Hiking is one of the main forms of outdoor activities. In areas with complex and diverse terrain, rarely visited by people, there are no ready-made roads to follow and no clear signposts to indicate direction. Relying on maps, compasses, your own mind, and feet to "read" every inch of land, leaving footprints in places that are either breathtakingly beautiful or ancient and weathered, observing and learning various useful knowledge while walking through serene or lively surroundings can be a fulfilling experience. Hiking excursions cannot be separated from paths; the condition of the path directly relates to whether we can successfully cross it. Poor road conditions sometimes can cause harm to us. If we can master the techniques of walking on different surfaces well, our journey will be easier and more enjoyable. Walking safely and happily, here I have collected and organized some common experiences of traversing outdoor hiking trails, hoping it will be helpful for friends who like outdoor activities and those engaged in fieldwork.
1. Stone Slab Surface
Surface Characteristics: This type of surface mainly appears in rocky cliffs, steep cliffs, or stone fault zones where the bedrock is exposed. It may consist of either a single large stone slab or multiple stone slabs, and there are also man-made stone slab paths. Due to the smooth surface and frequent moss growth, these paths tend to be slippery, and accidents easily occur after rain or snow. Minor incidents might include falling or spraining an ankle, while severe cases could lead to fractures or serious injuries.
Walking Experience: After the rain, when climbing up the mountain, apart from wearing slip-resistant shoes, you should also keep your mood relaxed. While walking, don't lean too far forward; your center of gravity should be perpendicular to the ground's stone slabs. Use trekking poles as much as possible. When carrying a large backpack, the center of gravity of the pack should be slightly lower in the middle. Keep your hands on the rock wall or trees. When going downhill, always use trekking poles, and slightly lean forward. Try to step on the gaps between the stone slabs or nearby grass and plants. There should be a certain distance between two people to avoid one person falling and knocking down several others. After the snow, if professional equipment is available, four-toothed crampons are recommended. Without professional equipment, place your feet on tree roots or grass near the road and use trekking poles (or suitable branches and sticks if poles are unavailable).
2. Jumping Stone Surface
Surface Characteristics: So-called jumping stones refer to paths without obvious routes, formed primarily by long-term rainfall erosion and flash floods in valleys and gorges. Sometimes there is a path but surrounded by farmland where farmers toss out stones during cultivation, accumulating them on the path. Over time, this creates a path of varying-sized stones. Walking on such a surface requires jumping from stone to stone, amidst fine sand, small streams, and large rocks, with potential hazards lurking everywhere.
Walking Experience: The most important thing is to overcome the fear of jumping stones, which requires concentration. Avoid entering canyons for stone jumping just before or right after heavy rain to prevent flash floods. Prepare a pair of thick-soled, hard-bottomed hiking shoes. Before jumping stones, check if your shoelaces are loose and tighten your backpack straps to keep the bag close to your back to avoid instability while jumping. Look ahead while walking, accurately judge the next foothold, and observe the dark marks left on some stones from frequent stepping. Additionally, clean your shoe soles thoroughly. If sand gets stuck on your soles, be cautious about your knees and front teeth.
3. Dirt Road Surface
Surface Characteristics: This type of surface is the most common, formed mainly by the weathering of stones and the long-term trampling of uncovered ground without vegetation. You might think this is the easiest path to walk on, but this idea is greatly mistaken. During the rainy season, this kind of surface turns into what is known as a muddy road, making it very easy to fall and injure your knees.
Walking Experience: After heavy rain and exposure to the sun, the dirt road surface may appear dry, but it has actually absorbed a lot of moisture. At this time, it is easy to encounter danger while ascending or descending. When walking on this type of surface, ensure your shoe soles grip the ground firmly, and make full use of trekking poles as support points to avoid accidentally stepping into deep mud. Additionally, due to the large temperature difference between day and night in spring and autumn, dirt roads are prone to icing after rain or snow, increasing the risk. In such situations, fully utilize trekking poles and anything that can provide support while climbing. Always ensure that the support point is secure before using it.
4. Shrubbery
Surface Characteristics: Shrubbery includes many types and can generally be divided into natural shrubbery and artificial plantation shrubbery. Natural shrubbery mainly exists in dense forests with a variety of low-growing shrubs. The soil is often slippery and soft, and there might be swamps, posing significant dangers. Artificial plantation shrubbery is mainly found on dry slopes and planted to prevent wind erosion. The soil here is usually dry, sandy, and seemingly hard but becomes slippery once stepped on.
