Navigation and SAR

[Rick]

When I'm out camping or hiking I always leave information with someone I trust, usually a family member, along with instructions of when to contact SAR if they haven't heard from me by the time noted. I also try to phone in my GPS coordinates when I make camp for the night if I have cell service. I try to give my family member a couple of choices on camp spots in case there is spotty cell service on no service once I'm on the trail. That way they know the actual location or at least the my general location if they have to make the call.

That said, one thing I always try to do is periodically draw a simple arrow in the dirt with my boot noting my direction of travel. If SAR is ever needed it might help them find me faster. At least get them within signal range faster. That information is also left with a family member to be relayed to SAR. It's quick, simple and doesn't require leaving artificial stuff like trail tape stuck to bushes and trees so the next person gets a spoiled view. It will also wash away with the next one or two rains so it's not a permanent thing on the landscape.

[welderguy]

Great Tips Rick, Something I do as a trail marker, is use rocks to make a direction arrow.

[canid]

That works well providing everybody doesn't do it. Can you imagine what a given area would look like after a decade or two if that practice were common?

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[Echo2]

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All manner of ways to mark your trail w/o disrupting the scenery....BSA has many books about it.

[canid]

That's only half the consideration though.

Think it through.