Solo in the woods

Watching television does help! Not getting what I am saying, look at the news of a 9-year old boy, Grayson Wynne's quick thinking to turn to what he had seen and learnt from a television show, Man vs Wild, when he found that he was lost on a hiking trip in a northern Utah forest with his family on Father’s day weekend. The group had started hiking on Saturday from Spirit Lake trailhead in Daggett County, when the boy went on hiking without the others and drifted off onto another trail. When he realized that he was lost and away from the others, he thought about the survival in the wilderness show that he used to watch with his brothers and dad – Man Vs Wild by Bear Gryll.


Even though this show is more tailored for entertainment, where the host would just find himself in situations where he can just get wet by jumping into streams and rivers, the show highlights basic tips for survival while being lost. The key is to leave some trail, so people who are searching for the lost person would track the path that they went on. The boy, having seen this and mainly remembering it, made sure to leave marks by ripping pieces of his ‘ellow rain slicker and tied it to the trees on his path. He also left behind granola bar wrappers and his backpack on the trail to be found. How many 9-year olds would remember what they learnt and use it in situations when they are left alone? The boys’ common sense sure paid for the positive outcome when he was found after being lost for 18 hours.


I should start teaching these basic steps of survival to my 10-year old. I am pretty sure he would know these more than I would. I am known to be lost in areas where I have been before. I have to follow the same route every single time and if I make a slight detour, I am bound to be lost. But I find my way though, if that is a consolation. I have not even booked a trip (even locally) in my life or driven anywhere alone to find my way on my own, when people can do much more and beyond. If I was lost in the trail, I would backtrack my way or first things first – Stop, think and stay calm. I would think of ways to get attention (not of the bears) to be rescued. The boy sure did the right things in the right situation. So kids, tell your parents that it is okay to watch television, especially Discovery Channel and Animal planet, to get habituated and to learn things to be street smart or rather jungle smart.