Teach survival to family and friends

This is the second of a series of columns about survival training.

No one wants to or plans on becoming lost, but becoming lost happens. Last week we discussed how easy it would be for a 6-year-old to become lost.

He stepped into the woods at the end of a meadow at a point about 100 yards from his parents. All of a sudden nothing looked familiar and he began running, but in the wrong direction. He was lost.

Children aren’t the only members of humanity who become lost. Adults become lost, too.

Situation: A family of four are camping at Swan Lake, up north near Republic. This family invites another family of four to join them.

The second family hasn’t had any camping experience. This was a chance for the first family to provide practical camping training to the second family.

This training included how to pitch the tent, how to build a fire, outdoor/camp cooking and fishing. The entire group of eight, four adults and four children, hike around the lake on the day after arrival. It is a great hike, 1.5 miles long, with wildflowers blooming, sightings of loons on the lake and the sighting of a couple of deer.

The rest of the day had some of the party fishing and catching a few fish, others traveled to Republic for some sightseeing. In the evening all enjoyed a campfire, where stories were told and s’mores were prepared and eaten.

Finally, the youngsters were tired, were put to bed and fell fast asleep.

The adults gathered again at the campfire to enjoy a few minutes of “adult time” while letting the fire die down before heading to their sleeping bags.

Joe, the husband of the second family and with no outdoor experience, was up early, but didn’t want to bother anyone else. He decided to hike around the lake. It wouldn’t take him long, as the hike is only 1.5 miles. He grabbed a bottle of water and set off.

Half way around the lake there is a meadow, about 100 yards in diameter. Joe spots some wildflowers of interest on the far side. He walks over to investigate. There are more flowers just inside the timberline. Joe investigates these also, along with others deeper into the timber.

Suddenly, nothing looks familiar. Joe walks to the right, then to the left then straight ahead, but in the wrong direction. Joe is lost.

Sound familiar? A person can become lost if they are 6-years-old or 35-years-old, or older.

Next week: More survival information: What to do when you are lost.