Practice getting lost. Seriously.
Once you’re lost, it’s not the time to learn a new skill.
Here are a few techniques that will help you cope if you are ever really lost on land, even if you don’t have a compass.
Note: This is directed to people living in the northern hemisphere, you’ll have to adjust directions if you are in the southern hemisphere.
1. Gain perspective. If you live in a hilly or mountainous location, climb to the top and look around. Do you see evidence of human activity? Do you see obvious natural boundary markers, like creeks, rows of trees along a trail or abandoned woods road? If you have a pencil and paper, make a map. If not, draw a map on the ground, using a stick.
2. Look in every direction. Look up to see if the sun is visible. If it is, figure out north, south, east and west. Remember the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. The time of year will determine the number of hours of daylight. In November the sun sets much earlier than it does in June. This is important information if you are lost and need to decide whether to hike out or stay put and build a shelter.
3. Look far and wide. It’s a good idea to notice the slope and shape of the land around you. Where is the vegetation dense? That is usually a place where water is abundant. Where is there a level area? That might be a good place to build a shelter, if you need to. Can you identify the plants around you? Can you identify compressed earth indicating trails used by wild animals?
4. Make the most of your resources. Use a stick to measure the movement of the sun’s shadow. This will help you determine the approximate time of day. If you have a string, (shoelace, dental floss or strip of fabric torn from the bottom of a T-shirt), your estimate will be more accurate. If you are lost at night and can identify the Big Dipper, remember that the two lowest stars (the outermost stars of the dipper’s cup) point to the North Star.