Lost outdoors: prevention and survival

1. Remember this first: if something feels wrong, you can stop and ask for help

If you are already lost, hurt and unable to get back safely, or someone in your group is missing and may be in danger, stop first and check for any immediate danger. Then ask for help early. If you need rescue in the B.C. backcountry, you usually call 911 first and say clearly that you need search and rescue. Stay in a place where you can stay safely. Keep warm and keep dry. Do not pick a random direction and keep walking just because you feel rushed.

Here, "survival" mainly means getting hurt less, getting less cold, letting others know where you are, and waiting safely for help. It does not ask you to learn on the spot how to catch fish, find wild plants to eat or build a shelter with your bare hands. Even good preparation cannot promise that nothing will go wrong. When you really are in trouble, speaking up early is more useful than trying to prove "I can still walk."

2. When choosing a route, check whether everyone in your group can finish it safely

Do not just look at "how many kilometres"

The same distance can feel very different on a flat trail and on a steep, rocky slope. First check whether the route climbs, crosses mud or snow, or has sections next to water or cliffs. Then look at how long the round trip takes and how you can leave the route if you need to. A "one way" time on a website is not the round-trip time. Times that other people recorded may not suit your children, older family members, or someone carrying a pack on a mountain trail for the first time.

Beginners can start with routes that are short, well marked and easy to turn back on. Plan the trip around the group member who needs the most care. Do not just ask the leader, "Have you done this before?" If someone can only get through a section by being pulled by others, or the route needs skills you have not learned yet, choose a different route. For remote areas, also think about having no supplies, few facilities, and rescue that cannot arrive right away.

Before you leave, open the page for the park you are going to, and check closure notices, trail conditions and special requirements. Nice photos on social media do not replace the park's notices for that day. If an area of the park is closed, do not go in just because you can still find someone's old trip guide online.

To look up a specific park: BC Parks, "Find a park".

3. Check the weather for where you are going and for the time you will actually be there

Checking whether it is sunny outside your front door is not enough. Check the rain, wind, temperature and weather warnings for where you are going, for that day and for the time you plan to come back. Conditions can be different up high, in the forest and by the sea. Think ahead: if it gets colder, foggy or rainy, are your clothes, your navigation skills and your return time good enough? If the answer is not clear, it is fine to take an easier route, go later or cancel.

The Government of Canada's environment department has a weather website with local forecasts and warnings. When you read a warning, check the area, when it was issued and when it is in effect. Do not just look at one weather icon on your phone's home screen. On October 29, 2026, the website also said that time zone changes in some provinces and territories might affect how times are shown on the site. If you see a notice like this when you go out, compare it with the time zone shown on the page and with the local time. Do not plan your times from an old screenshot.

Winter, snowy or alpine routes need more preparation. BC Parks warns that short days, snow covering the trail, changing weather and avalanche terrain can all change a route you thought you knew. Without the right training and gear, do not go ahead with your plan just because you walked it in summer. Check the sunset time too. Leave extra time for breaks, slower walking and the trip back. Do not treat the last bit of daylight as a promise that you will make it back.

4. On coastal trails, check one more thing: can the rising tide cut off your way back?

The shore may look flat, but a rising tide can make a beach or rocky passage you could walk earlier impossible to cross. First check the coastal route the park has set and its tide requirements. Then check the tide information for that exact place and date. Do not use the times for a different beach. Do not decide the way back is safe just because "the water is still far away."

The Canadian Hydrographic Service website gives tide stations and tide predictions. When you read the table, check which station it is for, the date and how the times are marked. If you do not know which tide table goes with your route, first read the information from whoever manages the area, or choose a route that does not depend on the tide. A tide table shows changes in water level. A low tide alone does not mean the waves are small, the rocks are safe or every passage is open.

When you reach the shore, look at the waves and the signs first. Remember the name of the beach, the entrance and nearby landmarks. Near the water, watch children closely and stay within arm's reach. When waves or tides are high, stay away from logs that the water can move. If the tide has already cut off your way back, do not try to get back to the parking lot by wading, swimming or climbing an unfamiliar cliff. Call for help right away and give your location and how the water is changing.

