Outdoor Survival – How to Survive That Backpacking Trip

Why do I need survival skill for a little trek into the hills you might ask? Well the answer is of course you can't always predict when that little trek may turn into a life threatening emergency. Knowing a few simple skills can turn a harrowing situation into a ho hum and can be handled with little discomfort and or threat. Learn these simple rules and you can rule the outdoors.

Basic survival skills boil down to just a few things you need to learn and think about when confronted with a survival situation. These include staying warm and dry, keeping hydrated, and avoiding injury. Finding a bit of food along the way is also nice.

So first let's consider keeping warm and dry. This is accomplished by always being aware of your surroundings. Watch for changes in the weather and threatened storms. Keep your eye open for any possible shelters should inclimate weather appear. This may be as simple as a ledge or a tree to supply shelter. Watch the behavior of the wildlife, their behavior can often signal incoming weather. Look for dry leaves and grass to act as covers and to keep you warm. Burrow into the dry grass and leaves this can keep you comfortable even in cold temperatures. Sleep with your head slightly downhill, this will keep you warmer and is easy to do.

Keep hydrated. Although you can do nicely without food for several days you need water to function well. Always keep your canteen full. Each time you see a water source fill you canteen and drink whats left. This will encourage hydration and keep your canteen full.

Directions in the wild are fairly easy. Observe the sun rises in the east sets in the west. North Star at night is a bright and an easy guide. Most of all keep calm and use your good common sense; this helps more than anything else.

Look for berries along the way. Blackberries, strawberries, and blue berries are plentiful along the way. At least in North America these are nearly always safe. Take a small bit and if it's good it is safe to eat. If it tastes bad spit it out.

Avoid injury, this can best be accomplished by using your good common sense and take your time. Avoid unnecessary risks and if necessary take the longer safer path through the area to avoid risking injury. This single fact can save your life in any situation.

Remember these simple rules and enjoy the outdoors without fear.

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Outdoor Survival - Have you Got What it Takes?

Outdoor survival isn't about skills and knowledge alone. These help, but you also need to have the will to survive. Then you need to prioritize. Here are the most important priorities, in order.

1. Attitude

One thing you'll notice right away if you read many stories of outdoor survival, is that many people are alive who shouldn't be. Perhaps they crash a plane and then wander into the wilderness where they can't be easily found. Sometimes they almost freeze to death even though there are plants that could be used to shelter and cloth them. Why are they alive? A strong will to live.

This will to live is a great start. It has been responsible for survival in the most terrible conditions. But you also should develop the real belief that survival is possible. How? By thinking of your favorite stories of survival against impossible odds. By focusing always on the things you can do. Don't ignore something that can go wrong, but don't think about it for a minute without also deciding what you can do about it.

2. Body Temperature

Hypothermia - the loss of body heat - is the primary killer in outdoor survival situations. Staying warm means staying dry, having enough insulation, and staying out of the wind as much as is possible. Consider all your options. You can sleep during the day and travel in the cold of the night in some environments, and thus stay warmer. You can stuff dried grass between layers of clothing for more insulation, or make a fire.

In hot environments you might want to travel at night or early in the morning, and sleep in the shade during the heat of the day. You can also fashion an umbrella of any materials available, to shade yourself as you walk. Water that isn't drinkable can still be used to cool you, by soaking clothing in it. A wet handkerchief around your neck will cool you noticeably.

3. Hydration

Water is far ahead of food as a priority. You can generally live just a few days without water in a survival situation. Once you have shelter, you should immediately locate a water supply, and find a way to purify it. If obtaining water will be a continuing problem, try to reduce your need. You can stay in the shade more, breath through your nose instead of your mouth, and use water only for drinking, not washing.

4. Safety

I like the "Man Against Wild" television show. It's entertaining, and I even learn something now and then. But the host loves to show off his skills and daring more than his careful thinking. Don't jump off a cliff into water or climb down a water fall to save a bit of bush-whacking (he did both in recent shows). Go around obstacles, move slow on dangerous terrain, and generally try your best to stay uninjured.

5. Get Found

Your goal in most outdoor survival situations will be to be found while you are still alive. If you have reason to think that people are looking for you, you generally want to stay where you are. Have a signal fire ready to light to help searchers find you. If you have good reason to try to get out on your own (like if nobody knows where you are), leave a note and mark your trail just in case.

6. Food

From a strictly physiological perspective, food is a low priority in most outdoor survival situations. Almost all survivors in the wilderness, whether lost hikers, boaters or plane wreck survivors, are rescued or dead from other causes long before starvation can kill them. On the other hand, having something to eat can help you maintain strength, warmth, and a sense of comfort.

Unlike water, which cannot be rationed too severely (many have died of dehydration with water still in their canteens), you can stretch out what little food you have to make it last. Virtually all mammals and birds are edible if you have the means to cook them. You can also learn to identify a few wild edible plants if you think you might someday be in an outdoor survival situation.

About the Author

Copyright Steve Gillman. To get the ebook "Ultralight Backpacking Secrets (And Wilderness Survival Tips)" for FREE, as well as photos, gear recommendations, and a new wilderness survival section, visit: http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com
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