How to Start Hiking, No Matter Your Size
As you reach the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the ground becomes unstable. It’s what’s called a scree field, a sloped field of loose rocks. At any moment you could slip and not only injure yourself, but possibly take out others on your way down. Every step becomes critical.
I wouldn’t describe myself as nimble and light on my feet. When I hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro I weighed over three hundred pounds and I didn’t let that stop me. I was able to navigate the scree field because I had trained, I had the right gear, and I believed in myself. I developed self-trust and physical strength over time, as I trained for Kilimanjaro, by accomplishing smaller milestones along the way.
Anyone can become a hiker. If it’s something you’ve always wanted to do, but never felt like you could, I’m here to help you get started. It’s easier than you think.
Start Small
When I decided I wanted to finally become a hiker girl, I invested in a Nalgene water bottle and a copy of 50 Hikes in New Jersey. I dogeared the pages with the shorter hikes and started focusing on increasing my walks in my neighborhood until I was ready to take on one of the short hikes in the book.
I am lucky to have two smaller state parks right near my home, so many of those shorter hikes were easily accessible to me. As I got stronger, I started to tackle longer or steeper hikes.
Think Gear
If one of your fears is falling, poles are your new best friend. If you’ve never hiked with poles before, it’s a life changer. They provide enough stability and support that I have developed a greater trust in my own ability to climb or descend over rocks and roots.
I am partial to Leki poles because they are so lightweight. They also adjust so I can make them shorter when I’m climbing and longer when I’m descending. If the going is really easy, I can collapse them completely and store them on the side of my pack. But honestly, they’re so light I rarely do that, it’s just as easy to use them on the easier parts of the trail, too. Plus, they help me get into the rhythm of a hike, and that’s where the magic happens.
You’ll want to make sure you have quality footwear for the journey, too. There are lots of things to consider when you’re picking shoes, like the distance you’ll be hiking, the natural width of your foot, how much of a load you’ll be carrying and more. Explore your options.
Redefine What “Hiker” Looks Like to Yourself
One of the biggest mental hurdles I had to make was redefining what it meant to me to be a “hiker.” I used to look at the Patagonia catalog and see all the ways I didn’t look like the girl in the photos. I allowed that to stop me from reaching my dreams for a few years until I realized there’s room outside for everyone.
Guess what? If you go on a hike, you’re a hiker. It’s as simple as that.
Carrying around that Nalgene water bottle was part of the mental shift for me. It was a reminder that I am an athlete, too. And with each mile under my belt, I started believing it.
Hikers come in all shapes and sizes, genders, races, beliefs. Thank goodness for places like Instagram where you can go to connect with others who are hiking no matter what. Find those who inspire you to redefine what it looks like to hike.
The next step is yours! Get out there and I hope I‘ll see you on the trails soon.