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Precautions
"What
constitute the pleasures of the traveler are obstacles, fatigue
or even danger. What charm can there be in a journey when one
is always sure to arrive and find his horses ready, a downy bed,
an excellent supper and all the comfort one enjoys at home? One
of the great misfortunes of modern life is the absence of the
unexpected, the lack of adventure. Everything is so well regulated,
so well fitted into its place and ticketed, that chance is no
longer possible; another century of improvements, and everybody
will be able to foresee from the very day of his birth all that
will happen to him up to the day of his death."
- Monsieur Theophile Gautier, 1840
 An
in-depth discussion of the hazards and inconveniences associated
with long-distance hiking and wilderness travel would fill several
volumes, and would likely serve only to discourage the uninitiated
and amuse the experienced. The following list intends to do neither,
but merely to mention a few additional precautions you may (or
may not) need to consider before embarking on an extended hike
in this part of the country. As elsewhere in this Trek Planner,
my purpose here is simply to present the realities of the experience
so that you can decide whether or not to attempt such a hike yourself.
Snowpack
Can occur
in highest terrain during spring. Challenges include postholing,
hard-to-follow trails, and risk of sliding accidents.
What
to Do:
Assess challenges
and determine whether detouring is worthwhile. If confronting
extensive snowpack, bring instep crampons and occasionally an
ice axe. Watch for moats near trees and other melting hazards.
Use guidebook, map, compass, and GPS to remain on trail, unless
hazards warrant otherwise. Set a slow, steady pace, and always
consider turning back if conditions worsen. See the section
on Snow Travel.
High
Water
Can occur
on certain creeks and rivers during spring. Challenges include
difficult fords, slow tiring progress, chilly water, slick rocks,
and continuously wet feet.
What
to Do:
Assess challenges
by examining river, then decide whether detouring is necessary.
If fording, unfasten backpack hipbelt, face upstream and brace
against the current using a stout stick or hiking pole. Test
the creek bottom before putting weight onto the next foot. Move
slowly but deliberately. Ignore the distraction of cold water,
which is only temporarily uncomfortable. Turn back if water
deepens unexpectedly or current increases. Wear lightweight,
breathable footwear which will dry quickly, or carry fording
sandals. See the section on Creek
Fording.
Heat
& Sun
During prime
thru-hiker seasons, daytime temperatures in the 70s and 80s are
common in the low country, with occasional 90's F. Low humidity
means strong sunshine and high UV, especially in spring.
What
to Do:
Drink frequently.
Find shade in riparian zones, beside stock tanks and cliffs.
Wear lightweight, light colored, loose-fitting clothing, including
long sleeve shirt and pants when the sun is strongest. Wear
a wide-brimmed hat and consider carrying a solar-reflective
umbrella if particularly sensitive. Carry a small supply of
sunscreen to augment clothing.
Thorny
Plants & Brush
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| Grass
seed loves mesh footwear in autumn |
Cactus and
other thorny plants are common below 6000', and trails are sometimes
narrow and brushy. Burrs, thistle, grama grass seed, and other
stickers near ground level can be a painful nuisance in places
during autumn.
What
to Do:
Wear long
sleeves or a lightweight shell jacket in heavy brush, and convertible
pants with scree gaiters to keep legs scratch-free and socks
free of burrs. Cover mesh running shoe uppers with duct tape
if stickers poke through, or better yet avoid mesh footwear
altogether following a heavy monsoon season. Cactus spines and
segments can be removed from skin using a comb (never your fingers).
The fine hairs of prickly pear cactus can be detached with duct
tape.
Insects
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Scorpion
preying nocturnally on ants & spiders
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Mosquitoes
are infrequently of concern, usually in evening near water in
early spring. Flies and gnats can be a nuisance on warm spring
days, but seldom bite. Ticks are rarely encountered, and do not
generally spread diseases such as Lyme. Scorpions occur in lower
elevations throughout, can be regionally abundant during summer
and early fall in Arizona, and basic precautions should be taken
to avoid encounters.
What
to Do:
For mosquitoes,
carry a very small container of repellant or wear a headnet
if camping in the open. Avoid scorpions, which are active at
night, by camping away from rocky portions of drainages and
not digging in sand. Use a ground sheet beneath a tarp, or carry
a lightweight tent. Inspect footwear, loose clothing, and the
undersides of gear in the morning. (Hang these items from tree
limbs or bushes during the night if concerned.) Day or night,
check the undersides of rocks and decaying wood before grabbing
these objects off the ground. Read the book Medicine For
Mountaineering (Wilkerson) for an understanding of reactions
and concerns in the uncommon event of a scorpion sting. Although
an unwanted guest in camp, scorpions like other wild critters
want to avoid you and will not usually sting unless provoked.
(The author has sat unclothed and unharmed among rocks later
noted to be crawling with scorpions.)
