The
majority of outdoor survival situations that occur each year
throughout North America can be prevented with a little preparation
and foresight. A survival situation
can happen to anyone and doesn't always result from inexperience
in the outdoors or recklessness. However, survival is an attitude
that needs to begin before you leave your house- not simply
when you hit the trailhead. Being prepared is critical and
can often mean the difference between having to spend a miserable
night in the outdoors or returning home safely.
Ten Survival
Tips that could save your life:
1. Always
leave a travel plan with someone. At
the minimum, your plan should cover where you are going to
hike and when you will return. In the event you do become
lost, searchers will know the exact area in which to concentrate
their efforts.
2. Carry
a few basic items in case you do have to spend the night.
At the minimum, I always carry a garbage bag, lighter,
whistle, pocketknife, and water bottle. This is the bare minimum
that accompanies me on every trek and as it covers the basics
of shelter, water, and fire. Depending on your outdoor activity,
skill level, and the climate you live in, you may need to
carry more extensive gear.
3. Pack
some basic gear along, like a garbage bag, and you can create
a quick shelter. Cut a slit in the middle of the
closed end and then pull it over your head. This amazing survival
tool packs easily in a pocket, costs pennies, and can save
your life! You can also pack it with leaves or pine needles
and use it as a blanket. Carry one with you on every hike.
Remember hypothermia- a drastic lowering of the body's core
temperature, can occur in 50 degree weather, so have some
means of making shelter quickly.
4. Carry
a wool cap with you in your vehicle and in your daypack.
Protect that amazing survival tool between your ears
at all costs! Eighty percent of your body heat will be drained
if your head is exposed. If you're without a cap, use a sock,
bandanna, or anything- but keep your head warm.
5. Get
into the habit of carrying at least three fire making sources
on you. A lighter in your shirt pocket and a spark
rod and Windproof matches in your pants pocket or pack. When
you have to make a fire in rainy or adverse weather, always
gather the dead twigs of evergreens such as pine, fir, or
spruce. Being resinous it will ignite quicker than any other
wood.
6. One of
the best emergency fire starters are 100% cotton balls smeared
with vaseline (a petroleum product). One
of these will burn 4-5 minutes and a batch can be stored in
a film canister. A 2' x 2' section of crumbled wax paper will
also work but has a shorter burning time. Pine or spruce sap
is a superior material for helping to ignite wet wood. Collect
the honey-like sap from tree wounds or the ends of fallen
logs and insert into your bundle of twigs or smear on Kleenex.
Sap will work even if it's wet.
7.
Carry a signal mirror in your pocket. The glimmer
from a mirror can carry for miles and a signal mirror can
be used on a windy day unlike the smoke from a fire. You have
probably received an Internet CD-rom in the mail as a promotional
and can use this to practice signaling. Don't wait for a wilderness
emergency before you become familiar with how to use a signal
mirror though. Other objects to use for signaling are camera
flash, flashlight, aluminum foil, compass mirror, whistle,
rocks & logs spelling SOS, cutting a garbage bag into
strips on the ground.
8. Always
have a bandanna with you. These
amazing items can be used as a: water strainer, cap, scarf,
water collector- use to dip into rock or tree pockets, flag
for signaling, pot holder, lashing material, first-aid sling
for injured arm, washcloth, and even a fire starter. There
are even some bandannas that have useful graphics printed
on them such as constellations, animal tracks, and topographic
maps.
9. Know
your limits and when it is time to turn back or stop to rest.
Common Sense is an important muscle that you must
exercise on every trip to the wilderness. All the survival
gear, training, and reading won't help unless you USE YOUR
BRAIN!
10.
Let's say you do all of these things and you still run into
Murphy's Law in the backcountry. If you do have
to spend a night alone in the wilds, remember- your priorities
are centered on only a handful of skills. They are:
Positive
Mental Attitude.
Sit down, remain calm by assessing your situation
(Are you injured? Did you leave a travel plan with someone?
What resources do you have in your pockets?). Being calm is
a truly critical survival trait to possess.
Priorities will depend on your
given environment but generally involve focusing on shelter,
water, fire, and trying to get a good night's sleep. Food
is low on the list so unless you are an experienced trapper
or ethno-botanist, save the hunting and gathering for an expert.
Every survival situation is unique
and there isn't a singular textbook approach to solving your
particular scenario. Most Search & Rescue experts recommend
staying put. It makes their search efforts easier. However,
if you didn't leave a travel plan and no one knows where you
are, or if you're in the desert and don't have any water,
or you are in a remote region where searchers won't be able
to see your signals, then you may have to hike out. If you
are thinking of hiking out ask yourself what it is going to
cost you on a physiological level. Your life may depend on
how well you conserve your precious sweat and calories.
Keep these tips in mind when
preparing for your next trek and remember that a good plan
for wilderness travel assumes nothing. You can't assume that
the weather will remain warm & sunny; you can't assume
that your vehicle is impervious to breakdown; and you can't
assume that the spring on your topo map has water flowing
from it this year. Prepare before your leave home and you
will be ready for an unexpected backcountry emergency.
