ladies of the mountains // survive

source

The mountains are unpredictable. It's warm. It's cold. It's raining. It's snowing. There's wildlife. Tree branches. And glaciers. This vast amount of unpredictability calls for you to be prepared. What this looks like varies depending on the time of year and where you are but overall, I think there are three main principles to stick to in order to stay ready for the crazy things that the mountains can (and probably will) throw your way.

Bring layers // Hypothermia doesn't only happen when it's freezing cold outside – it can happen after a long day of sweating that ends with a cool night. Or after an unexpected afternoon shower that leaves you soaked. You need to be prepared for keeping you body warm with plenty of layers. I recommend staying away from cotton and sticking to materials like polypro, fleece, or down.

Ensure that you have water // Plan your water source. Know how you're going to purify it. And be mindful of the season because depending on the time of year, your water source may be dried up or frozen. Be prepared for this situation by staying hydrated throughout the day with the water you do have and having a backup water source to trek to either that same day or the next.

Respect // Nature is beautiful and deserves to be admired, but it is not cute. Animals are wild, weather changes in an instant, and altitude matters. The natural world calls us to explore it, but we are only guests. This state of mind must be a part of anything and everything you do out the backcountry – whether you're pitching camp, fetching water, storing food, or even going to the bathroom.

Well friends, these are the things I've learned from my experiences in the great outdoors. Hypothermia, crazy bad blisters, altitude sickness, and wild animals are all things that I've seen or experienced firsthand – none of them are fun and I truly believe that they often can be avoided with just a little bit of extra thought. While the mountains are stunning, they are not forgiving. Be prepared.

Be sure to check out what my dear friends have to say about survival here, here, here, here, here, and this lady over here who isn't with us today but deserves some love anyway.