Stay safe with Outdoor Recreation
With many indoor activities closed due to the pandemic, more people than ever are turning to the great outdoors for recreation. While we live in a great part of the country for winter recreation, there are guidelines and precautions to be followed for safety. The Washington State Parks has recently released some guidelines and tips to help you stay safe this winter.
Warming Huts
Many of the State Parks feature cozy warming huts along Sno-Park trails. Due to COVID-19, some of these huts are closed this winter. If huts are open, it is recommended that you limit your stay. In addition, due to a lack of ventilation it is important to wear a face covering and practice social distancing while inside. Before planning to use a hut on an outdoor adventure, investigate whether it is open this winter.
Safety Precautions
If you are planning on recreating outside this winter, make sure you abide by the following safety precautions.
- Always keep a winter emergency kit in your car. This includes things for your safety in case you get stuck such as flashlight, batteries, blanket, snacks, water, gloves, boots, first-aid kit. It also includes things to aid your vehicle in inclement weather such as tire chains, ice scraper/snowbrush, jumper cables, and road flares.
- When on a hike, snowshoeing or doing other outdoor adventuring remember to bring the essentials. These include: navigation (that works even without cell service), hydration, nutrition, insulation, fire starter, a first aid kit, tools, sun protection (especially in the snow!), and emergency shelter.
- Always be aware of your surroundings and the avalanche forecast.
- Don’t go alone! Make sure somebody is aware of your plans and checks to make sure you return safely.
We hope you are able to safely enjoy an abundance of outdoor recreation this winter!{“type”:”block”,”srcClientIds”:[“ab525a7d-b882-4ea8-af82-3b3ae3a352a2″],”srcRootClientId”:””}
Information found on Adventure Awaits.
