lost in the dark

**mweinstone** · 08-16-2006, 20:46

kunundrum:
you have walked far from your pack (3/4 mi) for water at twilight (early spring) and have become lost, gone off trail, and darkness has fallen.your in your shorts and a tee and holding an empty water bottle.its a cool night and you are chilly.you must demonstrate your skill level here. what steps do you take.
your pack is at trail within twenty minutes walk to a shelter low temps will be in the 40"s. you have empty pockets.
go.

my answer:hunker down in a debis hut made of leaves and sticks up against a tree.at first light search carefully for signs of a road and help. when and if reunited with pack and alive,call myself stupid.you?

**Lone Wolf** · 08-16-2006, 20:48

What kinda dmbazz would do that?

**mingo** · 08-16-2006, 20:52

mweinstone, that's what kind of dumbass

**johnny quest** · 08-16-2006, 21:42

i cant even imagine being in that situation. i really cant. but if i was counseling someone else i would suggest they first calm down and try to get their bearings. (not to be confused with their marbles, which they lost when they set out on this stupid little adventure.) keep looking for the trail. drag a foot until you run into a stick then drag the stick to mark your path. but since they are going to be cold anyway they might as well look. leaving the trail is important. if they find nothing and decide to buidl their little debris shelter at least they can get up in the morning and follow the drag-trail back to where they got lost to begin with.
i know the conventional wisdom is to hug a tree but im assuming your out hiking on purpose and nooone will be looking for for a few days.

**Kerosene** · 08-16-2006, 21:48

Better yet, think about marking your trail before you get off-trail. Not only can you get lost when you go off-trail, but searchers won't even have an idea of where to look for you!

**johnny quest** · 08-16-2006, 21:52

yeah yeah yeah and dont go out half naked when its cold and carry a light and all that. i agree. but im trying to play by his scenario rules.
.

**saimyoji** · 08-16-2006, 22:31

Well, we all let our guard down at some point. First thing I would do is yell. If I'm looking for water 20 min from a shelter there's a good chance I can yell loud enough for someone to hear and hopefully respond.

Me: "HEY!! SOMEBODY HELP I"M LOST IN THE DARK."

Voice from afar: "YOU DUMBASS. SLEEP WHERE YOU ARE TONITE AND YELL AGAIN IN THE MORNING."

**Tin Man** · 08-16-2006, 22:43

It is rarely so dark that you cannot see, but if it is one of those rare pitch black nights, simply wash the days/weeks stink away at the water source and follow your scent back to camp - if you can stand the smell long enough to do so.

**Tin Man** · 08-16-2006, 22:48

Originally Posted by saimyoji

Well, we all let our guard down at some point. First thing I would do is yell. If I'm looking for water 20 min from a shelter there's a good chance I can yell loud enough for someone to hear and hopefully respond.

Me: "HEY!! SOMEBODY HELP I"M LOST IN THE DARK."

Voice from afar: "YOU DUMBASS. SLEEP WHERE YOU ARE TONITE AND YELL AGAIN IN THE MORNING."

OR

Voice from afar: " WALK TOWARD MY VOICE" move 100 feet left "KEEP WALKING" move another 100 feet, softer voice "KEEP WALKING" move another 100 feet, in a faint voice "WHERE ARE YOU?"

**dloome** · 08-22-2006, 20:35

I would freak out and crash blindly through the woods until exhaustion overtook me and I slowly succumbed to hypothermia. I mean, you managed to get yourself into that mess in the first place. Darwin!

**hammock engineer** · 08-22-2006, 21:16

I probibly would not do it on the AT, but I remember reading a thread on Rock's site about survival kits that people would carry on them at all times. Maybe someone else can shed some light. Something small that weighted a few ozs with only the basics. It would help in this situation. I might do it if I where going to a more remote place alone.

**Sly** · 08-22-2006, 22:12

Many hikers carry essential gear in a belly pack, so if they drop their pack they still have the necessities. Personally if it's near dusk and I drop my pack I'll take a light or headlamp.

**bigcranky** · 08-22-2006, 22:25

I'm one of those hikers who carries his personal stuff in a small waist pack. Headlamp, tiny multi-tool, larger pocket knife, whistle in the smaller pocket, and my maps, bandana, UL windshirt, and maybe a snack in the larger pocket. Normally I do this so I can have all that stuff with me in camp, or have a convenient purse in town, but I suspect that I'd be very happy to have it under the conditions proposed in this thread. Oh, and I never take it off during the day, especially if I have to leave my pack for any reason.

**bfitz** · 08-22-2006, 23:07

If I forgot my lighter (unlikely...) I'd find some good firesticks and start twirling. In about a half hour I have a fire. Hopefully one of my friends would see it and come down from the shelter and say "***?!"

**Frolicking Dinosaurs** · 08-23-2006, 06:38

I have a small LED light built into my credit card type multi-tool and that hangs on a lanyard around my neck along with a combo whistle, compass, magnesium firestarter and two cotton balls soaked with vasoline in a waterproof compartment -- so I'm not every going to be without a light or way to make a fire for warmth in this situation. However, in the interest of answering the original question - I would cover myself in duff for insulation, pray it didn't rain and wait for daylight. I might try Bfitz firemaking technique.

**Footslogger** · 08-23-2006, 08:54

Originally Posted by mweinstone

kunundrum:
my answer:hunker down in a debis hut made of leaves and sticks up against a tree.at first light search carefully for signs of a road and help. when and if reunited with pack and alive,call myself stupid.you?

============================
my answer ...tie your boot/shoe laces together to keep yourself from wandering any further. Then do what you said.

'Slogger

**Hammerhead** · 08-23-2006, 10:31

Originally Posted by Footslogger

============================
my answer ...tie your boot/shoe laces together to keep yourself from wandering any further. Then do what you said.

'Slogger

damn, i can't stop laughing! that's the best advice yet!!

**TDale** · 08-23-2006, 12:21

Look up. The trail is where there's a straightline break or thinning in the canopy. Find it and go back to your pack.

**Time To Fly 97** · 08-24-2006, 10:18

Calm down. Think about how long it took you to get to this spot and what the terrain was like if you can remember (uphill, downhill, water sounds, smells, etc.). Pick a direction that seems like it fits that criteria and walk for a short distance to see if you recognize anything resembling your hike in. Mark your "trail" as you go with rocks, sticks, etc. in a line. Keep doing this in different directions until you find your way.

....and if you are going to smoke weed on the trail, do everyone else a favor and plan out the nightime adventure before you puff!

Happy hiking!

TTF

**RockyTrail** · 08-24-2006, 11:05

If you're lost looking for water off of the AT, it almost always means you went downhill. Walk uphill until you cross the trail, then follow the trail left or right until you find your pack.

Or, if you want to go directly to the shelter:

Sit very still for 20 minutes until your eyes can adjust to the darkness, and then follow the streams of mice as they head for midnight dinner.

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