Outdoor Survival Articles and Videos
Even if you’re not Bear Grylls, or Les Stroud, it never hurts to be prepared for an emergency in the wild. Trails.com has expert advice on outdoor survival, from finding edible berries and flowers to building shelters and dealing with wildlife encounters. Whether you’re travelling in the Sonoran Desert, the marshlands of the East Coast, or the snow-capped Rockies, Trails.com has the answers for how to stay alive with limited supplies. With our tips and information, you still may get lost, but you’ll never be helpless.
Canyoneering is basically reverse mountain hiking. You walk down into a cleft in the Earth, travel along the bottom and must climb up to finish. Narrow or collapsed trails, boulder fields and undergrowth can complicate the hike.
Hypothermia occurs when your core body temperature, which typically averages 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, drops below 95 degrees. You should be capable of taking action to help yourself survive mild to moderate hypothermia. Once you have severe hypot...
If you like the outdoors and either own a woodlot or have a fireplace at home, a worthy project is to combine a little forest management with cutting your own supply of firewood. In many instances, the only good use for a cull tree is to cut and ...
Socks may be the last item of clothing you think about, but in most outdoor activities, they are of primary importance. One small issue with fit and you may develop painful blisters or hot spots. Poor moisture control may lead to an infection. On...
Polar fleece materials have become synonymous with outdoor recreation. This lightweight fabric provides superior warmth, comfort, durability and breathability.
You may find yourself ready to fire up your backpacking stove at the end of a long hike and discover you are either out of fuel or the stove has become inoperable. You will have to set up a fire pit to cook over, but this must be done with utmost...
While making a GPS map can be a daunting task, you can do it with the correct tools and a moderate level of computer literacy. Making your own maps can be a satisfying, fun learning experience, and you can include information specific to your pur...
Long a choice knife for hunters, outdoors people and guides, Puma knives have a reputation for quality and refinement. The history of Puma knives goes back generations.
Once a tool exclusive to the military, GPS units are now found in everything from automobiles to cell phones. Hand-held units for backcountry pursuits are now inexpensive and readily purchased to help in navigation. The knowledge of how to use G...
Enjoying a campfire or the radiating heat of a wood stove is a pleasure during the cool and colder months of fall and winter. Choosing your firewood makes a difference in the quality of fire and heat. Pine is a wood found throughout most of the 5...
If you are hiking in the tropics, don't pass by an opportunity to pick, crack and eat coconuts fresh from the tree. Coconuts can be eaten green or mature. Either way, coconuts are a delicious and nutritious treat that will provide natural, wholes...
Campers, bikers, hikers and horseback riders alike can benefit from a wilderness or primitive survival course, school or workshop. Wilderness survival courses structure most learning around how to survive common disasters like an injury, being lo...
After putting together the 10 essentials, you've realized that you don't really know how to use all of the equipment and aren't quite prepared to face a survival situation in the wilderness. Prior to your trip, take the time to familiarize yourse...
Camping toilets come in a variety of forms but typically involve either a bucket- or bag-storage system. They can make camping in the outdoors a more pleasant experience by recreating the privacy and sanitary comforts of home. Maintaining this il...
Whether you are going on a overnight backpacking trip or doing a day long road trip, it is a good idea to have a first aid kit for a minor emergency. The American Red Cross recommends that you keep a first aid kit in your home and also in your c...
The grizzly bear is the second largest land carnivore on the North American continent, with only the polar bear larger. The grizzly lives in places that hikers and backpackers may frequent. It is prudent for people who go into the backcountry to...
Trying to navigate in winter back country can be extremely difficult because of a variety of hazards and challenges: avalanches, snow drifts, weather changes, temperature changes and whiteouts. In addition to possessing a map, compass and altimet...
Travel anxiety is a concern for more than 6 million people worldwide. A bad case can restrict your outdoor experiences to camping in your backyard and hiking around the neighborhood. If you suspect you suffer from travel anxiety, seek treatment ...
Snow is an excellent insulator. That, combined with its sculptable properties, makes it the perfect source of emergency shelter. If you're in a cold, snow-covered environment and need to make a warm, reliable shelter, it pays to know about buildi...
Wild edible plants are a free source of vitamins, minerals and unusual tastes to city-bred palates. Keep in mind that not all wild plants are edible, and not all edible plants are pleasant to eat. A good guidebook, specific to your area, will hel...
Virginia boasts beautiful mountains in places, such as Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The state also has many different wilderness schools geared to both teens and adults. These schools cover everything from building fires...
Snow blindness is a condition in which the intense UV rays reflected off the snow combine with those directly from the sun to burn your cornea, causing pain and visual impairment. Snow blindness is a concern for winter sports enthusiasts, particu...
Even the best of us can use a challenge to hone our outdoor skills and have more extensive training. Survival training schools can teach anyone from a weekend warrior to a hardcore lightweight backpacker something new to help him survive in harsh...
Nuts, berries, greens and even a coffee substitute can be found in the Catskill Mountains. There are plenty of edible plants to be found in the mid-Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains of New York State.
The lean-to emergency shelter is considered a fast and efficient use of material. More elaborate lean-to designs can provide consistent protection for a longer period. All of the needed materials can be improvised, found in the area or along the ...
