HOUGHTON -- Hiking in the summertime can be a pleasurable experience.
"This time of year is probably about the best time to go out there. There's not a lot of bugs, the nights are still relatively warm, the days are bearable," said Andy Diepen, volunteer at Superior Search and Rescue.
However, if you are not an experienced hiker, one wrong turn in the woods could lead to a dangerous adventure, and cell phones rarely have service.
"It's important to have good water supply, good food supply, and also to make sure that someone knows that you're out there, knows what you have with you and knows how to get a hold of you," Diepen said.
Other items such as a sleeping bag, a compass and proper hiking shoes are also important to have.
"A compass is good to have just to keep your direction in a straight line so you're not walking around in circles," said Arni Ronis, owner of Downwind Sports in Houghton.
Water purifying tablets also help if your supply runs out.
"The tablets work well; they'll kill all the nasty bugs that are out there, and then you have some safe water to drink," Ronis said.
If you get lost, start a fire so search and rescue crews can identify you faster.
"Get where you're highly visible, get out in the open. Follow the trails if you can; don't bushwhack through the woods. Try and stay where you're going to actually see traffic of people going through," Diepen said.
As always, make sure you have a flashlight, a raincoat and enough water supply to last you through the whole trip.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWLUC