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The most obvious risk is related to sunburns, even during wintertime!

UV-A and UV-B rays exposure does not depend upon temperature, but not visible

light, thus no matter if it's summer or winter, when you are outdoors your skin is exposed to ultraviolet rays, even if the temperature is under zero degrees.

Moreover, during winter time, when there's snow all around, exposure to UV-A and UV-B rays is even higher because of direct sun exposition coming from the sky and all those rays reflecting in the snow around you. It's like being in the middle of a big mirror bombarding UV rays toward you.

That's why people practicing winter sports get sunburns the same as those on the beach during summertime.

But sunburns are a minor concern compared with the risk of skin cancer.

It has been demonstrated that ultraviolet rays exposure is cumulative over the years, and the risk of skin cancer is directly proportional to the amount of irradiation received during the lifetime.

That means the problem will show up several years after exposure, even without noticing overexposure due to lack of sunburns; furthermore, most of overexposure to UV-A and UV-B rays is not associated with sunburns but with a continuous, low dose, sustained exposure on a regular basis.

And that's why every outdoor activities lover must be equipped with two basic water treatment tools.

The first one is a filter.

There are several models available in the market, each one meeting individual needs for a given situation but, essentially all they work the same way, removing impurities such as sand, debris, and organic material from the water intended for human consumption.

The size and model of your filter will depend upon the time you will expend outside, the amount of water required as well the number of people in your group. While bigger the water needs, a more robust, durable filter will be needed, moreover, if you expect to deal with sediment-rich water sources, a bigger, stronger filter will be necessary.

However, a filter alone is not enough because even when macroscopic material is removed, bacteria and viruses still may be in your water without being noticed, so additional safety measures are required. In this regard, chemical water purifying systems are paramount to guarantee the biological safety of your water.

These devices may work in different ways but the most common is by adding a given, standard chlorine concentration per liter of water to kill all living organisms in the water.

The procedure is safe and simple but it remains paramount to follow the manufacturer's instructions to achieve proper results.

In this regard, there are several things to keep in mind.

First of all, be sure to have enough bottles to store the water. Related to this

matter, it will be necessary to count at least with a large, processing bottle and at least 3 storage bottles.

The processing bottle will be the one to put the water found in the water source. Once collected, this water must be processed properly as detailed in the second part of this series, and only once this step is completed, it may be transferred to the storage bottles.

It's critical to avoid contact of unprocessed water with storage bottles due to the risk of contamination.

Regarding storage bottles, it's better to carry two or three 1-liter bottles than a big one because, in case of a broken bottle, contamination, or any other adverse situation, not all of your water supply will be compromised.

In addition, it's easier to handle several small bottles than a big, heavy one.

At this point, it's important to remember that the most convenient material for storage bottles is aluminum because of its insulation, resistance, and lightweight.

Glass bottles are heavier and more fragile while plastic, even when lightweight, tends to be less resistant, especially in case of a fall or hit.

Let's take a look at the hiking essentials everyone needs to practice this sport.

Besides boots or hiking shoots (everything depends on the terrain you are planning to hike), a high-quality backpack to carry your gear, and enough water each hiker needs to count with at least one navigation system.

The GPS tends to be the more convenient way to stay oriented however, having a backup navigation plan is always recommended, in this regard, the map and compass couple is the best choice as backup navigation tools since they don't need batteries and don't depend on satellite coverage.

On the other hand, communication is essential. Perhaps you wish to get disconnected from day-to-day activities, and that's OK, but certainly counting on a good communication system may be a life-saving strategy in case of an emergency.

You don't need to have a cell phone or radio turned on all the time, but having regular contact with someone at home, or just having the device to use it in case something happens is a good safety measure, afterward, when you are alone in remote areas and something bad happens, many times your survival might depend upon a third party's help.

Once you are ready to navigate and your communication system is set up, get ready to face mother nature's elements.

1. Plan a route and keep following it
Planning a route will allow you to make some investigation before going to hike. Data such as unevenness, weather conditions, water sources, landslides, or any other potential danger may be assessed online as well as several other sources, being particularly important when you are going to hike in a place where you have never been before.

Once the route has been planned, adhere to it to avoid surprises along the way.

2. Inform your close relatives or friends where about your route
That's extremely important because, in case of an emergency, they will have critical information for emergency rescue teams about where you might be.

In this regard, it's extremely important to inform also an estimation of how long you will be out, this way your loved ones at home might begin a search in case you don't show when it's supposed to and they don't have notices about you and your wellbeing.

3. Try to keep in contact
Even when some areas are so far from civilization that it might be impossible to get in contact with anyone, it's always a good idea to have a cell phone and a radio with you, hoping to have a signal connection in case something happens and you need to ask for help.