[pct-l] Knowing when to Stop

[Erik The Black]

Some of the discussions lately about the dangers of hiking have got me
thinking.

Almost always, when you hear about someone getting hurt or killed in the
wilderness, it's apparent that if the person had just STOPPED what they were
doing, they would have been fine. Usually danger didn't come to them. They
walked right into danger, and many times they knew what they were doing.

But they did it because they felt like they had to be somewhere, or
accomplish some goal in a certain timeframe. They had to put in 20 miles
before camp, or be in XXX town by Thursday to receive a package, or meet
somebody, or conquer the challenge, or whatever.

And the lamest excuse of all: "If I don't keep moving I'll run out of food".


Hey I love food too, but it's way down the list of survival necessities. You
can live for weeks without food. You might be a little hungry, but you'll
live. What's more important is water, shelter, and protecting yourself from
injury.

Sometimes, when confronted with a tough decision, the best decision is just
to do nothing at all.

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If you start to overheat in the desert... STOP, and get under some shade and
take a nap.

If  you start to get hypothermic in the cold... STOP, and pitch your tent
and get in your sleeping bag.

If you run into a gnarly creek fork... STOP, and casually explore upstream
for a better place to cross, or just wait until the next morning when the
flow isn't so swift.

If you get lost... STOP, and take a little breather before consulting your
maps, rather than wandering aimlessly hoping to regain the trail.
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Don't be afraid to stop. There is no shame in putting in a 5-mile day every
once in a while. It's a good excuse to catch up on your journaling ;)


-Erik The Black
www.pctatlas.com