![\"top](\"http:\/\/www.tommangan.net\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/hikerback.jpg\" "\\"Hiker\\"")
<\/a>1. We adapt to the terrain<\/strong><\/p>\nThere’s never only one way to climb a mountain, cross a stream or camp out for the night. There’s only the way that makes the most sense right now and further down the trail. How I hiked a trail last week is irrelevant if a 1,400-pound tree is blocking the trail today. <\/p>\n
2. We don’t ignore what’s obvious to our senses<\/strong><\/p>\n Hikers have to change our minds when the prevailing winds tell us we’re going south when we should be going north. We listen for distant thunder and prepare for rain as it gets closer. We stay off hilltops in electrical storms. <\/p>\n 3. We don’t fear getting lost because we know how to get found<\/strong><\/p>\n Hikers train themselves to watch for signs of wrong turns, pay attention to critical landmarks along the way, and have a turn-back plan in place if the trail we seek doesn’t show up on schedule. <\/p>\n 5. We respect balance <\/strong><\/p>\n Hikers appreciate nature’s uncanny knack for nipping here, tucking there, and generally working things out elegantly and efficiently. <\/p>\n 6. We embrace change<\/strong><\/p>\n We never hike the same trail twice, even if it’s the 20th time on the same route. We watch for subtle shifts in the landscape because we know they are inevitable. <\/p>\n 7. We don’t mind working up a sweat<\/strong><\/p>\n Hikers crave the exhilaration of navigating a tricky scree field and huffing it to high summits. We know that difficulty is often what makes something worth doing. <\/p>\n<\/a>4. We manage risk
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\nHikers know there are extreme dangers in the woods — snakes, bees, bears, mountain lions — but we also know the odds of these dangers hurting us are extremely remote. The most pressing dangers on a hike are falling, getting lost and succumbing to hypothermia. So we watch our footing, carry our maps and first aid kits, and make sure we’ve got enough gear to get us through a cold night in the countryside. <\/p>\n