What To Do If You Find Yourself Lost in the Woods
We on the HELLA team know a thing or two about getting lost in the woods. It’s happened to the best of us. Our social media manager once waded through a sea of poison oak in order to follow a creek that she thought *might* lead her back to the trail (it eventually did).
Here’s how it might go down: You’re hiking along and maybe you decide to take a shortcut, or perhaps you veer off trail to see a landmark that piques your curiosity. All of a sudden, it dawns on you: You’re backwards. The trail was just behind you, wasn’t it? Regardless of how you’ve gotten there, you’re lost. Now what?
- Very first thing: BEFORE YOU DEPART--especially if you’re going alone--let someone know you’re going out into the woods and approximately when you should be returning.
- STAY CALM: Take a deep breath. Realize that everything is “figureoutable” and that you can get through this if you keep your wits about you.
- Next, STOP. Take your backpack off, have a sip of water, keep breathing, and check your maps. The odds are if you keep moving forward in search of a trail, you’re just heading deeper in the wrong direction.
- Now THINK. Remember the landmarks you’ve seen and try to be objective about the mental map you’ve created. Our memories can be unreliable, so trying to stay somewhat detached from your mental map is important.
- Mentally RETRACE your footprints (remaining at your resting point). Where is the last place you knew exactly where you were? How long ago was that? What direction have you been traveling since then? Depending on how much light you have left, consider whether or not you might be able to physically retrace your steps to get back to that point.
- If you decide to retrace your path, MARK IT. Use whatever you can find to create a clear path you can follow back (sticks, rocks, or anything else you won’t mind parting with etc.)
- If you can’t retrace your path, STAY PUT somewhere safe so a 3rd party can find you. Stay calm, stay hydrated. Have a bite of trail mix if you’ve got some. If you will be staying overnight, locate a spot that is dry, flat, not underneath anything that could fall on you (falling rocks, dead limbs etc.), and is READILY VISIBLE.
Remember that prevention and preparation are key. Bring enough food/water and a first aid kit on any and every hike. Remember that temps can drop severely, so wear layers and pack something warm. Be sure to wear your HELLA ID whenever you’re going to be in need of ID--out on the trail is perfect.
Happy hiking out there and journey safe!
