How to Start Hiking: 6 Beginner Tips to Lose the Fear
Daily · Published 1/14/2023 ·
Prologue
I wanted to write this post for everyone who’s vaguely scared of hiking, or just doesn’t like the idea of it, because I think there are a lot of misconceptions floating around. The truth is, hiking isn’t some difficult or grueling exercise, sport, or activity. It’s genuinely fun, and it’s one of the very few activities that puts every kind of movement your body is capable of to use. I really hope you won’t make it out to be harder than it is. And hiking truly is a wonderful sport^^ There aren’t many activities you can enjoy whether you’re on your own or with a group.
- When the weather’s nice, let’s go for a walk.
Some people take forever just to get out the door. We live in a world where we can’t help but worry about how others see us. We pick out clothes that fit the time and place, fuss over how we look, get everything just right, and only then do we actually do the thing. Me? When the weather’s nice, I grab a hat, throw on some sunglasses, and head out — I’d recommend walking around your neighborhood or a nearby park. Spend an hour or two outside walking and you’ll soak up some lovely sunshine, breathe in the fresh air, and catch the seasons changing. The first step is simply getting out of the house and walking. Keep at it, and before you know it, a day comes when you’re looking at Ulsanbawi Rock with your own eyes, just like in the photo below~~
- The world outside your blanket isn’t dangerous.
We spend way too much time walking only on paved roads. That artificial, hard asphalt doesn’t do our bodies many favors. Walk along the unpaved paths in a park and you’ll find bumpy stretches and soft dirt trails. The dirt cushions every step you take. Dirt isn’t filthy — it’s just dirt. It’s not some pollutant. And walking on it means you have to dodge or watch out for gravel and tree roots, which actually clears all the clutter out of your head for a while. It becomes a kind of meditation.
- A pair of sneakers is plenty. Just bring one bottle of water.
For a mountain that’s only 200 or 300 meters high, sneakers really are all you need. I know some of you will disagree. But here’s how I see it: just take it slow and easy. A flyswatter is plenty for killing a fly — you don’t need to go buy ten kinds of insecticide. Just put on a comfy pair of sneakers, lace them up tight, and head to a low mountain nearby — go just as far as the trailhead. Stand there going back and forth, “Should I climb? Should I not?” and then turn around and come home — that’s perfectly fine too. Just maybe pack a 500ml bottle of water, shall we?^^ That said, places like Seoraksan, as in the photo below, do call for a bit more preparation. ^^;;
- Hiking clothes are really just workout clothes.
A lot of people overthink hiking gear, or what to wear. And plenty of folks are under the impression that you have to spend a fortune buying it all before you can go. I used to think that way too. Let me put the conclusion up front: it’s all wrong. Plain workout clothes will do. A tracksuit is honestly fantastic. For spring, summer, and fall, just wear whatever’s comfortable… Winter takes a little more, but even then, well? Hike a bit more and you’ll start to see your own style. There’s no rush — you can sort out the gear then. People do mountains under 500 meters as 3-to-4-hour outings all the time, and you don’t need a Himalaya-ready outfit for that. Workout clothes are enough. Here’s a great example of the tracksuit-and-sneakers look~ (it’s a friend of mine, but, privacy, haha)
- What you really pack in your backpack is food.
A lot of you wonder what to put in your backpack, right? I’ve gotten a few messages about it, and it’s become kind of fun. Bottom line: you carry a backpack to hold food. That, plus the layers you take off and the ones you’ll put on — that’s all there is to it. Walk for 3 or 4 hours and you’ll get hungry. You’ll be a little drained too, so anything you eat tastes like heaven. Eat a cup of instant ramen at the summit and it tastes dozens of times better. That’s why you boil up some water to bring in a thermos. Gimbap is amazing too… and even candy you’d never touch normally tastes incredible. You get cold while walking, right? And hot, too. So you’re putting layers on, taking them off… and you can’t just hold them in your hands, hang them around your neck, and tie them at your waist — that’s a pain. That’s when a 20-liter backpack makes life so easy and frees up both your hands. That’s what a backpack is for. For hiking beginners, a regular school backpack is plenty. That backpack of mine is actually a backpacking pack, though^^
- Start with the low mountains.
Not all of us can conquer the Baekdudaegan. I haven’t either. None of us need to thru-hike the Gongnyong Ridge of Seoraksan in the dead of winter. On a nice day, heading to a nearby mountain, eating a roll of gimbap, coming back down, and having grilled pork belly with a shot of soju — that’s just the best. Climb the small mountains, the low ones, one at a time, build up little experiences of success, stack them up, and one day you’ll find you’ve become an expert. Please don’t start with Jirisan or Seoraksan, struggle, and give up — start with the low mountains and enjoy them~ A mountain under 300 meters was the start of my own hiking. ^^
Thank you.
#HowToStartHiking #HowToGoHiking #HikingTips #6WaysToStartHiking
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