Montana has some of the most beautiful hiking trails you’ll ever see, but before you set out on your Montana adventure, you should make sure you’re prepared. Regardless of the time of year, Montana has a tendency to throw some curveballs your way. Whether it’s unexpected ice in July, some overly intimidating wildlife, or a sudden storm of various weather, it’s best to make sure you’re ready for whatever nature throws your way. Luckily, we’ve outlined some advice to make sure your adventure goes as smoothly as possible.
Do Your Research First
So you’ve decided to go for a hike. Well, instead of picking a trail at random and jumping in, you should do some research to make sure you’re doing the right hike. There isn’t anything worse than getting gung-ho for a hike only to realize it doesn’t match the difficulty you were hoping for or finding out the hard way that the road to the trailhead is a bit too rough.
A few things we always look for when we’re getting ready for a hike is length, elevation gain, popularity (or number of people you’d expect), trail condition (icy, torn up, animals, etc), and shade coverage. Luckily, there are a ton of apps that can give you your information.
If You’re Unsure, Overpack (within reason)
Once you’ve researched the trail you want to hike for the day, the next step is to pack your backpack to make sure the hike goes as smoothly as possible. But that leaves one glaring question: what should I pack? There are the obvious things that you should bring, 1-2 water bottles, sunscreen, bear spray (YES, see below) just to name a few. But for the other items, basically if you can think of a scenario where you’ll need it and it doesn’t take up too much space, throw it in there. You never know what good ol’ mother nature is going to throw at you this time around.
You Won’t Regret Packing Spikes
In Bozeman, we have a tendency to get snow later in the year that you’d expect. Even if everything is melted in town, you never know what the trails will look like, and trust us when we say that nothing is worse than trying to hike on ice without some extra grip. Even if you don’t end up hurting yourself, you’ll look a little foolish slipping around everywhere like Bambi. Luckily, every outdoor store in Bozeman sells slip-on spikes for these exact situations. You can even get cheap ones for around $30. They also take up practically no space, so they won’t be a burden. Trust us when we say that you won’t regret bringing them along.
Know Bear Safety and Bring Bear Spray
This is something that’s really easy to neglect to do, but can be a legitimate lifesaver if something unexpected happens. You never know what kind of wildlife you’ll run into in the Montana wilderness, and bear attacks are nothing to scoff at. The first step to prevent bear attacks is to make noise while you hike. Bears want to confront you about as much as you want to confront them, so if you make noise while you hike, they’re likely to avoid you. Whether it’s clapping, talking, singing, or making any other noises, just make sure you’re making your presence known. If you do happen to run into a bear and it looks like it’ll start charging, whip out the bear spray and spray it in the path of the bear. That should stop it in its tracks.
If worse comes to worst and the bear doesn’t stop, what you have to do will depend on the type of bear it is. Regardless, do not run or climb a tree. It doesn’t matter how fast you think you are. The bear will catch you. If it’s a black bear, make yourself as big as possible and fight back if need be (give ’em a big whack on the nose). On the other hand, if it’s a brown or grizzly bear, leave your pack on and play dead by lying on the ground, making yourself hard to roll over, and covering your neck. The bear will likely bat you around for a little bit and leave you alone, then you just have to wait a bit (5-10 minutes) before leaving the area.
Whether you’re hiking with a group or by yourself, pack bear spray and learn how to use it. It could save your life. Also, this may sound obvious, but don’t spray it upwind. You will temporarily blind yourself, and it will hurt (like, a LOT).
Prepare for Any Weather
Honestly, if you’re looking at going into the mountains, the weather report shouldn’t be followed like gospel. Talk to any local, and you’ll hear all about an unexpected lightning storm when it was supposed to be sunny or a scorching hot hike when the weather report said it was going to be 50 degrees out. That’s why it’s always a good idea to be prepared for anything. It’s always a good idea to bring some kind of rain-protective gear and sunscreen. And even though they aren’t stylistically acceptable, investing in some pants with zip-off shins can prove to be a real life-saver.
There’s No Shame in Pacing Yourself
Let’s face it, everyone isn’t in the same shape. While some of us may be cardio freaks who can hike 3 miles uphill without getting winded, others might need a little more time to progress up some of the more treacherous sections of the hiking trails, and there’s no shame in that. We know how discouraging it can feel to have people pass you as you’re hiking, but it’ll be worth it when you get to your destination with enough energy to go back. It may seem obvious, but there’s nothing wrong with having to pace yourself or take breaks, and if someone decides to call you out on it, that’s probably more of a them problem (they’re likely compensating for something).