If you are in a wilderness survival situation, there are a great many reasons why you might find yourself needing to travel. In fact, most of the time, if you are stranded in the wilderness, it is going to be your prime objective. But even if you are staying in place, you’ll probably find yourself traveling to look for food or water, scout the area, or scavenge for supplies. Here are some tips for how to travel smartly in the wilderness.
High Road
When you are moving uphill, take your time, and try to avoid raising your heart rate or getting short of breath. The faster your heart rate or breath, the more likely you are to stumble and hurt yourself or, depending on the terrain, fall to your death.
Make sure to lock your knees while climbing, to avoid injury and use your leg muscles efficiently. Take frequent rests, as needed.
Low Road
If you are traveling downhill, it might seem easier, but there is just as much reason to be cautious and careful as there is traveling uphill. You can wear yourself out very quickly as you will naturally want to walk faster, as well as use less control over your body as gravity will seem to assist your descent.
You need to take care not to pound your heels as you traverse a downhill path, and step carefully and mindfully, to avoid sprained or broken ankles. Walk as if your life depended on how sturdy each step is; because in survival, it just might.
Open Ground
You are also in danger of being careless in open ground, as it will seem easy as well. Take care to still be slow and mindful, and travel along the tree line or somewhere you have a bit of cover, if possible. You can also lose your way easily in open ground, so be mindful of landmarks and the position of the sun as you travel.
Thick Cover
Thick cover like a forest or jungle has it’s own challenges as well, as it can be very easy to lose your way. Look as far ahead of you as you can and pick something to walk towards, like an upcoming hill or a tall tree, to get and keep your bearings. Thickly wooded areas can also pose a challenge to traverse, especially if you are not following a worn path. Step carefully, and only where you can see where your foot will rest. Stepping in a hole or tripping over a branch can cause the kind of injury you definitely don’t want to get.
Travel might quickly become your lifeline when you are stranded, so make sure to follow these tips so you can stay safe as you traverse tricky terrain.