Tips for Preparing to Hike

• Using a hiking stick can be a great way to increase your staminia. As with your hiking boots, a hiking stick should be lightweight; you don't want to use more energy to carry your hiking stick than the stick will save you in the long run. Hiking sticks are especially useful when navigating rocky terrain as it almost serves as a third leg, increasing your balance and helps to take strain off your lower back and legs.
• If you plan on camping out for a night or two while hiking, its a good idea to think about disinfecting your drinking water. Clean water is important for not only drinking, but cooking, cleaning dishes, and brushing your teeth! The safest way to clean your water is by using a water filter. There are varying styles with different features- you should look for one that has at least a 0.1 micron filter. Be warned- some filters do not remove virsuses from your water, only bacteria. A cheap alternative to water filters is chlorine or iodine to clean the water as well as boiling for at least 10 minutes. Check out this Google Notebook with some great references and instructions on how to use these methods.