subject: Grand Canyon Backpacking Essentials Safety Gear [print this page] So you have the trail clothing, boots, and hat. You packed a stash of drinking water and food, and thoroughly constructed your first aid kit. You are practically prepared, but not yet! You will need to make sure you have adequate safety equipment to bring everybody home if the worst should take place. Some of this information is tailored specifically to Grand Canyon backpacking, but it is applicable anywhere.
Back packing is wonderful and frequently exhilarating, but you never want it to be scary. If you happen to run into some sort of threat, make sure you are ready. First, I'm going to look at the essential safety gear you can't be without. Next, I will talk about a couple of particular potential issues and a few options to offset the risk.
The vital safety gear is as follows:
Whistle (Manual noise maker)
Chem Sticks (Nightime markers)
Radio (With Park Ranger/Sheriff frequency stored)
Cellphone (Kept OFF with full battery charge and kept in water tight container)
First Aid Kit (detailed in previous article)
Knife (Serrated, for cutting not slicing)
Money (At least $50-$100)
With food, water, the appropriate clothing, a good first aid kit, and the preceding, you really should be able to have a nice short jaunt into the wilds. Nothing too extravagant, but a number of pieces of equipment can be easy to forget about. Here i will discuss a number of possible hazards you should be alert to. Some are customized to a Grand Canyon backpacking trip, but most may happen anywhere:
Bears - A number of people carry Bear Mace. This is a chemical repellent that is just like very potent pepper spray in a foam form. It is relatively low-priced, around $20. I suggest it because it can also come in handy if you feel threatened by any other creature on the trail. It is non-lethal also, which can not be said for a number of kinds of "Bear Guns," that I very much do NOT advocate (What if you miss? Say sorry?).
Snakes - The best technique for snakes is avoidance. They typically will let you know if you are becoming near to them, and if you come near enough that they seriously start letting you know that they are upset, often you can simply just back up little by little and they should leave you alone. Nonetheless, anti-venom is a must, and a number of folks carry snake shot in high density snake areas. Snake shot is a.22-.380 caliber pistol round that fits in revolver pistols. It is actually a spread shot that is made to be swiftly sent off in the path of the snake to either cause it discomfort and help make it go away or eliminate it. In case you plan on carrying snake shot, invest in a good holster so it's secure and readily accessible.
Wolves, Coyotes, and so on. - This is a fairly minor threat. I've woken up plenty of instances with wolf tracks all around my camp, and never once had them come near us. The best plan is to continue to keep your foodstuff locked up.
Insects - Get repellent spray if you want, and a bite lotion is a necessity, especially if you are Grand Canyon backpacking!
Javelinas, Cougars, and other "Boogie Men" - Some animals are so fearsome they hold "Boogie Man" standing in backpacking. Most people never come across one (I have not) but you will always listen to stories about "that one guy who married somebody's friend's cousin" who got mauled by a cougar. Again, the best practice is avoidance. Close up the foodstuff, don't backpack in known areas (ask the park rangers) and you're going to be fine. No one ever saved themselves from being swallowed by a cougar by staying at home!
As you can see above, nearly all of the safety complications on the trail are good sense. Stay in in the area you intended to travel in, keep to your plan, and think things through and you are going to be fine. In my final article, We'll focus on just how to plan out your trip.