The official guide for the West Coast Trail specially warns that the tide can make beaches impassable, and that you need to use the route map together with the tide table it names. This shows that "having a map" is not enough. The map must match where you are and the conditions that day.

5. Give your trip plan to someone who really knows what to do

Before you leave, choose a friend or family member you can reach that day. Make sure they have received your plan and agree to be your check-in contact. If you just say "going hiking today" in a group chat, everyone may think someone else is keeping an eye on it.

Your trip plan should at least say: which park, which trail, and which entrance you will use to go in and come out; who is going with you and how to reach them; when you leave, when you expect to be back and when you will check in; where you parked; what communication devices and overnight emergency supplies you are carrying; and whether anyone has a health condition that needs to be mentioned. If you have agreed on a backup route in advance, tell your contact about that too. If your plan changes, tell your contact the new plan first, from a place where you can reach them.

Your contact needs to know this: if there is still no news by the agreed time, they should not just wait for replies in a group chat. They should try to reach you and decide whether you may be in danger. If emergency search and rescue is needed, they call 911 and tell the call-taker about your trip plan, your last message and the risks. When you get back safely, tell your contact you are back, so the plan is closed.

Example of a time agreement, for illustration only: You plan to be back at 4 p.m. Allowing for normal delays such as walking slowly, you agree to check in before 4:30. Your contact should know that 4:30 is not the point to start "just waiting a few more hours." If you send a message about an injury earlier, or there is clear danger, there is no need to wait until 4:30 to ask for help. Set the actual times based on that day's route, sunset, weather and the people in your group. Do not copy this example.

6. What you pack is your way to deal with changes

Do not pack only for "What do I need if everything goes well?" Ask one more question: "If I have to stay a few more hours, or cannot get down on time, what will I use for light, warmth and getting help?" The essentials listed by BC Parks and AdventureSmart can be understood like this:

• Seeing the trail: a headlamp or flashlight, and a backup power source. You also need your phone to contact people and find your location, so do not rely on it alone for light.
• Knowing where you are and getting help: a suitable map, a compass or navigation device, and communication devices suited to the route. Also bring a whistle.
• Staying drier and warmer: warm layers, a wind- and rainproof outer layer, a hat, and an emergency shelter or warming items suited to the trip.
• Water and energy: drinking water, easy-to-eat food and some extra. Bring any medicines you must have with you, as your own doctor has told you.
• Handling small problems: suitable footwear, a first aid kit, sun protection, and the basic tools you know how to use.

How much water and how many clothes to bring depends on the number of people, the length of the trip, the temperature, the terrain and whether you can count on getting supplies along the way. No single list of amounts works for every route. Buying gear is not enough; you also need to know how to use it. Before you go, try it out: does the headlamp turn on, does the rain jacket fit, how do you open up the shelter? Keep important items where you can reach them easily and where they stay dry, so you do not find out your warm clothes are wet only when it starts to rain.

For how to store emergency supplies at home and how often to check them, see the "Family emergency preparedness" guide. Adjust your outdoor pack for that day's route. Do not just carry out the contents of the big emergency kit at home without changing anything.

7. Navigation and communication are two different things, and you should test both before you go

A dot on the map cannot judge the trail under your feet for you

"Navigation" helps you know where you are and which way to go. "Communication" means telling other people what is happening. Seeing your location on a phone map does not mean a call will go through. It also does not mean rescuers have received your location. A paper map and compass can be a backup, but you need to learn to use them together, not just hang the compass on your pack.

Before you go, practise finding the entrance, the trail junctions, your destination and the way back. For electronic maps, make sure what you need can be viewed offline. On the trail, still use signs, the land around you and the park's rules. Do not cross slopes or streams when the map does not say they are safe. If the map does not match what you see, stop and check first. Do not leave a clear trail just to follow the line on your screen.

Phones, satellite phones and SOS devices: what is the difference?

