Lost…

You're walking along the trail and it's a bluebird kind of day. You get lost in daydreams for a while and then you realize — you're not seeing any trail markers. You've lost the trail. What do you do now? First thing is just stop. This is not a moment to panic. Panic will only make things worse. Stay calm, stay put for a bit and assess the situation. Look back the way you came. Chances are the terrain was such that it seemed like you were still on the trail. That may be the way to go to find the marked trail again. Go over in your mind how you got to where you are and look for any landmarks that might help orient you. It helps to be prepared. Did you familiarize yourself with the terrain ahead of time? Do you know the weather forecast? Did you leave word with someone about where you were going and when you planned to return? Did you bring equipment you might need in case of an event like this? Cell phones and GPS devices are great tools if you can get a signal and the battery is strong. A compass always works; knowing how to use one is important. At a minimum it will keep you from wandering aimlessly or in circles. Sometimes staying put is the right choice. According to the U.S. Forest Service, that's the right thing to do if you are not very confident in what route to take, if it's nightfall or if you are injured or exhausted. As a "very last resort" the Forest Service says you can follow a drainage or stream downhill. "This is often a difficult path but could lead to a trail or road." New Hampshire Fish and Game, the agency responsible for search, rescue and recovery of people lost in the wild, offers a list of 10 essentials hikers should carry: map, compass, warm clothing, extra food and water, flashlight or headlamp, matches or fire starters, first aid kit, whistle, rain-wind jacket and pants and pocketknife. Additionally, the agency suggests the following items for day hikers: sturdy footwear and extra socks, watch, trash bag (for trash or rain protection), light plastic tarp or space blanket, guidebook, insect repellant, sunglasses, sunscreen, gloves or mittens, personal medications, cord or rope, gaiters and extra batteries. New Hampshire Fish and Game relies on volunteer organizations like New England K-9 Search and Rescue and others, along with civilian volunteers to help with rescues and recoveries. The agency averages 180 search and rescue missions a year. State law provides that the department can bill people for the cost of that search and rescue response when it determines the person needing rescue acted irresponsibly or negligently. People who possess a current New Hampshire hunting or fishing license, an off-road vehicle or snowmobile registration or boat registration are exempt from this kind of billing. Others, like hikers, can protect themselves from being billed for their rescue by purchasing a Hike Safe card, available online at www.wildnh.com/safe. The card costs $25 for an individual and $35 for a family. It is only valid in New Hampshire and needs to be renewed each year. Situational awareness is important when you are in the woods. It can help you self-rescue. My wife thinks I have some kind of innate sense of direction, and she trusts I will always find the way, like I have some kind of built-in GPS. The simple truth is that I am generally aware of my surroundings, noting landmark features in my mind; and I keep track of things like the sun's position in the sky, wind direction and whether I'm traveling generally uphill or down. While I may not consciously do this, it's part of what keeps me on the right track, and it preserves the ability to back track if I need to do so. Even so, I still manage to misplace the rest of the world from time to time. Once, while deer hunting atop a remote ridge in central Vermont during a snowstorm, I spotted a deer but was unable to determine if it was a buck. I tracked it until I got a good look and found out it was a doe. By that time, it was getting dark, so I descended the ridge, cold and wet, thinking how nice that car heater was going to feel. But when I got to the bottom of that slope there wasn't a brook, and I remembered jumping over a small brook when I started up that ridge earlier. I got out the compass, and it told me I had gone the opposite way I had intended, down the wrong side of the ridge, the side with miles and miles of nothing but woods. I reversed directions and by the time I got to my vehicle I was really uncomfortable — but at least I wasn't lost.