Get lost!

Every year dozens of hikers in New Hampshire's White Mountains will find themselves in trouble and in need of rescue. Some will be truly lost, some will be injured, others will just be waylaid by bad weather. Most could save themselves and their rescuers lot of trouble by being better prepared.

Though I've spent a good share of my life wandering on and off trails in some pretty wild places, I've never been lost, or even missing for any length of time. It may yet happen. But I'm not afraid, perhaps because I've "lost" myself many times. Not only have I survived, but I've actually enjoyed the experience.

In fact, I highly recommend getting purposefully "lost" to practice taking on the challenges of survival in controlled increments.

Before your next day hike, for example, assume that you are going to run into bad weather, injury or other misfortune, and are going to have to spend a night in the woods. Make sure you have what you need to survive.

You aren't going to take a tent, sleeping bag and cooking gear on a day hike. But you should have adequate clothing for the weather, rain gear, insect repellent, sunscreen, a filter bottle for clean drinking water, and a kit for starting a fire.

On a sunny, spring morning, imagine that the trail you're on disappears. What do you do? Of course you have a map and compass with you and you know how to use them to find your way to a trail, right? If not, now is the time to practice.

Okay, now imagine that instead of sunny morning, it's a rainy late afternoon and you've badly twisted your ankle on a slippery rock. And there's no way you are going to get out of the woods before dark. What do you do now?

Stop right where you are and look for shelter, of course. Think like an animal. Shelter might be an overhanging rock, or the trunk of a large, blown-down tree, or even the canopy of a thick spruce. Augmented with fallen branches, insulated with some leaves or evergreen boughs, such shelter can be surprisingly cozy. Think how you'd use what you have with you for your safety and comfort.

You'll be amazed, once you start looking, at how many places could provide shelter in an emergency. And simply by imagining that you could be lost, you prepare yourself for survival.

Most lost people panic. Truth is, you probably aren't in any real danger (discomfort isn't danger). But if you've already role-played your survival, it's easier to avoid the panic that might easily send you plunging into real danger.

So the next time you're headed away from the road, take some time to imagine yourself lost. Prepare for it. Savor it.

Hands-on practice

The next step in the "get lost" game is to actually do it, preferably in good weather. First, tell someone precisely what you are doing, where you are going to be, and when you will be out. Then go into a patch of woods and get "lost." This doesn't have to happen in the wilderness. In fact, best place is on private land where you have permission to create a shelter. If everyone practiced survival skills on public land, the damage could be horrendous.

Spending a night alone in the woods in a make-shift shelter is an amazing experience. You learn a lot of details. For example, you'll sleep more comfortably on a thick bed of springy evergreen tips or dry leaves than you will on hard or damp ground. But it takes time, effort and daylight to gather that many small twigs or leaves. Learning to plan ahead is a prime survival skill.

Improvise. Use what you have. If your feet hang out of your shelter, empty your pack and use that to keep them drier and warmer. Put it under your body for extra protection from damp ground, or over your head as a hat if you're huddled against a tree trunk.

There's no right or wrong. Whatever works is what's right. Once you've spent your first night alone in the woods, you'll know that and be better prepared to deal with a real emergency. You might even start getting "lost" for fun, taking on the challenges of worse weather and more difficult terrain.

Hikesafe

Hikesafe is a joint project with The U.S. Forest Service (which is responsible for the White Mountains National Forest), and New Hampshire Fish and Game (which coordinates all search and rescue operations in this vast hiking area). Their message is simple:

You are responsible for yourself, so be prepared:

• with knowledge and gear. Become self-reliant by learning about the terrain, conditions, local weather and your equipment before you start.
• to leave your plans. Tell someone where you are going, the trails you are hiking, when you will return and your emergency plans.
• to stay together. When you start as a group, hike as a group and end as a group. Pace your hike to the slowest person.
• to turn back. Weather changes quickly in the mountains. Fatigue and unexpected conditions can also affect your hike. Know your limitations and when to postpone your hike. The mountains will be there another day.
• for emergencies. Even if you are headed out for just an hour, an injury, severe weather or a wrong turn could become life threatening. Don't assume you will be rescued; know how to rescue yourself.
• to share the hiker code with others.

Cell phone sense

A lot of people today seem to think that a cell phone is the only emergency equipment they need. Not so.

Cell phones don't always work in the hills and mountains. And batteries can die quickly. Besides, remember that in any setting you are responsible for your own safety. You can't count on outside help.