Avoiding Common Hiking Perils: A Conversation with Dr. Rob Scanlon

In this Rise and Wander podcast episode, I welcome pulmonary and critical care physician Dr. Rob Scanlon, author of "Surviving the Trail." Dr. Rob explains how hiking became a way to de-stress, why preparation matters, and the most common causes of hiker deaths and rescues: dehydration, hypothermia, heat illness, drowning, falling, and getting lost. We discuss his five essential skills—hydration strategy, maintaining body temperature, fall awareness, safer water crossings, and land navigation—along with warning signs of heat illness and hypothermia, guidance for estimating water needs, risks of "fatal selfies," stream-crossing considerations, and why preventable incidents strain mountain rescue teams. Show Links:  Surviving the Trail Book Dr. Rob's Instagram REI 52 Hike Challenge