Snakes
Several species
of rattlesnake occur throughout the region, most notably the western
diamondback. All are more commonly seen by thru-hikers in spring
than fall, particularly in Arizona below 5000'. General precautions
should be taken to avoid unfavorable encounters.
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| Western
diamondback rattlesnake wakes defensively from sleep along
the road bed |
What
to Do:
Remain alert.
Get in the habit of scanning the trail or road ahead for sunbathing
or dormant snakes which tend not to rattle unless you approach
closely. Avoid nighthiking on overgrown trail and obscure roadways.
Keep your hands in sight if exploring rocky areas. Wear long
pants and gaiters. Learn to reflexively back away from close
encounters, then circumvent the snake and continue on. If a
snake approaches as you rest, it is probably hunting for small
prey and will ignore you if you remain still. (Nighttime encounters
at camp are unusual.) Learn to distinguish venomous snakes from
their non-venomous lookalikes. Read the book Medicine For
Mountaineering (Wilkerson) for protocol on what to do in
the uncommon event that you are bitten.
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| Black
bear tracks at the banks of the Blue River |
Large
Critters
Black bear
are common in forested mountains, as are mountain lions in desert
canyons. (You are likely to see a bear or two, and to hear lions
at night.) All are wild and generally unadapted to humans, so
the risk of aggressive encounters is quite low. At the present
time, hanging food from bears at night usually is not necessary,
except perhaps at established campgrounds.
Mice
Well known
for marauding shelters and campsites on other trails, mice tend
to keep a low profile on the G.E.T. Avoid established campsites
near water for best odds, or hang food and gear from any available
object to easily thwart most encounters.
Lightning
Thunderstorms
are less common in spring and fall, although westbound hikers
may experience lingering effects of monsoonal moisture in September.
Lightning can sometimes be frequent and vivid, and downpours brief
but heavy.
What
to Do:
Watch clouds
in late morning or early afternoon for signs of thunderstorm
development. Plan ahead to avoid open areas or ridgelines in
the path of storms. Avoid traveling in narrow canyons, or camping
in washes, whenever heavy rain may be occurring regionally.
Flash Floods
Usually associated
with the summer thunderstorm season, flash floods can occur anytime
a significant amount of rain falls over a short period of time.
They're of greatest concern in narrow box canyons and slots, the
first of which are fairly common along the GET.
What
to Do:
Watch clouds
in late morning or early afternoon for signs of thunderstorm
development. Be cautious anytime heavy rain may be occuring
regionally. Avoid traveling in narrow canyons or camping in
washes at these times. Small creeks will often subside quickly
after a rain storm, and you may be able to wait for safer fording
conditions. Larger creeks crest and subside more slowly; if
in doubt, turn around and find another way across.
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|
Gold
Gulch near Eagle Creek
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Off-route
Travel
Several slot
canyons are located near the route, some of which are available
as side-trips. A few become semi-technical as they progress, and
should not be attempted in full without adequate experience. Above
all else, do not climb down anything that you cannot safely climb
back up.
Human
Encounters
Away from
towns and popular areas, you are more likely to encounter ranchers
than anyone else. Most will be friendly and curious, and some
may volunteer water or other kindnesses to those in need. Avoid
trespassing, though, to insure a positive experience for the next
hiker. Elk and deer hunters are sometimes encountered in fall;
wear blaze orange as appropriate. Trail user conflicts are uncommon
due to limited traffic.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking
can be a safe and practical way of accessing some of the more
distant trail towns along the way. Because the G.E.T. is so new,
however, no one is likely to recognize you as a long-distance
hiker per se. Most locals will be able to distinguish you from
a drifter, however, and I have found that certain cultures in
the region are very keen to offer rides to anyone who looks in
need.
What
to Do:
For best
results, stand and wear your backpack as you attempt to hitch,
so that you are instantly recognizable as a backpacker. Holding
your hiking poles prominently in view can also help. Use your
thumb, but also wave as cars approach in order to appear friendly.
Unless near a trailhead or other visual cue, feel free to begin
walking toward your destination, especially when traffic is
sparse. When hitchhiking back to the route, use a cardboard
sign to indicate how many miles it is (rather than listing the
location itself, which may be obscure). Drivers will be more
likely to accommodate you if they know what you expect of them.
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| Santa
Teresa Wilderness - click to view full-size (1 MB) |
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"Benedicto:
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous,
leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise
into and above the clouds. May your rivers flow without
end, meandering through pastoral valleys tinkling with
bells, past temples and castles and poets' towers into
a dark primeval forest where tigers belch and monkeys
howl, through miasmal and mysterious swamps and down into
a desert of red rock, blue mesas, domes and pinnacles
and grottos of endless stone, and down again into a deep
vast ancient unknown chasm where bars of sunlight blaze
on profiled cliffs, where deer walk across the white sand
beaches, where storms come and go as lightning clangs
upon the high crags, where something strange and more
beautiful and more full of wonder than your deepest dreams
waits for you --- beyond that next turning of the canyon
walls."
Edward Abbey
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