Walking Experience:
When walking through shrubbery, bring glasses, hats, and zip up your jacket. Maintain at least 1.5 meters distance between team members to prevent injury from rebounding branches. Constantly remind those behind to maintain a safe distance to avoid getting lost. When passing through natural shrubbery, it’s best to have auxiliary equipment and experienced leaders or local guides to scout ahead. Pay attention to the fact that shrubs often have short thorns, and there are many mosquitoes. It is recommended to wear high-cut anti-slip shoes with deep grooves, long sleeves, and long pants, paying attention to protecting your face. Artificial plantation shrubbery is higher and more thorny than natural shrubbery. Gloves (preferably leather), long-sleeved high-necked scratch-resistant clothing, and good anti-slip trekking shoes are recommended. When hiking through such shrubbery, try to choose stable and wider paths, preferably holding onto fresh branches that can support your weight. When changing handholds, ensure they are secure, and move slowly and steadily.
5. Snow Traversal
Surface Characteristics: Snow-covered paths form due to snow accumulation. Since the snow covers the terrain, it becomes difficult to judge the topography and road conditions, making the situation complex. Snow leads to slipperiness, greater resistance, and inconvenience in movement.
Walking Experience: When walking in snow, especially during snowfall or on snow that has been accumulated for a long period, maintaining a fixed pace and rhythm is crucial. Randomly accelerating or taking overly large steps can lead to fatigue. Moving calmly and steadily according to your own pace is essential. If the snow is only deep enough to cover your shoes, it almost doesn’t affect your stride, allowing you to walk as if on flat ground. However, when the snow reaches above your knees, each step becomes quite energy-consuming, and fatigue sets in quickly. If the snow reaches waist-deep, you’ll need to push the snow aside with your feet and waist, adopting a method known as “clearing snow and advancing” to reduce fatigue. The key to clearing snow and advancing is leaning your body (especially the upper body) forward in the direction of travel, using your center of gravity and weight to push the snow aside and move forward. When crossing snowfields with knee-deep or shallower snow in a group, follow the leader's footsteps closely to reduce fatigue. On soft or deep snow, wearing snowshoes prevents sinking and allows for easier movement.
Traversing snowy slopes requires extra caution. Snowy slopes, due to their steepness, increase the difficulty of walking. With the ground covered by snow, it’s important to watch out for cracks and avoid collapsing the snow. At the boundary between snow-covered and icy slopes, the snow is often deep, and movement must be conducted in groups (2-3 people per group). Before crossing snow bridges, the lead person should test the bridge's stability. If the snow is very soft and passage is necessary, crawl forward. When climbing steep snowy slopes, ensure both feet are steady before moving. Step forward with the front part of your feet to create steps before moving the other foot. If you accidentally slip, immediately lie down to prevent sliding. Avoid walking over areas with obvious cracks. Walk on harder snow when possible. Do not quench thirst with snow or ice when hot, as sudden consumption can cause throat inflammation. If extremely thirsty, rinse your mouth with melted snow and try not to swallow it, as water increases the burden on your body's circulatory organs, affecting stamina. When walking long distances on soft snow, take larger strides to reduce time spent on the snow. Move your feet slightly backward before lifting them upward and stepping forward. This gives the snowshoes space to move and helps remove attached snow. On steep slopes, use the inner edge of the snowshoe to step firmly, avoiding leaning outward. When the snow is frozen solid, it’s better to walk without snowshoes. When traversing valleys, stay close to the centerline to avoid rolling rocks from the slopes.
6. Mountain Traversal
Surface Characteristics: Mountains are often composed of undulating hills or gullies, interspersed with small streams, cliffs, or forest clusters. The surface can be complex, potentially including stone slabs, muddy roads, jumping stones, and shrubs, requiring the combined application of various hiking traversal skills.
Walking Experience: To avoid getting lost, save energy, and increase speed, it’s best to stick to existing roads rather than cutting through forests and mountains. Choose wide roads over narrow ones. If no road exists, opt for longitudinal ridges, spines, mid-mountain regions, riverbanks, areas with tall trees, sparse forests, large gaps, and low sparse grasslands. Generally, avoid deep ravines and heavily vegetated areas with intertwined vines and bamboo, aiming to traverse ridges instead of valleys and following longitudinal paths. Follow the principle of taking large strides, even in mountainous areas. Increasing your stride length allows you to take fewer steps over long distances, conserving energy. As the saying goes, “It’s not the slow pace that matters, but stopping.” When tired, rest by walking slowly and relaxing rather than standing still. Standing for just a minute equates to walking several dozen meters.
Mountain traversal frequently involves encountering various rock slopes and steep walls. Therefore, rock climbing is a primary skill in mountaineering. Before climbing rocks, carefully observe their quality and degree of weathering, then determine the climbing direction and route. The basic method of rock climbing is the “three-point fixation” technique, requiring coordination between hands and feet. Fix two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand, then move the remaining point, gradually raising your center of gravity. When using this method, avoid jumping or rushing, and do not move two points simultaneously. Ensure stability, lightness, and speed, choosing the most suitable distance and sturdiest support point based on your situation. Don’t take overly large steps or grab or step on points that are too far away.