Phone calls usually depend on a cell network that is available nearby. A satellite phone can make calls through its satellite service. A satellite device with an SOS function sends an emergency alert in the way its own instructions describe, and some can also send and receive messages. They are not the same thing. Do not assume they all work the same way just because you see the letters "SOS".

Before you borrow or buy one, check whether the device works where you are going, whether the service needs to be activated, how long the battery lasts, and how to see your coordinates and use the emergency function. Do not practise by calling a real emergency number. Also, do not simply assume a satellite phone can call 911 directly. Before you go, save the local rescue number with its area code. Check how to dial and where the coverage is against the service provider's and the device's instructions.

8. On the way, ask yourself several times: is it still right to keep going?

Look at the time, the weather and how everyone in the group is doing. If someone is clearly tired, has sore feet from their shoes or is soaked through, or the fog is getting thicker and the trail is getting harder to see, think again about your plan. Do not let a slower person fall behind alone. Do not treat "the top is just ahead" as a reason you must keep going.

Deciding to turn back while you still know the way and can still get back safely is usually much calmer than trying to find a way out after dark or after you have lost your direction. Agree in advance on when the group will turn back. For example, if you have not reached a planned point by a certain time, go back by the safe route you planned. This is a way to manage your trip. It is not a fixed number of hours that works for every route.

9. If you are really lost, do these things first

First, stop moving around without a plan. Take a deep breath. Check whether you are next to a cliff, next to water, where rocks may fall, or in any other immediate danger. If you need to move away from immediate danger, safety comes first. "Stay where you are" does not mean standing where a wave could wash you away. Once you are in a place where you can stay safely, try to stay in that spot, and tell the call-taker about any move you need to make.

Sort out what you already know. The last place you were sure of, what time you passed which sign, where you were planning to go, how many people are with you, and whether anyone is hurt or very cold. This information is more useful than guessing again and again that "maybe it is just a bit further." If you can safely check your map and coordinates, do so. If you are not sure of the direction, do not go deeper on unproven ideas such as "follow a stream and you will always find a house."

Ask for help early. If you need rescue in the B.C. backcountry, call 911 first. Do not wait until your phone battery is almost dead, it is completely dark or you can no longer keep warm. If your own carrier has no signal, 911 may connect through another carrier's tower in range. But where there is no tower coverage at all, there is no guarantee your phone will work. If you have a suitable satellite emergency device, use it as its instructions say.

10. When you call for help, first make clear where you are and that you need help

You can start by saying: "I am lost in the wilderness and need search and rescue." Then answer the call-taker's questions. Keep the following information in mind, but do not delay the call just to gather all of it:

• The province, the park and the name of the trail; any landmarks or signs you can see nearby.
• The last place you were sure of, and about when you were there.
• Your current coordinates (if your device shows them). Read them out exactly as shown. If you do not know how to convert them, do not change them yourself.
• How many people are with you, any injuries, whether anyone cannot walk, and whether anyone is wet and cold.
• Any dangers around you right now, and what warm clothing, lights or emergency supplies you have with you.
• A call-back number, and any problems with your phone battery or connection.

If you are not sure about something, say you are not sure. Do not give a guess as if it were your exact location. If you do not understand, ask the call-taker to slow down or repeat. Do not hold back from asking for help because your English is not fluent. When you plan your trip, save the English names of the park and the trail. This is easier than trying to translate them when you are stressed.

The BC Search and Rescue Association's current emergency contact page says: from a landline or cell phone, call 911. Another number, for reports from a cell phone, a satellite phone or from outside B.C., is 250-374-5937. Their office phone and contact form are not for emergencies. Before you travel outside B.C., look up the emergency and search and rescue contacts for where you are going. Do not treat this regional number as a number for all of Canada.

