After being sat on our sofas in lockdown for a good portion of earlier & this year, a lot of us are itching to get back outdoors and have a much-anticipated breath of fresh air. With restrictions still in place in certain areas, one to two days hikes could be a great option for us to get our outdoor fix. Here are some of our tips for preparing for Trekking Hiking after lockdown.
Practice:
Understandably, our stamina might not be up to scratch after the year we’ve had. Plunging straight into a strenuous hike could be dangerous, so we recommend building your strength up prior to visiting the peaks. Try walking on flat surfaces to start with, gradually adding more distance on each time. You can then build up to more tiring routes on uneven surfaces to get the practice in for those mountainous paths you’ll soon be walking on. Adding some cardio and Yoga to daily routine will be good.
Once you’re ready to hike, going on a familiar route first is always a good idea so you can get your body used to enduring the activity, but on a well-known path or with a guide in a group of known friends. Then when you’re ready, you can challenge yourself with more difficult hiking routes and dare to adventure somewhere new. Remember to acclimatize first.
Planning and preparation:
The first thing is to select routes and mountains that aren’t too challenging. This is to avoid accidents and situations that will require outside help. Try to get information on the facilities available en route and follow the local rules on curfew, quarantine and permissions from district and forest officials.
While outdoor activities are generally safe, problems can arise from crowdedness and the resultant close contacts. It’s best to travel in small groups of 8-10. While Solo travelling is fun but its better to avoid it for sometime.
As you might have noticed and through your earlier experience you know, the solo trekker are often made to join a group at the base camp because facilities like Guide, Tents, Pick up and drop are difficult to arrange especially for a single person, because of tariff reasons. Moreover, it might cost you higher in these times.
So to avoid going with unknown set of peoples, this time Travel Monk Adventures advises you to travel with a group of known friends (7-8 people). So that all the facilities can be arranged for your group specifically & separately. This also minimize the risk as well.
It is also advised those over 50 years, with one or more chronic health conditions (diabetes, heart or kidney diseases, etc.), to consult their physician before any trek. Those who are above 65 and suffer from chronic conditions must avoid going altogether.
Post-lockdown, transport might be an issue. These too might have higher tariffs than usual. Kindly cross check and pre-decide to & fro charges with Taxi service from nearest bus stand, Railways station or Airport.
Be self-sufficient:
Self-sufficiency: Carry your own food, water, medicines, toiletries and camping gear. Though Travel Monk Adventures provided Separate toiletries & Sanitized Camping gear to everyone, it is better to confirm for same with your trek leader/organizer.
Avoid dhabas and restaurants and try not to enter villages.
To avoid transmission in enclosed spaces, We recommend that air-conditioning in vehicles be switched off and windows rolled down. Surfaces should be sanitized regularly and stay in dormitories or other places requiring close contact be avoided.
We advise Above 3,000m, ascent profiles must deliberately be planned on a conservative side. “No more than 300m (1,000ft) of sleeping height (should be) gained per day. We also recommends a rest day every third day.
There have been reports of a lot of animals frequenting what used to be tourist spots because very few people have been there all these months. So consult the locals on where you would find these animals and then go. Best case follow your Trek Leader, avoid any self-exploration, and be with your group. Remain close to marked trails.
The 3Cs:
We recommend 3Cs to guard against virus transmission: Avoid Crowds, Avoid any Close Contact and Closed spaces.
Every team member is under (an) ethical obligation to disclose to the leader, under cover of confidentiality, any of the following: travel history, any symptoms suggestive of covid-19, sharing household or close contact with a person with covid-19 in the previous 14 days.
While trekking, it advises maintaining a physical distance of at least 2m at all times. On steeper sections of a hill, the distance should be increased to 6m. This is to avoid the “slipstream effect”. This is a bit technical but understanding it will surely help you in preparing for trekking hiking after lockdown.
Side Note:- Slipstream effect – With a faster moving human body letting out finer aerosols due to heavy breathing.
Mask should be kept accessible and used along with sanitizers at rest points.
“In mountaineering, we share the gear and handholds with others,” John Porter, former president of the Alpine Club (UK), said at a webinar. “Unless you are part of the same household, it’s safer to stay away. Or go with those you know.”
Camping Do’s and Don’ts:
Given the need for social distancing, it is recommended to keep distance between tents, with special consideration for kitchen tents and the water source. Within tents, we recommend a distance of 2m between sleeping bags or a temporary partition.
Being small, enclosed and often poorly ventilated, toilet tents pose a risk of transmission. “One toilette tent must be shared by a minimum number of persons that is practically feasible under the given circumstances, say two-three per tent,” the IMF (Indian Mountaineering Institute) says. “Flaps must be kept open when not in use… It must be each user’s responsibility to carry out bleach disinfection of the surfaces after use and do the hand hygiene.”
At times, you might have to stop for rest en route, like at a school, a temple or a hut, It’s best to make sure the place is disinfected or take your stop at a well ventilated space. If you sleep, make sure there’s some distance. If the place is small and you have to sleep next to each other, make sure you sleep where your faces aren’t next to each other but up and down.”
Verdict:
Following above recommendation and Govt. guidelines will help minimize the risk of covid-19 and help you preparing for Trekking Hiking after lockdown.
Be Safe. Happy Travelling.
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In featured pic :- Abhishek Singh. IG Handle@ crockroaz_abhi
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