A hiker is an individual who goes on excursions , whether for leisure purposes, for physical exercise, or with the intention of researching something. An excursion, meanwhile, involves a trip or walk .
A day tripper is often considered by the tourism industry to be a day visitor . That is, a person who arrives at a place to carry out some activity and then returns to his or her point of origin or goes to a different place. According to this definition, the hiker does not spend the night at the site in question.
It can be stated, in this framework, that a hiker is a visitor who does not spend the night in the space he visits. Otherwise, you are dealing with a tourist .
It is common for hiking to be carried out in nature reserves or national parks . The hiker comes to these types of areas to get to know the landscapes or the flora and fauna and, after a certain number of hours, they leave. Many times, during your excursion, you travel along trails designed for contemplation of the main attractions of the region.
Suppose a family leaves their home and goes to a town located 50 kilometers away. Upon arriving in this town, the group walks through its streets, observes its monuments and enters a museum. Then he has lunch at a restaurant and finally heads back home. On this day, as can be seen, the members of this family were hikers.
Although a person can become a hiker casually and spontaneously, when making the decision to take a trip like the one outlined in the previous paragraph, there are those who specialize in hiking. For them, it is a lifestyle and for this reason they prepare adequately so that their experiences are as enriching as possible.
In 1930, an American organization known as The Mountaineers created a list of ten resources that they considered essential for any hiker. Seven decades later, more precisely in 2003, the list was updated to adapt to the many technological advances that had taken place in almost a century.
Below we will see some of these essential resources :
* navigation equipment : nowadays it is rare not to have a mobile phone, and in it we find several applications that allow us to take advantage of its GPS , thanks to which we can reach almost any destination even without having first set foot in the region to which we are going. belong. Maps, compasses and guides, whether digital or physical, are also useful;
* sun protection : we should not underestimate the negative effects of the sun, no matter how necessary it is for life. Having clothing and accessories to avoid sunstroke and applying creams to take care of our skin are two good tips for any hiker during the hottest months;
* thermal insulation : similar to the previous point, although in this case we must also consider cold times. Our body is not prepared to withstand extreme temperatures , and that is why we must protect it;
* lighting : since we do not have night vision, unlike many animals, we need accessories that provide us with artificial light to move at night and in places that are too dark;
* first aid kit : a hiker exposes himself to various risks, and must be prepared to treat his wounds;
* fire : against the cold and darkness, there is nothing better than this element. Also, let's not forget that it is used to cook food.
Finally, the Club Atlético Excursionistas is a social and sports institution whose headquarters are located in the City of Buenos Aires ( Argentina ). It was founded in 1910 and has a football stadium for more than 7,000 spectators, among other infrastructures.