After an exciting adventure in the woods, you find that the journey home is taking more than expected. You suspect you’re lost when you realise nothing in the area looks familiar. It’s growing dark and too dangerous to continue moving, but you know you’ll have to turn around or find a way back to civilization.
Which begs the question: How do you make it through the night?
Even though I wish to never have to ask that question, if it does come up, it’s a great place to start. The survival Rule of Threes, a set of rules that points out survival skills that you should value in almost any kind of setting, is where the answer begins. It suggests that you will survive for:
- 3 minutes without air.
- 3 hours without shelter.
- 3 days without water.
- 3 weeks without food.
What does this mean for survival, then? Well if you get lost and need shelter, and you find yourself asking what should you do first, It shows that you must attend to your needs in that specific order. But since we’re imagining you’re in the woods, air won’t really be a problem, so we’ll start from the second one, Shelter !
Build a Shelter
Set up your shelter well in before dusk.
Seek for a naturally existing shelter, like a clump of evergreens or a rock hanging. The location should shield you from the wind, be dry, and have good drainage. It should ideally be close to water and have lots of firewood.
If there isn’t any natural cover, choose a spot where you can gather materials to construct a debris hut or lean-to.
Branches are leaned up against a horizontal support to create a lean-to structure that serves as a roof frame. Make sure the opening faces away from the wind.
Add Insulation To The Shelter
You’ll want more than just branches to keep the cold out. You will need insulation. Even with a sleeping bag, you’ll still need some kind of water resistant barrier to protect you from the elements; it’s even better if it blocks out winds. The bright side of this bad situation is that you’re in the woods, which is covered in leaves, which makes for excellent insulation.
Collect them and stack them over your shelter from every side. Add some inside as well, especially if you’re not carrying a sleeping bag. They’ll offer necessary thickness. Keep adding leaves to the exterior, the more, the better. After finishing, the structure should resemble a massive pile of leaves rather than a shelter. In addition, you’ll have a shelter that is waterproof and windproof and will keep you warm and dry through the night.
Related: Best Camping Oregon Coast Sites
Stay Calm If You Get Lost
- Stay calm. Take a seat and sip some water. Make a decision after that. Whether your disorientation turns out to be a minor hassle or an awful one, often depends on how you react in the very beginning. You should be able to find your bearings rather quickly if you maintain calmness.
- Think about what went before and try to piece together a new route. Spend the night where you are if you determine that you are unable to go back to your car or camp. If you stay put, you will probably be located within a few days, particularly if you left a hiking route with someone or if you have lost contact with hiking partners who might be in the the area.
- Remember that the majority of the missing hikers are found after 48 to 72 hours. If you stick to the instructions in the manual and keep in mind the three priorities—shelter, fire, and signal, you will reduce the amount of time.
