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| Meta Title | How to Survive Getting Lost, According to Bear Grylls - Outdoors with Bear Grylls |
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| Boilerpipe Text | Itâs probably no surprise to learn that over the years, Bear Grylls has occasionally gotten lost in the wild.Â
The fact is, people regularly get lost in the outdoors, and without the right
survival skills
, they can quickly become hypothermic or dehydratedâor worse.Â
âWhen that happens, itâs almost always because theyâve made one simple mistake: They didnât stop as soon as they realized they were lost,â writes Bear in
How to Stay Alive
.
Donât panic
Bearâs best advice if you get lost is to swallow your pride, and most of all, not to panic. âThat moment when you first realize youâre lost can be scary,â he says. âIt can make people lose their heads. It can be disorientating and frightening.â
Image by Ashley Cooper
To control panic, he uses the acronym S.T.O.P.
S
top: Donât make the situation worse by continuing on and getting even more lost.
T
hink: Your brain is the best tool you have for survival, so use it.
O
bserve: If you have a map, look for big stand-out features on the landscapeâlike a large lake, peak or something man-made, like an antennaâand orientate yourself from there. Donât pick something small like a stream, where there could be lots more in the area.
P
lan: Come up with a strategy for how to get unlost or seek rescue. This will also keep your morale up.
Take some deep breaths and drink some water, and recoup your wits. âYouâre not lost yet, youâre just temporarily confused,â he says.
Retrace your steps
Bear says that it is natural human instinct to keep going, as people donât like going backwards. âWe donât like retracing our steps,â he says. âIf weâre intending to go from A to B, we feel weâve failed if we turn back to A, so we risk ending up at C. We talk ourselves into thinking that weâre going the right way.â
Retrace your steps to the last place where you were sure of your location. Look out for landmarks that you recognize. Re-walk an established trail or one that youâve made.
Image by Rbkomar
When you are lost, this is vital. âDonât keep wandering blindly into the unknown,â says Bear. âThe chances of you stumbling across the right path are minuscule.â
Stay where you are
If nothing is looking familiar or youâre unsure where you came from, donât keep wandering. Assuming someone else knows where you are (or others may be in the area) and itâs otherwise safe, stay exactly where you are while you wait for rescue.Â
Note the time and keep track of it. You wonât find your way in the dark, so if you have to stay overnight, make sure you have enough daylight to find or
make a shelter
.
Do your best to
conserve your energy
âitâs important not to exhaust yourself, particularly if your resources for food and water are limited.
Image by Simon Hird/Ascent Xmedia
Once youâve secured shelter and foraged for
food
and
water
, light a smoky fire to signal your location to rescuers. Use a whistle, if you have one, to get attention, rather than shouting, if you detect others in your vicinity.
Move on if you must
If youâve deemed your location unsafe or rescuers wouldnât know where to look, you may decide you need to self-rescue.
Keep any gear you can safely carry, such as your
backpack
with you. Donât leave it behind, even if youâre just walking a few feet to get a better look around you. If you canât find it laterw, you will be in worse trouble. âRemember the Commando ethos: never get separated from your kit,â says Bear.
Work out where north, south, east or west are
without a compass
. This might help you relocate a village youâve traveled through, or to find another point of safety.
Find higher ground, such as a hill or climb a tree, as a vantage point to determine whatâs around you. Donât take risks doing this though. If you spot a larger body of water, such as a lake or river, head for itâoften there are settlements near rivers. Once you arrive at the banks, follow it downstream. If the water is slow-flowing,
make a raft
, if you need to.Â
If you see power lines in the vicinity, follow them downhill. Even if they cross empty terrain, they eventually lead somewhere.
As you travel, mark your trail. Not only could this direct rescuers toward you, it offers a way for you to retrace your steps if needed. Look back frequently so that you know what your path looks like when you are going the other way.
More fromÂ
Bear Grylls
:
How to Build Shelter in a Forest
How to Survive Sub-Zero Temperatures
What to do If Youâre Bitten by a Snake
How to Navigate Without a Compass
How to Deal with Injuries in Survival Situations
How to Find Water in the Mountains
Making Shelter in the Snow
Priorities of Survival
How Bear Grylls Lights a Fire
How to Build a Jungle Raft
Bear Grylls: Food in the Mountains Pt. 1
Bear Grylls: Food in the Mountains Pt. 2 |
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Ă

