Surviving On The Hiking Trail
Trouble can come at any time during a hike and expert hikers know this all too well. Someone from the department of the county sheriff who lived through plenty of California mountain wild nights said that anyone today interested in reading survival stories should start with those from the 19th century. In his opinion if hikers avoid committing needless errors like straying from a path the trek will proceed without a hitch.
You need to do your homework if you want to get in and out of the wilds alive. Any kind of hiking will be less worrisome if the 10 basic items are brought along for the trip including first aid supplies together with a pocket knife and compass plus a map as well as waterproof matches or a fire starter and a flashlight plus extra clothes and food and a pair of sunglasses.
The situation might turn ugly so be ready for it. People who make unscheduled overnight stops in the woods should also arm themselves with a whistle as well as a space blanket and some signal mirrors for a source of light flashes from the sun advise search and rescue personnel. Hiker status is communicated in a timely fashion using speed of light. Missing hikers have often been found with the help of camera flashes they used to indicate location. Although useful whistle noise can only travel so far before water sounds drown it out or the surrounding vegetation absorbs it.
A cellular phone might not be the most sure fire way out of a hiking problem but it can still be used to make calls while within the area of the front country. A search is often called as a result of a hiker following unmarked trails or taking shortcuts and accidentally or purposely getting lost. If not acquainted with terrain map interpretation just follow whatever trails are indicated. If overwhelmed by the situation one way to guarantee being found quickly is to stay in one place says people involved in search and rescue activities. Keep in mind that roving targets are harder to locate than fixed ones so abandon all ideas of finding your way back alone and just wait for help to arrive.
STOP is an acronym many experts advise using. When feeling lost and panicky just STOP. Try and THINK of the last place you were certain of where you were. OBSERVE aspects of the place that could point to your true location. Prepare and PLAN the necessary action to take. The plan could be staying put and getting some sleep if it is getting too dark. Warmth and dryness are the key priorities here. Gather up some tree boughs and leaves to stay comfy or use the space blanket you brought along.
If there is food available consume it to avoid having the inner body temperature shoot up. According to most search and rescue teams staying put and locking their arms around a tree are the best actions to take while keeping in mind that rescuers are on the way.
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