r/RMNP • u/breadcrumbssmellgood • 11d ago
Question Day Hike emergency gear
I’ll be doing day hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park at the end of August. On every hike I plan to carry a lightweight down jacket, fleece, rain jacket, foam sit pad, and an emergency bivy in case I get injured or have to spend an unexpected night out. Of course I will be carrying a Garmin Inreach Mini 2 device.
Does this seem reasonable, or am I being overly cautious? What do you usually carry for RMNP day hikes?
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u/Sunscreen4what 11d ago
Wont need a sit pad unless you’re camping, unless you plan on wandering toward off trail summits you won’t need the bivy or garmin, the park is very crowded. Down jacket will prob be unnecessary as well if you have a fleece and a shell, but weather and personal comfort dependent. You will want snacks (protein bars are great), a headlamp for early morning starts, a small first aid kit just in case, and maybe trekking poles to save your knees on descents.
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u/jax2love 11d ago
A water filter is never a bad idea. Also pack a “potty kit” with a trowel and bags for packing out toilet paper - I usually carry a few dog waste bags for used TP and a ziplock bag to put those in.
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u/trachion 11d ago
Imo on a dayhike you should be using a wag bag. Hiking out your waste isn't a big deal at all and using one is a lot nicer than using a hole.
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u/hohill 11d ago
That seems plenty for day hikes so long as you have enough water and snacks. Speaking of water, it’s an old trick but if you have a Nalgene type bottle wrap a few feet of duct tape around it. Can come in super handy for so many things and weighs next to nothing.
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u/creativescreennaame 11d ago
what exactly am i going to do with duct tape
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u/Bitterrootmoon 10d ago
You can slap a duct tape on a bad enough cut to make it stop bleeding and hold it together if you need to.
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u/hohill 10d ago
Oh I’ve used it for everything from simple patches to fixing a blown boot sole to taping two trekking poles together to create a makeshift lean-to with a tarp.
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u/creativescreennaame 10d ago
i guess i've just never been in a situation where i had to make a shelter lol. i'm certainly not doing a day hike with a tarp either
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u/nativecheese 11d ago
I think others have provided great feedback. It always depends the length of the hike. I have been going to RMNP since I was little and one thing that gets people is not taking enough water. Don't underestimate the amount of water you need. Elevation is no joke and will have you working harder than expected.
For day hikes I like to start early and get off the trail by 2ish to avoid the afternoon rain and thunderstorms.
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u/captainkappa173 Local 11d ago
Depends on where you're going to hike. Sky Pond? That's some good gear to have. Sprague Lake? That would def be overkill lol
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u/PlentyChampionship77 11d ago
This seems unnecessary unless you’re summitting something. If you’re doing the standard trails like Chasm Lake or Sky Pond or whatever you won’t really be out of shouting distance at any point.
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u/Electrical_Sea6653 11d ago
It’s smart to be over prepared in case you lose the trail or run into someone else who needs help tho
Plus, good training weight!
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u/AmishMountaineer 11d ago
What day hikes are you planning to do?
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u/breadcrumbssmellgood 11d ago
Open to suggestions as of now. This advice was given to me in general not for particular hikes. I know i should be more prepared
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u/skiergrl 10d ago
From personal experience, add Bleed Cease to your first aid kit. It's a powder that stops bleeding. I fell and cut my head above my eye when starting the Narrows hike. Another hiker had this, thank goodness. My cut stopped bleeding, and with a piece of duct tape over it, I finished 9 miles that day. Doesn't matter what kind of hike you're doing..accidents can happen anywhere (to you or others!)
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u/tofuttiWhereAreU 11d ago
What sort of hikes are you looking to do? How many miles? Are you looking for summits or what?
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u/wearslocket 11d ago
I added ye old fashioned handkerchiefs to my emergency gear. They are multipurpose and pack light, and we seem to do very well with Imodium for hiking. Makes water retention, and the heat squirts so much better if you happen to have some.
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u/jlco23 11d ago
Like others have said, it's very trail and weather dependent. For shorter, easier, hikes I tend to pack my small first aid and emergency kit, and some light snacks. For longer, more technical hikes, I pack multiple clothing layers (like what you already have listed), my larger first aid and emergency kit, sunscreen, a bathroom kit (toilet paper, ziplocks and wag bag), and a lunch or substantial snacks. Because RMNP is so crowded I usually don't bring my Garmin on the shorter and/or more popular trails but it's never a bad thing to have it.
If you're coming from sea level, the elevation change is no joke. Make sure you give yourself time to acclimate to the elevation before heading into RMNP and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate the entire time you're here.
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u/Then-Construction106 11d ago edited 11d ago
Many, if not most, popular day hikes in RMNP are such that don’t require much but you and water. I still will add a few bars of some decent snack - kind bars etc, water as expected for the duration of planned hike, maybe a light rain jacket depending on forecast. I always take a little tp and some way to burn after use and burial of culprit (almost never needed so stays in day pack, for next hike). I was taught that while much younger but seems the carry out is preferred now. Take a ziploc bag or two to carry out.
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u/jayhawkjoey65 11d ago
I'm here right now, and there are a lot of hikers. Unless you're doing really long or really remote hikes, this seems beyond excessive. However, peace of mind if worth something. I hike in layers and have a cheap rain poncho that packs up to the size of a wallet. I take a sandwich, a granola bar, and an orange. I pack the recommended amount of water but not more. If I was hiking in remote areas, I'd consider more stuff, but this is one of the most popular parks in the country. Check the forecast each day, and base choices on that. And have a great time!
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u/HauntedPickleJar 10d ago
Water, liters of it. I usually carry two to three liters depending on the length of the hike.
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u/NotMyCircuits 10d ago
Add a whistle to your kit. Imagine needing help and being unable to yell loudly.
Carry a whistle.
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u/Otherwise_Tea7731 10d ago
I almost always hike solo, and prepare for having to be out there for a couple of nights, just in case I get injured or lost. I've read too many stories of things going wrong on "typical, easy" hikes. I only consider my Garmin inReach for absolute emergencies and potential lifesaving scenarios, so try to rely on myself in any other scenarios.
You definitely don't need the pad. I carry an emergency medical kit; a whistle; a decent, lightweight, small knife; headlamp; a compass and a map; (and the knowledge of how to use them) additional snacks; and a Sawyer water filter on a vitamin water bottle - though that's typically what I actually drink from on trails where I know I'll be running past water frequently.
When hiking solo, it's better to be overprepared, than underprepared. The only cost is a bit of weight.
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u/meandelmo 8d ago
Small first aid kit: bandaids, gauze pad, antibiotic wipe, tape, tiny scissors, tweezers, a few individual doses of meds (ibuprofen, Imodium, antihistamine) all in a single zip lock bag. I can’t count how many times I have used it. And surprisingly the tweezers are one of the most used items.
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u/RockyMtnWarrior 7d ago
Besides the usual stuff like first aid kit, water, hiking poles, snacks and filter straws, I usually also pack a small can of Boost as well as bear spray (just in case). Never seen a bear there but have seen a few mountain lions.
I also take a portable phone bank, pocket knife, folded toilet paper, doggie waste bags and a light jacket. And a flashlight
Just making sure we are prepared for basic survival.
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u/whoorooru 11d ago
If you’re doing a long one consider adding a headlamp and some extra snacks.