Keep It Safe During Summer Hikes

On June 12th, two hikers in the San Jacinto Mountains were too fatigued to continue walking down the mountain and had to be airlifted to safety. A week later, a hiker participating in the Cactus to Clouds trail in Palm Springs called for assistance and was also airlifted out. Which means that this is probably a good time to remind everyone:

Be prepared when you're hiking.

It's summertime, folks. It's hot. Especially if, say, you're hiking in a place like Palm Springs. Make sure to bring a whole lot of water with you, no matter the level of difficulty of the hike. (My own personal favorite method of carrying water is via one of those Camelbak bladders that fits snugly in your backpack.) We're talking liters per person.

Other tips such as making sure you've detailed your route before leaving, wearing sun protection, and telling someone where you're headed are all hugely important. But, bringing enough water for you and your hiking party is rule number one, bolded, italicized, and underlined. This summer, let's try to save the airlifts for more serious occasions than just "didn't bring enough water."