Great minds (apparently) think alike. I was working on a story about what maps to take into the wilderness to stay found, when Lucas from Survivalcache.com posted a related story.

The triad of staying found in the wilderness is the GPS, map and compass. Don't take a GPS without a map and compass, and make sure you have the right map along.

The circumstances we’re writing  about are a little different, and so are our map choices, but I’ll weigh in later. (I will put my two cents’ worth: A map is just one part of the staying-found equation. Also have a compass along, and a GPS with spare batteries. None of these tools are worth anything if you don’t know how to use them!)

Here’s Lucas with some great information for improving your Bug Out Bag:

If you stuck a state road map in your emergency survival gear backpack (or Bug Out Bag), and thought you were prepared, then you should reconsider. Here are three types of maps that should be included in your survival gear:

One of those maps should be a detailed topographical map of your area.

If you go to Digital-Topo-Maps.com you can get free Topographical Maps.

Just Zoom in to your area, and click the “My Topo” button in the top right corner. You can print off any shots that you want for  free!

*Note: Sometimes it is difficult to get these maps to print correctly. You might want to get the image you want, save it to a flash drive, and take it to your local office supply store for a higher quality print.

For more related SurvivalCommonSense.com tips and stories, click on the highlighted words:

• STOP: Use this exercise to reduce stress and focus your thoughts.
• Write a note to let people know where you went, before you left.
• Take your Ten Essentials on every outing.
• Dress with the right fabrics.
• Have a plan to make a tarp shelter.
• Carry lightweight, compact firestarter.
• Find the most effective fire ignition system.
• How to make charcloth, a material that can catch a spark from any source.
• Use charcloth as an effective method of catching a spark to make a fire.
• It can kill you: Hypothermia
• Hardtack: A great emergency food
• About Leon Pantenburg

Are you prepared?

By Leon Pantenburg

It’s really hard to think when there’s this awful, nauseating realization that you may be lost in the wilderness and you start to panic. Suppose you have a map and compass along, and a basic idea of how to use them. But maybe

The day may start out nice, but suddenly, the sky get cloudy, bad weather threatens and worst of all - you don't know where you are.

you didn’t think about using them…

After all, the sun was out, the day was nice, the trail is clear, the scenery beautiful and you stuck the map and compass in the pack somewhere. It was hard to get to, so you didn’t check it.

After all, the point was to get out in the woods and relax, and who can unwind when you have to fool around with land navigation tasks? Besides, you’re well prepared, with survival knife, a survival kit, tarp  and…all that stuff.Wilderness Navigation: Finding Your Way Using Map, Compass, Altimeter & Gps (Mountaineers Outdoor Basics)

But then it starts to get dark, or the weather changes, and you don’t remember which of the forks in the trail you took. At this point, many people will start to panic, and when that happens, you can’t reason.

But in this situation, remembering some common sense land navigation memory aides and acronyms will help calm you down. Once you can correctly orient the map, you can figure out where you are and where to go.

You can also decide if the smart option is to set up a shelter, build a fire and stay put while waiting to be rescued. Don’t try to make this kind of decision when you can’t think!

Humans are hard-wired to want an activity pattern. Creating a routine to fall back upon in this situation could help calm you down. It will hasten your ability to make good decisions.

Here’s a survival mindset exercise that uses simple, easy-to-remember map and compass memory aides. Memorize them, and the order they’re in, and you’ll have one more tool in your survival kit.

STOP: First and foremost, in any wilderness emergency is the need to focus on the situation. STOP: Stop (sit down while you’re doing this part), Think, Observe and Plan. Stay seated until you reach “P” and don’t get up until you have a plan. Then, get out the map and compass.

Red=N: Which end of the needle is north? Maybe you want to write this on the compass somewhere: Red = North.

These are basic navigation tools: compass, emergency whistle, map and GPS. Start with the basics: does the red compass needle point north?

Yeah – this is elementary stuff, but really important. Disorientation is a symptom of dehydration, fatigue, hypothermia and panic, and you can have all these problems at once. And maybe you also have to deal with  pain, because of an injury. Suunto M-3DL Compass

Also – and this sounds really elementary – make sure the needle actually does point north before you buy a compass. Twice, I have found name brand, quality compasses where the red needle pointed south. (I’m not the only one – wilderness expert Peter Kummerfeldt relates a similar story, with a different brand of compass.)

