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How to React if You Become Lost
During one early winter afternoon in the mid-1980s, two friends drove for miles on a Forest Service road in Montana. Far from a paved road, their vehicle became stuck. The pair elected to hike into the forest rather than retrace their entry route. They eventually concluded that they were lost. Wandering along, they came across what they believed to be an abandoned ranger station. They decided that they should do something that could attract attention from afar. Their idea? Set the cabin on fire.
It turns out the cabin had been designated as a historic structure. The hikers, discovered not long after the cabin was set ablaze, were cited for destroying public property.
Better options exist for handling such a situation. These hikers, for instance, had actually found an excellent survival shelter, yet in their panicked thinking they destroyed it. In the process, they endangered the surrounding forest as well.
We hope you never become lost. If it happens, though, be prepared to calmly respond to the situation. It would have been much better for these 2 hikers if they had a backup plan in mind before they started making bad decisions.
What follows is an assortment of advice we have gleaned from experienced navigators and search-and-rescue educators. Consider making a printout of these tips and carrying it with you on your next backcountry trip.
Before The Trip
- Always try to plan for the unexpected "what ifs?" What if I get delayed? Lost? Injured? Am I prepared to cope with that?
- If you don't already own a compass, select an inexpensive beginners' model. Prices start around $10. Advance to a more sophisticated compass as your navigation skills improve. Keep the original as a backup.
- Learn basic map-and-compass navigational skills. Some good starting points is reading map and compass stories at this web site. Take a navigation class. GO frequently schedules such classes. Community colleges or high schools with adult extension programs often offer such classes on weekends or at night.
- Find a friend who really understands topographic maps and compass usage; ask that person to join you on a day hike and learn all you can.
- Pick a trip, even a day hike, and study your intended route on a map in advance at home. Doing so when you're not under any pressure gives you time to become more familiar and comfortable with the unique markings of a topographic map.
Worthwhile Additional Items to Carry
- Cell phone: Realize that rugged backcountry terrain often blocks cell phones from connecting to transmitter towers, rendering them useless in the wilderness. If you're fairly close to a city, cell phones may work high on an open ridgeline.
- GPS receiver: These sophisticated units are great for identifying the points where you have traveled, but usually only a compass (some GPS models are exceptions) can tell you which direction you are facing — essential information for backcountry navigation.
- 2-way radios: These devices customarily have a maximum range of 2 miles, though certain terrain features (steep cliffs, deep gorges) may limit their signals. They're handy for keeping track of independent explorers who insist on traveling at their own pace.
- Glow stick or chem light: These items could make you easier to spot at night.
- IMPORTANT: Let someone know where you're going, what route you plan to take and your estimated return time. If you get lost, the sooner a rescue operation begins, the better for your searchers and you, the lost party.
Tip: Make a photocopy of a map with your intended route highlighted, then leave it with a family member, friend or a ranger. Slide one more copy under the seat of your vehicle at the trailhead. (Rescuers, racing against time, may attempt to enter your car at a trailhead in search of clues to your possible whereabouts.) If you change your plans before you start a trip, call and update someone, even if you simply leave a message on an answering machine.
During The Trip
Tip: Three blasts of a whistle is a universal signal for help.
If You're Lost
Remember an acronym favored by the Emergency Response Institute of Olympia, Wash.: S-T-O-P. Stop, Think, Observe and Plan.
- Stop: If you feel uncomfortable with your situation, don't go any further. Don't panic, either. Young or inexperienced backcountry travelers should be taught to stay put once they feel lost. "Hug a tree" is familiar, and worthwhile, advice. The rule changes if the area is unsafe or someone in your group needs medical attention. Count to 10, drink some water or eat a little food. These acts often give you a fresh perspective and help you better assess your situation.
- Think: Where were you when you were last certain of your location? Was it at a trail junction? A river crossing? A place where you can take bearings to obvious physical landmarks that appear on the map? Can you navigate back to that point? Can you hear or see helpful landmarks like a road or trail? If so, carefully return to that spot and reevaluate your options. Remember, you can take control.
- Observe: Put your senses on full alert. Picture in your mind all distinctive features you spotted as you came to your current position. Remember the details or any oddities that spurred you to make a mental note. Can you use them as waypoints to guide you back to a place where you were confident of your location? If so, return to that spot. Can you connect with a known trail from that point? Do so. If not, stay put. It's easier for rescuers to find you near your original line of travel. Are there any items there that can be useful to you? Any hazards you need to avoid? When will it get dark? How does the weather look?
- Plan: If you are with others, talk over a plan. If not, it can be useful to say the plan out loud as if you were explaining it to someone else. If it makes sense, then follow your plan. If not, revise your plan. If the situation changes as you follow that plan, use "STOP" again to improve your chances for a safe recovery.
Tip: Are you confident that you are near a "baseline" object such as a major road? If so, and you are certain of its direction and have sufficient daylight, consider bushwhacking to that object.
Additional Considerations
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