Survival

What if you were bitten by a venomous snake far from help? For Scott Vuncannon, an encounter with a rattler in the North Carolina backcountry was the beginning of a struggle for survival.

Your chances of being attacked by a bear are around one in two million. Todd Orr was mauled by one twice in a single day. Listen to his story in the latest episode of our podcast.

A fatal accident is the beginning of a six-day-long wilderness ordeal in the second episode of BACKPACKER's Out Alive podcast.

For George Brown, 68, a morning trail run in August 2018 became more than 40 hours stranded in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness with a broken leg.

The wilderness is full of dangers. This podcast tells the stories of the people who survived them.

See if you have the knowledge to ID the lower 48's bruins.

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our 'Ask A Bear' column.

Taking a dog on a bear-frequented trail heightens your risks. Stay out of trouble with these 5 tips for hikers with canine companions.

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our 'Ask A Bear' column.

Our resident bruin expert answers all your questions in our 'Ask A Bear' column.

In August 2018, Spencer Christiansen, 31, and his wife Jess, 24, spent nearly two days lost in Wyoming’s Darby Ice Caves.

Bad weather, unexpected overnights, ankle sprains and worse: Anything can happen in the backcountry. Build the perfect survival kit for any hike by following these simple principles.

Dylan “Flip” Zitawi, 25, and Colton “Rook” Lulfs, 21, spent 60 hours in a snow pit near Indian Pass, Washington, when a blizzard struck in 2017.

From bear tracks to brewing winter storms, keep an eye out for these signs of hazardous things coming.

Test your winter survival strategies for a chance to win a free class from AIM Adventure U.

Do you have what it takes to live through a wilderness emergency? Get the skills—and get home alive—with expert advice, skills, and real-life survival case studies from our experts.

When Eric LeMarque was rescued off California’s Mammoth Mountain in 2004, he had no way of knowing the hardship was just beginning.

How do you move on after a cougar tries to kill you? Following an attack in 2004, Anne Hjelle got back on the trail.

After a fall on Mt. Rainier in 2012, Stacy Wren Liedle found herself dealing with a different kind of injury.

Survival is no game—unless you make a video game out of it.

Jon Carlton, then 38, survived a massive heart attack while backcountry snowboarding on 12,400-foot Esha Peak near Mammoth Lakes, California, in April 2016.

The wilderness has its fair share of dangers. Find out how you'd fare in a crisis.

Close a wound, remove a tick, prevent poison ivy rash, and more essential tips.

The best way to ensure survival in the wild? Learn how to live like a hunter-gatherer.

A hydrated hiker is a happy hiker. Feel good and crush miles with these tips for identifying and avoiding dehydration.

From strandings at sea to grizzly attacks, we collect our readers' favorite tales from the brink.

Shuei Kato, 37, survived wind, cold, and hallucinations for four days in the Colorado backcountry in October, 2017.

Emergency notification devices, such as the Garmin inReach Mini, can save lives in the backcountry. Learn how they facilitate a rescue.

David Tamowski, 58, was alone in the New Zealand bush for 10 days in April 2015.

In many parts of the world, entomophagy, or eating bugs is commonplace. Insects are actually the most abundant protein source on the planet, and many of them boast dense concentrations of nutrients like omega 3s. If two billion people can invite insects to the dinner table, it shouldn't be too much of a stretch for you to include edible bugs in your emergency-survival diet.

A rib-breaking fall was my wake-up call.

Brigham Holladay, 26, fell while trying to escape a slot canyon near Utah’s Goblin Valley State Park in March 2018.

While thousands of people flock to U.S. national parks each year in hopes of seeing a bear, spotting one out in its element is just another day in the office for some employees.

After a 30-year career managing an Alaskan wildlife sanctuary, Larry Aumiller's advice for keeping bears and people safe seems unconventional: get used to each other. Can he convince a society that still sees itself as the top of the food chain?

Mix up your bear calls with our expert suggestions.

Use seasonal clues to clinch bear sightings (or avoid encounters altogether).

Our resident bruin answers all your questions in 'Ask A Bear.'

Our resident bruin answers all your questions in 'Ask A Bear.'

