The hiker's guide to walking

2003-12-16 08:48

Marenet Jordaan

Cape Town - The head of Wildernis Search and Rescue has warned hikers, especially those intending to conquer Table Mountain, to do their homework before setting out.

This comes after Hassiem Plaatjies died while climbing Table Mountain over the weekend.

Plaatjies, 38, died of a heart attack shortly after a rescue team reached him and two fellow climbers. The trio had gotten lost while out hiking.

Head of search and rescue, Kevin Tromp, said hikers should make sure they had a map or at least a detailed description of their intended route.

He also said it was a good idea to leave early in the morning. "If the weather looks bad then stay at the base of the mountain. Don't go into the mist." he said.

Tromp also said that hikers should be adequately dressed and make sure they had 1.5 litres of water per day.

He said that if hikers got lost they should retrace their steps until they saw something familiar.

Should someone get hurt it is advisable for one party member to stay with the injured hiker while the rest of the team sought help, he said.

A cell phone and a whistle always comes in handy, he said.

He said that hikers should always inform someone at home of their intended outing and inform them of when they would be home.

Tromp also warned that alcohol and hiking was not compatible.

- Die Burger