# How to Survive Getting Lost, According to Bear Grylls

[By Yvonne Gordon](https://outdoors.com/author/yvonnegordon/)
Published
[02/24/2023](https://outdoors.com/2023/02/24/)
Itâs probably no surprise to learn that over the years, Bear Grylls has occasionally gotten lost in the wild.
## Videos by Outdoors
The fact is, people regularly get lost in the outdoors, and without the right [survival skills](https://outdoors.com/bear-gryllss-priorities-of-survival/), they can quickly become hypothermic or dehydratedâor worse.
âWhen that happens, itâs almost always because theyâve made one simple mistake: They didnât stop as soon as they realized they were lost,â writes Bear in [How to Stay Alive](https://www.beargrylls.com/collections/bear-grylls-books/products/bear-grylls-how-to-stay-alive-the-ultimate-survival-guide-for-any-situation-book).
### **Donât panic**
Bearâs best advice if you get lost is to swallow your pride, and most of all, not to panic. âThat moment when you first realize youâre lost can be scary,â he says. âIt can make people lose their heads. It can be disorientating and frightening.â

*Image by Ashley Cooper*
To control panic, he uses the acronym S.T.O.P.
1. **S**top: Donât make the situation worse by continuing on and getting even more lost.
2. **T**hink: Your brain is the best tool you have for survival, so use it.
3. **O**bserve: If you have a map, look for big stand-out features on the landscapeâlike a large lake, peak or something man-made, like an antennaâand orientate yourself from there. Donât pick something small like a stream, where there could be lots more in the area.
4. **P**lan: Come up with a strategy for how to get unlost or seek rescue. This will also keep your morale up.
Take some deep breaths and drink some water, and recoup your wits. âYouâre not lost yet, youâre just temporarily confused,â he says.
### **Retrace your steps**
Bear says that it is natural human instinct to keep going, as people donât like going backwards. âWe donât like retracing our steps,â he says. âIf weâre intending to go from A to B, we feel weâve failed if we turn back to A, so we risk ending up at C. We talk ourselves into thinking that weâre going the right way.â
Retrace your steps to the last place where you were sure of your location. Look out for landmarks that you recognize. Re-walk an established trail or one that youâve made.

*Image by Rbkomar*
When you are lost, this is vital. âDonât keep wandering blindly into the unknown,â says Bear. âThe chances of you stumbling across the right path are minuscule.â
### **Stay where you are**
If nothing is looking familiar or youâre unsure where you came from, donât keep wandering. Assuming someone else knows where you are (or others may be in the area) and itâs otherwise safe, stay exactly where you are while you wait for rescue.
Note the time and keep track of it. You wonât find your way in the dark, so if you have to stay overnight, make sure you have enough daylight to find or [make a shelter](https://outdoors.com/how-to-build-shelter-in-forest-or-jungle/).
Do your best to [conserve your energy](https://outdoors.com/how-bear-grylls-conserves-energy-in-survival-situations/)âitâs important not to exhaust yourself, particularly if your resources for food and water are limited.

