October is Black Cat Appreciation Month ---- to mostly raise awareness that you're not adopting a black cat until November. Why? People do hideous things to black cats in October.

Locally, a lost hiker's remains were found and a "wildlife encounter" was reported. Well, 1. he was off trail and 2. no sh*t. We have wildlife in a national park. SHOCKER?  Also, I expect he was encountered post-mortem. To get et by a bar around here takes WORK. Like, serious work. Like, walk up to a den in spring and cuddle a cub work.

So, how do people die when they vanish?

Gravity. That great view has a slippery slope, a crumbling edge, or a "stay back" sign for a reason.

Overconfidence. "I'll find the trail, I only walked off far enough to nto be see taking a bagthroom break". And when you're done... "Wait, did I go by that tree, or that boulder?" (Please take screaming pink surveyor's tape with you and if you step off trail, blaze ever other tree or stick or whatever on your left. Then it's on your right coming back. Pre-cut 2-ft lengths are a staple in my bag. A quick slip knot around a tree, and I am back on trail, having yanked the tape off with a yank as I pass each tree.) Worse, there's "I can pick up the trail if I just walk this way, b/c the map said so" without realizing the map is not acacounting for geography.

Did I mention GEOGRAPHY? That trail looks so easy! Then you realizze you have 100 yards of exposed rock with a sheer drop 100 yards or more to one side, and a sheer rock face to the other, so if you slip? You got nowhere to go but heaven.

Waterfalls. "Oh, it'll be pretty, let's find it." No. If it ain't on a marked trail... DO NOT. Repeat, do NOT. Onlly in snow that will not be distrubed can you accurately retrace every single step you've taken. Experience talking here. 

Stupidity. "That's a trail!" Yes, it is. Deer use it. 

Panic. Corollary to stupidity. If you don't know where you need to be to be safe? Sit down, shut up, and blow your referee whistle in bursts of three. ONE. Two. Three. (pause one two three) ONE TWO THREE. In threes, everyone who knows will know you're in trouble. Practice calming breaths. Don't assume you're on an episode of Survivorman until or unless it's only an hour before dark. In which case, keep blowing the whistle and sitting still. Air horns also work but can run outta air faster than you do.

Lack of preparation. Always assume the worst. Take 3 days of meds and food. Take a bright emergency blanket with mylar on one or both sides. The shiny will signal people high up, and keep you warm/dry. Take a cheap rain poncho, too. More dry, can use to gather water. Take awter purification tablets. (and be patient enough to use them correctly, please).  Don'ta ssume your cell phone will have signal; make sure everyone knows where you're going and when you SHOULD be home, and include the nearest park service/sheriff/etc. SAR people's numbers. This is like taking umbrellas. It'll never rain if you got one. (Two liters of water, btw, minimum for a day hike. Please.) And, of course, a way to start fires. This is more for mental comfort and animal deterrence than anything, and be safe. Also, yes, a good  first aid kit, not one from CVS. You want clotting powder, pressure ACE bandage, no-stick gauze, and a good tube of antibiotic cream, as well as baby wipes. (When dried out, those start fires great!)

Why so much? Because I've seen/heard too much about folks out there who didn't take it, and ... well, they were nice people. Then they're found and it's all autopsy and funeral and hchecking local bear poop just in case, and ..

And don't take your dog. PLEASE. Going off to find Fido has gotten people in trouble. Either leave Fido to smell his way back oor don't take Fido. Even the best-trained dogs can go bonkers. 

Take walking sticks. You don't need them? No. Not YET. Make them tall. Bending over them means they're too shgort. And means you can't keep an eye out. No earbuds in, please. Sounds are Nature's alarm systems. 

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In shgort, the safer you try to be? The longer you'll be around to tell people to do all this sh*t, like me! :-)