Hiking is an activity that is beneficial for both body and mind. The fresh air, the new and beautiful views, the physical activity, it’s all refreshing. But with all the fantastic things it offers, it can also be quite demanding and dangerous.
Those indulging in this activity will occasionally have some less successful journeys. For example, this TikToker shared how her dad went to explore some wild mountains in Montenegro on a day trip but was forced to spend the night there when he got lost. Scroll down below to find out the full story!
More info: TikTok
Hiking is a fantastic activity, but doing it unprepared might cost you a night in the wilderness alone
Image credits: Gerard Kastelein
A man was supposed to call his daughter, but he messaged her instead, informing her that he couldn't talk right now because he got lost hiking in the mountains
Surya Kastelein is a a long time TikToker. Dubbing herself with the nickname “Princess,” she posts various content related to her everyday life and the exciting things that happen during it.
She has over 3000 followers and around 190,000 likes, most of which come from her recent video, which gathered roughly 1 million views. In this video, the woman shares screenshots of her rather unusual yet wholesome text conversation with her dad, Gerard Kastelein, which surprised the internet.
The TikTok reveals that the man was spending time in Montenegro when he decided to hike in the local mountains. He was supposed to call his daughter at some point during the day, but he had to resort to messaging, postponing the call until the next, informing his daughter that he got lost.
Image credits: suryakastelein
Image credits: suryakastelein
Image credits: suryakastelein
He reassured his daughter that he was fine and decided he'd sleep there and get back on his own with daylight, which is precisely how it turned out
The woman freaked out and started asking if he was alright, to which he replied that he was fine, but he was going to have to spend the night in the mountains as it was getting dark and he needed daylight to find his way out.
The dad said he didn’t have a sleeping bag but assured his daughter that everything was fine. He even sent a wholesome picture where he was smiling and lying on the ground between the leaves.
The image and how casually the man was reacting to his situation left the commenters laughing. The TikToker herself later also added that, once the sun came up, her dad made it out alright, even getting a lift back to civilization from a friendly stranger.
Image credits: Ali Kazal (not the actual photo)
Getting lost while hiking can happen to anyone. However, the chances of that happening are way less if you embark on this adventure prepared. To find out how to do it, we looked into some tips given by professionals.
52 Hike Challenge did a survey which showed that 55% of the correspondents had experienced being lost, which was pretty scary. The other 45% answered that they haven’t, and they’re not sure what they’d do if they had to deal with this situation.
According to the article, the most common cause for search and rescue missions is actually for hikers who lose their track, with Yosemite National Park reporting that this makes up 62%. Like in everything, there are usually multiple reasons for this, but the most common ones are lack of experience, navigation gear, and preparedness.
There are a few things that the 52 Hike Challenge recommends to make sure this doesn’t happen to you, and it all begins with preparing before the trip. For example, every hiker should carry some sort of navigation, sun protection, insulation, illumination, first aid kit, fire instruments, repair kit, food, water, an emergency shelter, and a portable charger.
Other things include letting someone know about your journey and where it will take place, having an emergency plan, learning how to use a map and a compass, and planning your hike before embarking on it.
Image credits: Tobias Aeppli (not the actual photo)
When you’re out there, the article provides further tips on how to avoid getting lost. If you’re new to this, it’s wise to start with local or regional parks and choose a well-defined trail. It’s also a good idea to opt for “out & back” trails and moderately active ones because encountering more people means more available help and reassurance that you’re where you want to be.
It’s also a good idea to have a GPS tracking device or an app, a GPS fitness watch combination, and a physical map since the trail might not be as well-mapped out digitally. And yet, even with all that technology, it pays to be aware of your surroundings, too, so stopping to look around every mile is smart.
However, if you do end up being lost, there are 4 steps that you should take: First, stop and calmly assess the situation. Second, think about when and how this happened, and try to track it back in your mind. Third, observe your surroundings and your guidance equipment to figure out where you are now. And fourth, come up with a few different plans based on your assessment of what you will do next.
In the end, it’s important to note that there is no shame in calling for help. Some stories turn out just fine without a search and rescue mission, just like the one that this TikToker shared about her dad. But even the most experienced hikers can get lost, and in some cases, it’s evident that it’s a lot smarter to get someone to help you than to keep pushing through and likely digging a deeper hole for yourself.
What did you think of this story? Do you have any hiking tales that you’d like to share? The comment section is open and waiting for you!
The commenters were amused by the dad's calmness in a situation like this, and they couldn't stop laughing at the wholesome picture he sent
