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I am lost, I found a trail, which way do I go?
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If I am lost in the woods, and I find a trail or a road, how do I decide which way to go?
Autumn Veatch was 16 years old in 2015, when her grandparents small plane crashed in the North Cascade Mountains. It was two days of hiking before she found a trail.
Just ahead, spanning the small river is a mystical-looking bridge made of logs. To either side of it, heading in opposite directions, is a well defined, trampled down trail. Getting Out Alive: The Autumn Veatch Story
Finding a trail or a road, is only the next step in a journey to survive, how do you decide which way to go?
survival lost
asked 11 hours ago
James Jenkins
16.8k659153
 |Â
show 1 more comment
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
If I am lost in the woods, and I find a trail or a road, how do I decide which way to go?
Autumn Veatch was 16 years old in 2015, when her grandparents small plane crashed in the North Cascade Mountains. It was two days of hiking before she found a trail.
Just ahead, spanning the small river is a mystical-looking bridge made of logs. To either side of it, heading in opposite directions, is a well defined, trampled down trail. Getting Out Alive: The Autumn Veatch Story
Finding a trail or a road, is only the next step in a journey to survive, how do you decide which way to go?
survival lost
asked 11 hours ago
James Jenkins
16.8k659153
Does it matter? If the trail is being used then just following it in either direction should work.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
@TomasBy It matters. What if the trail or road is not used? In many wilderness areas where there is logging, Logging roads can go miles into the wilderness and just stop. There are many variables. It matters!
– James Jenkins
6 hours ago
It says "well defined, trampled down trail", not logging road.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
@TomasBy "I am lost in the woods, and I find a trail or a road" the quote is an example, not the entire scenario
– James Jenkins
6 hours ago
Ok, but the question is not meaningful without more details. And you can explore both directions. As long as you stay on the road you will find civilisation (unless it's an uninhabited island or something).
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
 |Â
show 1 more comment
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
If I am lost in the woods, and I find a trail or a road, how do I decide which way to go?
Autumn Veatch was 16 years old in 2015, when her grandparents small plane crashed in the North Cascade Mountains. It was two days of hiking before she found a trail.
Just ahead, spanning the small river is a mystical-looking bridge made of logs. To either side of it, heading in opposite directions, is a well defined, trampled down trail. Getting Out Alive: The Autumn Veatch Story
Finding a trail or a road, is only the next step in a journey to survive, how do you decide which way to go?
survival lost
asked 11 hours ago
James Jenkins
16.8k659153
If I am lost in the woods, and I find a trail or a road, how do I decide which way to go?
Autumn Veatch was 16 years old in 2015, when her grandparents small plane crashed in the North Cascade Mountains. It was two days of hiking before she found a trail.
Just ahead, spanning the small river is a mystical-looking bridge made of logs. To either side of it, heading in opposite directions, is a well defined, trampled down trail. Getting Out Alive: The Autumn Veatch Story
Finding a trail or a road, is only the next step in a journey to survive, how do you decide which way to go?
survival lost
survival lost
asked 11 hours ago
James Jenkins
16.8k659153
asked 11 hours ago
James Jenkins
16.8k659153
asked 11 hours ago
James Jenkins
16.8k659153
asked 11 hours ago
James Jenkins
16.8k659153
asked 11 hours ago
James Jenkins
16.8k659153
16.8k659153
Does it matter? If the trail is being used then just following it in either direction should work.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
@TomasBy It matters. What if the trail or road is not used? In many wilderness areas where there is logging, Logging roads can go miles into the wilderness and just stop. There are many variables. It matters!
– James Jenkins
6 hours ago
It says "well defined, trampled down trail", not logging road.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
@TomasBy "I am lost in the woods, and I find a trail or a road" the quote is an example, not the entire scenario
– James Jenkins
6 hours ago
Ok, but the question is not meaningful without more details. And you can explore both directions. As long as you stay on the road you will find civilisation (unless it's an uninhabited island or something).
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
 |Â
show 1 more comment
Does it matter? If the trail is being used then just following it in either direction should work.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
@TomasBy It matters. What if the trail or road is not used? In many wilderness areas where there is logging, Logging roads can go miles into the wilderness and just stop. There are many variables. It matters!
– James Jenkins
6 hours ago
It says "well defined, trampled down trail", not logging road.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
@TomasBy "I am lost in the woods, and I find a trail or a road" the quote is an example, not the entire scenario
– James Jenkins
6 hours ago
Ok, but the question is not meaningful without more details. And you can explore both directions. As long as you stay on the road you will find civilisation (unless it's an uninhabited island or something).
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
Does it matter? If the trail is being used then just following it in either direction should work.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
Does it matter? If the trail is being used then just following it in either direction should work.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
@TomasBy It matters. What if the trail or road is not used? In many wilderness areas where there is logging, Logging roads can go miles into the wilderness and just stop. There are many variables. It matters!
– James Jenkins
6 hours ago
@TomasBy It matters. What if the trail or road is not used? In many wilderness areas where there is logging, Logging roads can go miles into the wilderness and just stop. There are many variables. It matters!
