Crossing difficult terrain: scree, talus, steep slopes, and snow
Loose rock, steep slopes, and old snow are where hikers get hurt. Technique for crossing scree, talus, boulder fields, and snow safely — and knowing when to turn back.
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Snakes, spiders, and stinging insects: avoiding bites and stings
The small creatures hurt the most people. How to avoid snakes, spiders, scorpions, ticks, and stinging insects — and treat a bite or sting calmly, including the signs of anaphylaxis.
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Reading the clouds: forecast the weather by the sky
The sky is the most current forecast you have. Read cloud types and sky signs to see rain, storms, and lightning coming hours ahead — and act before the weather lands on you.
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How to find direction without a compass
Lost your compass or drained your phone? Find north with a stick and the sun, an analog watch, or the stars — and turn a rough direction into a straight line toward safety.
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Surviving cold-water immersion and falling through ice
Cold water kills faster than you think. The 1-10-1 timeline, how to self-rescue back onto ice, and how to treat someone pulled from cold water — including the after-drop trap.
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How to splint a sprain, fracture, or dislocation
A limb injury far from the trailhead can strand you. How to assess the injury, improvise a splint and sling, protect circulation, and decide when to walk out or call for help.
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How to build a survival kit you will actually carry
The best survival kit is the one you have on you. How to build a light, need-based kit — fire, water, first aid, signaling, navigation — that rides in your pack on every trip.
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How to build an emergency shelter with no tent
When you have no tent, shelter is your first survival priority. How to pick a safe site and build a debris hut, lean-to, or tarp shelter that keeps you warm and dry in wind, rain, cold, and snow.
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Choosing and setting up a safe backcountry campsite
Where you pitch decides how warm you sleep and whether you wake up in a puddle. Hazard scanning, cold-air pooling, pitching for wind and rain, and camp layout.
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Hike all day: pacing, footing, and the Ten Essentials
Pacing, the rest step, blisters, fuelling, and the water mistake that mimics heat exhaustion. How to make a long hiking day feel good instead of grim.
