In my earlier post about our latest adventure in the Great Smoky Mountains, I mentioned my hiking partner rolled her ankle and went on to hike more than 35 miles. I thought I would elaborate and share how we assessed whether to turn back or continue with our planned itinerary. It wasn’t a simple or easy decision to make.
THE PLAN
Our intended route began at Kuwohi, dropping down Forney Ridge to the Springhouse Branch Trail, then down to the Lakeshore Trail to pick up the Tunnel (to Nowhere) Bypass, the Goldmine Loop, and up the White Oak Branch Trail. The final leg of our trip was to hike the wild and wet Forney Creek Trail back up to Kuwohi. It was a great plan and we were super excited about it, but not far into our journey, one misplaced step completely changed everything.
If you have ever rolled an ankle on a hike, you know those first adrenaline-filled moments of shock and despair, when questions like “Can I walk? Is it bad? Is the trip over? Am I going home??” can exaggerate emotion and overwhelm reality. An unanticipated injury can muddle honest evaluation skills, to a greater or lesser degree, for just about anyone.
Once the shock and pain subsided some, she determined that she could bear weight with minimal pain. She walked around in slow circles for a while, exploring how tender, sore, and usable the foot felt. She assured me it looked much worse than it felt, which became the running theme for the rest of the trip.
WEIGHING OUR OPTIONS
The day was just under a 10-mile walk, and this stretch of trail was all downhill (as we happened to be starting at literally the tallest mountain around). The good news was that our campsite that evening was not far from a road via the Noland Creek Trail, if things took a turn for the worse.
She decided she could cautiously continue on, while we discussed the most convenient evacuation routes along the way. Since there were good options, we hiked mindfully and purposefully toward our first night’s campsite.
In all honesty, if I had been with anyone else, I would have spent far more time encouraging an injured hiker to take the shortest route back to the car immediately. Because we hike, backpack, and trek regularly together, I trust her judgment and know her body is strong, flexible, and adaptable to changing terrain. After all, this badass woman just walked the Salkantay Trek up and over 15,000’ in elevation with me in Peru a few weeks ago. Between my Wilderness First Responder training and her own wilderness first aid experience, we agreed that we had the skills to keep evaluating as we went along.
Backcountry “cold packs”
FIRST AID IN ACTION
After setting up camp, we filled her soft-sided water bottles with icy-cold stream water, conveniently close by, and used them as cold packs throughout the evening. She began a regimen of ibuprofen and wrapped the ankle with kinesiology tape (KT tape) securing it in a comfortably flexed position. (By the way, that tape totally rocks… it miraculously stayed on for four days and through a dozen or more creek crossings, until she finally peeled it off at home.)
Each day she meticulously made her way through frigid water (helpful for swelling) and navigated slippery, wobbly rocks (which most certainly are not) with skill and care. Evenings brought more therapy and plenty of TLC, which included, of course, a daily dose of Cheetos, eaten with a long-handled spoon. Even with the swelling, we continuously marveled, with great suspicion, at how good her ankle felt compared to how it looked. It actually began to improve over time, despite the rigorous activity it endured.
We were grateful that it worked out as best as it possibly could have, knowing it could have turned out much differently. She is resting and recovering safely at home now.
SO, SHOULD YOU JUST “WALK IT OFF”?
Am I recommending you keep walking when you injure an ankle?
Not exactly.
If you twist an ankle in the backcountry, the primary question is whether you can bear full or partial weight on it and take steps on your own. Do you feel pain and soreness in the soft tissue regions, or is it a sharp, more concentrated pain, numbness or tingling around the bony areas that could indicate a fracture or nerve issue? Further considerations are how far you are from help, the terrain, weather, remaining daylight, and of course, where the points of evacuation are.
If the answers lead toward a worrisome outcome, or if you simply aren’t sure, the wise move is to take the safest, shortest route out and seek medical attention. There is no shame in turning around! The mountain will still be there next time.
What I AM recommending is that you know yourself so well, that you can make grounded, intuitive decisions in any moment. Decisions that serve your highest and best good, rather than reacting purely from your ego, which most likely, desperately wants to continue.
However, our choice to persevere, rested upon objective information, extensive training and experience, trusted partnership, and knowing all the places to evacuate the backcountry if necessary. If there had been any sign of increasing pain or trouble bearing weight, we would have adjusted plans accordingly.
FEEL CONFIDENT TO MAKE EMPOWERED DECISIONS
Having the training to handle a variety of emergency situations is extremely valuable. A basic wilderness first aid class is inexpensive, enormously useful, and can be genuinely fun.
Learning to be self-confident while walking in the wild??
…is nothing short of life-changing.
I believe walking in nature to be one of the most self-empowering paths available to anyone seeking a deeper connection with themselves. You don’t need tall mountains or far away destinations. You only need to walk out your front door. From there, it could lead anywhere you could possibly imagine and beyond.
The most purposeful work I do is helping people build self-reliance and independence in the wild, whether they are just beginning with their first neighborhood stroll or dreaming of a far away mountain trek. I have something truly magical brewing here at the WildWood Walking Company, so stay tuned!
Hiking, backpacking, trekking… it all begins with walking.
xoxCollin
Please note, I am sharing personal experience… not medical advice! Every injury and every hiker is completely different, so please seek professional care whenever you are in doubt!