Embrace spring’s bounty on the country’s best fungi forages.

Forget about the wildlife; human beings can be the most dangerous—and the most unpredictable—creatures you’ll meet on the trail. Here’s how to handle them.

When temperatures start climbing under a merciless desert sun, you’ve got a whole new set of survival concerns to deal with. Do you have the know-how to make it out alive?

Roger Dannen, 75, slipped 60 feet down a rock face in remote Indian Canyons, near Palm Springs, California, in January 2018. He survived in the desert for three days.

The wilderness can be deadly if you don't know what you're doing. Take our test to rate your survival—and learn a few skills that might save your hide.

Learn to battle your way out of a raging river—and find a safe spot to crawl to shore—with these tips.

Sure you can patch up minor injuries, but will your knowledge be enough if your partner’s life is at stake?

When your spring bounces from t-shirt weather to snow in the space of a day, getting ready for the trail is a challenge.

There’s more to rain than falling water. Here are the weirdest wet weather facts you didn’t know.

Staying comfortable while hiking is about way more than protecting yourself from rain. It’s incredible just how many hikers have to learn proper layering the hard way—this one included. Here’s everything you need to know to make sure you’re setting yourself up for maximum comfort when the weather turns wet.

You're at the trailhead and ready for rain, but how handy should you keep your shell? Watch the clouds to predict precipitation.

When survival trumps beauty sleep, sacrifice your closed-cell foam mat for a higher purpose.

Stay dry, stay alive. Whether you’re wet from ankle to toe or head to toe, Den Mother knows what to do.

There’s a perfect fire for every situation. Learn to pick the right one.

Soon we both stopped shivering, and neither of us could feel our feet. Matt turned to me. “Tommy, we could die out here.”

How much do really know about our furry neighbors? Take our bear quiz and find out.

Yellowstone bear scientist Kerry Gunther has spent more time in grizzly country than most hikers ever will. He shares his tips for staying safe on the trail.

You've got questions. Our staff bruin has answers.

You've got questions. Our staff bruin has answers.

You've got questions. Our staff bruin has answers.

Want to get rid of your leftovers? And your car doors? And maybe your arm? Throw caution to the wind and invite a bear to dinner.

You've got questions. Our staff bruin has answers.

What does it take to research one of nature's most powerful creatures for a living? A good education and the tenacity of a mama grizzly.

Hiking where bears are present (that's more than 40 states) always requires precautions, like hanging food. But these three signals demand extra vigilance.

Could you beat a bruin in the 100-yard dash? Here's what your odds look like.

Learn how to stay safe in bear country from myth-busting scientist Tom Smith.

Save your eyes, your electronics, and your life—as if you needed more reasons to start every trip with a breakfast burrito.

In late May 2017, Marcus Mazzaferri, 25, lost his pack and glasses fording a river in Yosemite National Park, leaving him lost and gearless for 24 hours in late-season snow and freezing temperatures.

Jay, 53, Julie, 49, Jessie, 17, and Janae Vonesh, 13, capsized their packrafts in a storm, lost their paddles, and spent 48 hours stranded on Utah’s Escalante River in March 2017.

When the mercury gets high, hikers need to get smart. Survive extreme heat with these tips.

Darkness catch you off trail and far from camp? Have no fear. Follow these tips from Army Mountain Warfare instructor Sergeant Steve Jennings to stay on track without the sun’s help.

You never leave home without one. Now put it to use to ensure you always make it back.

Everything looks good when you're starving. Learn to tell what's really on the menu.

Will that river kill me if I try to cross it? Den Mother helps you assess fast-moving waters.

As she ripped the tendons out of my arm, I gasped in pain. It made her attack harder.

In the right hands, this little square of cloth is so much more.

Kenneth Knight, 42, survived for six days alone near the Appalachian Trail.

Think your rainwear is only useful in bad weather? Not so. Use this expert advice to convert your shell into anything from a water carrier to a sling.

Our millennial heroes try to starve each other out and party on a yacht.

Our millennial heroes get giardia and watch their socks get washed away to sea.

The contestants argue a lot, spend too much money, and inch closer to glamping than ever before.

Shockingly, one of the contestants actually shows some real survival skills.