Anyone venturing into a remote or unknown area must use the precaution of having at least a compass and maps of the area. An altimeter and a pedometer never hurt either.
You must mark your path on the map and relate it to the most significant landmarks (rivers, streams, mountain peaks, coasts, etc.). It is good to make a mental image of everything.
Fear is a natural reaction when we get lost, but you should avoid panic at all costs.
When someone realizes that they are lost, they are usually not very far away from the correct path. But, if they begin stumbling around and traveling erratically, they will make the problem worse. The first step, when you notice you are lost, should be to sit down and calmly reflect on your surroundings, looking for any sign that may help us find our way.
When you begin moving again to seek the right path, you should leave a mark behind to ensure you do not uselessly walk in circles (rows of stone or branches indicating your direction, marks in branches or tree trunks, etc.)
If the terrain allows it, you can climb to an elevated point from where you can see the area and look for landmarks. If you have a map and find can find your location in it, you will have no problem finding your position. If you do not have a map, perhaps you can identify a characteristic landmark in the terrain seen before getting lost. If you are able, you should draw a small map of everything you see.
If you suspect you are very close to the right path, you must look for a rock, tree or any other landmark nearby that can be seen from the surroundings and circle around it, making a spiral until you find the right way.
In case you had an accident in a remote area, you should assess what is best for the situation; waiting for a rescue team beside the vehicle, which will offer us shelter, or moving in seek of help. The first option is usually best, since rescue teams will be able to spot a vehicle better than a person wandering alone.
In any case, and even if you decide to wait for the rescue teams, you must explore the surroundings in search of resources (water, food, wood…). It would be tragic to perish from cold because you did not know that a mountain shelter is 500 meters away.
When you abandon the shelter to explore the surroundings, you must pay attention to the landscape. Turn around every now and then to see the way back and leave visible marks to be able to return.
You will increase your chances of being rescued if you prepare signals that rescue teams can see from the sky. You should be prepared with bonfires ready to burn at the minimal indication of an approaching plane or helicopter. Throwing wet grass on it or even vehicle oil will give you a smoke column visible from a distance. You can also write “SOS” on the ground with rocks or with furrows if there is a clearing nearby. These signals need to be as large as possible to ensure they can be seen from the sky.
If you abandon the vehicle to seek help on your own, you should not forget to indicate your direction in case the rescue teams locate it.
In case your situation is extreme, that you are not sure how to find your way or see the possibility of being rescued, you must not despair. You should seek a source, a stream that will lead you to a river which will, sooner or later, lead you to an inhabited area.
