|
Don’t Die In The Woods – It’ll Ruin Your Day!
Tips For Survival For The Beginner
All you really need is a map of the area, a guidebook describing the trails (a good guidebook should rank trails as easy, not-so-easy and horrible), a compass, a first aid kit, some decent shoes, a couple of water bottles, a sack of dried fruit, a bit of beef jerky, some warm clothes if the weather is cold and an inexpensive backpack to put them all in. At this point you don’t need stoves, cook pots, walking sticks or even hiking boots. These will all come later. If it looks like rain, you will want to pack inexpensive plastic ponchos for everybody in the group. Otherwise, save your money. If you’ve never done any walking, for this first adventure find an easy trail that makes a loop of no more than three or four miles in total. Walk at a pace that’s comfortable for everyone in the group. Stop and rest when you feel like it. Drink some of your water and eat some of your food. Enjoy yourself; this is what it’s all about. As you get fit, and as you gain confidence based on experience, make your outings more ambitious. Find trails that are longer and more challenging. Buy a little stove so you can make hot drinks when you stop for lunch. Experiment with gear you’ve read about and you think might like to add to your kit. Gradually build up your kit to include everything you need for your adventures. Experiment with new equipment—especially new boots!—on short, easy trips. Fire up your new stove for the first time in your back yard on a sunny day, not on the side of a mountain in a raging blizzard. As your confidence and competence grow, your trips will be more demanding—and more fun! Know your limits—push them, certainly, but don’t exceed them. Return safely from each adventure and immediately plan the next one. It’s up to you. Here’s another of our tips for survival: Be a happy camper by not dying in the woods! Think 'safety' and behave safely. Tips For Survival.com is best viewed using Mozilla Firefox browser. Copyright © 2007 Mary Rice-Johnston and Tips for Survival. All rights reserved. |
|