Most people are not attacked by bears or stranded in the wilderness for days on end. Instead, they get lost. The temperatures drop quicker than expected. Someone twists their ankle, and what was supposed to be a relaxing day hike turns into a legitimate emergency.
Survival skills that matter when it comes to wilderness settings are not the ones championed by reality television. They’re not building a survival shelter or hunting for dinner. Instead, you need practicable skills relative to how people too often end up in trouble — getting lost, getting cold, injuring oneself, making poor decisions and panicking.
Why People Get Into Trouble in the Wilderness Most
The pattern of what happens far too often is this: someone makes a small mistake—it was a little too windy to only bring a light jacket, someone decided not to bother with a map because they thought the trail was well-marked. However, it suddenly gets worse—the trail markings have been changed due to some trail work, that light jacket is not cutting it now that the sun has gone down, your partner rolled their ankle on loose gravel.
Nothing, in and of itself, is that dramatic. But they start compounding—and then people get into serious trouble. You’re cold, and tired which makes you less likely to make good decisions. The difference between an inconvenient situation and a serious emergency is the ability to harness survival skills and the mindset to accomplish such skills.
What People Should Carry with Them
Let’s talk about gear for a moment because skills mean nothing without the means to accomplish said skills. The people who get into trouble fall into two categories—they either have nearly nothing or they carry a gaggle of items that seem useful but irrelevant to the truly common source of need/trouble.
For anyone going into an area without cell reception, there are some survival basics required. A real map and compass—not your iPhone—with the ability to chart one’s true north. A real way to start a fire even if it is damp (damp wood, waterproof matches, etc.). A headlamp because when things go wrong, they tend to take longer than anticipated. Extra clothing layers that can help withstand the cold if you’re stuck overnight.
You also want tools that can help more than one problem—good knives can do everything from carve food and create kindling out of shavings on a travel stick to first aid needs and roping needs. A basic first aid kit is essential because all that dirt and grime leads to minor cuts and scrapes falling victim to infection. Water purification tablets might be the number one easiest thing to carry—all those people who get stuck without freshwater—it’s negligible weight with a major health problem and time factor if not resolved immediately.
Knowing Where You Actually Are
GPS is amazing until your iPhone dies or loses reception. Then you realize you’ve never learned how to read an actual map. You don’t need to become a certified cartographer; develop the habit of always knowing where you are—before you’ve even begun hiking, take time to assess the map—big picture features (rivers ridges valleys)—and determine where you’re generally heading.
Then reference the map as you go—after any water stops—even if nothing is going wrong. This one habit keeps the vast majority of people from getting lost entirely. If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of not knowing where you are—stop walking immediately. It’s counterintuitive since your brain wants to move; however, moving only makes compounding problems worse. Sit down; drink some water; assess your options if they’re available.
Do you see any features consistent with what’s on your map? Is there a stream? Is there a ridge? Water always goes downhill—a stream is often going to lead somewhere—either a road or larger water feature or another sign of life.
How to Make a Fire When Every Condition is Against You
Starting a fire sounds simple until everything is damp and wind is blowing everywhere around you. The actual skill is not the means of ignition but rather an understanding of what fire needs (heat, fuel, oxygen) and then finding or being creative in making those conditions possible in that moment.
Tinder is anything and everything—it sounds smart when people bring some from home—dryer lint, cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly, shop bought fire starters—but in reality birch bark or even actual dry grass will work best but good luck finding dry natural flammable tinder after yesterday’s rainfall!
Even when things get wet, you can find dry wood if you know where to look—check under rock overhangs or inside dead trees still upright—break dead branches instead of picking them up off of the ground—the inside is often dry when even soaked on the outside.
Start incredibly small with matchstick-sized twigs—not thumb-sized—and get established first before working up slowly by gradually adding larger pieces as the fire builds. Look for natural windbreaks or build a simple reflector out of rocks.
First Aid for Things That Actually Occur
First aide situations rarely occur across dramatic trauma—they occur with blisters, cuts and sprains—boring things that turn into serious problems if not treated appropriately.
Blisters are terrible—all that pounding ends up creating hot spots on your heel that become enflamed painful blisters. Catch them early by taping over hot spots—and the problem is avoided altogether. Ankle sprains occur everywhere—they’re common on uneven terrain—treat them if they’re twisted—rest, cold water if available, wrap firmly—and elevate while they rest; an improvised wrap and walking stick turns a sprained ankle two miles from the car into something manageable.
Cuts must be cleaned out thoroughly—the outdoor dirt gets into everything—and infection is no joke; rinse with clean water—as clean as possible—and apply antibiotic ointment if available—and cover it up with a proper bandage.
The Part Everyone Overlooks
Skills and gear only go so far; the ultimate determiner in whether someone can successfully manage an outdoor emergency is their mentality in response or lack thereof.
Panic kills people; it forces you to keep walking when you should reassess; it forces you to leave gear behind because you’re trying to move quickly—your cold tired hungry scared—which is essentially what happens when people make fatal mistakes! People leave marked trails as “shortcuts.” They keep moving after dark instead of resting until morning.
Getting in the habit of assessing before acting requires practice—whenever something goes amiss—the automatic response must be to pause and sit down if possible—to seriously think through options—nine out of ten times you have more time than your panic-stricken brain gives credit.
Building The Skills That Matter in Reality
Reading about this stuff doesn’t make you proficient—it requires practice. There are controllable conditions that are challenging but safe enough where it’s a smart idea to learn these things. Take day hikes in familiar areas but navigate with your map and compass anyway; light some fires in your backyard in different weather situations; test out all your gear on easy trips close to home.
The goal is not to become some hardcore survivalist—but instead become expertly competent enough so common outdoor pitfalls remain manageable as opposed to emergencies.