Wisdom? That may be a stretch (though it is alliterative). Every Wednesday we share our thoughts in rotating subject areas: gear, social media, hiking/backpacking/camping resources, and tips from the field. These items are culled from our weekly GetHiking! enewsletter, which also includes news and information on hikes and backpack trips in our GetHiking! and GetBackpacking! universes. Subscribe to our weekly enewsletter here.

This week’s focus: tips from the field.

Tip 1: Minimize the detours

This wet winter has created a season of sloppy and submerged trails resulting in a variety of workarounds and detours. Generally, deviating from established trail is frowned upon: too many people veering off trail does damage to the surrounding terrain. But when passage on the trail becomes treacherous or impossible, you sometimes have no choice. When that happens, there have likely been trailblazers ahead of you who have found the safest alternative: use it to minimize unnecessarily tramping down additional terrain. If no such path has been established and you must blaze your own, use caution. Test each step before you take it (who knows what’s under that carpet of leaves?), and look where you’re stepping before even taking that first step. A slippery tree root, a jutting rock, a snake — all things you don’t want to step on. 3.04.2021

PHOTO: GH.Tip.Workaround

Tip 2: Hiking in the gloaming

Now we enter the time of year when increasing daylights tempts us to hike later into the day, sometimes into a time of day when daylight is no more. That temptation is even more so right now, at a time when parks and other land management agencies keep their gates open later, often past sunset. On a hike yesterday, for example, we hit the Sal’s Branch Trail at 6:30 p.m., about 17 minutes after official sunset. Twilight lingered for another 13 minutes after we headed down the trail — then, dark.

First, always be sure to have a headlamp or flashlight in your pack. But also be careful not to use it too soon. Your eyes adjust pretty well to fading sunlight; flipping your torch on too soon can make it harder to see by casting shadows that hide protruding rocks and roots. Try waiting: when you get the urge to flip on your light, wait a few seconds and see if it’s absolutely necessary. Plus, walking in a dark forest is pretty cool. 03.11.2021

PHOTO: GH.Tip.Gloaming

Tip 3: Embrace the clouds

We’re getting to that time of year when a weekend of sun means scores of occasional recreation seekers will look out the window, see the sun and think, “I should go for a hike.” Conversely, they don’t see the sun and it’s a day of binging “The Boys” on Amazon Prime. When it’s sunny, these folks head to the trailheads of least resistance: those with visitor centers, restrooms, or, at the very least, an address. Thus, when it’s sunny, avoid these trailheads and instead hit the trails less traveled, especially those with hard-to-find trailhead’s located off a roadside pullout. And if it’s cloudy? A restroom is always nice at hike’s end.

PHOTO: GHT.MST.FL.Clouds

Tip 4: Play hooky!

It’s been a long winter, a long year. Now, it’s spring, and things are beginning to turn around. You need to be prepared to take advantage of the warming weather. Keep an eye on the forecast. If the weekend looks rainy but there’s a day or two of sun midweek, do what you can to adjust your schedule and capitalize on those sunny days. If possible, get ahead with work or chores (feeling guilty will dampen the effects of a gorgeous day in the wild). And if you can’t? Well, nothing says, “I’ve just stepped away for a moment, be right back,” like your coat flung over your office chair. Granted, sometimes there’s only so much you can do. Just remember: these days are precious and can be few and far between. Act!

PHOTO: GH.Tip.OOO