The first survival rule to remember is that most accidents stem from a series of minor mishaps that gradually compound themselves into major misfortune.  For instance, you're hiking above treeline, getting colder and colder.  You're in a hurry to reach the summit, so you don't want to waste time stopping and fiddling with your sweater.  Before long, your thinking slows, your coordination starts to fade, someone stumbles, and you're suddenly faced with a broken ankle, a stranded hiker, and big trouble.  Stop the progression early and you head off the problem.

 

 The Number 1 backcountry threat is hypothermia, or loss of body core temperature.  Unfortunately, people often don't (or won't) recognize the warning signs:  uncontrollable shivering, stumbling, poor coordination, slurred or confused speech, fatigue, and weakness.  Rewarm victims by getting them out of the weather (into a sleeping bag, if possible), and make them put on dry, warm clothes.  Give them a warm drink.

 

 Whatever happens, stay calm:   Take a step back from the excitement and rationally assess your situation.  What are the immediate needs of the victim and rescuers?  How many people are involved?  What are the risks to the victim and rescuers?

 

 Always make sure the rescuers approach the victim cautiously so they don't get clobbered by the same menace that caused the accident in the first place:  an avalanche, thin ice, capsize, or a rockfall, for instance.

 

 Rescue the victim first, and then worry about his equipment later.  However, in certain situations, a boat or paddle or ice ax may literally be a lifesaver, so assign someone specifically to chase vital gear.

 

 Ironically, the biggest danger lurking in warm places (like Utah's desert slot canyons) isn't heat exhaustion, it's succumbing to hypothermia in the cold-hearted streams that wind through the sandstone canyons.  On Washington's Mount Rainier, the Lower 48's longest endurance climb, snuggling down inside a hastily dug snow cave has saved many a climber's life.

 

 REQUIRED GEAR

 

     Your Brain.  Without this vital organ engaged, your chances in a desperate situation diminish dramatically.

 

      A Plan.  Go over (and over and over) potential worst-case scenarios with your partners beforehand, so everyone has an idea of what to do in an emergency.

 

     Spare warm clothes.  Sometimes just an extra fleece sweater can turn a potential hypothermic catastrophe into a merely chilly might-have-been.

 

     Wind/Weather Protection.  Shell gear, bivy sack, and poncho are essential.