Survival Skills

We don’t call ourselves survivalist….we aren’t that great at creating shelters, hunting for food, or starting fires without a lighter. But we are VERY prepared. Before we head out on any adventure, we make sure we pack all the essentials and follow a safety plan. Here is how we do our best to stay safe!

Always Carry the Ten Essential Systems

  • Navigation

  • Headlamp

  • Sun protection

  • First aid

  • Knife

  • Fire

  • Shelter

  • Extra food

  • Extra water

  • Extra clothes

Check out our blog on the Ten Essentials for more details!

Have a Safety Plan

Always tell someone where you are going, give them a map of your intended route or general area, and let them know when they should expect you to be finished/make contact.

Only hike alone if you are confident in your skills

Hike early and during the day, make camp/seek shelter at night 

Bring the proper gear and clothing. However, don’t over pack because a heavy backpack can drain you.

Know the area, animals, plants, hunting season, and weather alerts

Emergency location beacon can be useful if no cell service

Be More Prepared in the Winter

Dress in layers, temperatures fluctuate, sweating/wet clothes are bad with freezing temperatures. Bring a waterproof layer to protect from snow.

Make sure to stay hydrated and eat food. We don’t realize how dehydrated we are in cold temperatures. Eating food also helps warm us up by the calories burned. Prevent water from freezing!

Trails are harder to find when snow is covering the ground. Sometimes you can not follow your tracks because the trail can be covered by wind and light snow.

Getting lost and stuck overnight in the winter is a whole different monster

  • Hunker down and stay warm/dry, always pack shelter/bivy

  • Don’t split up if in a group

  • Use body heat

Katrina Hutchison