At any given time there is always a search and rescue team out looking for someone who has become lost in the wilderness, somewhere in the world. These rescue teams are on stand-by 24/7 and are ready to dispatch at a moments notice, something they do much more often than they should.
When people become lost and need to be rescued its never intentional, but normally down to carelessness or a certain state of mind. Their reasons for becoming lost are varied but usually fall into a few set categories, so to help you avoid having a team of people search for you on a mountain side or in a forest, then keep these things in mind.
1) Going off the track
This is the number one reason people become lost in the wilderness by far, they see something that looks interesting and wander off the path. This is all well and good if you’re in a location you know but it most often happens when people are on holiday. They see an amazing looking beach or waterfall or something that catches their eye and go and have a closer look, quickly forgetting how far they’ve walked and more importantly, the way back to the path.
When people realise they are lost they normally make it worse by walking in what they “think” is the right direction, only to find out after walking a few hours they went the wrong way.
(Amanda Eller – 17 days in a Maui jungle)
Having to be rescued for going off the track is ahead of all the other reasons by a long shot, and to make matters worse when people do go off the track they don’t have any way to signal for help. A good example is the story of Amanda Eller who went for a walk in a Hawaii jungle and left her phone in the car because she didn’t think she’d need it.
2) Weather
This one only really applies if you are in an extreme environment, such as the arctic circle or a desert. Blizzards are the worst thing to be stuck in as they can reduce visibility down to a few feet and have been the cause of many lost travellers. Sand storms in the desert are another nasty surprise to help you lose your way, changing the entire landscape in a matter of minutes.
(Pauloosie Keyootak – lost for 8 days and 180 miles off course)
Fortunately the worst thing you can encounter here in the UK is too much rain, but anything further north than Scotland can see the most disorientating storms possible. A man named Pauloosie Keyootak is a good example of how easy it is to get lost, he ended up 100 miles south of his starting location instead of his intended destination 180 miles of where he set off.
3) Injury
Getting injured is obviously never planned, but is the biggest cause of death for people who are stranded. What should have been a pleasant stroll in the countryside could turn into a life or death situation in seconds, and if people become immobilised without means to call for help, they are pretty much screwed unless they get lucky enough to have someone stumble on them, or can survive until the alarm is raised.
(Aron Ralston returning the place he was forced to cut his own arm off)
There are so many example of people who have been injured to mention, but the most well known would have to be the tale of Aron Ralston who had a movie made about him called “127 Hours”. He was in an area he knew very well and had been to many times, but one tiny slip and he ended up in a rocky crevice which eventually cost him is arm.
4) Not enough supplies
This one is much more common in jungle and arctic stories than anywhere else, as it seems people don’t quite realise just how slow they’d be moving. When someone from outside the Arctic circle or tropical regions decide to go there, they often assume that they can cover as much ground as the could in their own country during winter or in a forest, an assumption that has cost many lives.
People pack enough food for a certain amount of time estimated on how long they will be on their journey. When they only manage to get half way before they run out that’s when an adventure turns into a nightmare, and in extreme climates lack of food can force people to come to a stop.
5) They pushed their luck
Even if you tell hundreds of people exactly which mountain you’re going to be climbing and when you’ll be back, non of them will be able to help you if you decide to change your route on the way up or do something to get yourself into a situation no one could anticipate.
(Eric LeMarque – Stranded for 8 days up a mountain and lost both his lower legs)
A man named Eric LeMarque did just this when snowboarding on California’s Mammoth Mountain. He was on his way up the slope when the rangers started to call people back to the bottom, a warning he ignored as he thought he’d be fine and could beat the weather. After being lost for several days and losing the lower half of both his legs, he was finally found.