What to do when you're lost during extreme weather

Thomas M. Kostigen | Special for USA TODAY

It's that time of year when the outdoors comes calling. Spring beckons and going for a hike is a fine idea — until extreme weather strikes.

This month alone at least 19 hikers from New York to Hawaii have officially been lost on trails and mountainsides. Rescue workers in many instances had to be called in to get people to safety.

On the first full day of spring — March 21 — two young brothers got lost while hiking with their mother to the summit of Mount Marcy, New York's highest peak. They spent the night stranded in the cold until they were rescued by helicopter the next morning.

David Winchell, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Conservation, told the Associated Press the family couldn't find their way back down the mountain because the wind blew snow that covered the trail.

In other instances, heat can come into play, exhausting and disorienting hikers. Terrain, too, can shift in springtime and change common trail markers. Landslides can erase routes entirely and send people tumbling, especially after heavy rainfall.

Minding the weather is important to survival no matter if you're going for a casual day hike or climbing a tall mountain. Conditions can always change quickly. In Rapid City, S.D., the temperature rose and fell some 50 degrees within a few minutes, a fluctuation record set in 1943. Unless you're prepared, that kind of whiplash weather can have dangerous consequences.

On Mount Washington in New Hampshire, where the weather ping-pongs so much the mountain has been dubbed "home of the world's worst weather," an average of 25 people per year fall victim to accidents. Even with its famous moniker prominently displayed, many people do not prepare for the worst.

To play it safe wherever and whenever a hike is planned, check microclimate sites and apps. Whereas many weather forecasts are regional, microclimate conditions can be detailed to a specific location — as close as your front door or a named trailhead. Appcrawlr has a good review of the 10 best apps for microclimate information.

Even if you have a good grip on the weather, conditions can change. That's why water, food and apparel should all be given consideration. A water supply, in any type of climate, is a must. Extra food, even for a day hike, is also wise.

If you are out in sunny conditions, wear light, loose-fitting clothing and a hat, if possible. Avoid dark colors because they attract and retain more heat. Figure out the hottest time of day and where the sun shines most, so you can plan around it. In colder temperatures, dress in layers.

Identify shelter in advance. Parks and good trail maps should have these listed. Always check in at a park ranger station so they know who you are and where you're headed. If there's no station, inform others of your plans.

If you get caught and/or lost in the snow, stay put. If you have to move, try to retrace your steps rather than continuing forward into unknown areas. In whiteout conditions, toss a dark object in front of you so you know in which direction it's safe to walk — and then find shelter immediately.

Rest when it's warm and keep your body moving when it's cold. Your body's heat and health should be the the number one focus until help arrives.

It should go without saying, but carry a cell phone or a GPS device (I have one that displays trail maps and tracebacks on my watch). Communicating your position is how rescuers can find you.

By all means enjoy the springtime weather and the outdoors, but know that nature isn't always pleasant.

Thomas M. Kostigen is the founder of TheClimateSurvivalist.com and a New York Times best-selling author and journalist. He is the National Geographic author of "The Extreme Weather Survival Guide: Understand, Prepare, Survive, Recover" and the NG Kids book" Extreme Weather: Surviving Tornadoes, Tsunamis, Hailstorms, Thundersnow, Hurricanes and More!" Follow him @weathersurvival, or e-mail kostigen@theclimatesurvivalist.com

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