11. While you wait for rescue: keep warm, stay dry and make it easy to be found

Getting colder and colder is not just "feeling uncomfortable"

Hypothermia means your body is losing heat faster than it can make heat. It does not only happen below zero. Wind, rain, wet clothes and cold water also raise the risk. If you keep shivering or your fingers stop working well, warm up and ask for help early. After being in the cold, if someone is unsteady on their feet, has slurred speech, is reacting strangely, is confused or is very drowsy, call 911 right away. If you have already contacted rescue, tell the call-taker about the change right away and follow their instructions. Do not wait until someone passes out to act.

When it is safe, get out of the wind and rain. Keep warm with the dry clothes, hats, blankets or emergency shelter you have with you. Do not keep moving further from the location you reported just to find a "perfect campsite." Do not treat forcing yourself to keep walking as the answer to every problem with cold. If someone is hurt or not acting normally, describe exactly what you see to the call-taker and help as they tell you. Do not force that person to keep walking.

Stay visible, answer calls, and do not take risks to make a signal

If you can use a whistle safely, blow three times in a row, stop and listen for an answer, then repeat. If you hear searchers calling, answer them. Do not climb somewhere high and dangerous or cross a river just so people can see you. Keep your communication device where you can hear it and reply easily. Use it less for things that are not about getting help, and save the limited battery for your location, answering calls and necessary contact.

This guide does not teach you how to make a fire to signal for help, and does not treat a fire as a sure way to keep warm. First use the clothes, shelter, lights and safe ways of communicating that you brought. Follow park rules, area fire bans and local rules. Even if campfires are allowed at a certain place on a certain day, that does not mean it is safe to light a fire to signal for help in unfamiliar terrain.

12. Food, water and wild animals: do not guess on the spot

Bring enough water and food for your trip. Clear stream water does not mean there are no germs that can make you sick. Do not drink water from streams, lakes or springs that has not been properly treated. If you expect to refill water outdoors, learn a reliable way to treat it before you go and bring what you need. Do not wait until you are thirsty and then try to use your clothes as a filter.

Do not try eating wild berries, mushrooms or other wild things as a way to get through a short time stuck outdoors. Looking like a food you know, or someone saying it is edible, is not enough to know it is safe. BCCDC clearly warns that mistaking a wild mushroom for an edible one can poison you. This guide does not give ways to identify them from photos or by tasting. If someone has already eaten something unknown, get professional help as soon as possible and say what was eaten and when. If there are emergency symptoms, call 911 first. For where to get help with poisoning, see the "Staying safe and getting help" guide.

Do not go near, feed or chase wild animals for photos. Store food, food waste and other items with a smell the way the park requires. Do not use food to attract animals. The right response may be different for different animals, so read the park's wildlife safety information before you go. If you find a hurt animal, keep people safe first. For how to report it and what to do next, see guide No. 20. Do not try to catch it or take it home yourself.

If you suddenly meet a bear outdoors, do not run or climb a tree; talk to it in a calm, low voice and back away slowly. If you meet a cougar up close, pick up children right away, make yourself look as big as possible, never run or turn around, and fight back with everything you have if it attacks. Carry bear spray where you can grab it, not in your backpack; for more, see section 7 of Guide No. 42.

→ No. 42 · Wildlife in your home and yard

13. If a child gets separated, or a family member or friend has not come back, how can you help find them?

First, teach children a few things they can actually do

Tell children ahead of time: before you go anywhere, tell an adult you trust. If you get separated, stop in a safe place that is easy to spot, and do not keep walking further away. Put on your clothes to keep warm. When you hear people looking for you, answer them. AdventureSmart's "Hug-a-Tree" program means choosing one fixed landmark and staying there, to help searchers find you. It does not mean you must find a certain kind of tree, and it certainly does not mean a child should stay still in a place of immediate danger.

Also make this clear: "If you get lost, tell us. You will not be blamed for asking for help." When children are scared, what they can remember is often the simple actions they have practised. Letting a child know where the whistle is and how to answer a call is more concrete than just telling them "never get lost."

You do not have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing

The BC RCMP clearly states that there is no waiting period to report a missing person, and the person reporting does not have to be a family member. If a child, an older person or someone who needs special care is missing, or someone may be in danger or at medical risk, call 911. For missing person cases that are not emergencies, contact your local police. If you are someone's outdoor contact and they have not come back as planned, and you are worried they may be in danger, pass the situation to the police early and let them decide. You do not need to prove first that "something has definitely happened."

