As winter draws to a close and the trails begin to melt, it’s time to dig out your backpack and hit the trails again. For the true outdoorsman, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of spring in the air. A chance to stretch your legs for a long day in the sun. snowshoe Keeps you from post-holing along the trail. Before hitting the trails, it’s worth spending some time refreshing your skills that may have waned a bit over the winter. Navigate with map and compass — Also remember safety measures to make sure you get home after a day out.
Many of these safety measures take place before you leave your home. For example, let others know when and where you are going, or pack and carry extra snacks and water. emergency kitThen there are things you need to do while on the trail. For example, keep heading, follow trail markers, proper hydration to keep the body functioning. But there are other rules that are lesser known or not commonly practiced. These 3 survival tips could save your life. hiking this spring.
learn mountaineering manners
One of the easiest things you can do to increase your chances of survival on a hiking trail is to practice proper hiking etiquette. For starters, it’s a smart idea to talk to other hikers passing by. This moment of eye contact and conversation back and forth can be a life saver in worst case scenarios. Fellow hikers may be the last to see you and provide search and rescue teams with accurate information.In other words, hikers are more likely to remember you if you take a moment to make a genuine connection. surrounding ecosystem But don’t get lost.
Learn to use nature to navigate and ask for help
No matter how closely you follow these survival tips on the trail, it’s still possible to get lost and need a signal for help. is to be This increases your chances of being spotted and saves energy. Many lost hikers exacerbate the situation in an attempt to recover themselves, wandering deep into the wilderness and far from help. ), emergency and rescue services will alert you to your situation and begin looking for you.Increase your chances of being found signal for helpuse smoke signals, mirrors, whistles, campfires, or mark an SOS on a rock if you’re in a clearing.
While it’s usually best to stay still and wait for rescue, there are situations where you’ll want to go back to civilization. This is usually the option if you know your surroundings (e.g. you know you’ll be on the main road if you head roughly south), or if help doesn’t seem imminent. Perhaps you have to use nature to your advantage, because if you get lost you won’t be able to access your navigation device.
One way to do this is to use shadows to find north. Use a large stick or fallen limb that is at least 3 feet long and place it on the ground in a clearing. Use a rock or another marker to indicate where the tip of the stick shadow begins. After at least 15 minutes, mark the tip of the shadow again. A line between the two markers indicates approximate east-west, and a line perpendicular to that line is north-south. This way you can orient yourself and navigate.
You can also use the watch face to find north. Simply hold the watch with the hour hand facing the sun. South is usually halfway between the hour hand and 12 o’clock, and North is diametrically opposite. If desired, you can also draw a clock face in the soil. Remember to use 1:00 instead of 12:00 during daylight saving time.
Learn how to interact with local wildlife
Animals are abundant in nature, so it’s important to know how to interact with them safely. Most animals will hide even when you hear them coming along the trail, so be sure not to make any noise or speak loudly while hiking. It is an animal that is not very responsive to interaction. It’s also important to consider the time of day while hiking. Bears and mountain lions tend to be most active at dawn and dusk.
When it comes to survival tips for dealing with unfriendly animals, your best option is usually to slowly retreat while moving sideways while keeping an eye on the animal. Speak in a low, quiet voice and make sure you are not near any offspring the animal may have.You can also bring pepper spray or bear spray.
for Asian black bear attack Specifically, go to a higher place or stretch your arms to make yourself look bigger and move away. If a black bear attacks, it will fight back and use whatever it can, especially punching and kicking in the face. Grizzly bears and brown bears should not face off. Instead, simply pretend to be dead. Always keep your backpack on, no matter what kind of bear you are. Helps protect your back and internal organs in case of a bear attack.
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