– James Jenkins
6 hours ago
It says "well defined, trampled down trail", not logging road.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
It says "well defined, trampled down trail", not logging road.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
@TomasBy "I am lost in the woods, and I find a trail or a road" the quote is an example, not the entire scenario
– James Jenkins
6 hours ago
@TomasBy "I am lost in the woods, and I find a trail or a road" the quote is an example, not the entire scenario
– James Jenkins
6 hours ago
Ok, but the question is not meaningful without more details. And you can explore both directions. As long as you stay on the road you will find civilisation (unless it's an uninhabited island or something).
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
Ok, but the question is not meaningful without more details. And you can explore both directions. As long as you stay on the road you will find civilisation (unless it's an uninhabited island or something).
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
 |Â
show 1 more comment
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
Settlements tend to be downstream so most likely you should go in that direction as much as possible. Some situational awareness will probably come into play as well, it’s unlikely you will have absolutely no idea of the surrounding settlements. If you know you’re near an ocean where this stream might end up, or near a river that this stream might join, that would make it even easier.
answered 10 hours ago
Sebastiaan van den Broek
98358
Or the stream just ends in a lake. I agree the whole scenario seems a bit unlikely.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
Yeah but people tend to live by the water, it’s a safer bet than the opposite
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
6 hours ago
There is water everywhere, plenty of lakes where nobody lives. As a general rule, in the absence of any context, going downhill might make sense, as there are (I believe) few places where ppl tend to live more on higher altitudes than lower.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
Sure, but given a binary choice, a random area with water is more likely to be inhabited than a random area without water. And water tends to get ‘bigger’ downstream.
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
5 hours ago
What is a "random area without water"? The desert? If the road follows a stream in one direction and goes uphill in the other, then you cross a ridge and find another stream on the other side. The rain will fall more or less equally across a wide area, so you will have the same amount of water everywhere, generally speaking.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
 |Â
show 2 more comments
up vote
1
down vote
In many parts of life, you have to play the percentages. The likelihood is higher that going downstream will lead you to a trailhead or some other sign of civilization than it is for going upstream.
As for the comment that
....as long as you stay on the road, you will find civilization.
This may be true of a road, but it is often not true of a trail. Many trails have one end at a trailhead and the other end at a glacier or waterfall or a high lake or a sheer cliff. Examples: trail leading from Tenaya Lake to Pieywack Cascade in Yosemite (waterfall, high precipitous cliff) or the trail (actually a ghastly four wheel drive road that turns into a trail) leading from Camp Dick to the St. Vrain Glacier (Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado).
Also, if you choose incorrectly, you may spend an extremely uncomfortable, even fatal night out. Several years ago, a couple stumbled into our camp near the latter trail, lost, wearing shorts, no food, little water, only light jackets, hiking upstream when the trailhead was less than a mile downstream. If they had continued, they would have spent a night out in freezing rain on their way to the glacier.
So if you have a choice, go downstream unless you have a good reason to think the correct choice is upstream.
answered 5 hours ago
ab2
11.6k339102
But the trailhead is on a road, no?
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
Just to clarify: I meant maintained road. Following a trail is more risky, but probably preferable to cross country if you have no map or any general knowledge of the area.
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
@ Tomas By Yes, a trailhead is usually on a maintained road. If you can get to a trailhead, you are close to civilization. Take the bet that following the stream downstream will lead to a trail and then to a trailhead or a town, unless you have good reason to chose to go upstream.
– ab2
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Trails show less use the farther from the trailhead one goes because fewer people walk the trail all of the way to the end and most turn around far more quickly.
The odds are that going downhill will lead one back to civilization, but in the odd exceptions where this is not true such as when one needs to go uphill to reach the trailhead, trail usage will be the much clearer sign as to which way to go.
answered 3 hours ago
Charlie Brumbaugh
42.4k14115242
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
Settlements tend to be downstream so most likely you should go in that direction as much as possible. Some situational awareness will probably come into play as well, it’s unlikely you will have absolutely no idea of the surrounding settlements. If you know you’re near an ocean where this stream might end up, or near a river that this stream might join, that would make it even easier.
answered 10 hours ago
Sebastiaan van den Broek
98358
Or the stream just ends in a lake. I agree the whole scenario seems a bit unlikely.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
Yeah but people tend to live by the water, it’s a safer bet than the opposite
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
6 hours ago
There is water everywhere, plenty of lakes where nobody lives. As a general rule, in the absence of any context, going downhill might make sense, as there are (I believe) few places where ppl tend to live more on higher altitudes than lower.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
Sure, but given a binary choice, a random area with water is more likely to be inhabited than a random area without water. And water tends to get ‘bigger’ downstream.
