Ever notice how most hiking trails are classified as easy, moderate or advanced? This is to make sure that hikers only take on trails in line with their difficulty level.
There's nothing stopping you from taking on an advanced trail as a intermediate hiker, but I'd bet you would rather head home in your car than an ambulance. If your friends dare you to hike a trail well above your level, dare them to do it with you, or maybe it's time to get some new friends.
Let's take a look at each difficulty level:
Easy
Easy hiking trails are perfect for beginners who are still testing the waters. Not literally! Take another look at 'Braving the Elements" to brush up on your safety tips around rivers and waterfalls. In this case, the water is lava so steer clear.
Easy trails are usually short, anything from 2km to 5km in length, and the trail is quite easy to follow. It's not unusual to see trail marking every few minutes, as it makes the trail a bit easier and keeps new hikers from getting lost. There should be very little elevation and minimal obstacles like rock formations or a stream that needs crossing.
If you're worried about getting tired on your first hike, don't be! Easy hiking trails offer quite a few rest stops in the form of benches, gift shops or restaurants. Don't feel bad about starting at the bottom.
Rather do it right from the beginning, than stretch it and end up with an injury that keeps you off the trails for a long time. More time with the in-laws, should be fun right? (Run).
Moderate
Moderate trails are ideal for intermediate and advanced hikers. Intermediate hikers tend to do only day hikes, while advanced hikers might enjoy a hike that spans over multiple days and requires camping along the way. Advice for those camping: make sure that you are prepared, you are not Bear Grylls.
Moderate trails tend to have more elevation and an overall steeper terrain, which naturally poses its own set of challenges. Trail marking will be fewer in quantity and further apart, which can be tricky if you don't pay attention to your surroundings. To take on one of these trails, you should be able to walk between 6km and 10 km comfortably. There may be fewer stops along the way, usually only at the starting and finish lines
What's at the end of the hiking rainbow? A cold bottle of water and a t-shirt from the gift shop.
Advanced
Advanced trail are reserved for experienced hikers. You know, those people you see with the killer tan and the heavy gear. Every new hiker's motivation. They walk past you and you just know that you want to look like that eventually.
Luckily, they started from the bottom too.
Advanced hikes can be short, but there is an extremely intense elevation gain that could be quite taxing. These kind of hikes usually happen in the mountain ranges and is in a totally different league. You'll need to be in excellent physical shape to try an advanced trail.
Not only do these hikers need special gear for hiking and climbing, but there are also a high risk of encountering predators along the way. There are little to no real rest stops, so you might need to take a rest before taking on the toughest part of the hike.
Make sure somebody knows exactly where you are and make sure you charge your phone. Hopefully, unlike every movie ever made, you might have a signal if you get yourself in trouble. If not, you might want to stuff a flare in your backpack.
And there you have it, the three difficulty level. It should be easy to sort yourself into one of the levels. Start off in your designated group and eventually you'll be able to move up. With regular exercise and hiking, you'll be an experienced hiker in no time.
Enjoy the great outdoors and stay safe!
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