It’s getting hot again in Hong Kong. If you intend to go hiking from May to August when the temperature can hit over 30 celsius during the day, please take heed to our tips and guides so you can enhance your hiking experience in the heat. When hiking in heat, the risk of suffering various forms of heat illnesses will increase. This article is the first of a two-part series on hiking in hot weather and in series two we will share more about heat illnesses.
Planning and preparation
1. Pick the right route: choose a trail that offers shade, with access to water and is suitable for your level of physical fitness.
– If you’re relatively new to hiking or an infrequent hiker, find some routes that are shorter, the elevation not so high and the terrain isn’t so rugged. We offer some beginner route recommendations.
– Plan your route with our TrailWatch app, or check out the routes other hikers’ provided in the app for reference.
2. Check the weather, especially for temperature and humidity. Both high temperature and high humidity can have adverse effects.
3. Avoid hiking in peak heat times from around 12 – 3pm.
– Note that people aged 65 and over, those with underlying health conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure, who are on medication, and who are obese are at higher risk of heat-related illnesses and as such may need extra care and caution when hiking in hot weather.
Please also refer to our previous posts:
How to stay chill on trails during the hot summer? https://www.trailwatch.hk/?t=blog&i=617
Heat exhaustion or heat stroke? https://www.trailwatch.hk/?t=blog&i=626
What to bring
1. Bring lots of water with you. During the summer months, you sweat more. How much you need to drink to stay hydrated depends on a number of factors but a general rule is about 500ml of water per hour of moderate activity in moderate temperatures (i.e., when it’s hot, generally speaking you may need to drink more).
2. Bring electrolytes such as a sports drink (in powder or tablet form) and use when necessary. If you’re going on a longer hike in the heat, this may be even more important, as you’ll need to compensate for the increased loss in electrolytes through sweat.
3. Sun protection: sunscreen, sunglasses and even a tarp or umbrella.
– Apply sunscreen of SFP50+ before you leave home and reapply often (once per hour) while on the trails.
What to wear
1. Light-coloured, lightweight and loose-fitting clothing
– While it may seem counterproductive to wear long sleeves and long pants, the extra skin coverage protects you from the sun
2. The right socks! Our feet get sweaty when we hike, and sweaty feet are prone to blisters. Socks that are wool or synthetic are preferable to cotton socks as they breathe better and do not absorb moisture.
3. A wide-brimmed hat that covers the back of your neck is ideal.
– If not, bring a bandana or alike that can also protect your neck.
Extra resource:
How to prevent and cure blisters: https://www.trailwatch.hk/?t=blog&i=39
In our next article, we will provide tips for heat management on your hiking day. And, don’t forget to take a look at our other tips and tools here. We have plenty of resources, such as what to do when you encounter thunderstorms when in the mountains, hiking in the rain and how to manage strain and sprains.