 
Be prepared. Any day hike, snowshoe trip or even
out-of-bounds ski trip can easily turn into an overnight
adventure. Be prepared to spend the night, if not in comfort, at
least in safety. An emergency blanket, a light source, extra
food and water and warm clothes can help you get through an
emergency overnight bivouac safely.
• Stay put. Once you are sure you are lost or in need of help to
get out, stay put. If you are in a group, stay together!
Separating just doubles the work the searchers will need to do
to get you all safely off the mountain.
Always prepare for the contingency of getting lost or stuck
outside overnight (or longer). But with proper planning, you can
avoid the need for rescue in the first place. Some things you
can do:
• Carry and know how to use a map and compass. Use these during
your hike or snowshoe outing so you are familiar with the area
you are passing through. That makes it easier to navigate out
should you become disoriented later.
• Carry and use a GPS device. Familiarize yourself with the
unit's operation before heading out. If you store the location
of the trailhead before starting your hike, its easy to use the
"track-back" feature that's built into the device to find your
way back to your car from any location.
• Familiarize yourself with the area before heading out. If you
don't know the specific region you plan to travel, study maps
before heading out, and if possible, talk with Forest Service
rangers or other users to get specifics about trails and
possible navigation hazards/difficulties.
Mark your location. A brightly colored tarp or jacket (bright
orange is best) can stand out against the dark landscape of the
forest. If you are traveling in snow, Williams suggests carrying
a couple packages of cherry or strawberry flavored Kool-Aid. If
lost, find an open area and sprinkle powdered drink sparingly
over the snow in an X shape — the color will bleed out into the
snow, creating a bright red marker that can be seen from
helicopters.
The difference between not knowing exactly where you are and being lost
generally comes down to this: panic. As anxiety and panic creep
into the mind, rational thought fades away, which is when bad
decisions are made.
Rescue Laser Light. Though these look like standard laser pointers, they
emit a fan of light rather than a narrow beam. The Emergency
Signal Laser (above) spreads out so when it crosses the vision
of a searcher — such as the pilot of a search aircraft — it can
be seen as a bright red flash on the ground. It does not
interfere with the vision of the target person, thus poses no
threat to pilots. The effective range is 20-plus miles at night
and up to 5 miles in daylight.
|