Have ready a recent photo, a description of their clothes, the time and place they were last seen or contacted, their trip plan, their vehicle and important health information. If you get new information after making the report, tell the people handling the case right away. Do not have every friend and family member go into unfamiliar forest to search on their own. Let the agencies in charge coordinate the leads and the search, so that more people do not end up out of contact.

14. Does search and rescue cost money? Can it promise to arrive right away?

The BC Search and Rescue Association's statement is clear about what it covers: its member ground search and rescue (GSAR) teams carry out search and rescue tasks when asked by an agency that has the authority to call them out. They do not charge the person who needs help a search and rescue fee, and this does not change based on why the person needed help. So do not delay reporting danger because you are afraid of being blamed or of getting a search and rescue bill.

This does not mean that private rescue services, arrangements in other provinces, ambulance transport and later medical care are all free. B.C. ambulance fees have their own rules, and whether insurance pays depends on your specific coverage. When a life is at risk, ask for help first. Deal with costs and insurance after you are safe.

How long rescue takes to arrive depends on terrain, weather, people, transport and other conditions. Getting through on the phone or sending a satellite SOS does not mean a helicopter will come right away. Parks Canada's information on remote routes also clearly warns that rescue may be delayed. Bringing warm clothing, water, light and shelter is exactly what gives you more protection while you wait.

15. Two short examples: practise turning preparation into action

Example 1: You only planned a two-hour walk, but fog starts coming in during the afternoon. This is a made-up practice situation. You and a friend are on a section of trail with signs you know when you notice it is getting harder to see, and someone is already very tired. Stop first and check your location, the time and how everyone is doing. If the safe way back is still clear, follow your plan and end the trip early. Do not add an unfamiliar section of trail just to reach the spot in the photo. If you can no longer tell which way to go, switch to staying put, keeping warm and asking for help. Do not keep trying one junction after another.

Example 2: Your child is playing by the sea while you look at your phone. This is also a made-up practice situation. Before you leave, find out where the beach entrance is, and check the tides and wave conditions for that day. At the beach, keep watching your child. Having checked the forecast is not a reason to stop watching the water. If someone falls into the water, call 911 first and stay somewhere safe yourself. Do not risk jumping in. If it is safe, you can throw a life ring or something else that floats. Follow the call-taker's instructions and give your location and the number of people involved. For the full marine rescue numbers and what to say when you call, you can also save the matching section of guide No. 20.

16. Related guides and a short practice before you go

These guides can be used together:

• "Staying safe and getting help": covers what to say when you call 911, and where to get help for marine rescue, hurt wild animals, poisoning and other situations. It is a good idea to save it together with this guide, so you can find it quickly in an emergency.
• "Family emergency preparedness": helps your household choose contacts in advance and organize emergency supplies and important documents. When your home preparations are solid, it is easier to bring everything you need when you go out.
• "Natural hazards: staying safe": explains warnings and safety plans for earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, wildfires and other disasters. If there is a disaster or an official evacuation order, follow the matching guide.
• "Wildlife in your home and yard": What to do when a bear, cougar or wolf comes to your door or you meet one outdoors, and what to do after a wild animal bite or contact with a bat.
• "Starlink: signing up and whether it is worth it": How Starlink satellite Internet differs from texting by phone through a satellite, the rules for taking a Roam plan camping or using it in a vehicle or on a boat, and why Starlink's terms say it is not for life safety uses.

Before your next short trip, you can spend ten minutes with your family on a practice run, without calling any emergency number: say where you are going and which entrance you will use; open that day's park notices, the weather and any tide information you need; make sure your map works and you can find your coordinates; turn on the headlamp and take out the rain jacket; send your trip plan to your contact and get a reply. When you are back, add one line: "We are back safe." Then see what supplies need to be topped up. Let these steps slowly become habits, and you will panic less when you go out.