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Hiking
Tips & Plan
During
most every training and on many calls, team members encounter hikers
ill-prepared for a wilderness emergency. The beautiful, moderate
climate of Ventura County does not seem dangerous, but a hiker with a
quart of water, wearing cotton shorts and a t-shirt is a recipe for
disaster. Consider how far a mile really is when you have a sprained
knee or broken ankle, and then consider how valuable the following
items could be on your next hike!
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What
to Pack: |
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water
(1 quart per hour) |
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fire
starter |
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food |
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waterproof
matches |
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map
and compass |
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whistle |
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knife |
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cell
phone |
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flashlight |
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extra
clothes (Not cotton!!!) |
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HIKING
PLAN
-PDF FORMAT*
Left
with a friend or in your car |
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sunhat,
sunglasses and sunscreen |
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*Download the Adobe
Acrobat reader.
*Download
the Adobe Acrobat
Access Plug-in for vision impaired users
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TO TOP OF PAGE
Have
a Hiking Plan
Most
hikers don't intend to need emergency help, but accidents do happen.
If for some unfortunate reason you become lost or injured during your
hike, how long would you like to wait for help? Hours? Days? Weeks?
Help
us find you...Faster!
Fill-out
this Hiking
Plan and give it to someone who will be responsible for
contacting the Sheriff's Department if you do not return from your
outing.
The
Ventura County Sheriff's Department's Search and Rescue Coordinators
have initiated a "Hiking Plan",
which greatly assists search and rescue efforts and acts as a reminder
of what to take on your hike. Historically, the Sheriff's Department has
been tasked with search and rescue responsibilities within the county.
One of the greatest challenges facing Search and Rescue teams is where
to start searching. This "Hiking Plan"
will provide responding search teams and helicopters with a more
specific area to target. This could save precious time during the
initial phase of a search, which could prove to be critical to the
missing parties.
A
common problem is when a spouse, child, or friend doesn't return home
from a hiking trip as planned, and the reporting party can't remember
where they said they intended to hike. The "Hiking Plan"
would be filled out by the hiking party, listing who was going, where
they intended to start hiking from, and where they intended to hike to.
The "Hiking Plan" would
also act as a check list of what to take on a hiking trip.
Another
critical problem is that people forget what day or time the hikers
intended to return. Several times a year, we search for people who
didn't intend to return until the following day, wasting Search and
Rescue resources and embarrassing both the reporting party and the
hikers. The "Hiking Plan"
would act as an easy reference guide to the person most likely to report
the hikers overdue.
A
vital part of the "Hiking Plan"
is the sketch or map of your travel plans. This will assist searchers,
not only where to search, but also might indicate where the parties
might have taken a wrong turn during their hike.
The
"Hiking Plan" will be made
available in hiking stores, sporting good stores, U.S. Forest Service
offices, and at various web-sites. The form should be filled out
completely and left with the person most likely to report you missing in
the event of a problem. If you are unable to leave it with a responsible
party, you should place a copy in your car at the trailhead where you
begin hiking.
Have
a Safe & Fun Outing!
| Prior
to your outing: |
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Tell
someone where you will be hiking and when you expect to return. |
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Know
the name of the park and/or trail you will be hiking on. Having a
trail map is recommended. |
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Know
where you are going and know what kind of terrain you will be
hiking on. Hikers can encounter rocky terrain, rattlesnakes
and other potential hazards in our area. |
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Have
the essentials - listed above. |
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During
your outing: |
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Dont
hike alone - its safer and more fun to do the trail with a
friend. |
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Know
your limitations. Dont do more than you are able. |
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Have
the essentials - listed above. |
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Remember
Trail Etiquette - Always stay on a designated trail. |
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Learn
to share the trails with all other users. In general, bike riders
yield to both hikers and horseback riders; hikers yield to
horseback riders. However, for all trail users, downhill yields to
uphill. |
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Use
common sense and courtesy while on the trails. Announce your
intentions and slow your pace when passing someone on the trails. |
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Do
not litter. |
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Do
not chase or harass wildlife. |
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Keep
your pets safe: |
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Pets
can be curious about unusual animals and burrows in which they
live. It is not uncommon for a dog to be bitten on the nose by a
rattlesnake or to have a small animal snatched up by a hungry
coyote. |
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Dogs
can easily become overheated due to their difficulty in
dissipating heat. It is recommended to hike with your pet during
the cooler times of the day. |
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Bring
water for your pet. |
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For
the health, safety and welfare of all park users, pet owners must
immediately remove and properly dispose of waste left by pets in a
secured plastic bag and place in solid waste container. |
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| What
to do When You Need Help: |
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S.T.O.P.
(Stop, Think, Observe, Plan). Your brain is your #1 survival tool. |
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If
you are lost or injured, do not panic. |
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Instruct
your children to HUG A
TREE when lost or scared. |
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If
you need help, notify a Park Ranger or for emergencies call 9-1-1. |
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Know
your location. Look for the nearest trail marker or any noticeable
landmark such as a bench, wash or tree. |
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Identify
the emergency situation (Be specific regarding the condition of an
injured person). |
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Recognizing
Poison Oak
If
you've spent time in backcountry, there's an excellent chance you've
had a Poison Oak experience. If not, well, it's probably a matter of
time. Nearly every Search and Rescue member is quite familiar with
poison oak.
 Poison
oak is a woody shrub that is related to poison ivy and poison sumac.
It is plentiful below 4,000' and is generally identified by its oily
leaves in groups of three. The leaves can be green, yellow, or red and
fall off each year. The leaves and stems contain an oil (Urushiol)
that causes an itchy rash in 85% of the population. It's powerful
stuff - 1/4 ounce would give a rash to every person on earth and the
oil can remain active for up to five years.
Since
the oil is the nasty part of the plant, most of the remedies include
some surfactant to break up the oil and wash it away. Everyone reacts
differently, so try as many remedies as you need to until you find one
that works. The important thing is that you wash your gear and clothes
so you don't expose yourself again the next time you use them. There
are many over-the-counter treatments, but for extreme cases, consider
consulting a physician.
POISON IVY, OAK & SUMAC
INFORMATION CENTER
Other
Hiking Resources
Rope
Rescue Guide - By Kenneth N. Laidlaw
Knot Tying Guide - Special Thanks to Irish Climbing Online
Animated
Knots - Excellent Tool for Learning Knots
National
Cave Rescue Instructor Guide
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