If you plan to venture out on a wilderness hike, it is of vital imortance that you take the essential outdoor gear with you regardless of how short your planned hike is. I have heard many stories about hikers or hunters who have ventured into the wilderness for what was supposed to be a short trip. They don’t bother to take essential outdoor gear with them because they don’t plan to be out for long, but they end up getting disoriented and lost which can result in a very dangerous if not fatal situation.

A 32 year old man was hunting last week in the Thompson / Okanogan area of the interior of British Columbia, Canada. Even though he had a friend with him they ended upstraying apart and the hunter got lost. After searching for several hours the friend called for help with the search. Before he was found the hunter spent 2 cold nights in sub-zero temperatures with only jogging pants and a light jacket.

This man had only intended to go a short distance so was not prepared for a lengthy stay in the wilderness. He had survival gear in his truck but did not take it with him. He also did not have a GPS for navigation. This could easily have been a fatal mistake.

The hunter was found after 2 cold nights in snow and freezing temperatures only 2 kilometres away from his truck. When he was found he was suffering from hypothermia and frostbite for which he was treated and released. This man was very fortunate as this could have ended in a tragedy for this young man and his family.

Even if you are planning to go just a short distance into the wilderness, it is vital that you go prepared with the essential outdoor gear.

Another story out of the mountains of Colorado ended much worse. A 73 year old very experienced hunter went missing in the Leroux Creek area northwest of Hotchkiss. Him and 2 hunting companions had planned a short hunt that afternoon, so the man only took basic gear with him when he left their camp. When he did not return that evening his friends called search and rescue at approximately 1am. The weather began to worsen and snow was falling so a massive ground search was launched in the steep heavily forested area. It was a difficult search, and at the time the story came out they had not yet found the lost hunter.

Statistics show that people who get lost or caught in a survival situation are more often than not day hikers or hunters that are only going out on a short hike. Because they are not planning to go far they take only basic gear and are often totally unprepared for a longer stay in the wilderness much less overnight in sub-zero temperatures. It is always so important to take essential outdoor gear with you on your wilderness trip.

So don’t be one of these statistics. Use the motto “Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.” I would much rather have the essential outdoor gear with me and not need it, than to find myself needing it and not have it!