10. “I volunteered on a SAR (search and rescue) team for several years, and here are a few things that might have saved people’s lives if they had known them. If you fall into fast water, float on your back.” Your knees are slightly bent and your feet are pointing downstream. This allows you to push off rocks without breaking your legs or being dragged underwater. You can use your arms and legs to steer your path downstream to avoid obstacles.”
“Avoid crossing areas of rock where the slope of the rock rises steadily towards a cliff or chasm. This is common with granite slabs in the Sierra Mountains. Even fairly gentle slopes can have loose gravel and once you start to slide it can be extremely difficult to stop. So always think about what would happen if you slipped.
If you get lost in dense forests, it is very easy to walk in circles. To avoid this, arrange three trees in the line you want to follow. Go to the middle of the three trees and then select a new tree, keeping it in line with the others. Keep doing this to navigate in a straight line.
You don’t need cellular service for your smartphone to have GPS or the compass to work. If you get lost, watch your GPS cables and use the compass to get a feel for your surroundings. Then turn off your phone and conserve battery power. Check for cell service when you find a peak. Your phone may still have some maps loaded. So check this as well. Maybe you’re lucky and you’re near a path or road.
If you’re stuck outside and get really cold, you’re going to be shaking pretty badly. This is a good sign and means your body is trying to warm you up. IIf you get tired or feel warmer, even if nothing has changed, DO NOT fall asleep. Do literally anything to stay awake. If you fall asleep, the chances of you ever waking up again are very small. So if you suddenly stop shaking and start feeling slightly intoxicated, you may be in terminal hypothermia and in for serious trouble. Even warming up may not be enough; See a doctor quickly.”
—u/Spelunker101