TSAR Wilderness Tips

In an effort to better serve our communtiy, Taos Search & Rescue is publishing this vital page of Wilderness Tips. It is our hope these tips may contribute in keeping you, a friend or loved one more safe during outdoor wilderness activities and outings.

Listen for TSAR's hot wilderness tips each day on KKIT and KTAO!

 

TIP #1: Always be Adequately Prepared!

When going on even a small outing into the wilderness, it is very important to prepare for a longer outing than planned and unexpected circumstances. Never go out without a pack equipped with at least the 10 essentials:

1) plenty of water

2) extra food

3) extra clothing

4) fire starter

5) map

6) compass

7) knife

8) first aid kit

9) flashlight

10) whistle.

Being properly prepared could mean your life. Be safe, not sorry!

Also remember, when hiking with friends do not split up unless you absolutely have to. If you do separate, be sure that each person has the 10 essentials.

 

 

TIP #2: Inform Your Friends/Family

Before ever going out into the wilderness, make sure someone knows when and where you are going and when to expect you back. This simple action could save your life - time is of ultimate importance in your survival if you become seriuosly injured or lost in the woods.

 

 

TIP #3: What to Do When Lost

If you become lost during a wilderness outing:

• stay calm and relax - don't panic.
• take time to access your situation.
• eat and drink something.
• don't wander around.
• if possible, travel downstream or down a canyon.
• if deciding to remain in the same place, place a bright-colored article in a clearing and remain nearby.
• listen for call-out by a search team and be prepared to call back.
• look for ways to protect yourself from the environment and changing weather.

 

TIP #4: Lightning Dos & Don'ts

If caught in lightning in a wilderness setting, remember:

• stay away from isolated trees.
• squat down with your feet close together.
• avoid overhangs, caves, ridges, and summits.
• spread out if with others.
• If metal objects begin to make a buzzing sound or your hair stands on end, immediately descend.
• Be aware that lightning can strike from a cloud several miles away.
• Lightning storms can approach with extreme rapidity.
  
  Maybe for a separate category or to be added to an existing one:
  
  TIP #5: Firebuilding Techniques

If you need to build a fire for survival:

• clear the area down to bare dirt.
• start the fire small and slowly build it - begin with small twigs, leaves, needles, and/or sap, then add small sticks and build to larger pieces of wood.
• for best heat advantage build your fire near a large rock-face and sit between the rock-face and the fire. The rocks will reflect the heat back toward your body.
• in wet weather dry twigs are found on trees, not the ground.

 

TIP #6: Preventing Hypothermia

Hypothermia can occur surprisingly quickly in our climate area, even at Taos' lower altitudes. Hypothermia usually occurs more often in warmer weather than in severe cold because people are often not prepared for the dramatic change of temperatures when a sudden storm moves in or once nightime arrives in Taos. The following preventative measures could save your life:

• Make sure to use synthetic clothing in all your outdoor adventures. In a rainstorm, cotton clothing does not wick moisture and can quickly lead to hypothermia.
• Always pack extra clothing, to include extra socks, extra inner layer, extra middle layer, and a jacket for outerwear.
• A space blanket is an unoticeable addition to your pack in terms of weight, but a very noticable addition to your warmth factor if stranded when temperatures drop.
• If cold, keep exercising by maintaining moderate, continual movement and eat foods high in sugar content.

 

TIP #7: Altitude Sickness

Altitude sickness can occur rather suddenly and even to those of us who live in Taos or similar altitudes. Altitude sickness is serious and can even lead to death. To help prevent altitude sickness or in the case of altitude sickness, please observe the following measures:

• keep hydrated by drinking more water than normal.
• climatize at lower elevations before climbing and ascend slowly.
• if traveling to Taos from a lower elevation, begin drinking more water than ususal two weeks before your trip and continue drinking extra water until you leave Taos.
• stay aware of altitude sickness symptoms for yourself and others in your party - headache & nausea.
• if you already have altitude sickness, the cure is to lose elevation.

 

IMPORTANT KNOTS

For a complete animated tutorial on important knots for wilderness outings, go to the following website:

Animated Knots by Grog

 

Please visit this page again soon...

Taos Search and Rescue will be bringing you more life-saving wilderness tips.

 

 

Taos Search & Rescue...we train so that others may live.

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