The other instance wasn’t funny, and could have lead to tragedy. I happened across a compass, with a red needle that pointed south, on the shelf of a local sporting goods store. An unsuspecting customer could have bought the compass, assumed the red needle pointed north and gotten really, really lost. The salesman was appalled, and checked out all the rest of the compass inventory on the spot. Brunton Classic Compass Never, ever buy a compass that has anything whatsoever wrong with it!

Red in the shed: OK – you remember, and are positive, that red is north.

This compass needle is aligned with the orienting arrow. The "Red is in the shed."

But, next, aren’t you supposed to do something with the pointy do-hickey in the bottom?

It’s probably more dignified to say “Box the needle” or “Align the red, north-pointing needle with the orienting arrow figure on the bottom of the dial.” But you’ll remember “Red in the Shed,” because it rhymes and the alignment box resembles, with a little imagination, a tall, skinny shed.

Two norths? There are two norths on a topographic map: Magnetic north and True North and the difference could confuse an exhausted, cold person.

Magnetic north is where the needle points to the actual magnetic North Pole. In 2005, that was about 800 miles from the geographic north pole, near Ellef Ringes Island in the Canadian Arctic (Latitude: 82.7, Longitude: 114.4).

True north is the direction to the top of your map.  Since the earth is a pear-shaped object and a map is flat, inevitably, there will be some variations

True north really and truly does point to the top of the map; magnetic north is pointed to by the red magnetic needle.

So remember this acronym: MN to MN = Magnetic needle, magnetic north: The Magnetic needle on your compass points to magnetic north. MN-to-MN.

True north is always and truly at the top of your map.

But that’s not the only thing about true north and magnetic north you need to know.

The difference in angle between true north and magnetic north is called declination, and you’ll have to adjust your compass and map.

Which way to adjust for declination? How do you remember if you adjust for easterly or westerly declination?

In the continental U.S. , just look at the Mississippi River. If you have to go east to get to it, then you adjust for easterly declination. If you have to go west, it is westerly declination.  And, if you live in the zone along the big river, you probably don’t have to adjust for declination at all.

Anyone venturing out into the wilderness needs to have a good working knowledge of a map and compass.  Never rely on a GPS alone. Any electronic device can fail, and the best GPS in the world is only as good as its power source.  Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS Receiver

These tips are a very small piece of staying found. A critical tool in your survival kit is knowledge and skill. Invest the time and money to take a good land navigation class, then buy a quality compass.

Another good idea is to make your own topographic maps. I use the National Geographic Topo! Outdoor Recreation Mapping Software, and make a custom map whenever I go out. There are other fine mapping programs on the market also, and don’t forget google maps as a resource. National Geographic TOPO Map

Memorize these aids, and that potential panic attack will dissipate while you figure out where you are!

Recommended Reading: Here are some good map and compass instructional books.

Staying Found: The Complete Map and Compass Handbook

Compass & Map Navigator (rev): The Complete Guide to Staying Found

Basic Essentials Map & Compass, 3rd (Basic Essentials Series)

For more related SurvivalCommonSense.com tips and stories, click on the highlighted words:

• STOP: Use this exercise to reduce stress and focus your thoughts.
• Write a note to let people know where you went, before you left.
• Take your Ten Essentials on every outing.

.

by Leon Pantenburg

If nobody knows you’ve gone, or where to look, or when you might be back, it could be a long wait  to be rescued! An detailed note, left behind before any outing, should be Standard Operating Procedure. The note could end up being a lifesaver!

These writing materials could be some of your most important survival items!

Before writing anything, though, consider who the note will be entrusted to. It must be a reliable person who cares, and who can be relied upon to contact the proper authorities if you don’t show up as scheduled.

