1.Start Small. Conquering The Appalachian Trail might sound exciting, but starting small is the key to success. Begin by camping out in the backyard on the weekends, and work your way up to bigger adventures.
2.Dress appropriately. Research the terrain and environment of your chosen location and dress accordingly. Temperatures may drop significantly when the sun goes down, so make sure to have something warm and snuggly handy.
3.Buy purification tablets. No matter how prepared you think you are, you won’t survive in the wilderness unless you have drinkable water. Don’t risk drinking dirty water — you WILL regret it. Carry purification tablets to assure you stay hydrated and healthy, no matter where the winding roads take you.
4.Contact loved ones. Getting lost in the wild is a very real possibility — and most people’s biggest nightmare. Let your friends and family know about your plans and schedule so that they can keep an eye out for you, and start worrying if you’re not back when planned.
5.Carry a lighter. Making fire can be a lot harder than it looks in the movies. To conserve energy, time and your emotional well-being, carry a lighter. Let’s repeat this: Carry a lighter if you’re planning to spend a significant amount of time in the great outdoors. You can take a small one that will not occupy too much space, but make sure it’s filled up and ready to use.
6.Learn to read a map. You’re probably used to Siri’s voice telling you exactly where to turn — but in the wild, Siri will be someone you used to know back when you treaded in civilication. Learning how to use and read a map sans the GPS is an essential survival skill in the wild.
7.Pack snacks. No matter how long you plan to explore the outdoors, it’s inevitable — you’re going to get hungry. What’s even more likely is that you don’t have much experience on hunting properly. So pack high-protein snacks to keep you sane, full and alive.
8.Bring bug spray. This might seem silly and you might not want to deal with the extra weight, but if you don’t protect yourself, you’d better be prepared to be munched on by flying creatures who’s sole purpose on this planet is to suck your blood. Avoid the itch none of us wants to be scratching all day and night.
