Hiking: Difference between revisions

Hiking is one of the fundamental [[outdoor activity|outdoor activities]] on which many others are based.  Many beautiful places can only be reached overland by hiking.  Enthusiasts regard hiking as the best way to see nature.  It is seen as better than a tour in a vehicle of any kind (or on an animal; see horseback riding) because the hiker's senses are not intruded upon by distractions such as windows, engine noise, airborne dust in large quantities, and fellow passengers.  It has an advantage over standing in one place because the hiker may cover a wide area.

On the other hand, hiking over long distances or over difficult terrain does require some degree of physical ability and knowledge, as well as a [[backpack]] to carry food, water and [[Ten essentials|essential equipment]].  Hikers may be caught in inclement weather or suffer mishaps.  Some jurisdictions (for example, New Hampshire) now require inadequately prepared hikers to pay for their own rescues.

Hikers often seek beautiful environments in which to hike. Ironically, these environments are often fragile: hikers may accidentally destroy the environment that they enjoy. The action of an individual may not strongly affect the environment. However, the mass effect of a large number of hikers can degrade the environment. For example, gathering wood in an alpine area to start a fire may be harmless once (except for wildfire risk). Years of gathering wood, however, can strip an alpine area of valuable nutrients.

Sometimes, hikers enjoy viewing rare or endangered species. However, some species (such as martens or bighorn sheep) are very sensitive to the presence of humans, especially around mating season. Hikers should learn the habits and habitats of the endangered species, in order to avoid adverse impact.

There is one situation where an individual hiker can make a large impact on an ecosystem: inadvertently starting a wildfire.  For example, in [[2005]], a Czech backpacker burned 7% of [[Torres del Paine]] National Park in Chile by knocking over an illegal gas [[portable stove]]. Obeying area regulations and setting up cooking devices on bare ground will reduce the risk of wildfire.