Don’t Die In The Woods – It’ll Ruin Your Day!

Tips For Survival

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Crossing a Stream and Keeping Your Feet Dry
 Tips For Survival #10

Here’s another of our tips for survival that doesn’t look all that important. But when you go deep in the woods, sooner or later you will be faced with the need to cross a stream without a convenient bridge (I know in the adventure movies there is always a fallen tree or old, about-to-fall-down rope bridge handy, but this has never happened to me in a real forest). Under survival conditions, staying dry is not an option, it’s a necessity; it may save your life. Even on a short daytrip, keeping your feet dry can mean the difference between a happy experience and a miserable slog.

Here’s what you can do:

Plan A
If the stream is not too deep and not too raging, the rocks underfoot not too sharp or slimy, and the water not too cold, do this: Take off your boots. Tie the laces together and sling them around your neck. Put your socks safely in your pack. Roll up your pant legs.

Cross the stream slowly and carefully so you don’t slip and fall. Arrive at the other side. Put your socks and boots back on. Roll down your pant legs. Voila! Resume your hike, thinking to yourself, "This survival stuff is great."

Plan B
If the stream is deep and raging, the rocks underfoot sharp or slimy – maybe both, and the water seriously cold, do this: Take off your boots. Put your socks safely in your pack. Put your boots back on over your bare feet. Roll up your pant legs (or take your pants off if the stream is that deep).

Cross the stream slowly and carefully, etc. Although your boots are wet, your socks are dry. If you have taken good care of your boots, you will be comfortable and within a couple of miles you won’t notice the difference. This time you will be thinking to yourself, "This survival stuff is really great!"

Further tips for survival
It’s important that you take your time and use care – the entire exercise is meaningless if you slip and fall halfway across. I did this once while carrying my daughter. Fortunately we were on the way back from a daytrip and only a few hundred yards from the car. (Some of you may remember the days between the old bridge and the new bridge at Seneca Rocks. Am I giving away my age here?).

Here is another situation where your waterproof matches in your waterproof match container are important survival gear. If you do happen to slip and fall halfway across, under survival conditions you are going to need to build a nice, big, hot fire quickly to dry out.

If a number of people are crossing and you happen to have a rope, think about rigging it to make it easier, particularly for the less-experienced members of your party. I wouldn’t, however, recommend using your Johnston String for this exercise; although it has many uses, it wouldn’t be strong enough here.

Here’s another of our tips for survival: Be a happy camper by not dying in the woods! Think 'safety' and behave safely.

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Copyright © 2007 Mary Rice-Johnston and Tips for Survival. All rights reserved.