Hi. This is David Jackel on behalf of Expert Village. And, I'm here to talk to you about how to develop a plan for survival if you get lost when you're hiking. You went hiking. You realize that you're lost. You've taken stock of what you have. You've gotten a sense of how far you are from where you need to be. Once you've done that, it's time to work on a plan for surviving in the meantime while you get your way back home. So, what do you have to think about? Well, first, you've got to figure out what you're going to eat, what you're going to drink. You've also got to figure out how you're going to get yourself shelter. Then, you've got to think of a plan for getting back home. If you know that it's going to be a very long trip back home, then you have to take that into account for planning what you're going to eat day-to-day, what you're going to drink. If you know that you're maybe a day's hike at the longest from where you have to go, well, that affects just how desperately you need to hunt for food or water. The first thing you need to do is find shelter. Because if it starts raining, you're in a lot of trouble. And, if it gets very cold, you're also in a lot of trouble. So, look around for a place that can provide shelter. Now, in the mountains, there are natural caves which are very helpful. Just make sure that if you go into a cave that you check it out really carefully. Make sure there's nothing in it that you don't want in it like a bear or a snake or anything like that or any slippery rocks or any holes in the ground. If you don't have any food or water with you, the first thing you should do is find water. After you've got water, then you look for food. The reason is, you can live for a while without food. You can't go for long without water. Once you get dehydrated, it's going to effect everything else you do. So, listen for a stream. See if you can find some water. If you already have water, ration it carefully until you find more water. Once you've got those basics taken care of and you know how you're going to live day-to-day, then it's time to make a plan for getting back home.
Member Comments