Maine Outdoor Journal

Q: What should I do if I get lost?

A: Wrong question. You need to be asking: "How do I prevent myself from getting lost?"

Mark Fochesato, a volunteer with the Wilderness Rescue Team, is a big believer in basic land navigation skills. He is involved with a lot of the search and rescues in Maine, and has taught the skills needed to keep you out of trouble. His advice is based on preparation and planning.

First, you're going to need a map and a compass. Second, learn how to use them. There are classes you can take and orienteering clubs that can get you up to speed. Then "just go out and practice." And that can be a lot of fun, Fochesato says.

Sure, you can get a GPS unit. But you still need to learn how to use it. "GPS is very popular to a large degree, but (people) rely on it too much," he says. "They're not foolproof."

For one thing, you need to have good batteries. Also, a GPS is good at telling you where you are. But you need a bit of skill to use it to figure out where you want to go. "It's almost never going to tell you how to get there." You're still going to have to choose a route that you can walk. And the gadget is useless if your batteries go bad.

"A map of the area, a compass and the skills to use that can be more effective than a GPS alone," Fochesato says.

Do those classes teach you how to know if you're lost?

In a way. Fochesato advises people to hike and periodically check a map. See if you can estimate your location. He says one indicator would be that the map is telling you something that doesn't match with the terrain.

You also can estimate how long you should be hiking. "If you blow past your estimate and you're not where you should be, that's an indicator." You can make an estimate by keeping track of your time before you get lost. If you cover a mile and a half in the first hour, that gives you a decent idea of your pace for that terrain. Then guess when you will reach a point or landmark.

Don't start hiking yet. There's another piece of preparation that can help. Make a trip plan. Write down where you're going, the intended route and an estimated time you will return. Then give it to someone. If you can't make it back out, this plan can trigger a focused search-and-rescue effort.

But it doesn't have to come to search and rescue. All this preparation will help you get back on track on your own. If you have any suspicion that you're not where you're supposed to be, Fochesato teaches the acronym STOP:

• Stop moving. Don't get yourself any more lost or make the situation worse.

• Think about your situation. How did you get there? Try to remember your route to where you are.

• Observe. Does anything look familiar? Look for something that matches your map. At this point, you may realize that you're not really lost.

• Plan your next step. Figure out where you want to go and how to get there. This may involve using your map and compass skills.

Your plan may be pretty simple. "Just backtracking is a pretty effective technique," says Fochesato. "Start heading back the direction you came and find the last point you knew you were at."

A little bit of knowledge of the area can go a long way. If you are in an area that borders a body of water or road, head in that direction. When you find it, turn in the direction you want.

If you have a lot of confidence in your orienteering skills, you can use the map and compass to take a bearing to a landmark and navigate your way out.

The worse thing Fochesato says you can do is panic and start running. The critical point is the first 30 seconds. Even if you spend that 30 seconds doing nothing but breathing, you're better off.

Groups should set procedures to deal with the possibility of anyone getting separated and lost. Whistles work very well as signal devices. You can blow a whistle a lot longer than you can yell. And the sound carries farther. Hand-held two-way radios can be very effective in the woods. They're effective if they have good batteries and have some decent weather proofing. Signal mirrors can catch someone's attention from far away.

Fochesato suggests carrying orange survey tape to mark your location. Take a permanent marker to mark the time in case someone is looking for you.

If your orienteering and backtracking aren't working, you need to stop and wait. This becomes a survival situation. It also is why leaving a trip plan with someone is important.

Hopefully, you have enough gear to stay comfortable during a night in the woods. This requires food, water and protection from the elements. The last item is most important. Hunger and thirst are bad. But exposure will kill you much more quickly.

Carl Natale is a Registered Maine Sea Kayak Guide, hiker and content producer for MaineOutdoorJournal.com. Send questions to:

cvn@mainetoday.com