/ first_moves
Do these first
/ failure_mode
How this plan fails
This plan fails if the current spot is actively unsafe. Move only far enough to escape fire, floodwater, falling rock, exposure, or another immediate hazard.
/ avoid
Do not spend your first mistake here
- Following rivers or creeks just because they feel directional.
- Burning daylight on random movement after you know you are lost.
Getting lost usually becomes dangerous through motion. Every improvised turn expands the search area and burns light, water, heat, and attention.
Your first job is to stop the drift. Put a marker at the last place where you were certain of the route. If you are with a group, keep the group together unless one person is in immediate danger. Put on rain gear, insulation, hat, or sun protection before discomfort becomes exposure.
Signal in layers. Three whistle blasts, a mirror flash, a bright jacket in a clearing, a headlamp at night, and a text with coordinates all solve different failures. If a phone has weak service, write the message first, then climb only if you can do it safely and return to the marked point.
If rescue may be coming, the discipline is boring: stay findable, stay warm or shaded, protect water, and keep the next signal ready.