Carry the right gear and have the right knowledge.
Just a bit of rambling thoughts.
I had an interesting experience yesterday. A few hours before dark, I had my Wife drop me off on one side of a small canyon. She then drove around to the other side to meet me. Walk was not far, figured I would take about an hour and a half or so. Out of habit I had my smaller survival kit in my pocket. I also threw on my small pack with stripped MRE, water, alcohol stove, and a few other things in it. Had my rifle and .22 revolver. I also dressed in layers, with clothes I knew worked for me in this area.
I got started and jumped a few quail first thing. Pretty easy walking at first. Jumped a couple of does, just about where I figured they would be bedded down. Saw a small buck, and things got a bit interesting as I was trying to track him down. I tried to cross the creek just a bit below where he was, and wound up sliding down a hole in the bank. I landed under some deep brush, and could not for the life of me easily make my way out. By the time I did, it was leading on toward sunset. At this point, had I been alone, I would have probably found a place to set-up camp for the night. As it was, I knew my Wife was waiting on the other side of the stream, and up the bank a bit. (Lesson one, have some way of communicating with your partner, even on a short hike. A set of FRS radios was left sitting on the nightstand at home). If I had had the radios, I would have told her to go home and meet me there in the morning.
I figured I did not want to worry her, so I pressed across the creek, and up the hill. By the time I got across the creek, it was pretty well dark (moon was not seen yet). Area was a thinned forest, where saplings had been cut down and left laying on the forest floor. Also steep and over grown with blackberries and raspberries. Not the best for wandering though and picking trail by flashlight (and I had a VERY bright Fenix 250 lumen light). Wife saw my light, so turned on the truck lights and hit the horn a couple of times. This gave me a sure point to aim for. Area is ringed by roads, so I really was not worried about finding here, but having the light from the truck; it was reassuring to know exactly where to head for.
All in all, the situation went well. Never was lost, but I could have saved myself a bit of traipsing through the brush the hard way if I had radio contact. I could have just slept through the night and used to light of day to make my life a bit easier.
I guess the point of this little jotting down of thoughts is this:
1) I was prepared to spend the night.
2) I carried the right items to me spend the night.
3) I had the skills to make myself comfortable.
4) I had the right clothes so I made it through in comfort (even through the brambles).
I just find it interesting that, by my being prepared, the “easy” way out would have been to stay put and stay the night.
