Survival

Use these five techniques when things get grim.

Niki Rellon, 40, fell 45 feet during a canyoneering expedition in November, 2013.

They're in your cabinets, in your drawers, and in your trunk. Master these six items to improve your chances of survival.

Rid yourself of these backcountry fictions to stay safer on the trail.

Not everything you learned about nature is true. Go ahead and forget these eight misconceptions.

Alone and distraught, a canyoneer fights to survive until help arrives.

This is one emergency tool you can always count on having.

The agency's decision to euthanize a problem bear in 2015 angered some, but NPS biologist Kerry Gunther says it was the right call. Here's why.

April Meads, 19, slipped down a cliff in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge and was rescued with an improvised rope in May 2015.

How long before frostbite sets in? How does cold weather change your survival priorities? You asked, the Den Mother answered.

When a stunt on Mt. Sneffels went wrong, Cameron Zick found himself paralyzed in the wilderness.

You don’t have to look hard in winter to find ice. Put this common material to work in a survival situation with these six techniques.

Vision is important. But with a little ingenuity, your specs could save your life in other ways.

One foggy night more than 130 years ago, 16 sailors lost their lives just off the Oregon Coast Trail.

On the eve of his retirement, Bil Vandergraff, Grand Canyon’s most experienced search-and-rescue ranger, sits down for a career debriefing and explains why you should absolutely hike in wet cotton and never leave home without cold pizza.

Survives with stitches, staples.

It’s not easy making fire like a caveman. Give yourself a chance with these tips.

When we awoke in the blizzard of ash, we were ready to run for our lives. Was the ash toxic? Would slag soon fall from the sky like meteorites?

Greg Barnes, 28, was swept out to sea on March 30, 2015, while on a hike near Pagat Cave, Guam.

How best to deal with spiders, bugs, or whatever else inhabits your worst nightmares.

Is hiking without a headlamp a midsummer night’s dream—or a nightmare?

Lost? Alone? Phone low on juice? There’s no app for that.

Flees scene without removing outfit

We're in summer's last stretch—but the warm weather isn't over yet. Get some inspiration from these five volumes.

Patty Miller, 71, was attacked by a grizzly on July 12, 2013, outside Babb, Montana.

Found a glass bottle? Putting a message in there and casting it into the sea is a major Hail Mary. Try these six techniques instead.

Even a survival expert carries his cell phone (next to the blood clotting agent, that is).

Is self-nursing a viable survival strategy? Our survival expert weighs in on this and other reader questions.

After two years, something just didn’t seem right about his pups. Turns out the dogs are actually bears. Seriously.

A couple flips their canoe in class V rapids on Northern Ontario's Kopka River

Going commando? Not so fast. You never know how your skivvies can come to the rescue.

Alone and snakebitten? There are better strategies than panic.

Lost in an Alaskan blizzard, one man struggles to stave off hypothermia.

Lost in the woods? You’re in luck. These six techniques will keep you so comfy, you may not want to be found.

These multitasking boot laces conceal an emergency firestarter.

A new mother's true tale of getting lost in the wilderness.

Expert tips on picking the survival knife that's right for you.

So much “new” technology is modeled after things found in nature (bomber wings, solar cells, etc.). Harness natural solutions for survival, and you might do well enough to live like a bushman.

Adam Herman, 24, and Conor Lodge, 22, were caught in an avalanche in Tuckerman Ravine on New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington on December 28, 2013.

Is there any good reason to carry a blowtorch into the backcountry? We put a few common items to the test.

Watch our experts demonstrate good fire-making technique.

Gregg Hein, 33, of Fresno, California, survived six days on remote Mt. Goddard in Kings Canyon National Park in July 2014.

A multitool is more than just a blade. Survival secrets hide in the other functions, too.

Could you survive without food in the wilderness? Our hungry hiker went searching for sustenance in one of the nation’s harshest environments to find out.

David Snider, 57, fell, lost his glasses, and spent five days wandering lost in Washington’s Olympic Range in May 2012.

See how paracord can save your life in 7 different ways.

Teepee, Log Cabin, and Lean-to are three options for setting up a strong fire base.

From the dawn of history to dusk last night, fire is mankind’s oldest and most useful tool. Learn how to harness its strength to cook, survive, and connect to a primal force as old and powerful as time itself.

How to choose and build the optimal fire pit; how to light a fire in windy conditions.

Jack London’s "To Build a Fire" scared me into adolescence.

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

From fun to deadly serious this list just might save your life (or at least make camping even more fun)

No matter where you are, there's natural material for the taking.

Nothing rekindles our primal connection to the open flame like a backcountry campfire.

Forgive me, Smokey, for I have sinned.

Follow these tips for a crackling, low-impact fire.

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Check out Dennis Lewon's author page.

Down to your last match? This fast-to-make kindling “bouquet” will light the first time, every time.

One of our favorites from the vault: a master entertainer spills his secrets for spinning unforgettable yarns.

Place your fuel wood in the right places to create a fire that behaves exactly how you want.

You’ll be very sorry—and very, very smelly.

Find the right logs, sticks, kindling, and fuel to make a campfire.

Campfires-gone-amok are the most common source of human-caused wildfires. Make sure yours is out cold.

In a matter of minutes, wildfire can undo centuries of plant growth—and that’s a good thing.

Mike Gersack (35) and his wife, Shawna Ridge (38), were attacked by a grizzly near Big Sky, Montana, on May 13, 2011.

Here are some key skills every hiker should know before entering bear country.

You probably carry one of these already (right?). Now, make the most of it with these seven life-saving techniques.

Assess a developing storm on the fly with these steps from mountain meteorologist C. David Whiteman.

The Walking Dead returns Sunday, and our man picks the tools you'll need to survive the zombie apocalypse.

Even the dullest of pocket debris can become a survival implement. Use a paper clip to catch dinner, treat wounds, and even start a fire.

Ed Rosenthal, 68, spent six days lost in Joshua Tree National Park in September, 2010.

Our resident grizzly breaks down his favorite moments when bears and hikers have crossed paths.

Keep a plastic bag in your pack as a no-weight lifesaver. Here are 6 ways it might come in handy.

Learn to dissect a cellphone to make a spear, snare, signaling device, compass, and more in this how-to guide. Photos by Creek Stewart, willowhavenoutdoor.com

Individually, dryer lint, cardboard egg crates, and candles seem pretty unglamorous -- not to mention useless as survival tools. But combine them and they transform into an unstoppable, rainproof firestarter. Snow, wind, mud: We’ve tested this nuclear opt

Nothing but a plastic bag? Use it to waterproof clothes, signal for rescue, and more.

A kayaker struggles to stay afloat when a tangle of trees pins her boat.

Pretty good.

A tossed soda or beer can is never a pretty sight in the wild -- but it could be your ticket to a much-needed meal if you find yourself stranded near a body of water. With some floss (or scavenged line), even a child can assemble a simple, usable fishing