wilderness safety Archives - Nancy East

Backpacker Magazine’s Misleading Article

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 16:14:00 +0000

Recently, Backpacker Magazine released an article titled, “How ‘Essential’ Are the Ten Essentials? According to This Study: Not Very” You can read it right here. A few people reached out to me and asked for my thoughts about it. But first a little background about me, in case a hiking friend shared this with you....

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What You Should Do if You’re Lost on a Hike

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 04:20:05 +0000

So what the heck do you do if you find yourself in this situation? First, pat yourself on the back for bringing your 10 essential “systems,” because it’s going to make a world of difference in your ability to overcome this predicament! Even in the best of circumstances, a search and rescue team will typically...

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What Search and Rescue Teams Want Every Hiker to Know

Wed, 14 Aug 2019 18:18:22 +0000

Dear Casual Hiker, Thru Hiker, Weekend Warrior Hiker, Vacation Hiker…well, you get the point, My name is Nancy and I am a member of a search and rescue (SAR) team in Western North Carolina. We are a tight-knit group of outdoor enthusiasts who choose to put our own lives on hold and often at risk,...

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What Search and Rescue Teams Want Every Hiker to Know

Sun, 07 Oct 2018 14:25:49 +0000

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How to Prevent Ticks, Mosquitoes and Stinging Insects from Ruining Your Hike

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 23:03:14 +0000

After my post outlining best practices for preventing tick-borne diseases in your dog, I’ve had several questions from readers about prevention measures for humans. I think we can all agree that some of the tiniest creatures in the woods can easily become one of our biggest annoyances (and potential health risks). So let’s get to...

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10 Tips to Safely Hike With Your Dog: A Veterinarian’s Advice

Mon, 26 Mar 2018 11:49:14 +0000

This is the 4th in a series of posts about hiker preparedness and safety: Part I: What you should always do and put in your backpacking before going on a hike Part II: What you should do if you’re lost on a hike Part III: What your kids should always have with them on a hike to...

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Hiking with Kids: How to Keep Them “Safe and Found” on a Hike

Sat, 28 Oct 2017 14:16:48 +0000

One summer, my family was on a backpacking trip in Olympic National Park. My daughter Paige, who was 10 at the time, wandered off a short distance into the woods next to our camp to relieve her bladder while the rest of us were setting up our home for the night. Fast forward fifteen minutes,...

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What to do if you’re lost on a hike

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 15:34:27 +0000

**This is the second in a series of four posts about hiker safety. The other posts are as follows: Part I: What you should always do and put in your backpacking before going on a hike Part II: What you should do if you’re lost on a hike (this post) Part III: What your kids should...

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How to Save Your Life in the Woods

Wed, 04 Oct 2017 13:45:32 +0000

It seemed innocent enough for a pair of twenty-something year old guys, an 8-mile loop hike in the Shining Rock Wilderness. Snacks in their bag, a couple of layers of clothing and a light blanket in case they got chilly. It was winter after all, albeit a relatively mild day for the season. And of...

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Waterfall Safety in the Backcountry

Sat, 02 Sep 2017 01:35:50 +0000

I am on my county’s search and rescue team and I absolutely love, “paying it forward” to the trail community in this way. A good percentage of our our rescue efforts, and a large percentage of those with the most substantial consequences, involve waterfalls and people’s choices around them. Sometimes our patient is lucky enough...

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