Out on a hike today I noticed a couple going up, while I was going down,

[Victor_c3]

28. I've become a big fan of the "all trails" app

You can download the map of your hike to your phone and everything still works even if you’re out of cell phone range.

Even with the app, I still find myself periodically 10-25 feet off of the trail in some of the not-so-well marked areas.

As a guy who does a lot of hiking, I’ve learned that it is always better to underestimate yourself than be overly confident. I never assume I know more than anyone else on the trail.

Each year, park rangers from the area I hike publish a synapsis of each major rescue they do. Over and over again the same themes present themselves - people aren’t properly prepared and people fail to tell other precisely where they are going to go. I always pack a bag with enough supplies to be able to spend the night and to deal with a medical emergency. My brother, who hikes more than me, has actually saved the lives of two people on two separate occasions.

Even expert hikers die because they make stupid mistakes and aren’t properly prepared.