First post. Long been interested in a thru-hike, AT or PCT. Recently there was a short article on CNN about a woman hiker who got lost in Maine. Her body was found 2 miles off the trail. Her friends mentioned she was notorious for a poor sense of direction. That description fits me. What could this woman have done once she realized she was lost? Start a forest fire? TIA,
kevin
kevin
The AT is well marked with 2"X 6" white paint blazes on the sides of trees and rocks, with an occasional wooden sign post. The actual trail is well trodden, to where you can see it. When hiking, if you don’t see a blaze ahead of you in a short distance, look behind you and see if there is one, then if not, retrace your last steps until you find a blaze. In case you do get lost, don’t panic. If you happen to be carrying a whistle, get it three blasts, and wait. If no whistle, shout every once in a while, someone may be within hearing distance and can help you. The main thing is to stay calm, use your senses. Hope this helps.
Gorp-Gobbler
Gorpgobbler, Thanks for the reply. I believe she got lost after leaving the AT to use nature’s bathroom. I know weight is a big deal but if she’d had an ax to cut her own return-blazes…
kevin
Once you are off the trail in Maine, you can not see it, the terrain is too obstructed. The best thing is to hike with others, especially someone who has a great sense of direction and lots of orienteering experience. The lost hiker left her bathroom spot near the trail to climb up to try to find a cell signal. She maybe could have done more to mark her path so she could retrace her steps, but that is hard to do in that terrain. It would make much more sense to carry a Spot device, a Personal Locator Beacon, or rent a Satellite phone. You can not depend on a cell phone as an emergency device. Always carry a whistle and fire starting materials; those are on the 10 essentials list.
Turtle Walking
She had started the thru-hike with a partner. But the partner had a family emergency and had to leave the trail. The woman opted to continue alone. People with normal sense of direction cannot understand those–like myself–with no sense of direction. I spent 9 years in college, graduated with 3.8 GPA and am a medical professional. But I get lost often. In school I needed to deliver papers to an unfamiliar building. I parked in the first free spot found on campus, got out a campus map and started walking. Three hot, sweaty hours later–this was August in south Louisiana–I found the building and delivered the papers. Remembered the three-hour trek and noticed a water fountain next to an exit at the opposite end of the room. Filled up on water then stepped outside, and found I was 10 feet from my car. A sat phone or beacon might help rescuers find your dead, rotting body but what’s going to help me find my way 50ft from the AT? Should I carry a roll of stout twine?
kevin
It sounds like your sense of direction is very poor but your determination is very strong. I’d use every single idea you & others come up with. I’d use the twine or your bear bag rope. If the woods are dense enough to lose the trail a few feet away, you won’t need to go far for privacy. I’d definitely carry a SPOT device. Always keep your backpack with you with water, sleeping bag, etc. in case you do get lost & need to wait for help. Definitely take a whistle.
Most everyone I know gets off on a wrong trail at some point. Don’t panic. Stay on that trail. Just turn around and take that trail back to the AT. Take a compass with you to help with direction. Practice with it before hiking the trail.
If you do get lost in the woods, don’t panic & start wandering around in confusion. Just stop where you are & blow your whistle periodically to get assistance.
Always let someone know where you aim to go that day. Walk with other hikers when you can. Use the privies when possible.
Stomper
I have been lost in the Glades and it is definitely scary! But if you know the trick you will always find your way out. As soon as you realize you are lost, stop and chill for a while. Now, you know you are not too far from the trail. Make a mark of some kind like a rock cairn so you can always recognize that spot. Start searching for the trail by hiking in different directions but always return to the marked spot after searching for a while. Slowly expand your search radius until you eventually intersect the trail. It may be where you least expect it. 
It is critical to not lose your cool and go off in an unexpected direction for a long time. Works every time.
angel apple
Perhaps her mistake was going higher, hoping to get a phone signal. Once I was lost in the Uinta Range and simply walked downslope til I happened on a jeep trail. Once I was lost near Leadville. I knew if I went upsplope I’d eventually be above treeline and might see a trail. Are the mountains in Maine tall enough to reach above tree line? Did the woman have compass?
kevin
I’m assuming this thread is real. I think you should work on getting over your issue with directions in a relatively controlled environment before heading out on a trail. I’m not sure how, but there must be professionals with ideas on this. I know that there is a positive feeling of “anyone can do this with enough determination” but if you really can’t find your way 25 yards from where you pissed back to the trail, you probably should stay away from trails until you’ve conquered the issue.
markv
As I mentioned, people with normal sense of direction can’t understand those of us with poor sense of direction. I’ve done trail runs and hikes for the past 30 years. What I’ve found is if I get lost it’s because I because I daydream rather than watching the trail for signs. I’ve read several books written by thru-hikers on the AT who mention having gotten onto false trails often. SO even normal people can have problems on the AT.
kevin
Learn to use a map and compass. If she had taken a compass reading before going into the woods she would have been able to follow the opposite reading back to the trail. She had a map and compass but did not (apparently) know how to use them. You also must learn to trust the compass. I don’t know how many time I have been bush whacking and thought for sure the compass was wrong but knew enough to follow it to where I wanted to go.
