Emergencies

Lost in the wild or in the mountains: STOP, shelter, warmth and signalling

What to do if you get lost in the mountains or the woods: stop and think (STOP), call for help, stay put, protect yourself from the cold, make a simple shelter and signal so you can be found.

Updated , 3 min read

Part of:What Is a SurvivalistOutdoor

In short

  • If you are lost, stop. Most trouble starts when people keep walking at random.
  • Call the emergency number (911 in the US, 112 in Europe) while you have signal and battery, and send your location.
  • Cold is the biggest danger: insulate yourself from the ground and get out of the wind and rain.
  • Stay put and make yourself visible: bright colours, a whistle (3 blasts), a flashlight.

A day hike can turn into a night in the mountains through a small mistake: a lost trail, fog, a twisted ankle. Most lost people are found quickly if they do a few things right.

Before you set off

  • Tell someone your route and when you will be back.
  • A charged phone and power bank; an offline map app.
  • Spare clothes, a rain jacket and a hat, even in summer in the mountains.
  • A headlamp, whistle, emergency blanket, extra water and food.

1. STOP

Stop, Think, Observe, Plan: stop, breathe, think. Look around: can you see the trail, a marker, a ridge you recognise? If you are not sure, stop walking at random.

2. Call for help

  • Call 911 (US) or 112 (Europe), or the local mountain rescue number.
  • Say where you started, your route, what you can see and how you are.
  • Send your GPS location if you can (from a map app or by text).
  • Then save battery.

3. Stay put

If you told someone your route or spoke to rescuers, stay where you are. A person who stays still is much easier to find than one who keeps moving. Move only if the spot is dangerous (avalanche, flash flood, rockfall).

4. Protect yourself from the cold

Hypothermia kills more lost people than hunger or thirst, even above freezing if you are wet and it is windy.

  • Insulate yourself from the ground: sit on your pack, conifer branches or dry leaves.
  • Shelter from wind and rain: behind a rock, a fallen tree, among dense trees. An emergency blanket wrapped round you keeps heat in.
  • Put on everything you have: a hat makes a big difference.
  • Eat and drink a little, often: your body needs fuel to make heat.

Signs of hypothermia and what to do: hypothermia and frostbite.

5. Fire, only if it is safe

A small fire warms you, dries you and makes you visible. Light one only where it is safe: away from dry trees, on bare ground or rock, never in strong wind or when there is a fire ban. Put it out completely with water and soil.

6. Make yourself visible

  • Whistle: three short blasts, repeated.
  • Flashlight: three flashes at night.
  • Bright colours: spread your jacket or foil blanket on open ground.
  • For a helicopter: both arms raised in a Y means “yes, I need help”.
  • Stay in the open when you hear rescuers.

7. Water

Drink from what you carry. If you must drink from a stream, boil it or use a filter or tablets. See making water safe.

Always in your mountain pack

  • Charged phone and power bank
  • Headlamp
  • Whistle
  • Emergency blanket
  • Rain jacket, hat, gloves
  • Extra water and food
  • A small first aid kit, see the first aid kit
  • Lighter
  • Map and compass, if you know how to use them

Frequently asked questions

What is the STOP rule?

Stop, Think, Observe, Plan: you stop, think, look around and make a plan. It helps you avoid panic and getting even more lost.

Should I follow a stream downhill?

In the mountains it is not a safe rule: streams can lead to waterfalls, gorges or cliffs. If you have signal or told someone your route, it is safer to stay put and wait for rescuers.

How do I save phone battery?

Call or send your location, then switch to airplane mode and turn the phone on now and then. Keep it warm, close to your body: cold drains batteries fast.

Sources and further reading

Preper is for general education and does not replace instructions from your local authorities or advice from a doctor. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

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