomatic-transmission.html

Go! Take a gun! And a dog! Without a leash! Chop down a tree! Start a fire! Piss wherever you want! Build a cairn! A HUGE ONE! BE A REBEL! YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE! (-bootpathguy)
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iron
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iron
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PostWed Apr 01, 2020 10:40 am 
i think people are missing the point. you're supposed to stay home. in your neighborhood. only "travel" is to the grocery store, or maybe to work if you're an essential worker. to try and justify and twist logic to reason your way into hiking is a slippery slope. the more people that do this (and other forms of this), the longer this stuff goes on. loose lips sink ships. if you don't stay in line, you jeopardize the sacrifices of so many and will help to extend the upcoming massive economic depression.

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Forum Index > Trail Talk > How to hike in the COVID-19 era
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