Lost In The Woods

Chances are if you've been in the woods for any extended period of time, you've found yourself scratching your head trying to figure out where in the heck you are. No matter how good your gear is or how great your GPS is, it happens to everyone sooner or later. You get lost or turned around, whatever you want to call it, it's never fun.

Tom "You're right Matt, it's never fun, but if you do come into that situation and you find yourself lost. The first thing to do is figure out your directions, figure out where the sun rises and where the sun sets. Typically most moss grows on the north side of trees. If you're in a situation where it's getting dark out or you're in a blizzard or dense fog. One of the best things to do is to just hunker down, build a fire if you can and build a shelter and get prepared to stay the night. Once you are settled in be sure to keep the flames going so people can see where you're at."

Another thing to keep in mind, make sure someone knows where you're going. That way if you get stranded or lost in the woods, someone will start searching in case of an emergency. Our new technology we have today is amazing, but Murphy's Law can strike at any time and the $300 + GPS or cell phone might lose service or run out of batteries. Before you head out, do a little research on the area you plan to hike. Look it up online or get yourself a local map of the specific location. I myself like to do my homework on topographical maps, that way I can factor in roads, creeks, and of course elevation.