Prepare for the worst on your next hike: Sacramento expert shares advice on safety, survival
There’s no substitute for finding a great hike, breathing fresh air, and getting away from the roils of everyday life in front of phone and computer screens.
But finding a nice place to go for a jaunt isn’t always as simple as it sounds. There are risks involved, particularly when some of the most scenic places to hike in California and the West are some of the most remote.
This is why safety — and preventing precarious situations — should be at the forefront of every adventure’s mind when planning a trip. Whether it’s going on a simple hike or something more extreme like mountain biking, backpacking, skiing or snowshoeing, common sense safety practices apply to all. It could also save lives.
The Sacramento Bee caught up with Ryan Armstrong, a former emergency medical technician and current proprietor of Capital City CPR teaching wilderness first aid training, for his thoughts on the basics of being prepared for the worst on your outdoor excursion.
He provided a checklist to ensure anyone going on an outdoor adventure can do it safely and find their way home, should extreme circumstances hit.
Don’t just make an itinerary, share it
Leave a paper trail to your whereabouts no matter the activity. That way you can be found if you don’t return home when expected. It sounds simple, but it’s easily forgotten, Armstrong said.
For example, if you’re planning a hike on a certain trail at a certain time, let someone know. Because if you don’t come home when you’re expected, those looking for you will at least have a starting point.
“The first thing I would encourage people to consider is an itinerary that you’re not actually bringing with you, you’re leaving it at home,” Armstrong said. “There are these things called ‘the layers of getting found’ and that is the first layer of being able to get found if something does go wrong.”
Armstrong encourages people to let someone at home or close to home know where they’re going, what the schedule is and who else is participating.
“Maybe something happened, and then they know where you are, (or) the general vicinity of where you might be located,” Armstrong said. “So an itinerary is huge and I think arguably that’s the most important thing.”
Communication is key
Few things are more helpful than cellphones, particularly in highly populated areas where reception and Wi-Fi are plentiful. But if you’re lost in the middle of a state park or remote outpost, there’s a decent chance you won’t have any reception, and your mobile device will be of little use in an emergency.
This is why Armstrong would urge any adventurer to plan for not having cell service in case the worst happens, and be sure to have means of communication beyond a device reliant on standard cellphone connectivity.
Tech companies are implementing satellite communication as a key safety feature. Apple, for example, has satellite connectivity on higher-end and newer iPhone models released in 2022 and later. Android devices are still awaiting the ability to reach satellites.
“But there’s a device,” Armstrong said. “The Garmin inReach, a wonderful two-way communication device. ... What’s critically different (from other devices) is it allows for two-way communication so you’re sending and receiving text messages via satellite instead of pressing an SOS beacon and then you hope and you wait.”
The Garmin InReach devices cost $299 for a two-way messenger that relies on satellite, to $599 for a visual GPS handheld that also offers two-way satellite messaging. As Armstrong said, its key differentiation from $100 devices often sold at outfitters like REI is that it allows for two-way communication rather than just sending an SOS beacon and hoping the signal is received by someone who could help.
Gimme shelter
Shelter is a broad term. But it’s not always a tent, which you likely wouldn’t bring on a single-day excursion.
“Shelter to me could be an emergency blanket,” Armstrong said. “It could be an umbrella, it could be a tent, it could be layers. It could be an extra warm jacket. Even though you’re out during the day, if you end up there longer.”
Armstrong recommends an emergency bivy, which is sold at REI, Amazon and other retailers, that acts as a waterproof, insulated sleeping bag that can be used as shelter in an emergency. Some bivys fit multiple people, come with a rescue whistle and come in bright colors to be easily spotted in the wilderness.
“It’s really very effective at keeping your body temperature up,” Armstrong said.
Bivys are often small and packable in a day pack, weigh less than a pound and cost $15 to $30.
Do you have a medical kit?
You won’t likely find a doctor on the trail, so any significant injury will likely have to be treated on the spot to help you get home. This makes it imperative to have a medical kit handy to ensure against the worst scenarios.
Specifically, something with a tourniquet or blood clotting could be life-saving in case you happen to hit an artery and can’t stop the bleeding.
“For my students who are skiing, or mountain biking or rock climbing,” Armstrong said, “we’ve been really encouraging people to think a little bit more about trauma kits, so more comprehensive bleeding control, stuff like tourniquets, hemostatic gauze and some of the more advanced tools that most people aren’t carrying, but are immediately life-saving.”
Armstrong said a punctured artery could lead to death in three to five minutes, so finding ways to stop the bleeding could give you enough time to get to medical care. Hemostatic gauze has clotting technology designed to slow blood flow, while a tourniquet is the most standard form of slowing a bleed.
“Those are some of the reasons we’re starting to realize we’ve got these amazing tools for $30 you can buy a CAT, or combat action tourniquet from North American Rescue, which we know is super safe and works super well.”
Armstrong suggests taking safety classes and doing research, so adventurers can build out their own medical kits and know exactly what’s in them, rather than buying pre-assembled kits and not knowing if they can address their specific needs. Armstrong recommended retailers North American Rescue and Adventure Medical Kits.
Best of the rest
Beyond a medical kit, Armstrong suggested bringing extra doses of prescription medication in case you end up out of the house for longer than expected. That way you avoid compounding your situation if you have a medical condition on top of your outdoor emergency. A diabetic, for example, would benefit greatly from having extra insulin should they get lost on a trail.
He also added bringing extra water, snacks and any form of extra calories that might help if you’re away from civilization for longer than expected.
Armstrong also recommended a light source — such as a flashlight or headlamp — that can help when the sun goes down. He also noted a battery brick to charge a cellphone, communication device or GPS could also be helpful, along with a digital hand warmer, some of which also work as a spare battery to charge electronics.
More information on Armstrong’s courses at Capital City CPR can be found on the organization’s website.
This story was originally published February 26, 2024 at 8:37 AM with the headline "Prepare for the worst on your next hike: Sacramento expert shares advice on safety, survival."
