Hiking
On the 26th of April 1336, a man named Petrarch climbed to the top of Mont Ventoux with his brother and two servants. He did this for recreation rather than necessity. This event is described in a celebrated letter addressed to his friend Dionigi di Borgo San Sepolcro. Some scholars suggest that Petrarch's climb was fictional. Others argue it marked the beginning of hiking as a leisure activity. The poet claimed he was the first to climb mountains for pleasure since antiquity. However, evidence exists showing earlier ascents. Jean Buridan climbed Mount Ventoux before 1334 to make meteorological observations. Archbishop Anno II of Cologne climbed his beloved mountain frequently during the closing years of his life between 1010 and 1075. Roman Emperor Hadrian ascended Mount Etna during a return trip from Greece in 125 CE. Peter III of Aragon reached the summit of Pic du Canigou in 1275. Antoine de Ville became the first person to officially verify an ascent of technical difficulty on the 26th of June 1492. He used ropes, ladders, and iron hooks to ascend Mont Aiguille. Conrad Gessner, a Swiss physician and naturalist, is widely recognized as the first person to hike and climb for sheer pleasure.
Hiking means walking outdoors on a trail or off trail for recreational purposes in Canada and the United States. In these regions, the word walking describes shorter urban walks. The United Kingdom and Ireland use the word walking for all forms of walking including backpacking in the Alps. Rambling appears often in the UK alongside hillwalking and fell walking. Fell walking describes hill or mountain walks mostly used in northern England. Bushwalking is endemic to Australia having been adopted by the Sydney Bush Walkers Club in 1927. New Zealand calls long vigorous walks tramping particularly for overnight trips. Trekking describes multi-day hiking in mountainous regions of India Pakistan Nepal North America South America Iran and East Africa. Thru-hiking refers to hiking a long-distance trail from end-to-end. Backpacking denotes multi-day hikes usually with camping in North America. Bushwhacking specifically refers to difficult walking through dense forest where forward progress requires pushing vegetation aside. Extreme cases involve using a machete to clear pathways when vegetation impedes human passage.
Industrialization in England caused people to migrate to cities where living standards were cramped and unsanitary. They escaped city confines by rambling about in the countryside. Land around Manchester and Sheffield was privately owned making trespass illegal. Rambling clubs sprang up in the north to campaign for legal rights. Leslie White founded Sunday Tramps in 1879 as one of the first such clubs. The Federation of Rambling Clubs formed in London in 1905 and received heavy patronage from the peerage. Access to Mountains bills presented to Parliament from 1884 to 1932 failed repeatedly. In 1932 the Rambler's Right Movement organized a mass trespass on Kinder Scout in Derbyshire. Police attempted to prevent the trespass but massive publicity ensured its success. The Mountain Access Bill passed in 1939 was opposed by many walkers' organizations including The Ramblers. It eventually got repealed after World War II efforts led to the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. The Peak District National Park became the first national park in 1951. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 considerably extended the right to roam in England and Wales.
Abel Crawford and his son Ethan cleared a trail to Mount Washington New Hampshire in 1819. This eight point five mile path remains the oldest continually used hiking trail in the United States. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau influenced the outdoors movement through transcendentalism. Thoreau wrote Walking published posthumously in 1862 describing nature and walking. His earlier essay A Walk to Wachusett from 1842 details a four-day tour from Concord Massachusetts to Mount Wachusett. The Appalachian Mountain Club established itself in 1876 as America's oldest hiking club. Four other clubs existed before it including the Rocky Mountain Club founded in 1875. John Muir petitioned U.S. Congress for the National Park bill passed in 1890 establishing Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. He founded the Sierra Club which is now one of the most important conservation organizations in the United States. The spiritual quality expressed in his writings inspired presidents and congressmen to preserve undeveloped countryside. The National Park Service was created in 1916 to protect national parks and monuments. Benton MacKaye conceived the idea of the Appalachian Trail in 1921. It completed its route from Maine to Georgia in August 1937.
The Camino de Santiago runs from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles then onward to Santiago de Compostela through Pamplona Logroño Burgos and León. A typical walk takes at least four weeks allowing rest days along the way. The Abraham Path connects Urfa Turkey possibly Abraham's birthplace to the Negev desert established in 2007. The Jordan Trail spans 650 kilometers or 400 miles established in 2015 by the Jordan Trail Association. Israel contains over 9,656 kilometers or 6,000 miles of trails described as a trekker's paradise. The Lycian Way stretches from Hisarönü near Fethiye to Geyikbayırı in Konyaaltı about 300 kilometers long. Kate Clow conceived this trail named after ancient civilization that once ruled the area. Mount Kilimanjaro stands above sea level as the highest mountain in Africa. Between 2013 and 2022, 467,190 travelers visited Mount Kilimanjaro according to the Kilimanjaro National Park Authority. Over 45,000 climbers were recorded in 2023 alone. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu requires permits for hikers in Peru. The Greater Patagonia Trail measures 3,000 kilometers or 1,850 miles created by a non-governmental initiative in Chile.
Hiking boots provide stability though trail running shoes have become more popular in recent decades. Boots remain common in mountainous terrain. The Mountaineers club recommends Ten Essentials including compass sunglasses sunscreen head lamp first aid kit fire starter and knife. Additional items include hat gloves emergency blanket GPS navigation device and trekking poles. Hazards involve terrain inclement weather getting lost or pre-existing medical conditions. Dehydration frostbite hypothermia sunburn sunstroke diarrhea ankle sprains broken bones threaten physical health. Ordinary rain or mist has strong cooling effects making weather dangerous even without extreme cold. Altitude sickness typically occurs only above certain elevations though some affected at lower altitudes. Risk factors include prior episodes high activity levels rapid elevation increases. Animal attacks from bears snakes ticks carrying Lyme disease pose threats. Contact with poison ivy poison oak poison sumac creates danger. Lightning threatens especially on high ground. Year-round glaciers present hazardous conditions requiring crampons ice axes and proper skills. Crossing rivers demands special techniques due to potential drowning risks.
Up Next
Common questions
When did Petrarch climb Mont Ventoux for recreation?
Petrarch climbed to the top of Mont Ventoux on the 26th of April 1336 with his brother and two servants. He performed this ascent for recreation rather than necessity as described in a celebrated letter to Dionigi di Borgo San Sepolcro.
Who was the first person to officially verify an ascent of technical difficulty?
Antoine de Ville became the first person to officially verify an ascent of technical difficulty on the 26th of June 1492. He used ropes, ladders, and iron hooks to ascend Mont Aiguille during this historic event.
What is the oldest continually used hiking trail in the United States?
Abel Crawford and his son Ethan cleared a trail to Mount Washington New Hampshire in 1819. This eight point five mile path remains the oldest continually used hiking trail in the United States today.
How many kilometers does the Jordan Trail span?
The Jordan Trail spans 650 kilometers or 400 miles established in 2015 by the Jordan Trail Association. It connects various points across Jordan as part of a recognized long-distance walking route.
When did the Appalachian Trail complete its route from Maine to Georgia?
Benton MacKaye conceived the idea of the Appalachian Trail in 1921 and it completed its route from Maine to Georgia in August 1937. The National Park Service was created in 1916 to protect national parks and monuments before this completion.