Big B
My wife is “directionally challenged” so I can relate to your problem. When driving we joke that if she thinks we should turn left I’ll need to turn right.
Ditto to what Big B says. When you have to step off the trail try to go perpendicular to the trail. It helps visualize your situation.
bowlegs
If you didn’t bring a compass, you can use a simple trick to determine which way is east and west.
To determine the east-west line, here’s how you do it…
Place a stick upright into the ground.
Use a small stone or object to mark the initial spot on the ground at the tip of the shadow that is cast by the stick.
Wait about 15 minutes for the sun to move in the sky — actually the earth revolves creating the illusion that the sun is moving, but you know what I mean…
The shadow will have moved a bit (the longer time that has elapsed, the more it will have moved). Add a second mark at the tip of the shadow’s new position cast by the stick.
Place a stick, or visualize a straight line between the two marked spots. This line is your approximate east-west line. Since the sun’s shadows move from west to east during the day, the first spot where you marked the shadow will be the west end.
Note: The reason to wait at least 15 minutes between the 1st and 2nd mark is to establish an accurate 2nd position of the shadow. Too soon and you may not be so accurate. 15 minutes is long enough to establish a fairly accurate direction.
If you try this, you will notice that even if you wait as long as an hour or more between marks, the east-west line will remain the same direction. Only the shadow length changes based on the angle of the sun in the sky.
If it sounds like it can’t possibly work, then try it yourself in your yard!
Vujade
I forgot to say that when you find the west-east line, simply place a stick on top of the west-east stick so that it’s perpendicular (like a cross) and, voila! you have your north-south line.
Vujade
You might try carrying a small roll of “Flagging Tape” in a bright color. When Nature calls, tie one end to a branch along side the trail, and unravel it as you walk off into the woods to relief yourself. Wind it back up as you walk back to where it’s tied off, stick it in your pocket and you’re good to go until the next time.
Gorp-Gobbler
Thanks for the mostly helpful advice. I’ve got several compasses and one of those wheels that helps measure distance on a topo map. I plan to practice using the compass and map in the Uinta Range, which is less than an hour from where I live.
Another idea, how strict are the rules on the AT concerning dogs? I doubt it would be difficult to train a dog to help me find the trail if lost.
kevin
kevin
Here’s what I do: Place pack just slightly off trail with a bright-colored bandana tied to pack or hiking stick. Take wallet with me. Make sure I can see pack/bandana from bathroom rest spot.
muddgie
+1 to all of the ideas so far; SPOT navigation, emergency whistle & mirror, charged cell phone, maps, guidebooks & compass knowledge, the buddy system, GPS device, surveyors’ tape, etc. In fact, look into if a satellite phone would have better/worse reception in an emergency situation. This sounds silly, but given a choice between getting seriously lost and pooping in front of every thru hiker I’ve ever met, I would gladly carry a Wag Bag and drop trou along the trail. Don’t camp, don’t relieve yourself, don’t journey too far from the footpath.
Whatever system you use, practice it until it is second nature and comfortable as walking. For me, staying found while hiking in the wilderness has always been about bringing 1-2 pounds of maps and guidebooks for any section and reading/planning ahead. Another huge resource to have is a backup plan to fall back on when everything else goes to sh*t. On the CDT in '11 I found my orienteering skills (they are horrible) most tested and it helped to have an emergency “what if?” to have in my back pocket to keep me calm, rational and making smart decisions. I was hiking SOBO, and my backup plan was this;
hike due south (I had a tiny thermometer/compass/keychain attached to the right shoulder strap of my backpack).
hit a flowing groundwater supply.
follow the water downstream.
hit a road.
then I am found!!!
I never, ever, ever had to use this plan, but it was sweet for my confidence to know it front-to-back and back-to-front. Of course, the entire plan hinges on me not misplacing my backpack with the compass attached to it, but staying with a line of sight to my backpack for 4.5 months is a small price to pay for a successful thru hike. In fact, misplacing gear is an entirely separate problem that may lead to getting lost and thus may be linked to getting lost but they are two different things altogether. Happy trails! Stay found.
Space Monkey
Thanks again for all the advice. Being a newbie I don’t get all the acronyms: SPOT? WAG BAG? SOBO? I assume CDT stands for Continental Divide Trail? I live in the Wyoming Red Desert, about an hour’s drive from where the continental divide crosses I-80. Perhaps a section hike through Wyoming might be a good way to get my feet wet. How long did that section take you?
kevin