Don't Get Lost When Backpacking
5 Simple Tips to Prevent Getting Lost
Getting lost while backpacking or hiking could endanger your life and the lives of others. Follow these simple tips to avoid getting lost in the wild.
1. Tell someone where you're going and when you expect to return. This doesn't mean you have to provide a step-by-step itinerary of your hike, but giving someone a general idea of the area you plan to be backpacking in and your approximate return time provides searchers a narrower focus, should you indeed become lost. This increases your chances of being found quickly and reduces the possibility of your potential rescuers being placed in possible danger due to a far-ranging search area that could find them in treacherous terrain or inclement weather.
2. Take a map and know how to read it. Nothing will serve you better than an up to date map of the area or trail you plan to hike. Knowing how to read said map, especially if it is a topographical map (the best kind), will make your trek a much easier one and will greatly reduce your chances of getting lost in an unfamiliar area. You can find maps for virtually any trail you would want to backpack on at nearby park service or ranger stations (if the trail is in a National Forest) or online at such sites as TrailPeak, and I've yet to walk an established trail that did not have maps at the trail head or even at various points along the trail. If you're planning on truly roughing it, then use a local map of the area or even Google Earth to generate a map (along with a satellite view) of your planned hiking path.
3. Take a compass. Forget about which side of the tree moss grows on or tracking the movement of the sun or stars, none of that knowledge will help you if there is no moss growing or the sky is so cloudy that you can't see the sun or stars. A compass will be your best way of determining the direction you need to take and staying on that course.
4. If you can afford it, use a GPS. I've never used a GPS, except when I've been camping with my father-in-law who owns one, but I'm sure I'll be buying one in the near future because boys like their toys. Remember though, for the GPS to be effective in assisting you if you get lost, you have to have been using it as you went along the way. Even then, keep in mind that sometimes the signal can be weak or lost due to surrounding terrain and that you must keep the batteries charged or have fresh ones on hand.
5. Be aware of your surroundings. This is pretty much a given for most backpackers and hikers because one of the reasons we're out there is to enjoy the view. Take note of the location of particular landmarks that you may need to use to find your way back along the direction you came or to sight as a bearing for the direction you need to travel. Remember, if you keep seeing the same landmark, you're traveling in circles.
The enjoyment of a backpacking or hiking trip can quickly turn to trepidation if you find yourself lost in unfamiliar surroundings. Not only could your own life be in danger, but so could the lives of potential rescuers. Take every precaution possible when hiking or backpacking to insure a safe trek with a happy ending.
