Rating: ****
The importance of knowing when to stop if you are lost is shown in this article when a trio of friends lose their way on a Gatineau trail. They started out hiking on a well marked path that the author himself had already hiked. As they return back to the vehicle, the path becomes unrecognizable and they end up in an unmarked part of the forest. As they keep walking through the wilderness, an injury causes the team to go slower, and therefore covering less ground. The author's cell phone receives signals, and they are able to contact a rescue team and family. Although many bugs, ponds, uneven ground and a thunderstorm make the hike even more unenjoyable, the rescue team locates them after 36 hours and they return home with only a knee injury and minor cuts and bruises.
The article conveys how even though you might think you know the path, and that if things start to become unfamiliar, you should always stop and retrace your steps, not carry on. I would recommend this article to anyone interested in venturing out into the wilderness because it shows what to do (and what NOT to do) when stranded in the outdoors. There is also a very useful checklist of important items to pack just to be safe. It definitely makes me think about how this would probably be a best case scenario, and the consequences of wandering off a trail could be much worse.
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