Planning a safe trip: route, weather and telling someone

Most outdoor emergencies start at home, with a plan that was too ambitious, a forecast nobody checked or a route nobody else knew about. Ten minutes of calm planning is the best safety kit you will ever carry.

Three questions before you set off

• AdventureSmart, a UK outdoor safety campaign promoted by mountain rescue teams such as Wasdale Mountain Rescue, boils planning down to three questions: Do I have the right gear? Do I know what the weather will be like? Am I confident I have the knowledge and skills for the day?
• If the honest answer to any of the three is 'no' or 'not sure', change the plan: pick an easier route, a cooler day, or go with someone more experienced.
• Ask the questions as a group, out loud. It is much easier for a quieter friend to say 'I am not sure about this' when everyone has been asked.
• The same three questions work for a desert evening, a wadi walk in Ras Al Khaimah or a hill walk in the UK during a university term.

Choosing a route that fits the group

• Study the map before you leave so you know what terrain you will cross: steep ground, loose rock, dry riverbeds, long sections with no shade.
• The British Mountaineering Council suggests reasonably fit walkers cover about 4 or 5 km per hour, plus up to one minute for every 10 metres of climb.
• Worked example: a 6 km route with 300 metres of climb is roughly 72 to 90 minutes of walking plus up to 30 minutes for the climb, so about 2 hours before any breaks. Plan for the slowest person, not the fastest.
• Rocky Hajar trails, heat and frequent water stops will usually make you slower than any formula, so add generous extra time.
• Build up gradually: the BMC recommends practising on less serious hills in good weather before attempting harder routes.

Weather and official alerts

• In the UAE, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) uses three alert levels: yellow means 'be aware', orange means 'be prepared' and red means 'take action', with red reserved for exceptionally severe weather.
• Abu Dhabi Civil Defence advises anyone planning wilderness trips or camping to check for weather changes before leaving and to follow bulletins from official sources such as the NCM.
• Check the forecast the evening before and again on the morning of the trip. If an orange or red alert covers your area, postpone.
• Remember the season: Visit Jebel Jais gives the Ras Al Khaimah hiking season as October to April and advises avoiding midday hikes in warmer months.

Tell someone your plan

• The US National Park Service advises filling out a trip plan and leaving it with a trusted contact who is not coming with you.
• A Ras Al Khaimah Police safety video asks hikers to plan the trip and expected arrival time and to share the plan with a family member.
• A useful plan includes: where you are starting (a location pin), the route, who is going, which car, what time you expect to be back, and the time at which your contact should call for help if they have not heard from you.
• Send a short message when you start and when you finish. If plans change, update your contact before you change route, not after.
• In the UAE, the numbers your contact may need are 999 (police), 998 (ambulance) and 995 (search and rescue), as listed on the UAE Government portal.

Turn-back times and changing your mind

• The BMC is clear that turning back is a sign of good judgement, not failure: turn around if you feel out of your depth, the weather is worse than expected or you are running out of time.
• Before you start, agree a turn-back time: the clock time at which you will head back wherever you are, so you finish well before dark and before the heat builds.
• A sensible personal rule is also a water turn-back point: if about half your water is gone, start heading back.
• Decide these rules at home when everyone is calm. On the trail, tiredness and excitement make it hard to be objective.
• As the BMC puts it, the mountains will still be there another day.

Groups, guides and local rules

• Ras Al Khaimah's tourism authority (RAKTDA) lists simple hiking rules: plan routes ahead, stay on official trails, always hike with a buddy and check the weather first.
• Visit Jebel Jais says the trails are open to the public and free to walk on your own, but group sizes should be limited to 10 unless registered in advance with RAKTDA.
• According to the RAK Government Media Office, hiking tour operators that charge customers must hold a RAKTDA licence, so ask to see it if you book a guided trip.
• For your first trips, go with a family member, school club or licensed guide who knows the area.