Along marked trails, there are often bridges over the larger watercourses. If you hike in an area without cairns, wading is one of the biggest risk factors. The power of running water can make the wader loose his balance and ice cold water quickly cools downs feet and legs.

When approaching a watercourse that you deem difficult or impossible to wade. 

Begin by checking the map and terrain

• How does the runoff look? Can I walk around the difficult section if I walk upstream and instead wade several small streams?

• How does it look downstream? Streams and watercourses are often widest, and thus shallowest and the least struggle at the outflow of the next water.

• Can I tent nearby and wait for a lower water level? If the stream comes from snow-lie or glaciers, the water level is practically the lowest early in the morning before the sun begins to melt the snow and ice.

Here is some advice when wading

• Begin by packing all loose items hanging outside of the backpack so as to not risk losing them. Do not have your camera hanging from your chest.

• Loosen the hipbelt. Then you can get out of the backpack quickly if you fall.

• Go over at the widest section, where it is the shallowest and with the least current.

• Do not wade where the water reaches over the knee.

• Never wade without shoes. Feet become numb in the cold water and the risk for injury is big. Use exercise shoes or sandals.

• A wading pole can provide valuable support.

• Walk diagonally against the current to reduce the risk that the feet are washed away in mid stride.

• Walk along the bottom and search for reliable footholds. Balancing on stones can end unsuccessfully if you lose balance on a slippery or loose stone.