Now we don't know if this reflects Aussie bushwalkers but a new major US study of hikers and trail runners has uncovered a worrying disconnect between how prepared people believe they are in the wilderness and the safety gear they actually carry.
Published in the journal Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, the study surveyed hundreds of visitors leaving Rocky Mountain National Park, a vast 665 sq km alpine wilderness near Denver with elevations ranging from 2300m to more than 4250m (so pretty high).
Researchers questioned 586 day hikers and 68 trail runners about their experiences, equipment and overall preparedness during single-day adventures in the park. The findings revealed significant gaps in safety awareness, particularly among people who considered themselves well prepared.
Preparedness can be difficult to measure. Factors such as fitness, bushcraft knowledge, weather awareness and familiarity with terrain all play a role, but are not easy to assess through a simple survey. Instead, researchers focused on tangible safety equipment, using a checklist of 13 recognised wilderness essentials.
The list included extra food, spare clothing, extra water, rain gear, a light source, map, water treatment method, first aid kit, knife, compass, whistle, fire starter and emergency shelter.
The survey found day hikers were slightly more likely to carry extra water, a first aid kit and a knife. Trail runners, meanwhile, were more likely to carry a light source and, most notably, a water treatment method.
Researchers also examined whether participants carried navigation aids, communication devices such as mobile phones or satellite messengers, and appropriate first aid supplies.
To be classified as “wilderness prepared”, participants needed at least seven essential items, one litre of water, a map or equivalent navigation aid, and either two communication devices or a sufficiently stocked first aid kit.
The results were sobering. Only 25 per cent of trail runners met the preparedness criteria, while just 16 per cent of day hikers qualified as adequately prepared.
Altitude awareness was another major concern. Acute mountain sickness can affect visitors rapidly, particularly those arriving from sea level. Researchers considered participants altitude-prepared if they met at least three of four criteria, including having a way to determine elevation, a planned ascent strategy, knowledge of key symptoms such as headache or vomiting, and consideration of altitude medication.
Fewer than half passed this test.
The study also highlighted navigational issues. More than a quarter of trail runners reported wandering significantly off track, compared with only 3.3 per cent of hikers, suggesting speed may compromise navigation accuracy.
Injuries and near misses were also recorded. Around 4.5 per cent of runners and 2.9 per cent of hikers reported injuries or illness, including ankle injuries and acute mountain sickness. Others described close calls involving thunderstorms, slips or near falls.
Perhaps the most alarming finding was that 88 per cent of both hikers and trail runners believed they were adequately prepared. The study suggests the greatest danger may not be what people forget to pack, but their confidence that they do not need it.
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