This might be fine for someone with your experience. But not everyone always knows where they are. Perhaps this is a good discussion for another thread.
Dick
Dick
First, as a beginner, I would not leave the house without the ten essentials. They tend to vary depending on who’s list you read and Kevin has covered most of them in his pack list but here is what I feel is important:
Map, Compass, Headlamp, Extra Food, Extra Clothing, First Aid Kit, Pocket Knife/Multi-Tool, Waterproof Matches/Fire Starter, Water/Filter, Whistle
The more you leave at home, the more risk you are willing to take. The most important thing that you can bring with you into the woods is not on this list and that is common sense. Also, you can bring all the survival gear that you want but if you don’t know how to use it then it is just extra weight in your pack.
Another thing to do before you leave for the woods is create an itinerary and give it to a responsible person. As a beginner, I would not deviate from this itinerary. Again, the more you deviate from the itinerary, the more risk you are willing to take.
If while out in the woods, you do find yourself lost or injured, don’t panic, the universal signal for a hiker in distress is three short whistle blasts.
Iceman
Edit: Another very important thing that I forgot to mention is that as a beginner, I would not advise hiking solo. It is best to have one or more partners that have some experience in the woods. When hiking solo, you have no one to rely on but yourself and if you don't have the skills required for the hike that you attempting then you are asking for trouble.
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