Gear Up for Summer Travel and Activities

I don’t know about you, but this weekend I got a little fried. And I’m not talking dipped in batter and put in the greaser, I’m talking sunburned. My sister, a friend of ours, and I went on a hike up to Grandeur Peak in Millcreek Canyon. Not only was it one of the hottest days, if not the hottest, of this summer season, we went around noon when the sun was right over head. While we all put on 50 SPF, it didn’t quite make for a burn free day. And just because the bottle of sunscreen says sweat free, does not mean you shouldn’t reapply after a long vertical hike up to a peak. Man, were we covered in salt. When we finally reached the top, there were bugs everywhere waiting to get a salty treat from our sweaty arms.

My sister gets heat exhaustion pretty easily if she does not hydrate enough when out in the sun. So to stave off the impending headache from that golden beast over head we stopped in the shade for water multiple times and she dipped her hat in the passing creek every time its running water graced our trail. We made sure to bring a backpack with extra water. We brought our friend’s dog so we had to make sure he had plenty of water too.

Our first hike of the summer season turned out to be a big success. Not only did we make it to the top of the peak to see the fabulous 360 degree view of the Salt Lake Valley (I highly recommend this hike by the way) we were able to get by with just a few burned arms and necks and kept the heat exhaustion at bay by having plenty of water to hydrate.

While you begin to plan your summer activities and vacations, keep in mind all of the things you need to stay safe. Bring a backpack on long hikes with extra water, food, and sunscreen. Make sure you read up on the area you are travelling to, including weather, possible risks for disasters, etc. Know about safety precautions when swimming in lakes and rivers, and if you have your own pool or hot tub, make sure you know the proper techniques for keeping swimmers safe.

Enjoy the beautifully hot weather we are starting to have here in Utah. Have Fun and Be Safe!