Every year, thousands of people venture into the wilderness for recreational purposes. However, while spending time communing with Mother Nature is an excellent way to alleviate the stresses of everyday life, many people fail to understand, or take into account, just how harsh Nature can be to those who are unprepared. In fact, underestimating the dangers posed by a day or a week in the wilderness and being unprepared to handle them is the prime cause of most people ending up in life or death struggles to survive until help arrives. Therefore, there are three major mistakes that everyone venturing into the wilderness, regardless of the intended duration of their stay, should avoid.

In fact, because most people only venture into the wilderness on weekends or for occasional camping trips, the first, and most common deadly wilderness mistake most people make is miscalculating the level of risk venturing into the wilderness poses. For instance, because many people venture forth for what they expect to be only a day long adventure, they fail to take into account just how quickly the local weather can change and, because most people have never experienced being stranded in the wilderness due to inclement weather, they fail to understand the danger. However, excessive heat can quickly cause hyperthermia and dehydration which can lead to disorientation, poor decision making, and ultimately death. Also, although most people are aware of the dangers posed by excessively cold weather, they fail to understand that even a light rain in relatively warm weather can lower a person’s core temperature enough to cause hypothermia which poses the same dangers as excessive heat. Furthermore, many areas of the U.S. are inhabited by dangerous creatures such as bears, wolves, mountain lions, poisonous snakes, and poisonous insects and failing to take the presence of these creatures into account is a good way to end up incapacitated, injured, or dead. In fact, the Black Bear can be found in most mountainous ranges of the U.S. and is responsible for more attacks on humans than Grizzlies or Brown Bears combined! In addition, numerous people each year are bitten by poisonous snakes in the wilderness because they are either unaware of their presence or unaware of their preferred habitat and thus, they fail to keep a sharp eye out in order to avoid them.

Next, the second deadly wilderness mistake that most people make is failing to adequately prepare for a foray into the wild. Therefore, it is imperative that you understand that although the wilderness can be a very hospital environment for those who are adequately prepared, it can be deadly for those who are not. Consequently, it is extremely important that you understand that while most ventures into the wild are pleasant experiences, accidents can and do happen and thus, it is best to plan for them and hope that one does not happen to you. Therefore, it is imperative that you carry a properly stocked day pack containing extra clothing appropriate for the climate you are venturing in as well as the season. Also, it is always a wise idea to carry high energy, non-perishable, foods such as dried meat, dried fruits, trail mixes, and hard candies in addition to your planned meals in case you need to unexpectedly spend one or more nights in the wilderness. Furthermore, everyone venturing into the wilderness regardless of how long they intend to stay should assemble and carry a well stocked survival kit along with a sturdy survival knife and acquire the knowledge of how to use them to build survival shelters, build a fire, and obtain food.

Last, the third most common deadly wilderness mistake that people make is lack of knowledge. For instance, because most people venture into the wilderness using well marked trails, they mistakenly feel that they do not need to know how to read a topographical map or how to use a compass. However, the main reason for most people becoming lost in the wilderness is because some feature of the terrain captures their interest and thus, they make the decision to leave the trail to explore said feature. But, because they fail to note and memorize distinguishable landmarks, they suddenly find that they have no idea how they got where they end up and thus have no idea how to get back to the trail. Therefore, having both a topographic map and the knowledge of how to read it can be a life saver. Also, while a person’s general direction of travel can be determined by observing the Sun’s path, a compass can be an invaluable tool in determining the proper course for returning to the trail. However, sometimes even those who are familiar with wilderness navigation become disoriented and are forced to spend one or more unexpected nights in the wilderness. Therefore, taking the time to learn and practice basic wilderness survival skills can mean the difference between life and death.

So, the next time you decide to venture forth into the wilderness for a day of recreation or week’s vacation from the modern world, it is imperative that you understand and accept the level of risk that you will be exposing yourself to and prepare accordingly. Also, it is of paramount importance that you understand that no matter how experienced you are, accidents do happen and thus, you should plan and prepare for them ahead of time by carrying a well stocked day pack and survival kit. Last, even though you may never find yourself in wilderness survival situation, it is very important that you acquire and practice basic survival skills before venturing forth into the wilderness because, if you do ever find yourself in such a situation, having even basic skills can literally mean the difference between life and death!