There is nothing quite like standing on a mountain top, only dramatic ridges, green slopes, and rocky cliffs as far as you can see. The experience of hiking through alpine meadows dotted with vibrant wildflowers or looking up at night to see stars so close they look like they are hanging above you is certainly special. Carrying a 35-40 lb pack for multiple days up steep trails in the backcountry (with bugs hassling you the whole way) would be a challenge for anyone, but being a type one diabetic, it comes with extra difficulties. But for me it has always been more than worth it! That being said, I have certainly learned a few things the hard way, so I wanted to share some important things I’ve learned from doing multi-day backpacking trips. And even if you aren’t looking to do anything quite so extreme, hopefully these tips will help!
I seriously think I use between half and a 3rd of my normal insulin while backpacking. I made a new profile on my pump called “hike” and stacked exercise mode and STILL always went low here and there.
I’ve had a couple scares when I underestimated just how many I would need and resorted to eating some of the honey we brought for breakfast. When you’re doing near constant exercise for multiple days, even if your control is good you’re gonna mess up multiple times, especially if you’re new to long days of walking.
Even at higher altitudes it can still get above the recommended temperature for open insulin (~30°C I believe). I personally use a Frio (image below) because I can just soak it every day or two and then put my insulin inside and it’s worked well so far.
Lugging around a bunch of pump set equipment and changing your set in a tent sucks, but in my experience it’s worth it. Not having to expose skin to bugs to use a pen is really nice. Also, if possible, a CGM is a lifesaver. I did my first trip with just a finger pricker and it was miserable. As I’m sure many of you know, needing to sit and wait in incoventent locations because you didn’t notice your sugars dropping until it’s too late is not fun, and on trails swarming with bugs it’s even worse. Having an alarm to warn me that I’m dropping so I can catch it in time and not need to stop is awesome.
That way you have the max amount of time before you have to change it again. Although it’s extra weight, I also recommend bringing a bit more diabetes stuff then you think you’ll need. Prepare for a tech or insulin failure because if you’re out in the backcountry and something goes wrong you can’t fix it until you get back. It has fortunately not happened to me, but I can imagine going into DKA in the backcountry would be TERRIBLE.
I hope these tips help! Happy hiking!
– Vivian
Hi, my name is Vivian and I’m a proud T1D Cyborg. I’m currently attending UBC and I love writing, Taekwondo, exploring new places, and learning new things!
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SO helpful! Thanks for the great tips Vivian ~ have fun n stay safe on your next adventure!