*Image by Simon Hird/Ascent Xmedia*
Once youâve secured shelter and foraged for [food](https://outdoors.com/how-to-find-food-in-mountains-animals/) and [water](https://outdoors.com/ways-bear-grylls-finds-water-in-the-mountains/), light a smoky fire to signal your location to rescuers. Use a whistle, if you have one, to get attention, rather than shouting, if you detect others in your vicinity.
### **Move on if you must**
If youâve deemed your location unsafe or rescuers wouldnât know where to look, you may decide you need to self-rescue.
Keep any gear you can safely carry, such as your [backpack](https://outdoors.com/what-bear-grylls-packs-survival-backpack/) with you. Donât leave it behind, even if youâre just walking a few feet to get a better look around you. If you canât find it laterw, you will be in worse trouble. âRemember the Commando ethos: never get separated from your kit,â says Bear.
Work out where north, south, east or west are [without a compass](https://outdoors.com/find-your-way-without-compass/). This might help you relocate a village youâve traveled through, or to find another point of safety.
Find higher ground, such as a hill or climb a tree, as a vantage point to determine whatâs around you. Donât take risks doing this though. If you spot a larger body of water, such as a lake or river, head for itâoften there are settlements near rivers. Once you arrive at the banks, follow it downstream. If the water is slow-flowing, [make a raft](https://outdoors.com/how-bear-grylls-makes-jungle-raft/), if you need to.
If you see power lines in the vicinity, follow them downhill. Even if they cross empty terrain, they eventually lead somewhere.
As you travel, mark your trail. Not only could this direct rescuers toward you, it offers a way for you to retrace your steps if needed. Look back frequently so that you know what your path looks like when you are going the other way.
#### **More from [Bear Grylls](https://outdoors.com/?s=bear+grylls):**
- [How to Build Shelter in a Forest](https://outdoors.com/how-to-build-shelter-in-forest-or-jungle/)
- [How to Survive Sub-Zero Temperatures](https://outdoors.com/how-bear-grylls-survives-sub-zero-temperatures/)
- What to do If Youâre Bitten by a Snake
- [How to Navigate Without a Compass](https://outdoors.com/find-your-way-without-compass/)
- [How to Deal with Injuries in Survival Situations](https://outdoors.com/how-bear-grylls-deals-with-injuries/)
- [How to Find Water in the Mountains](https://outdoors.com/ways-bear-grylls-finds-water-in-the-mountains/)
- [Making Shelter in the Snow](https://outdoors.com/bear-gryllss-make-shelter-in-snow/)
- [Priorities of Survival](https://outdoors.com/bear-gryllss-priorities-of-survival/)
- [How Bear Grylls Lights a Fire](https://outdoors.com/how-bear-grylls-lights-fire/)
- [How to Build a Jungle Raft](https://outdoors.com/how-bear-grylls-makes-jungle-raft/)
- [Bear Grylls: Food in the Mountains Pt. 1](https://outdoors.com/bear-grylls-how-to-find-plants-to-eat/)
- [Bear Grylls: Food in the Mountains Pt. 2](https://outdoors.com/how-to-find-food-in-mountains-animals/)
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Scroll to Top
 |
| Readable Markdown | Itâs probably no surprise to learn that over the years, Bear Grylls has occasionally gotten lost in the wild.
The fact is, people regularly get lost in the outdoors, and without the right [survival skills](https://outdoors.com/bear-gryllss-priorities-of-survival/), they can quickly become hypothermic or dehydratedâor worse.
âWhen that happens, itâs almost always because theyâve made one simple mistake: They didnât stop as soon as they realized they were lost,â writes Bear in [How to Stay Alive](https://www.beargrylls.com/collections/bear-grylls-books/products/bear-grylls-how-to-stay-alive-the-ultimate-survival-guide-for-any-situation-book).
### **Donât panic**
Bearâs best advice if you get lost is to swallow your pride, and most of all, not to panic. âThat moment when you first realize youâre lost can be scary,â he says. âIt can make people lose their heads. It can be disorientating and frightening.â

*Image by Ashley Cooper*
To control panic, he uses the acronym S.T.O.P.
1. **S**top: Donât make the situation worse by continuing on and getting even more lost.
2. **T**hink: Your brain is the best tool you have for survival, so use it.
3. **O**bserve: If you have a map, look for big stand-out features on the landscapeâlike a large lake, peak or something man-made, like an antennaâand orientate yourself from there. Donât pick something small like a stream, where there could be lots more in the area.
4. **P**lan: Come up with a strategy for how to get unlost or seek rescue. This will also keep your morale up.
Take some deep breaths and drink some water, and recoup your wits. âYouâre not lost yet, youâre just temporarily confused,â he says.
### **Retrace your steps**
Bear says that it is natural human instinct to keep going, as people donât like going backwards. âWe donât like retracing our steps,â he says. âIf weâre intending to go from A to B, we feel weâve failed if we turn back to A, so we risk ending up at C. We talk ourselves into thinking that weâre going the right way.â
Retrace your steps to the last place where you were sure of your location. Look out for landmarks that you recognize. Re-walk an established trail or one that youâve made.

