Can you share a bit about your background and how you got started with hiking?
Growing up 10 years in Florida, and 26 in Virginia; I found a deep appreciation for nature around me. The summer before my senior year in High School I took a class for 3 weeks that had me backpacking & camping throughout the West in various national parks. During this time, I even helped expand a park in the Grand Canyon in the South rim. Over the course of 30 years, I have hiked all over. I even took a trip to Australia and even got to sleep in the outback one night (It was June, but winter there!)
What are some essential skills every hiker should have before hitting the trails?
Essential hiking tips would be to plan your trip (with a map), know how to access a compass on your phone or buy a standalone one, and prepare for a day out. Bring water and sunscreen, and plan around weather events for your hike.
How do you prepare for a long hiking trip? Any tips for beginners?
A long-term hike would include understanding how far you plan to walk in a day, understanding locations you can camp at for your hike, and where to go in the event of emergency. For my trip out west, we had multiple locations that we hit over a 3-week period in multiple states. If you are doing something like this, you need to coordinate drive times and routes with your planning.