Skills & Techniques

Static stretching on cold muscles does nothing for a hike. Here is the five minute warm up that actually works for joints over 50.

Trail maps look complicated until you know what contour lines, scale and blazes actually tell you. For an easy day hike, only a few parts matter.

Loose gravel, wet rock, and mud each call for a different step. Learn to test the ground, shorten your stride, and know when to go around instead of over.

Most beginners carry trekking poles without loading them. The strap, length, and rhythm below turn poles into real support instead of dead weight.

Pace your hike by conversation, not effort, and turn around at 50% energy, not when tired, so the return leg doesn’t become the hardest part of the day.

Downhill sections cause most hiking sprains. Shorter steps, bent knees and a slower pace protect your knees and ankles on the way down.