*Image by Rbkomar*
When you are lost, this is vital. âDonât keep wandering blindly into the unknown,â says Bear. âThe chances of you stumbling across the right path are minuscule.â
### **Stay where you are**
If nothing is looking familiar or youâre unsure where you came from, donât keep wandering. Assuming someone else knows where you are (or others may be in the area) and itâs otherwise safe, stay exactly where you are while you wait for rescue.
Note the time and keep track of it. You wonât find your way in the dark, so if you have to stay overnight, make sure you have enough daylight to find or [make a shelter](https://outdoors.com/how-to-build-shelter-in-forest-or-jungle/).
Do your best to [conserve your energy](https://outdoors.com/how-bear-grylls-conserves-energy-in-survival-situations/)âitâs important not to exhaust yourself, particularly if your resources for food and water are limited.

*Image by Simon Hird/Ascent Xmedia*
Once youâve secured shelter and foraged for [food](https://outdoors.com/how-to-find-food-in-mountains-animals/) and [water](https://outdoors.com/ways-bear-grylls-finds-water-in-the-mountains/), light a smoky fire to signal your location to rescuers. Use a whistle, if you have one, to get attention, rather than shouting, if you detect others in your vicinity.
### **Move on if you must**
If youâve deemed your location unsafe or rescuers wouldnât know where to look, you may decide you need to self-rescue.
Keep any gear you can safely carry, such as your [backpack](https://outdoors.com/what-bear-grylls-packs-survival-backpack/) with you. Donât leave it behind, even if youâre just walking a few feet to get a better look around you. If you canât find it laterw, you will be in worse trouble. âRemember the Commando ethos: never get separated from your kit,â says Bear.
Work out where north, south, east or west are [without a compass](https://outdoors.com/find-your-way-without-compass/). This might help you relocate a village youâve traveled through, or to find another point of safety.
Find higher ground, such as a hill or climb a tree, as a vantage point to determine whatâs around you. Donât take risks doing this though. If you spot a larger body of water, such as a lake or river, head for itâoften there are settlements near rivers. Once you arrive at the banks, follow it downstream. If the water is slow-flowing, [make a raft](https://outdoors.com/how-bear-grylls-makes-jungle-raft/), if you need to.
If you see power lines in the vicinity, follow them downhill. Even if they cross empty terrain, they eventually lead somewhere.
As you travel, mark your trail. Not only could this direct rescuers toward you, it offers a way for you to retrace your steps if needed. Look back frequently so that you know what your path looks like when you are going the other way.
#### **More from [Bear Grylls](https://outdoors.com/?s=bear+grylls):**
- [How to Build Shelter in a Forest](https://outdoors.com/how-to-build-shelter-in-forest-or-jungle/)
- [How to Survive Sub-Zero Temperatures](https://outdoors.com/how-bear-grylls-survives-sub-zero-temperatures/)
- What to do If Youâre Bitten by a Snake
- [How to Navigate Without a Compass](https://outdoors.com/find-your-way-without-compass/)
- [How to Deal with Injuries in Survival Situations](https://outdoors.com/how-bear-grylls-deals-with-injuries/)
- [How to Find Water in the Mountains](https://outdoors.com/ways-bear-grylls-finds-water-in-the-mountains/)
- [Making Shelter in the Snow](https://outdoors.com/bear-gryllss-make-shelter-in-snow/)
- [Priorities of Survival](https://outdoors.com/bear-gryllss-priorities-of-survival/)
- [How Bear Grylls Lights a Fire](https://outdoors.com/how-bear-grylls-lights-fire/)
- [How to Build a Jungle Raft](https://outdoors.com/how-bear-grylls-makes-jungle-raft/)
- [Bear Grylls: Food in the Mountains Pt. 1](https://outdoors.com/bear-grylls-how-to-find-plants-to-eat/)
- [Bear Grylls: Food in the Mountains Pt. 2](https://outdoors.com/how-to-find-food-in-mountains-animals/) |
| Shard | 106 (laksa) |
| Root Hash | 15102839139689310906 |
| Unparsed URL | com,outdoors!/how-to-survive-getting-lost/ s443 |