|
2torial #0434:
Learn2 Behave When Lost in the Woods
Lions and tigers and bears oh my!
It can happen to even an Eagle Scout: the
trail disappears, directions get confused, a sudden
turn in the weather forces you away from familiar
landmarks. All of a sudden the thin tether between
you and civilization has broken. You're not just
Getting Away From It All...you're lost.
But take heart: losing your way doesn't have to
mean losing your head. Follow the tips in this
2torial to minimize the danger to yourself, and to
keep yourself from getting even more lost. You'll
notice that the title of this 2torial is not
"Learn2 Get Un-Lost" but "Learn2 Behave When Lost
in the Woods"--the goal here is not to turn you
into a wilderness orientation expert (or a survival
expert), but to make it as easy as possible for
others to find you safe and sound.
"Be Prepared" is the Boy Scout motto, and if you
don't believe in making some kind of preparations
you have no business being out in the woods in the
first place. Being lost doesn't kill people; it's
the doing without (food, clothing, shelter, medical
attention) that does them in.
Whether packing for an afternoon picnic or a
weeklong trek, observe the Rule of Change: prepare
not only for the weather conditions that exist when
you start out, but for the weather that weather can
turn into. You don't need to take an umbrella when
you're hiking Death Valley (unless you want some
shade), but you should cram a rainhat in your pack
in Yosemite, even the forecast calls for sunshine.
You don't need a parka for that day trip, but your
clothing should add up to several layer: put them
on or peel them off as the temperature dictates.
You should always, always bring matches or a
lighter. Put them in your backpack right
now--go on, we'll wait--and don't take them out
when you clean out your pack (do, however, check to
make sure they're still serviceable).
Always bring more water than you expect to
drink--and don't drink it just because you have it.
If your mouth is parched, you can moisten it with a
single mouthful; you don't need to chug down the
bottle.
The best way to avoid getting lost is
(obviously) to keep to a trail, so resist the
temptation to tramp off into the virgin wild unless
you know exactly what you're doing. Besides being
environmentally unfriendly (it contributes to
erosion) and often illegal, straying from the trail
is flirting with danger. Just as you can drown in
an inch of water, you can get hopelessly lost in
five minutes of pathless tromping.
There's just one more inflexible rule: don't
leave for the outdoors unless there's someone
who'll notice you haven't returned. You don't
have to post a formal itinerary at the ranger's
office, but at least mention to a friend or family
member where you're going and when you expect to be
back. For the price of a phone call, you can keep
getting lost from becoming a permanent
disappearance.
 Step
1
| 
