Learn S.T.O.P.

In the wild, most people don’t realize that they are in fact lost until they have been truly lost for quite some time. You don’t just cut a corner and say…huh!? I’m lost. It usually starts with you quietly doubting yourself, then it turns to you trying to re-assure yourself that salvation must be just over there, or maybe just over here. As your immediate conditions dwindle you are suddenly faced with a choice, a choice you will not have complete control over; to panic or keep your wits.

I think most people automatically panic, even if it’s just
momentarily. The key is to regain control over this emotion very quickly before it gets the best of you. Panic can make a bad situation 10 times worse than it all ready is. You’ll likely make more bad decisions which may even get you injured or worse. I won’t sit here and tell you not to panic if you find yourself lost in the woods, but what I will tell you, is to arm yourself with as much knowledge now to be able to get through that situation if it ever happens. It’s what you do immediately after you realize that you’re lost that is so critical.

If you’ve never heard of the acronym S.T.O.P. let me introduce it to you now. Sit, Think, Observe, and Plan. Just remember to “STOP” as soon as you’re aware of a bad situation. You can probably use this all throughout life actually, but for now we’ll use it to get out of the wilderness.

The first part is simple enough, just stop and sit down. The number one thing this does for you is that it keeps you from making any more immediate, and potentially dangerous, decisions. Once you’ve thrown your predicament into neutral things start to get a little clearer.

Which brings us to step two and three, think and observe. Probably the most important steps of all because this is where you’ll evaluate your situation. What kind of supplies do you have, if any? What are your immediate needs, do you have water? Spend no less than five minutes on this step and try and ask yourself all the most important questions. Talk it out loud, don’t worry no one is around to hear you anyway right? Some questions that I would ask myself are:
(Placed in order of most important.)

How much water do I have, and where might I get more if needed?

What does the weather look or feel like, cold, hot, sun, rainy?

How much can I recall about my day so far?
This question is very important, it may help to get you home.

What dangers may be around me, wildlife, avalanche, heat exhaustion?

Do I have any food?

What is in my pack or pockets that may improve my situation?

These questions all need to be answered no matter how gloomy some answers may make you feel. Once you have come to terms with what you have to work with you will be better able to make more intelligent decisions. Oh yeah, remember that really important question, what can I recall about my day so far? Here’s why it is so important – even if you don’t have a map on paper, which you should, you do already have one inside your head. Let me just give you a quick example here;

I remember looking at the clock when I parked the car this morning and it was a little after 7:30am. I parked near the trail head and started on my way with the sun in my eyes for the first couple of hours. Just before I stopped to eat lunch, I crossed a large creek. Upstream was to my left as I crossed. After lunch I climbed around a rather large rock outcropping then down into a valley. On my way through the valley I encountered a large pine forest…and it’s where I now sit, not knowing what to do. I am almost out of water and have only a couple of snack bars left. It’s fall and the nights get cool here, and I haven’t seen another single person all day… But I do have a compass!!!

How much could you learn from that? Well, that brings us to the P. for the Plan. After evaluating your situation you could make your first and one of your biggest decisions yet; stay put and be found, (as soon as someone notices I’m missing anyway), or try and hike my way out now? From the information I remembered about my day, as long as I thought I had enough daylight left, I would probably opt to hike out right now. The main reason’s why would be; I need water and I know that there is water on my way back, and it gets cool here at night and I‘m not real prepared for an overnight. If I make it to the water, then I’m already finding my way back anyway! So why not keep going!? Also I would learn that to get back I must first figure out which direction is west, and head that way until I found the creek (or the rock outcropping just to know I am heading the right way). Judging from the size of the creek once I get there, try and determine if I am a little downstream or upstream. Cross the creek when the distance across looks the same as I remember from this morning. Also make sure when I cross this creek that upstream is to my right, if not, then it is the wrong creek. Once I’ve crossed the right creek, continue heading west until I get to a road, and you’re out. It may not always be that easy I know, but you get my point.

It’s important that you S.T.O.P. every time your situation changes too. If you follow my plan above, only to start running out of daylight before even finding the creek, then you need to S.T.O.P. again. Remember to keep your wits about you, resist the urge to panic by focusing on the good things going for you. New baby at home, party next Saturday, whatever gets you through the day. Joke around a lot and make noise, someone else may be around and hear you, then you’re saved…but now there’s a witness to you doing all that crazy joking and talking to yourself!