What's your Off-Road, hiking emergency plan

[my14runner]

I was browsing a few articles about people who have been lost in Death Valley and hikers here in Vegas that get lost or stranded and it kills me how un-prepared some people are when they go off the grid. So my questions what is your emergency contingency plan when you hit the trail in regards to the location your going to be? Other than the obvious "which people still don't do" which is bring plenty of water, food,recovery gear,where the proper clothing for the area, ect for a trip.

My location protocol is like this/

Garmin rooted with topo maps and trail maps of the area I am going to be in. I normally map out my trail prior using Google Earth and Garmin Base Camp then upload it to my GPS, I also use GAIA on my Cellular IPAD mini and have offline maps available for the areas I am going to be in, as well as good old fashion paper maps. Lastly I make sure I have all the HAM reapters for the area I am going to be in programmed as well, and give printed maps with way points and topo maps to friends or relatives to let them know where I am going to be, what time I should be back, and a no shit you need to call SAR by this time. I also let them know what Simplex frequency on my HAM I will be on.

 

[KidVermicious]

I always have an oh-shit backpack in my truck. It has water, emergency food, warmth, shelter, three ways to signal for help and three ways to make fire. In winter, I also keep dry clothes and wool socks in there. I'm considering a SPOT, and/or a ham radio.

 

[2014 Warthog]

I always have an oh-shit backpack in my truck. It has water, emergency food, warmth, shelter, three ways to signal for help and three ways to make fire. In winter, I also keep dry clothes and wool socks in there. I'm considering a SPOT, and/or a ham radio.

Yeah I got all my needs in a box and a couple of other bags I just throw in the back on every trip. 5 gals of water always, extra food. First aid, tools, tire repair, 2Meter and CB radios. etc always in the car.

I've also been looking into a SPOT or similar device, though no decision yet. It's a ton of money over it's life for something you will almost assuredly never use. BUT IF YOU NEED TO USE IT JUST THAT ONCE it may be the thing that saves your life. So... definitely worth considering, especially if wheeling alone and far from the crowds.

 

[9494runner]

Tools oh-shit bag, ability for food water camp for 2 days; the ability to stay with the rig. and the big one......


TELL SOMEBODY WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND FOR HOW LONG!

 

[BigredTEX]

I do a lot of back packing and off-roading. Different needs for each, but a lot of similarities when it comes to survival.

Back packing is all about weight - carry only what you need, but also being prepared for almost anything. Using your head goes a long way.

If on foot or on wheels, someone always knows where I'll be, when to expect my return and what to do if I don't show up. A well prepared GPS (loaded maps and way points), paper maps, appropriate food, clothing, survival gear, comprehensive 1st aid kit and the knowledge to use it and a good PLAN. Know where your going and what to expect. Getting into the back country without first thoroughly planning your trip is where most people fail. Knowing how to survive when adversity strikes is critical.

Of course, when wheeling, appropriate recovery gear is just as critical. I carry everything above along with the recovery gear (a long list). I don't have HAM radio, but always have a CB radio.

 

[Jetboy]

I tell someone where I'm going and when I'll be back.

I don't rely on GPS much. I make sure I'm generally familiar with the area. Have enough water in the desert. In Montana I make sure I have a bic lighter or two. I do keep a couple MREs in my offroad bag, but I could go without food for a couple days. When I lived in Montana I used to keep a sleeping bag along. In Utah it just doesn't get cold enough to warrant keeping one along, and there's nowhere remote enough to really worry about it anyway other than when I'd have one along for camping.

Most importantly - be healthy. If you have to walk out of somewhere it's a lot easier if you're not 50 or 100lbs overweight. There's practically nowhere in the lower 48 you can't walk to a road from. I'm from rural Montana and even there, the only place I can think of that couldn't walk out in 2 days from would be the back side of Yellowstone lake or around that area. I do take a MTB with me to the more remote parts of southern Utah as a backup vehicle. I can pretty easily ride from anywhere in So. Utah to a road that I'll find traffic on in a day or less if I need to.

 

[USKTog]

I was browsing a few articles about people who have been lost in Death Valley and hikers here in Vegas that get lost or stranded and it kills me how un-prepared some people are when they go off the grid. So my questions what is your emergency contingency plan when you hit the trail in regards to the location your going to be? Other than the obvious "which people still don't do" which is bring plenty of water, food,recovery gear,where the proper clothing for the area, ect for a trip.

My location protocol is like this/

Garmin rooted with topo maps and trail maps of the area I am going to be in. I normally map out my trail prior using Google Earth and Garmin Base Camp then upload it to my GPS, I also use GAIA on my Cellular IPAD mini and have offline maps available for the areas I am going to be in, as well as good old fashion paper maps. Lastly I make sure I have all the HAM reapters for the area I am going to be in programmed as well, and give printed maps with way points and topo maps to friends or relatives to let them know where I am going to be, what time I should be back, and a no shit you need to call SAR by this time. I also let them know what Simplex frequency on my HAM I will be on.

Good plans!

Since I spend a lot of time in remote areas (for photography), I carry tent, sleeping bag (+20F), 2-3 gallons of water + 3 liters in my camera pack, headlamp and backup flashlights (one small handheld 600lumen and one larger 600 lumen), JetBoil stove and 6-8 Mountain House backpacking meals, three butane fire-starters along with a couple of extreme emergency mechanisms (magnesium bar + striker), my Garmin Tactix GPS watch, area maps, brunton style compass with signal mirror and spare extreme weather clothing (depending on season) and my hand-held 2m/70cm radio + charger.

I also have two recharge devices for GPS watch or cell-phones made by Jockery. One is 12,000 mAh and the other is 6,000 mAh, so I have multiple phone/GPS watch recharges, should it become necessary.

