I WAS ON A TRAIL RIDE WITH A GUIDE who got us “turned around a lit le.” Although he wouldn’t admit it, we were lost. We were by no means prepared for a night ride or a camping event. What should I have done? —Truly, Lost
Welcome to the club. We’ve all been “turned around a lit le”
and despite Daniel Boone’s assertions that he was never lost, only “mightily confused for several weeks,” this is a very scary event. What would you do if suddenly nothing looked familiar during your ride?
1. Give your horse his head and let him get you back. 2. Take out your map and compass and determine where you are. 3. Ask for a refund from the guide and call 911 on your cell phone. 4. Keep going forward, there’s got to be a road ahead somewhere.
In the high country, get ing lost is not an option. Let’s see what
some of the most experienced backcountry outdoorsmen in Oregon have to say about this predicament. Compare your reactions to how these experienced Back Country Horsemen replied.
1. Give your horse his head and let him get you back. T is option was by far the one most commonly heard from novice riders at the Wilderness Skills Clinic, and it’s one we’ve all heard many times. It’s also a very poor choice. Yes, your horse is wonderful at knowing where food is (usually the trailer or trailhead). He’s also wonderful at going cross-country to get there. You may not like the route your horse will choose if you give up the reins.
2. Take out your map and compass and determine where you are. Knowing, or being able to determine, where you are on a trail ride is an imperative skill set for all trail riders to develop and practice. And as we learned in the May issue, carrying a
GPS can save your life.
3. Ask for a refund f om the guide and call 911 on your cell phone. In many areas your cell phone won’t work. Guided trip or not, we should all be aware of our surroundings.
4. Keep going forward, there’s a road ahead somewhere. In many parts of the country taking the forward route may have you heading much further afi eld and further away from home and a warm dinner than you had planned.
T is topic is what brought me to the Wilderness Skills Clinic.
T e High Desert Trail Riders asked me to visit and teach a series of classes on how to, as I like to say, “Stay Found.” We spent a full weekend talking about scenarios just like this and how to avoid them. While most people do carry a map, a GPS and sometimes even
a compass, quite oſt en these vital tools are carried more as lucky charms intended to make the rider feel bet er. Take the time to learn how to properly read and interpret your map and GPS and use your compass. Failure to do so could prove annoying at best and disastrous at worse should you become separated from your group and your horse in the back country. While there isn’t time to discuss this topic fully, an excellent
place to start learning about navigation is a brilliant column in the July 2011 edition of trailBLAZER that talked about how to read and interpret a map.
“While most people carry a map, a GPS and sometimes even a compass, quite often these vital tools are carried more as lucky charms intended to make the rider feel better. Take the time to learn how to properly read and interpret your map and use your compass and GPS. Failure to do so could prove annoying at best and disastrous at worse should you become separated from your group and your horse in the back country.”
44 | June 2013 •
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