What you need to know before hiking the Fundy Footpath

The Fundy Footpath is a 49.3-kilometre trail stretching from Big Salmon River Road to Fundy National Park. Philip Howe, the search manager for the Greater Fundy Ground Search and Rescue, describes it as "rugged" and "physically demanding."

Since 2013, the number of hikers on the trail has been steadily increasing, according to Howe. Around 800 people hiked the path in 2013, when the park first began tracking the number of visitors. That number has soared to nearly 2,000, Howe said.

"It's not just a few local people using the trails anymore, it's worldwide," Howe said.

But Howe estimates the rescue team receives about five calls every year, with problems ranging from exhaustion to broken bones, and that's not including phone calls made to local fire departments. 

To make sure hikers are staying safe on the trail, park staff at Big Salmon River have decided to hold their first-ever information session on safety on the footpath at the Fundy Trail Parkway on Saturday at 2 p.m.

If you're considering hiking the Fundy Footpath, here are a few tips to make your trek a success.

How should you plan ahead 

Before heading on the hike, make a trip plan. Howe recommends using the website or app  AdventureSmart, which creates a plan for you, detailing where you're leaving from and when you'll reach your destination.

'If you don't make calls or don't actually get there on time, then people will know that something's gone wrong and we can come out and search for you," Howe said.

Howe also recommends bringing a buddy with you rather than hiking the footpath alone. A lot of people try to make the journey alone, and are left to fend for themselves if something goes wrong, he said.

What should you bring?

Howe said a common mistake is not taking a reliable navigational aid. 

"A lot of people rely on their cellphone, and cellphones will fail," he said.

He recommends taking a paper map and a compass, and figuring out how to use them before you get lost in the woods. He also suggested buying a GPS because its battery lasts longer than a cellphone's.

Howe said that to be found quickly in an emergency, you need to have a signalling device. The mirror on the back of a hand-held compass can be used as a signalling device, as can a high-powered flashlight. 

Another useful device to carry with you is a SPOT beacon — a panic button that signals operators in Texas that you're in danger. They then alert the New Brunswick's Emergency Measures Organization. However, SPOT beacons can cost upwards of $400 and require you to pay a subscription fee. 

And, of course, you should bring enough water and food to last you four days. Howe recommends bringing a water filtration device in case you run out on the path. One of the hikers the search team rescued last year hadn't drunk water in two days, How said.

"By the time he got to Telegraph Brook, his body shut down and he had to be extricated out." 

To decrease your risk of injury, you should also wear proper hiking attire. 

"We've seen people go out there wearing flip flops and sandals … that's just not a good thing to do because you can stumble and sprain an ankle or break a bone."

What should you do if you're injured or lost? 

If you need to be rescued, the first thing you should do is call 911 and provide a precise description of where you are, Howe said. 

You should also conserve your phone battery by shutting it off while hiking and only turning it on in an emergency.  

It takes about an hour to get from the search and rescue base in Sussex to the park, then additional time to hike to the location of the person in trouble. The design of the trail doesn't allow for ATVs, so rescue time is upwards of an hour. 

"If something happens when you're out there and you're by yourself, you know, you're far away, it's not like I can just drive there in 15 minutes."