I have not installed my 2m/70cm Mobile radio yet, but is planned for the next service on the 4Runner at the Toyota dealer. In my last vehicle, I routinely would have all of the western states covered with 2m/70cm frequencies so that I could easily tune in to the appropriate frequency.

 

[Intruder]

I bring a deck of cards with me and start playing solitaire. Guaranteed someone will walk up behind me and point out to put the red queen on the black king.

 

[m85476585]

I don't rely on GPS. The batteries will die when you need it, and hiking GPSes have not kept up with other technology. They are selling the same outdated hardware, and one day you won't be able to get maps for them. Paper maps are much better if you learn how to use them. The only time GPS is better than maps is in white-out conditions, but I try not to hike in that anyway.

I have a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB). It's basically a commercial grade SPOT. It's much better than a SPOT (or any similar consumer device) for a few reasons, which I'll explain. The only downside is that it's not good for "I'm OK" type messages, but I don't need that anyway.

PLBs transmit 5 watts of power to government run weather satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). SPOTs transmit only 0.4W, and they rely on commercial communications satellites (also LEO, I think) and GPS satellites (Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)). I think some SPOT competitors transmit to geostationary orbit (GEO), which is much farther away but I'm not sure. Closer is better when you have a limited amount of power.

PLBs have three ways of locating you: The most precise is GPS. A GPS reciever in the device gets your position and relays that over the 406MHz uplink frequency to LEO satellites, which in turn relay it to control centers on the ground. If that doesn't work for some reason (GPS is very low power and requires a lot of satellites to be in view, so it may not work in bad weather, dense tree cover, or steep terrain), then the LEO satellites can triangulate your position to within about 1km using the Doppler effect. That gets rescuers close enough to pick up the 121.5MHz signal on the ground or from a helicopter and find you with radio direction finding (the third way of finding you).

SPOT only has one way of finding you. If GPS doesn't work, you won't be found unless someone knows about your plans.

PLBs are a bit more expensive upfront, but there's no subscription fee. The battery is good for 5 years, but it has to be replaced by the manufacturer (for $$$) after that. You never have to worry about whether it's charged as long as you don't test it more than the rated number of times.

I have an ACR ResQLink beacon. It's surprisingly small and light (4.6oz), and fully waterproof. You can buy a floating one or floating case if you plan to use it on the water. I hope I never have to use it, but I'm glad to have it with me in some situations. A lot of Colorado has no cell phone coverage.
They have a rebate going on that gets you some random free stuff if you buy it by tomorrow (3/20/15). Last year there was a cash rebate option, which was better. https://www.acrartex.com/media/1375896/usa-rebate-coupon-spring-2015.pdf

 

[Engineer]

#1: Let someone ('s) you trust know where you are going and when you expect to be back.

No one can prepare for everything.........name all the gear/transponders etc I can think of any # of random situations where it gets crushed, ripped off you etc. Not saying don’t have one or they are a bad idea but I would never consider them a substitute for letting people know your plans).

 

[brian0128]

I bought a SPOT.

 

[1engineer]

I have no plan.

 

[marshal]

Cyanide.

 

[Jayhawk5G]

Since I don't do the kind of overlanding and back woods hiking that has been listed, I will probably put together a "bug-out" type bag to throw in the back for winter and thats about it.

My cousin was driving from Morgantown, WV to Parsons, WV early in the morning during snow and lost control of his Ford Escape and ended up at the bottom of a pretty steep embankment. He was lucky and was uninjured and able to climb up to the road. If things had been different the snow could have covered any signs of him going off the edge. Better to have some supplies for situations like this than nothing.

 

[GSPRunner]

I was just flipping channels and the Blair Witch Project was on. I imagine it would go something like that.

 

[Marcocopuffs]

My plan is to never be in a situation where I would get lost, stranded or hurt. I just stay in my garage.

 

[mattr]

I always keep a good toolkit in my truck along with fluids, food, and water, first aid, etc.

I've been thinking about picking up a DeLorme InReach SE, basically a satellite device that works like a SPOT but also gives you the ability to communicate over text and send out a ping to family and friends with your GPS location so they can monitor your location (if you choose to let them to). I'm more likely to do something like this over a spot only because it would get used more for things like 'Running late, be back a 7pm instead of 4pm' stuff, or 'Need you to send out Tony with a new CV Axle' type of communication instead of just having to hit the panic button on a spot. It comes with a base monthly fee and a per text charge, but you can turn it on and off month-to-month which is nice.

 

[NoDak]

only thing I have is winter time rules since 90% of my travel is winter conditions.

1. keep 1-2 big thick blankets (I have some Korean blankets that are super warm)
2. cell phone
3. stay on interstate roads only
4. if you cant stay on interstate roads, stay on heavy traffic state roads (we only have 3 heavy state roads, 83, 2/52 (it splits depending on where you are at)
5. never leave the vehicle (surprising how many try to walk to a farm they can see and don't realize how deceiving distance is in winter time and cold)
6. fill up when you get to 1/2 tank. 1/2 tank gas goes along way to stay warm while someone comes to your aid and it may take a few hours.
7. dress for the weather outside, not for the drive (the warden does this all the time, irks me to death)
8. this is my ocd kicking in, I know the distance and time it should take to drive from A to B even during bad weather, I expect a phone call if you go more than 1 hour over your limit. (son drives 200 miles from college to home, it should only take 4 hours to get there, 5 if he stops and eat)

 

[CatskillsRunner]

Spot

We use SPOT on our multiday river trips. We have a standard message that we send every night that says "having fun!" and can use the emergency message if we need help.

Really nice for peace of mind in the event of a broken bone miles and miles from any help.

 

[Ron4RNevada]

I let people know approximately where I'm going and if I'll be more than 30 miles from a road have two trucks.