Forest survival specialist, explorer, adventurer, trainer, speaker and author
Have you ever been lost in the forest?
At first we say to ourselves "it is not really possible that this happens to me, I know the area".
There is a mountain on one side, a lake on the other and I often come here, but that is by taking a shortcut or when the light declines and the scenery changes. The valleys intensify, the shadows intermingle, the darkness and the cold settle in...
At this point, some people lose their heads and all good sense. Panic sets in and they decide to get out of the situation at all costs without realizing that they are only amplifying the situation by going deeper into the forest.
Unfortunately, there are so many stories with this scenario that come up annually.
So how do you react in this situation?
You are not dead, keep a cool head, calm and self-control are required. Regroup, evaluate the situation and make an inventory of what you have in your possession. This will allow you to become aware of the tools and resources that surround you. Knife, lighter, matches, water, food and clothing adapted to the climate should be a minimum when going outdoors.
If you have a cell phone in your possession and the signal is sufficient, you can report your presence to the civil authorities who will take over the call and attempt to rescue you. If the network is not available, as it is often the case, you can congratulate yourself for notifying someone close to you of your destination, which will facilitate the research. If not, you may have to consider spending the night there...
The acceptation. As long as you don't accept that you are lost, you will remain in hope mode, as in waiting and... as the expression goes "who lives on hope risks to die of hunger".
Accepting the situation will put you in "action" mode, so be proactive. This step is very important psychologically. Become energy efficient by minimizing your travel.
Regardless of the season, hypothermia remains the main danger in our forests.
So, in order to fight this one, choose a place to make a fire having the following characteristics: the most protected from the possible elements, clear enough to avoid a possible propagation, with a lot of combustible in the surroundings while being visible for the location. Once lighted, as it will not necessarily be easy to ignite, this fire will be a psychological and thermal comfort. It will become a lighthouse to allow you to circulate around the area, while signaling your presence. Plan an astronomical quantity of wood for your fire, because it will burn very quickly.
To avoid hypothermia, shelter is the next step. If you have ever planned ahead, you may have brought a survival blanket, a large (orange) garbage bag, a piece of polyethylene or a small tarp in order to save a lot of energy and time when building your shelter.
Otherwise, you will have no choice but to go back to a conventional lean-to or A-frame model. It's a good thing you thought to bring a cutting tool!
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Insulate yourself from the ground with your backpack, branches or any other material you can reach. This will keep out moisture and cold. Protect yourself from it! Perhaps with the park bench method.
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You can also add other ways to catch the attention of the teams looking for you. Colorful clothing that contrasts with the colors of the forest is a good idea. The smoke column from your fire is another good way. Ground tracking is very effective from the air and the whistle attached to your backpack will prevent you from screaming if someone gets close to you on the ground.
Put all the chances on your side!
Fortunately, statistically speaking, lost people are usually found within hours of getting lost, and rarely spend the night. But, that doesn't mean it won't happen. So this gear foresight can only be helpful without weighing down your backpack. Think about it, it should be a good practice to adopt.
You never know. Be prepared!
Forest survival specialist, explorer, adventurer, trainer, speaker and author
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