Search:

Hiking Along: Survival Information 101

Trouble can come at any time during a hike and expert hikers know this all too well. Hike survival stories dating back to the 19th century are good reading material for people keen on trekking according to someone representing the county sheriff department. In his opinion if hikers avoid committing needless errors like straying from a path the trek will proceed without a hitch.

Roughing it in the wilderness and living to tell about it takes lots of thoughtful preparation. 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.

Steel yourself to possible bad news. For unplanned overnight stays in the wilderness hikers are advised by search and rescue people to take along additional items that include space blankets together with signal mirrors and whistles. Light moves fast so it does not take ages to communicate something. Lost hikers have frequently had success alerting others of their location by flashing the flashbulbs on their cameras. However vegetation surrounding the area along with the water noises can obscure whistle sounds made.

You cannot expect mobile phones to work everywhere but they still provide one effective means of communication while hiking particularly in areas like the front country. Trekkers fond of experimenting with paths taken often explore shortcuts or ignore set trails and end up being rescued by search parties. If reading a topographical map is hard for you then it would be a huge mistake to stray from featured trails. Roaming about is a good way to get even more lost and search and rescue experts suggest doing the opposite and just remaining in one place until someone finds you. While you could find your own way back it would still be safer to just wait for searchers to come since they are good at locating fixed targets.

The STOP acronym is a good way to remember what to do. If the situation is too much to handle STOP. Focus and start THINKING of the last location wherein you did not feel lost. By OBSERVING noticeable characteristics of the spot you may get hints to guide you where you need to be. Map out a PLAN to determine what is next. Losing the way at night might mean a plan to stay overnight in one location. Remaining dry and warm are what counts most in this case. Comfort can be had easily with a space blanket however in its absence you can make do with leaves and some twigs.

When possible eat something to avoid elevated core body temperature. The best advice for kids when lost is to not leave their spot and just put their arms around a tree while awaiting rescuers according to search and rescue pros.

Article Source: http://www.bigarticlesarchive.com

To understand more about compare travel insurance quotes visit this resource. Learn about travel insurance companies.

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated