Hiking News - A Photo Op Isn't Worth Your Life

A very tragic story came out of Denali National Park this weekend. A hiker was killed by a grizzly bear while taking pictures of it.

To read the whole story, click here.

It's important to supply yourself with knowledge before you head into the woods. Read up on the wildlife you can expect to encounter while on your trip. Keep your food and personal hygiene products in a bear bag at night, and read these tips here for what you should do if you encounter a bear. Also, remember the 7 P's: Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance - and in some cases can save your life.

Pulled from Wikipedia

Hiking News - Broken Ankle but not a Broken Spirit

Hubs stumbled across a story about a 21 year old girl who was hiking with a friend in Wyoming recently. After they saw a gorgeous sunset, they started towards their intended campsite. On the way, they came across a deep trench - 6ft wide and 8ft deep. As Lexi attempted to jump across she slipped, fell, and broke her ankle (pretty severely).

As her friend rushed off to get help, she made a video to try to keep herself positive and to take her mind off the pain. It's pretty awesome! Take a look!

Keeping your fear at bay is so important to be able to survive in an emergency situation. Whatever situation you find yourself in, take a deep breath, let go of the "what ifs", and allow yourself to think in terms of survival. 

And like I seem to be saying quite a bit - Always be prepared!

Way to go, Lexi!

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Hiking News - The Naked Rambler

I couldn't keep this one to myself. Have you guys heard about the Naked Rambler? Apparently, he roams the UK sans clothes, and is repeatedly arrested because of that. Well, now he's a free man (in more ways than one)!

Image pulled from BBC News

Check out BBC News for the full story.

So, if you're planning any hikes across the pond, you might want to avert your eyes should you come across someone who's taken "back to nature" a little too seriously!

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Hiking News - Inspiration

Earlier today while I was online, I stumbled across a story of two U.S. students who were hiking in New Zealand. They were just heading into the wilderness for a few days to study for finals and relax a bit, but a series of sudden rain storms and a snow storm, caused them to be stranded in the woods for 9 days!

The amazing part of this story is that they made it out alive. Walked themselves out, even! They were prepared enough to stay alive in the event of an emergency. It's a lesson that all hikers need to learn. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

You can read the entire story here. I am truly amazed by this resilient couple, who's quick thinking saved their lives.

As Hubs and I get closer to our first overnight hike, I often worry that we don't know enough of the basics to survive in an emergency. We are both quick on our feet and can be resourceful when necessary, yet I wonder how does one prepare for the unknown? After all, my expertise is finding that pair of BCBG shoes for $20, not wilderness survival!

The ISurvival Supply blog has some great tips that we can all learn from. It offers tips on food choices to first aid kits. Take a look and read for yourself. Even if you're not a hiker, these are good tips in the event of any emergency. So if you've been procrastinating putting together your emergency house hit, now I've taken away one more reason!

This couple has inspired me to think about trail survival. Even a day hike could go horribly wrong if you are unprepared. After this weekend's episode of not knowing what my trail looked like, I'm not taking silly chances again. I hope you don't, either.

Thank you so much for visiting My Journey from High Heels to Hiking Boots! I'd love to hear from you in the comments section! You can also follow me by email at the top of the left hand navigation bar by simply entering your email address. Happy Trails!