The standard style for an informative news story (which is what this note is) is based on the “Five Ws.” This model is taught in journalism schools, and the name refers to: Who, What, Where, Why and When.
Answer all these questions, and you will give the search and rescue folks a better chance of finding you quickly.
WHO: Start with your name and cell phone number. Also include the names of other people in the party and their cell phone numbers. The phone numbers can be critical: if one cell doesn’t get coverage, another might. Or one phone could be damaged or run out of battery power. All the numbers increase your chances of communication!
Include the make, model, year and license number of the vehicle you’re taking.
WHAT: The purpose of the outing is to do…Fill in the blank, and be specific. A mountaineering expedition to scale a peak differs tremendously from a fishing expedition to the lake at the base. Knowing the purpose of the trip helps narrow down where a lost person might be. It can also help emergency personnel prepare themselves more effectively for the search.
WHERE: I like to use GPS coordinates here. Put the coordinates (and the datum) down of where you intend to park your vehicle, waypoints of your route and your destination. Even if the weather gets nasty and your GPS won’t work, rescuers will have a good idea of where to look. A map left with the “Five Ws” note could be very helpful if you don’t use a GPS! Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS Receiver

WHY: An important question, and one that will help rescuers know where to look. A wildflower photography or fishing trek may not cover a lot of ground. Rescuers will know to concentrate their efforts around the WHERE. A 20-mile jaunt on the Pacific Crest Trail, though, means you’re ambitious, possibly lightly-clad and equipped and capable of covering a lot of ground. The search may have to be expanded. WHY also provides a clue as to how prepared the lost persons might be.
WHEN: You anticipate getting back at what time?  When should the person with the note contact rescuers?

An additional insurance aspect is to take a piece of aluminum foil, step on it with the shoe you will be wearing to leave a footprint. Include the foil with the note. Searchers can then eliminate obviously bigger or smaller footprints with different tread patterns on the trail.
Put the note, map and footprint in a gallon ziplock bag. Write the name of the missing person or party on the bag with a felt-tip pen, and hand the package over to rescuers.
Survival common sense is a combination of many small, inter-related skills and techniques. An informative note before leaving on your trek is a good place to start!

Recommended Reading:
Surviving a Wilderness Emergency
98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive
The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life
The Boy Scout Handbook

For more survival common sense tips, click on the  highlighted words:

• STOP: Use this exercise to reduce stress and focus your thoughts.
• Take your Ten Essentials on every outing.
• Dress with the right fabrics.
• Have a plan to make a tarp shelter
  

  .

by Leon Pantenburg

Here’s the scenario: You walked further down that interesting-looking trail than originally planned and the sun is starting to set behind the mountains. An unsettled feeling in your stomach starts to get worse, and becomes a knot. The knot twists tighter as you realize you don’t have a clue where you are.  The thought sets it: I may be lost…

When everything looks the same, and you realize you're lost, STOP.

For many of us, the first reaction might be to take off, rapidly, in the direction we came from. Maybe jogging would be a good idea. Then, despite your best intentions, you start to panic…

But think: STOP. Say it out loud if you have to, then think what the acronym stands for: Stop, Think, Observe, Plan.

This well-used old acronym, probably mentioned in every survival manual, should be embedded in your psyche. STOP is a survival mind-set exercise. Here’s how to use it. Follow these steps.

Stop: Unless it’s dangerous, quit moving and sit down. Breathe. Take a drink of water. Eat a snack. Stay put – you can’t think until you can focus your thoughts. Time yourself – take at least 30 minutes to let the adrenaline wear off.

Think: Assess your choices and the tools available. Do you have your 10 essentials and the necessary survival gear along? Can you use them? Knowing you’re prepared for an unexpected night out can give you confidence and make you feel less afraid. This confidence could keep you from doing something stupid.

Observe: Take the surroundings into account, because this will affect what comes next. Is it getting dark? Is the temperature dropping or is the weather getting bad? These environmental factors must be considerations.

Plan: Based on your previous actions in this exercise, make an overall plan. Then make some immediate decisions and get going. Don’t expect anyone to help you, and don’t procrastinate.

Any GPS is as reliable as the batteries in it. I carry one whenever I go into the backcountry, but never without a topo map of the area and compass.  (In fact, my survival kit has a backup compass in it, too.) Several times, in terrain as varied as high desert and rainforests, my GPS has let me down. The map and compass never have! http://tinyurl.com/yk7ngjc