ST. GEORGE — As Southern Utah begins its march toward warmer months, the pleasant desert temperatures are sure to attract more people outdoor to enjoy the region’s world-class trail system.
Whether it’s a day hike, dusting off the mountain bike from its long winter slumber in the garage or planning something more challenging – three or four days camping in the middle of nowhere – survival experts say there are three items you should never forget:
- Water
- Water
- Water
Generally, the amount of water to drink is approximately 0.5 liters or about 2 cups for every hour of hiking at moderate temperatures in moderate terrain. Depending on the complexity of the hike or elevation gained, weather conditions, the speed you walk and the amount of exertion, you may need to drink more than 2 liters (8 cups) of water every hour.
It may seem like bringing water is a no-brainer – and for most, it is the key, said Washington County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue liaison Sgt. Darrell Cashin, adding that people should start hydrating prior to any type of hike.
“The biggest thing people don’t get – and we see this a lot on a short hike of a mile or two – someone will bring along a couple of water bottles and start drinking while out on the trail when they should have started drinking the day before,” Cashin said. “It takes time to hydrate … it’s better when the body starts out already hydrated.”
The key, survivalists say, is to maintain hydration throughout the hike or camping trip but avoid too much water consumption of not more than 25 cups per day; however, temperature, humidity and level of exercise all play a role in proper hydration levels.
Specialists in their field say that drinking too much water disrupts the body’s electrolyte balance and can lead to an often deadly condition, hyponatremia.
To avoid a drop in electrolytes – especially sodium, chloride and potassium – experts say an electrolyte drink mix added to water is a good survival tool. All ready-made drinks such as Pedialyte and Gatorade are grocery store available; however, they take up a good deal of space.
A person can survive three weeks or more without food depending on their body composition and the surrounding environment, but starvation is dangerous and can cause organ failure, which will prove fatal unless treated.
Meanwhile, the human body can only survive two to four days without water.
Cashin said the Washington County Search and Rescue team responds annually to at least one hiker, mountain bike aficionado or overnight camper who is overcome by the elements and lacking enough water or fluids.
In 2021, search and rescue responded to a 58-year-old female hiking a fairly short trail – 4 miles – with a friend who was a retired nurse. Although it was morning, summer temperatures were already in the mid-90s, Cashin said.
On the trail, the woman started to feel sick to her stomach, light-headed and lethargic, all signs of heat exhaustion.
Eventually, the hiker fell unconscious.
“Unfortunately, her friend had someone else call in the emergency, which didn’t leave us with a GPS coordinate,” Cashin said. “All we knew was the trail she was on.”
First responders found the hiker approximately half a mile up the trail semiconscious.
“We packed her up, put her in an ambulance, but she died within two hours,” Cashin said. “The hospital staff told me the cause of death was because of dehydration. The lack of fluids caused her liver and kidneys to shut down, and that was it – this is what killed her.”
That same day, Cashin added, a young couple in their 20s was hiking in Zion. Three miles away from the trailhead, the woman began to show signs of heat exhaustion. The male hiker left his companion under the shade of a tree – with the heat of the day already more than 100 degrees – to get cell service and call for help.
The outcome had a better ending. The two were rescued and treated for dehydration.
“This is like a reoccurring theme,” Cashin said. “The couple had planned the hike and brought water, but they looked on a map and noticed a natural spring/pond they could drink from using a water-filtered straw. The problem was we haven’t had a lot of rain and everything was dry.”
Under normal circumstances, a water-filtered straw is a great pick to add to any hiking, biking or camping trip.
While there are similar water straws on the market, generally they remove 99.9% of bacteria including E.coli, and salmonella, 99.9% of parasites including giardia and cryptosporidium, and 99.9% of microplastics, dirt, sand and cloudiness.
Ultralight, durable and long-lasting, a water straw is often able to treat up to 1,000 gallons of water with an unlimited shelf life. Each straw weighs less than two ounces, making it ideal to pack, keep in your car or at home if water service is compromised.
Although the list of survival equipment can get a bit unwieldy, there are some essentials critical to pack or stow away in the trunk of your automobile.
Survivalists say bring only the necessities that are small, compact and waterproof when possible.
- Indispensable survival gear includes a charged cellphone – resist using it for the phone’s light option (use for communications only) – a headlamp or heavy-duty, multi-function flashlight ideally with a strobe, SOS function and/or red light emergency option.
- Other essentials include a lightweight or heavy jacket, rain poncho, and a way to start a fire either through flint and steel, waterproof/strike anywhere matches or an electric fireplace starter.
- Survivalists also say to pack a few cotton balls smeared in petroleum jelly or Vaseline to be used as a fire starter or use ready-made “fireplugs.”
Fire plugs are small – about the size of an earplug – infused with a proprietary wax solution that leaves a protective coating that extends beyond the surface and through the entire cotton core. Each plug has a long shelf life and is easy to fluff into an effective fire starting tinder that works in all seasons and all weather.
An average fireplug burn can burn up to 5 minutes for a single plug. The commonly available cotton ball fire starter can get the job done if they don’t get too wet, but fire plugs are like cotton balls on steroids.
Extra food is also suggested. Energy bars, shelf-stable foil packets of food such as tuna or chicken and high-protein snacks are good options.
Each circumstance and body type is different.
Experts say to ask a local backwoods guide or retail store for suggestions on the type of items to pack and recommended weight limits for planned outdoor activities.
