Survival expert offers tips for safer hiking experience

Reporter: Amy Galo
Published: Updated:

It’s like a scene from a horror movie: A dehydrated hiker in a remote area uses the last bit of his energy and phone battery power to call 911.

“I’m severely severely dehydrated. I can’t keep anything down. Incredible cramping.” said the hiker in a 911 call, “we’re hiking. Hiking through hell.”

The Collier County Aviation was able to track him down and pull him to safety, but his experience begs the question: If you were stuck on a hiking trail, do you think you could survive?

“Picturing myself in the Everglades lost for a couple of days, I couldn’t. I couldn’t,” said hiker Holger Schmidt.

Turns out that most of us go about hiking the wrong way. Many of us pack light so as not to exert ourselves, but survival expert Steven Claytor says we should be doing the opposite.

“If I’m going out for a full day hike in Florida with anywhere from 75 to 90 some of the degree weather and the humidity is expected to be anything over 70, I’m going to take probably at least four quarts of water with me,” said Claytor.

Four quarts is equal to a gallon of water.

What happens if you begin to run out of water?

“Don’t ration your water too much,” said Claytor. “Just put that water in your body, and your body will do what it can with that water; it’ll do what’s best for you.”

Chances are, most hikers are already dehydrated. Claytor says most adults are dehydrated on a regular basis.

Signs of dehydration include feeling thirsty, chapped lips, or a headache at the base of the neck.

When dehydration strikes and you can’t find or stomach water, shelter can save you.

“if you stay in the shade, it’s going to be 20 degrees cooler,” said Claytor.

Claytor also says to always make sure you bring a fully charged phone with you and have food available.

“Here in Florida, we have pretty flat terrain,” said Claytor, “Most of the towers around will pick up signal from somewhere and you’ll be able to get a call out to help.”

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