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KALISPELL, Mont. – Whitefish Mountain and Resort started spinning its lifts on Saturday to usher in the start of its summer season. Along with mountain biking and alpine sliding, hiking is one of the more popular sports that they offer trails for.
There are a number of tips to keep in mind to stay safe. Already this year a hiker was stranded in Glacier National Park and in Southwest Montana there was a grizzly mauling.
“You want to do a little bit of research, starting with the weather. Making sure that things are looking good for the weather and you gotta be prepared in case something changes, cause here in Montana weather can change pretty quickly,” said PR Manager for Whitefish Mountain and Resort Riley Polumbus.
Weather in the mountains can change quickly, and this can have serious consequences for the unprepared.
“A lot of times, this time of year in particular, hypothermia is a major concern,” said Forest Ranger Megan Chiasson. “We all think about it in the winter time when things are so cold, but actually the majority of hypothermic cases occur in 50 degree wet weather.”
Wearing layers can help with this. You can take them off if you are hot or add on when you get cold.
Wildlife is also something to be aware of when on a hike. This is grizzly country and you will want to pack bear spray to have at the ready, just in case of a sighting.
Hiking in a group can also be helpful if an emergency were to occur.
“Hiking with other people is always a good idea because just in case you don’t have cell phone service and you are hiking with somebody else, you’ll have someone there who can go for help,” said Polumbus.
Other tips for hiking include to always bring a charged cellphone, plenty of food and water and research the trail before you decide to conquer it.