Can You Ace This Trekking Challenge?

Best views come after the hardest climbs.
 – Anonymous

A trekking enthusiast will certainly agree with this. Interested in learning more about trekking? Take this quiz to learn some fascinating facts.

There is a thin line that separates trekking from hiking. Since trekking involves exploring unexplored terrain at higher altitudes, it has a higher adventure level. Hiking is usually done on predefined nature trails.

Gaiters are shoe covers worn on the legs to protect against rocks, thorny bushes, and sharp twigs entering their boots and causing injury. In the wilderness, they protect from leeches, bugs, snake bites.

On a mountain trek, if you suddenly lose feeling in your feet, then you are getting frostbite and the best option is to pause, remove shoes, and soak feet in lukewarm water to re-warm them.

Corsica is home to a trekking trail called GR20. Trekkers take about two weeks to complete this trail. In total, the trail has a distance of 180 km.

For trekking trips, it is recommended to use trekking poles for maintaining balance in rough terrain or for crossing rivers. They can even relieve back and knee strain during high terrain climbs.

The Mount Everest Base Camp Trek, one of the most renowned treks in the world, takes between 11 and 14 days to trek from Lukla to the base camp and back.

Climbing fast on a strenuous trek can deplete your energy and exhaust you. High altitudes or steep climbs require time to acclimatize to the environment hence a need for slow start is essential.

John Jepkema of USA trekked all along the Grand Canyon rim - to – rim in 2019 at the age of 91 years.

Altitudes of 8000 feet and more are considered high altitudes. The air pressure changes and oxygen level drops as you ascend over this altitude making breathing harder. Above 18000 feet is considered extreme high altitudes.

Trekkers need to check their electrolyte levels. Sweating causes loss of sodium and other essential minerals. Sodium deficiency can cause exhaustion and muscle cramping. Trekkers can reduce sodium loss by simply adding salt to water before taking a sip.

The Kalalau Trail in Hawaii attracts daredevils, brave enough to venture through the 22-mile coastal trek, that runs along the Na Pali Coast. The trek is beautiful and dangerous, due to its craggy cliffs and steep paths.

It is recommended that weight of your backpack does not exceed 10 to 20 % of your body weight on a trekking trip. If you plan on trekking, pack the essentials, and don't overburden your luggage with items that won't help on your adventure.