Hiked

[JohnStrider]

Quick disclaimer before i get into the nitty gritty of it: I am in no way, shape or form associated with Hiked.com.au. I merely interviewed the owner with the goal of giving her business a little more exposure.

So, as mentioned, over the weekend I got the opportunity to interview a lady by the name of Kate Southall who has started her own guided hiking business in the Dandenong Ranges called Hiked. The majority of her clients are busy mums who want something more than what a gym can offer but are too scared to venture outside the comfort zone of their local park to go for a hike. She also runs hikes for kids and their parents as well.

One thing that really struck me about this was when Kate mentioned that her clients are proud that they actually went on a hike rather than a walk. They've realised that there's a lot more to it than just chucking on a pair of Skins, a tshirt and going for a stroll. There's a bit of planning and prep involved. It's quite interesting that something as simple as that can completely change your mindset about the activity that you're about to do.

Furthermore, one thing that Kate does to alleviate any issues or concerns that her clients might have about the track or the conditions, is that she will hike that particular trail at least 48 hours before the scheduled hike is to commence. IMO that is absolute dedication to her business, but, more importantly, to her clients.

If you'd like to read a little more about Kate and her business, check it out here: http://www.thehikingsociety.com.au/2016/11/28/you-havent-really-hiked-until-youve-hiked/

Cheers

[Hallu]

I thought we didn't say "hike" in Australia ? Anyway I had no idea some people were actually scared of hiking. I mean I can understand being scared of hiking in summer in Lerderderg, because it's become a snake paradise, and bushfires can happen, I can understand being scared of hiking in the Cathedral Range because it's hard, overgrown, and at times vertiginous, but the Dandenongs are really fine. Anyway, thinking about it, I'd rather see guides like her showing people they can hike stuff they thought beyond their abilities than the Parks "dumbing down" walks by putting more guardrails or any other unnecessary human intervention. We need more people in the bush, because unless they see it, they will never vote for its conservation.

[slparker]

I am a member of a bushwalking club that probably has a 70% percentage of females in it. A lot of them were very intimidated by bushwalking because it is not the same as going for a walk around the block. Many of the skills that we take for granted are not at all intuitive and need to be learnt, which is intimidating after your mid-20s. When the media is full of 'man lost in bush' stories, or wolf-creek type movies it can be a daunting prospect to get out there in the bush.

I am no great bushie - my skills are rudimentary - but i have noticed that people naive to bushwalking cannot even identify a slightly overgrown track through the scrub as it just all 'looks like bush' to them. let alone the skills to pack for a weekend walking, navigating, what to wear, setting up camp, setting up a tent - let alone selecting all that gear.

Any program, commercial or otherwise, that gets people into the bush that may not otherwise have done so, is a positive, i feel.

[Lindsay]

This seems a good idea. It's easy to forget that many people are not comfortable in the bush and would not normally get involved with such an activity. Support and safety in numbers will allow these ladies to be a little more adventurous.

[JohnStrider]

It is strange to feel unsafe or uncomfortable whilst out on the trail for some people. Whilst I believe getting lost isn't necessarily a bad thing, particularly if you have the tools to deal with the issue, I think what Kate is doing here goes a long way to alleviate those issues.

She was telling me that her customers are getting more and more confident with these hikes and are now asking to other harder trails.

@Hallu - good comment re: the term hike. While I didn't include it in the piece, Kate's believes the term hike/hiked/hiking is appropriate because she feels it represents going somewhere where you haven't been before. To her, that is a hike. But it certainly is a term that is constantly spoken about.

[MickyB]

She was telling me that her customers are getting more and more confident with these hikes and are now asking to other harder trails.

Once they have more confidence I wonder if her customers will keep paying to walk with her or go out alone.

[Gadgetgeek]

Great to have someone catering for that market. To be honest we forget how much many of us were taught by mentors, or our own teenage idiocy. The more people get any sort of skill, the better they feel about themselves. The funny part is that people are very unlikely to consider themselves as capable when they are comfortable in whatever role they play in life. Start to stretch that comfort zone, and suddenly people feel much more capable, even if they already possess what others would call an "expert" level of skill in another area. Its odd, but so is a lot of what humans have in their minds.

[JohnStrider]

She was telling me that her customers are getting more and more confident with these hikes and are now asking to other harder trails.

Once they have more confidence I wonder if her customers will keep paying to walk with her or go out alone.

I think that is a fair point. However, the service she provides i.e. doing the trails prior to a booking etc is invaluable and is worth paying the $15 for.

In saying that, as mentioned in the article, this is only the beginning of a much bigger plan.

[JohnStrider]

Great to have someone catering for that market. To be honest we forget how much many of us were taught by mentors, or our own teenage idiocy. The more people get any sort of skill, the better they feel about themselves. The funny part is that people are very unlikely to consider themselves as capable when they are comfortable in whatever role they play in life. Start to stretch that comfort zone, and suddenly people feel much more capable, even if they already possess what others would call an "expert" level of skill in another area. Its odd, but so is a lot of what humans have in their minds.

I think the overriding theme here is mindset.

[Nuts]

Furthermore, one thing that Kate does to alleviate any issues or concerns that her clients might have about the track or the conditions, is that she will hike that particular trail at least 48 hours before the scheduled hike is to commence. IMO that is absolute dedication to her business, but, more importantly, to her clients.

Cheers

Huh, wouldn't this be expected as a minimum? probably even some sort of condition of her concession?

Good luck besides.

[north-north-west]

I'd be more impressed if you used the terms 'bushwalked' and 'tracks'. But that's just me.

It's depressing that this is necessary, but anything that gets more people more comfortable in the bush (even somewhere as easy as the Dandenongs) has to be a good thing overall. (Except for the *&%$#! Americanisation . . . )