Getting lost

[boomerang]

Have you ever got lost during your trekking trips? How did you cope with it and manage to find your group? I am not good in determining directions so I would never want it happens to me.

 

[southerngal]

Take a compass! They have these neat little compasses now that are also whistles some also have LED lights on them. They cost like $3 at Walmart. Everyone in your group should have one and the whistle can be blown to help searchers find you if you are lost.

 

[Mandy]

We carry those little Wal-Mart compasses with us all the time. Our three children have been taught to use the whistle only in an emergency. (Except the three year old, who uses it just to get Mommy's attention at times.) The oldest knows how to use the compass and likes to keep track of our direction during the journey. Or course, we keep a close eye on the kids but they will be kids and better safe than sorry.

 

[Archer]

Yup, *sigh*, embarassing story. Luckily, I was trekking downhill towards a beach, so I just kept going downhill and following the sound of the waves when I got close. A compass would have been nice!

 

[ramp]

Yes, a compass will do the trick. If you want something fancier, you can use a GPS. There are many GPS geared for camping and other outdoor activities (rafting, fishing, kayaking, hunting, etc.)

 

[campclose]

You have to know how to use the compass if you are taking one with you. I always go with other people so I don't get lost. I'm not the best at tracking where I am! I don't think a compass will help!

 

[grand]

I always go with a group and make it a point not to stray from them. I am not too sure about using a compass.

 

[woodzman]

I have to agree with the compass users. In my opinion, a compass is the best insurance you can carry in unfamiliar or big woods. It's easy enough to find direction from the sun, stars, or the prevailing wind, but It's not always clear and the wind can change. I know a lot of people carry a GPS these days, but I've had too many problems with electronic devises over the years to want to trust them with my life.

 

[Reese]

I always keep a compass with me. Usually I get pretty good cell phone reception in the areas I hike too, as long as I can find an opening in the trees.

 

[jason]

When I was a kid playing in the woods I would try to get lost. Not that you really could. A short hike you could usually find a road or something to find your way home. It was just more fun to wonder around then and try and find new things.

 

[Newanderthal]

A compass will only help if you know how to use it. When you get lost and take out the compass, all it will tell you is which direction is North. Figuring out how to get back to where you were requires you to keep track of direction AND distance WHILE walking. You have to start keeping track before you set out. Otherwise, you'll be staring at a compass and know virtually nothing.

Of you get lost, stop. Don't panic. Relax and accept the fact that you are lost and it will take some time to get out. It's alright. It happens all the time and you're not going to die from it. If you can't go back the way you came then here's the best option.
Think of the last linear thing you passed. Access road, pipeline, trail, power lines, railroad tracks, anything that runs in a relatively straight line. Picture yourself where you are and where this linear trail is, then head straight for it. Once you get there, follow it. It will lead to something. A trail will eventually lead to a road.

If that doesn't work (can't remember where the road is or can't find it), then keep walking. Go downhill and follow streams. If there's no streams, then just keep walking in a straight line. Pick a distant landmark and walk toward it so that you know you're going straight. Keep going and going and going.

If you're in the continental US, you'll hit a road in a matter of hours in most cases, 2 days at the most. It's sad, but there's simply not that much wilderness left. When you hit the road, follow it. If the road forks, take the past MOST travelled.

 

[woodzman]

I was just reading the new posts and realised that I didn't really answer your question. I cant say that I've ever really been lost. I may not always know exactly where I am, but I know the general area I'm and which direction will bring me out. I've spent a couple unplanned nights in the woods during deer season though. Once when I was young and foolish, I didn't bring a compass or light and misjudged the amount of daylight I had left. It's no fun building a shelter and hunting for firewood in the dark when It's freezing rain all night. The second time was actually kind of fun. I followed a nice buck until almost dark before I got him and decided it would make more sense to spend the night there instead of dragging all night in the dark, or walking all the way out and sleeping for a few hours just to walk back in. I built a lean to, a nice fire and had tenderloin for dinner.