How to Safely Cross Rivers & Streams When Hiking

Video Transcript

"Hi, I’m Kate I’m with Zoar Outdoor on behalf of expertvillage.com and we’re going to be talking about hiking today. When you’re hiking you probably come across brooks or river that you need to cross. When you cross any of them, you’re going to want to undo your hip belt and your sternum strap, especially if it’s a much swifter river than this brook. This is just a precaution in case you fall in, you don’t want to be dragged down with your backpack, you can easily slip out of it. When you do cross the river, you’re going to want to find the widest spot to cross, this means it’s the most shallow and if it’s in the springtime and it’s a snow fed river, you might want to consider doing it early in the morning. Also check out your maps, there might be an easier way to cross or you might not have to cross the river at all just by going up river or down river. When you do cross the river, you want to make sure you have stable footing and you should be using your trekking poles to help you out. If you have sandals, it’s a good idea to put those on. Try keeping your feet dried as much as you can but generally speaking, river crossings are pretty hazardous, can be slippery, the currant can be strong, so you always want to have your hip belt undone, your sternum strap undone and you want to be using trekking poles. If you’re in water that’s up to your waist, it’s a good idea to face up stream with a slight angle to the shore you want to go for and use cautious footing. Put one foot out, get your footing good, then try and go for the next step, take it slow. If you have sandals, you should put those on otherwise use your hiking boots and get to shore and dry them out. But just be very careful when you’re crossing brooks or swift rivers."