Top tips for running in the wilderness

When I encountered a German family on the edge of the forest where a towering bluff offers a spectacular viewing platform for the lake far below, they were a welcome sight.

I was running in US state park in the mountains west of Spokane, along a trail that started near our campsite and followed the lake before zig-zagging into the hills. I could spy the end of the lake, the railway line that hugged the far shore, and an adjacent logging road that I calculated would circle me back to our campsite.

It was just the simple task of getting from this bluff to that logging road before my husband sent out a search party to find me.

Seeing this very capable couple with three children in tow coming from the opposite direction was reassuring and I asked them if they had come from the other side of the lake and if this trail led there.

The first hint of trouble was the weighty pause. Then the exchange of looks between the parents.

The husband whipped out his smartphone and GPS-friendly map to explain that there wasn’t a single trail to the other side of the lake, but if I clambered down the bluff, crossed a road behind the dam and then watched for a lane on the right side, with a “do not enter” sign, then I would find the logging road.

The wife looked at me and with a slightly strained voice that betrayed a degree of disagreement with her husband said: “We’ve been walking for two hours.”

I took a closer look at the children, the youngest who appeared about seven years old, and the lack of a even a single small day pack for snacks or water bottles.

“I’d turn around and go back the way you came,” she said firmly.

“You can find the way ahead, no problem,” he countered enthusiastically before they trudged past me.

My decision to continue on the trail was simple. I wanted to keep running and exploring. Discovering new landscapes, happening upon inspiring mountain views, the beauty of moss-draped trees, a rushing creek or a farm homestead dotted by hay bales and tractors is one of the rewards of running somewhere new while on holiday.

The trail did eventually disappear near a road, which I crossed then found another path, this one beside a river which I followed for a few hundred metres until common sense took hold.

This was a river trail, not the lake trail. I didn’t know if it would get me to where I needed to go. Also, I had to be mindful of the time. It was late afternoon and surely I didn’t want to jeopardize 'Happy Hour' back at the campsite. I could almost hear the tinkle of ice in the glass.

Retracing my steps, I arrived back safe and sound, bubbling with descriptions of the beauty of the trail.

Best of all, no US mountain rangers had to be dispatched to find me or wayward German tourists.

So, here’s some advice if you take to the wilds on your next holiday.

1.    Carry identification. Write your name and an emergency contact on a slip of paper. Don’t rely on a cell phone number as there often isn’t cell service in remote areas, so include a physical description of where you can find the person. During one hot holiday, I thought I was clever by writing my husband’s cell number with a felt marker on my arm until I realized late in my run that my sweat was obscuring the ink from my daughter’s ‘washable’ felt pen.

2.    Tell someone your route and expected return time. I often violate this rule as I can tell my husband where I intend to run "see that trail over there" but usually don’t know where it will lead. However, by giving your family member or friend even a vague direction makes them look less stupid when the park ranger and search party ask, "which direction did they go.” They can then return to their coffee and newspaper and let the pros do their job.

3.    Keep one ear free. If you run with music, use only one ear bud so you can be aware of noises around you. If you hear a rustle in the bushes and it’s below shin level, you’re fine (unless it’s a rattlesnake). If the rustle is knee-high or higher, back up slowly while reminding yourself of recent interval training and those very effective fartleks that you cursed at the time. Better yet, run with someone you can outrun if you encounter a predator.

4.    Carry water and some carbs, not matter what. Running in new territory can sometimes means you end up taking longer than you expected. Think of this as insurance against unexpected demands of different locations, altitudes and temperatures. Cliff Shot Bloks also make excellent squirrel bait and fire starters.

5. Bring a cell phone. You can’t rely on cell service in many areas outside urban centres and I’m pretty sure there is no Girl Guide badge for phone use in the wild, but you can install an app that turns your phone into a mirror and flashlight, at least that way you can signal your rescuers and have games to amuse yourself until they arrive.