Grass slopes and gravel slopes are the most widely distributed terrains in mountainous areas. Below an altitude of 3000 meters, except for steep cliffs, most areas are grass slopes and gravel slopes. Climbing slopes below 30 degrees can be done along straight lines. Lean slightly forward, use the entire sole of your foot, bend your knees slightly, and keep your feet in an outward V-shape. Take moderate strides that aren’t too large or fast. When the slope exceeds 30 degrees, straight-line climbing becomes difficult due to limited ankle flexibility and the tendency for loose gravel to roll, leading to slips. In such cases, the “zigzag” ascent method is generally used, where you climb diagonally in a zigzag pattern. When climbing, keep your legs slightly bent, lean forward, point your inner toes forward, and use the entire sole of your foot. Slightly angle your outer toes outward. When traversing grass slopes, avoid grabbing trees or pulling on grass vines, as this can cause falls. On gravel slopes, tread lightly to avoid dislodging stones. If you accidentally slip, immediately face the slope, spread your arms and legs, and extend your feet (toe up) to shift your center of gravity upward, reducing sliding speed. Look for something to hold onto or support yourself with. Never sit facing outward, as this can increase sliding speed and lead to dangerous rolling on steep slopes.
During the rainy season, avoid low-lying areas like valleys and streams to prevent flash floods and landslides. In thunderstorms, seek shelter in low-lying areas or dense shrubbery rather than under tall trees, which attract lightning. When seeking shelter from thunderstorms, temporarily store metal items in an easily accessible location, or find a low area to lie down in. In case of strong winds, heavy snow, or dense fog in mountainous areas, stop moving and take refuge under cliffs or in caves until conditions improve. Do not overestimate your physical endurance. Rest when fatigued. Don’t wait until you're completely exhausted to rest, as recovery will be difficult. A good method is to alternate between brisk walking and slow-paced walking or brief stops to adjust your breathing. When standing, avoid removing your backpack to lighten the load. Instead, prop it up with a wooden stick to reduce body strain. If it's cold, avoid sitting on rocks, as they rapidly absorb body heat.
7. River Traversal
Surface Characteristics: River traversal is a potential issue in outdoor hiking. Maps can help determine if the traversal area contains major rivers, but in complex terrain, especially with significant altitude differences and deeply cut river valleys, even seemingly small streams can become obstacles. During seasons prone to heavy rain, small streams that initially seem harmless can swell into raging rivers. Thus, choosing a proper crossing point is crucial.
Walking Experience: The best approach is to look for bridges or ask locals about bridge locations. Only consider crossing on foot as a last resort. When crossing a river, the first step is to carefully observe the water flow. Choose shallow sections with slower currents and aim to land on a side that is easy to exit. Avoid crossing directly above or beside waterfalls, as these areas are typically deep with strong currents. Narrow upstream sections might allow wading across, but always test the depth with a pole first. There might be rocks to step on, or you can place stones to aid crossing. In team expeditions, some individuals might be able to jump across narrow sections or use rocks to traverse the stream, but if others cannot, the effort might not be worthwhile. Falling on slippery rocks can easily result in ankle injuries. River bends often have turbulent waters and wider surfaces, sometimes influenced by tides, so avoid crossing there unless you have a raft or floating device. Otherwise, move upstream to find a suitable crossing point. On wide rivers, if conditions permit, you can construct a floatation device to swim across, though even with rafts or floating devices, crossing should be approached cautiously. Strong currents might carry you far from your intended destination. Decisions should be based on actual conditions, considering how water flow and waves affect navigation. If the water is too cold, construct a raft to keep your feet dry upon reaching the other side, allowing you to start a fire and dry off promptly.
Only consider wading across if the water is shallow enough to merely wet your shoes and socks. When crossing, adopt a diagonal approach, aiming to land downstream. Crossing a river is inherently dangerous, so wear socks and shuffle your feet while crossing. Use a walking stick for balance, placing it upstream for stability. A rope (such as a climbing rope) can be a great tool; fix one end to the shore and tie the other around the waist of the first person, providing security for those following. The water depth for wading should not exceed knee level; if it reaches waist level, proceed only if the current is exceptionally slow. Face the opposite bank with your body angled against the current, which will help push you toward the other side. Take small steps and drag your feet. Test the water depth and reliability of footing with a stick. Avoid directly wading across swift currents unless absolutely necessary. In such cases, use a long sturdy stick to push toward central rocks and cross in a semi-circle. Long pants or floating bags can replace life rings, and logs or wood pieces can be utilized to assist in crossing.