Survival Skills / Wilderness Survival

Lost or Stranded in the Wild: What to Do, Step by Step

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Quick answer

  1. Use STOP: Stop, Think, Observe, Plan.
  2. If you can’t safely retrace your steps, call 911 and stay put.
  3. Get warm and dry before anything else.
  4. Signal: three whistle blasts, pause, repeat.
  5. Drink treated water, and wait for help.

This page is about what to do once something has gone wrong. To avoid getting lost in the first place, read Top Wilderness Survival Tips for Beginners.

Step 1: STOP

The U.S. Forest Service uses STOP for anyone who thinks they’re lost. It says, “Panic is your greatest enemy.”

  • Stop. Stay calm and stay where you are.
  • Think. How did you get here? Which landmarks should you be able to see?
  • Observe. Use your compass to find directions. If you’re on a trail, stay on it.
  • Plan. Think through your options, then act on one. If you aren’t confident in a route, stay put.

The National Park Service (NPS) gives the same first step: stop, breathe, and work out where you are with your map, compass, GPS or landmarks.

Step 2: Call for help if you can

If you have signal, call 911. The NPS asks you to share:

  • Your GPS coordinates, if your phone can show them
  • The trail or area where you started
  • Your last known location and nearby landmarks
  • What you’re wearing, including colors
  • What gear you have
  • Any medical conditions

If a call won’t connect, try a text. NPS staff at White Sands note you may be able to text a friend who can call for you. Then save your battery by turning on airplane mode between attempts.

Step 3: Decide whether to stay or move

In most cases, stay where you are. The NPS says changing location makes it harder for rescuers to find you. Move only if there is an immediate threat to your life.

The Forest Service says not to move until you have a specific reason. It also says to stay put if it’s getting dark, you’re injured, or you’re near exhaustion.

Stay put if… Moving may make sense if…
You can’t retrace your route with confidence You can clearly see the trail or a known landmark
It’s getting dark Your spot is in immediate danger, like rising water or rockfall
You’re hurt or very tired No one knows where you are, and you are sure of a route out
Someone has your trip plan

If you do move, the Forest Service says to rest when you feel tired, not when you’re exhausted. Following a drainage downhill is a last resort, and it can be very dangerous.

Step 4: Know your priorities

Work on problems in this order:

  1. Immediate danger. Move away from cliffs, falling rock, rising water or lightning risk.
  2. Warmth and shelter. Cold, wet weather can become dangerous quickly.
  3. Signaling. Make it easy for rescuers to find you.
  4. Water. Drink before you feel very thirsty.
  5. Food. In a short emergency, food matters least. Eat what you carry and save some.

Step 5: Stay warm and dry

The NPS advises finding shelter and putting on extra layers as the temperature drops. The CDC warns that wet clothing chills the body rapidly.

Get off the ground

Cold ground pulls heat from your body. Sit or lie on something that insulates:

  • A sleeping pad or your empty backpack
  • A thick pile of dry leaves, pine needles or branches
  • A foam seat pad or spare clothing

Make a simple shelter

Use what you carry first: a tarp, a bivy sack, or an emergency space blanket. These are part of the NPS Ten Essentials. A large trash bag also helps hold in body heat, as the NPS Junior Ranger guide notes.

Pick a spot out of the wind, away from dead branches above you, and out of low spots where water collects.

Keep heat in

The CDC gives these tips for staying warm when stranded:

  • Wrap your whole body, including your head, in extra clothing or blankets.
  • Keep moving your arms and legs while you sit.
  • Huddle with other people for warmth.
  • Do not eat unmelted snow, because it lowers your body temperature.

Watch for hypothermia

The CDC lists these warning signs: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness. Anyone with these signs needs medical care right away.

Step 6: Signal rescuers

The NPS lists these methods:

  • Whistle: Three blasts, pause, then repeat. The NPS Junior Ranger guide says to wait and count to 30 between sets.
  • Flashlight: Flash SOS, which is three quick, three slow, three quick. Save your battery between signals.
  • Mirror: Flash sunlight at aircraft in the area. Aluminum foil also works.
  • Ground signals: Spread out your tarp, or arrange rocks in a large shape that can be seen from the air.
  • Color: Wear or hang bright clothing. The CDC suggests a brightly colored cloth as a signal to rescuers.

Save your voice. Use the whistle, and shout when you hear searchers nearby.

What about a signal fire?

Fire can signal for help and give warmth. But the NPS says not to build a fire if fire risk is high or it’s wildland fire season. If you do build one, follow the safety steps in Essential Fire Starting Techniques.

Step 7: Find and treat water

The CDC says to treat any water from a source of unknown quality. Even clear streams can carry germs.

  • Boil: 1 minute at a rolling boil, or 3 minutes above 6,500 feet.
  • Filter: A filter rated 0.3 micron or smaller works on bacteria, but not on viruses.
  • Chemical treatment: Follow the label, including the wait time.
  • Can’t boil? The CDC suggests filtering first, then using a second treatment.

On hot days, rest in shade during the middle of the day. The Forest Service advises avoiding hiking from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in hot weather.

Step 8: Stay in place and stay found

Once you’ve signaled and set up shelter, stay there. The NPS Junior Ranger advice for kids works for adults too: pick a tree, stay next to it, and use your whistle from that spot.

Keep your gear together and visible. If a helicopter flies over, stand in the open and wave a bright item or flash your mirror.

Lightning while you’re stranded

The National Weather Service says there is no safe place outside during a thunderstorm. If you can’t reach a building or a hard-topped vehicle:

  • Avoid open areas, and don’t be the tallest object around.
  • Stay away from isolated tall trees, towers and fences.
  • If you’re in a group, spread out.
  • Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder before you relax.

“If I get lost” checklist

For first aid steps you may need while waiting, see Essential First Aid Techniques for Survival Situations.

Related guides

Sources

Surviving Disasters
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