Fall Hike
WWYD Wednesday
An easy fall hike is taking longer than planned. At an unmarked fork, daylight and temperatures are dropping. Your phone is at 9%, with no service. Someone suggests walking downhill until you reach a road.
WWYD: keep moving, split up, or stop, assess, signal, and stay together? What would guide your decision?
Fact Check Friday
Claim: “If you’re lost, keep walking downhill until you find a road.” False—downhill is not a rescue plan. Wandering can carry you farther from your route and make rescue harder.
Use STOP: Stop, Think, Observe, Plan. Check your route, landmarks, daylight, weather, and supplies. If you cannot safely retrace your route using reliable navigation, stay put and make yourself findable. Move if your location poses an immediate threat.
Stay together, add layers, conserve battery, and signal with a whistle, light, or bright blanket. If you have service, call 911, share your location and supplies, and follow the dispatcher’s directions. In New York, Forest Ranger Dispatch is 1-833-697-7264.