Not all life-and-death situations happen during a camping or hiking trip. Some happen when trying to get from point A to point B by car traveling on sandy, un-groomed, off-trail, often washed away roads that aren’t much wider than the car.
Although a high clearance 4×4 truck or OHV offers some peace of mind in getting through heavy sand and rutted paths, this should be taken as the exception and not the rule. Leaving the protection of a groomed or paved road can lead to disaster. Pushing a 4×4 or OHV beyond its roll tolerance can also be a deadly mistake.
Always have a bag of kitty litter, three or four 2×4 wooden studs or large enough sheets of cardboard to span the width of a car tire to help offer traction.
The Centers for Disease Control has reported the third most common source of outdoor injury is hiking, second only to snowboarding and sledding. More injuries and deaths are attributed to hiking each year than activities such as rock climbing and mountaineering.
More than 280 million people visit National Park Service’s designated recreation areas each year; 192 million visit U.S. Forest Service managed land, and more than 500,000 permits are issued for access to the Bureau of Land Management’s 253 million acres.
While the exact number of hikers nationwide may be unknown, the Park Service reported 3,582 search and rescue incidents in 2011, with 2,876 in 2012, more than 2,340 in 2013, and 2,658 in 2014.
Between 2014 and 2016, there were 990 deaths in national parks or about 330 deaths annually for the selected time frame. The rate equals about six deaths per week.
While the reasons for injury and death are significant, the largest percentage of deaths have been consistently attributable to three things: lack of knowledge, lack of experience and poor judgment.
If stranded in your car, many survivalists will stress, “do not leave your vehicle.” Along with being a large target for search planes to identify, items can be cannibalized for survival.
- Available car parts that can be used include car batteries and gasoline for fire. Experts urge using a siphon to collect the gasoline.
- Resist the urge to puncture the fuel tank. A small spark is enough to make a gas tank explode, even if very little fuel is present.
- Tires can also be used to ignite a signal fire.
The proper method is explained in this YouTube video – part one and part two – however, tire burning is illegal in most areas, so proceed with caution and only during extreme circumstances. Tire smoke is also toxic, so keep a distance.
- The inside of your automobile can be used for protection and offer a level of warmth.
- Other useful items a car can provide is fire kindling from seat cushions; however, take precautions some materials can produce toxic fumes, sections of wiring can be used as cordage for any number of things from constructing shelters, making snares, and bundling things together so they’re easier to carry.
Adequate communication with the outside world can also be a lifesaver.
In August 2021, a California family – Jonathan Gerrish, 45, Ellen Chung, 31, and daughter Aurelia Miju, 1, were found dead in the Devil’s Gulch area near the south fork of the Merced River drainage in the Sierra National Forest near Yosemite.
Also found deceased nearby the family was their 8-year-old dog, Oski, an Aussie Shepard who died from heat-related causes.
The family had just moved to Jerseydale, where they had bought a home. The house is less than two miles from where the family’s vehicle was found.
Authorities believed the couple likely died while trying to save their daughter and themselves. The only means of communication was the family’s cell phone in an area without cell service.
In October, months after the deaths, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office announced the family had died from dehydration and hyperthermia – an abnormally high body temperature.
On Aug. 15, 2021, the day the Gerrish family set out for what they probably believed was a doable hike, the temperature was in the mid-70s when the family set out at about 7:45 a.m. but would peak at 109 later in the day.
In addition to the weather, that part of the trail resembled a moonscape with very few shaded areas and no natural water source. In 2018, the Ferguson Fire scorched the majority of that area. All that was left was a virtual “death zone” for unprepared hikers, reported the Mariposa Gazette.
A U.S. Forest Service employee was interviewed by The San Francisco Chronicle who told investigators that locals typically “stay clear” of the area in the summer.
A cell phone was recovered and turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation which indicated Gerrish attempted to send a text message to someone asking for help, but the lack of cell phone service in the area did not allow the message to connect.
The message was sent at 11:56 a.m. from the trail, not far from where the family was found dead.
The text message indicated a family in distress, saying “Can you help us,” the text read. “On Savage Lundy Trail heading back to Hites Cove Tail. No water – (over) heating baby.”
Phone records also indicated Gerrish attempted to make five more phone calls, all within one minute of each other, beginning at 12:09 p.m.
Because of the lack of service, no attempt at communication with the outside world was successful, authorities said.
Along with excessive heat and portions of the terrain considered challenging, another factor — the lack of water — played a significant role in the family’s death. Among the items found was an 85-ounce water bladder – commonly known as a camel – that was reported to contain only trace amounts of water.
“Sadly, I believe they were caught off guard,” said an un-named survival trainer to The Chronicle. “They died trying to save their child and each other.”
On Aug. 17, search and rescue teams found the family dead approximately 1.6 miles from their car.
If planning a hike into the backcountry for several days or a hike during the majority of the season, survivalists say it may be worth spending the money – approximately $300 – on a satellite phone and required service (often additional charges apply for service).
Perhaps Benjamin Franklin said it best, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
Although survivalists and experts will say you can bring all the gear and water with you into the backcountry, the most important thing is to remain cool, calm and collected. Work the problems as they develop and try not to guess because guessing often makes things worse.
For more information follow the hyperlinks provide within this article or the Survival Strategies/Equipment Check List.
The following contributed to this article: the United States Marine Corps 2nd Recon Battalion, the “Backwoods Survival Guide,” the American Red Cross, Healthline.com, Indestructibles.com, the Mariposa Gazette and SkyAboveUs.com.
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