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
5 hours ago
What is a "random area without water"? The desert? If the road follows a stream in one direction and goes uphill in the other, then you cross a ridge and find another stream on the other side. The rain will fall more or less equally across a wide area, so you will have the same amount of water everywhere, generally speaking.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
 |Â
show 2 more comments
up vote
3
down vote
Settlements tend to be downstream so most likely you should go in that direction as much as possible. Some situational awareness will probably come into play as well, it’s unlikely you will have absolutely no idea of the surrounding settlements. If you know you’re near an ocean where this stream might end up, or near a river that this stream might join, that would make it even easier.
answered 10 hours ago
Sebastiaan van den Broek
98358
Or the stream just ends in a lake. I agree the whole scenario seems a bit unlikely.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
Yeah but people tend to live by the water, it’s a safer bet than the opposite
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
6 hours ago
There is water everywhere, plenty of lakes where nobody lives. As a general rule, in the absence of any context, going downhill might make sense, as there are (I believe) few places where ppl tend to live more on higher altitudes than lower.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
Sure, but given a binary choice, a random area with water is more likely to be inhabited than a random area without water. And water tends to get ‘bigger’ downstream.
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
5 hours ago
What is a "random area without water"? The desert? If the road follows a stream in one direction and goes uphill in the other, then you cross a ridge and find another stream on the other side. The rain will fall more or less equally across a wide area, so you will have the same amount of water everywhere, generally speaking.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
 |Â
show 2 more comments
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
Settlements tend to be downstream so most likely you should go in that direction as much as possible. Some situational awareness will probably come into play as well, it’s unlikely you will have absolutely no idea of the surrounding settlements. If you know you’re near an ocean where this stream might end up, or near a river that this stream might join, that would make it even easier.
answered 10 hours ago
Sebastiaan van den Broek
98358
Settlements tend to be downstream so most likely you should go in that direction as much as possible. Some situational awareness will probably come into play as well, it’s unlikely you will have absolutely no idea of the surrounding settlements. If you know you’re near an ocean where this stream might end up, or near a river that this stream might join, that would make it even easier.
answered 10 hours ago
Sebastiaan van den Broek
98358
answered 10 hours ago
Sebastiaan van den Broek
98358
answered 10 hours ago
Sebastiaan van den Broek
98358
answered 10 hours ago
Sebastiaan van den Broek
98358
98358
Or the stream just ends in a lake. I agree the whole scenario seems a bit unlikely.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
Yeah but people tend to live by the water, it’s a safer bet than the opposite
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
6 hours ago
There is water everywhere, plenty of lakes where nobody lives. As a general rule, in the absence of any context, going downhill might make sense, as there are (I believe) few places where ppl tend to live more on higher altitudes than lower.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
Sure, but given a binary choice, a random area with water is more likely to be inhabited than a random area without water. And water tends to get ‘bigger’ downstream.
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
5 hours ago
What is a "random area without water"? The desert? If the road follows a stream in one direction and goes uphill in the other, then you cross a ridge and find another stream on the other side. The rain will fall more or less equally across a wide area, so you will have the same amount of water everywhere, generally speaking.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
 |Â
show 2 more comments
Or the stream just ends in a lake. I agree the whole scenario seems a bit unlikely.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
Yeah but people tend to live by the water, it’s a safer bet than the opposite
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
6 hours ago
There is water everywhere, plenty of lakes where nobody lives. As a general rule, in the absence of any context, going downhill might make sense, as there are (I believe) few places where ppl tend to live more on higher altitudes than lower.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
Sure, but given a binary choice, a random area with water is more likely to be inhabited than a random area without water. And water tends to get ‘bigger’ downstream.
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
5 hours ago
What is a "random area without water"? The desert? If the road follows a stream in one direction and goes uphill in the other, then you cross a ridge and find another stream on the other side. The rain will fall more or less equally across a wide area, so you will have the same amount of water everywhere, generally speaking.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
Or the stream just ends in a lake. I agree the whole scenario seems a bit unlikely.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
Or the stream just ends in a lake. I agree the whole scenario seems a bit unlikely.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
Yeah but people tend to live by the water, it’s a safer bet than the opposite
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
6 hours ago
Yeah but people tend to live by the water, it’s a safer bet than the opposite
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
6 hours ago
There is water everywhere, plenty of lakes where nobody lives. As a general rule, in the absence of any context, going downhill might make sense, as there are (I believe) few places where ppl tend to live more on higher altitudes than lower.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
There is water everywhere, plenty of lakes where nobody lives. As a general rule, in the absence of any context, going downhill might make sense, as there are (I believe) few places where ppl tend to live more on higher altitudes than lower.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
Sure, but given a binary choice, a random area with water is more likely to be inhabited than a random area without water. And water tends to get ‘bigger’ downstream.
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
5 hours ago
Sure, but given a binary choice, a random area with water is more likely to be inhabited than a random area without water. And water tends to get ‘bigger’ downstream.
– Sebastiaan van den Broek
5 hours ago
What is a "random area without water"? The desert? If the road follows a stream in one direction and goes uphill in the other, then you cross a ridge and find another stream on the other side. The rain will fall more or less equally across a wide area, so you will have the same amount of water everywhere, generally speaking.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
What is a "random area without water"? The desert? If the road follows a stream in one direction and goes uphill in the other, then you cross a ridge and find another stream on the other side. The rain will fall more or less equally across a wide area, so you will have the same amount of water everywhere, generally speaking.
– Tomas By
5 hours ago
 |Â
show 2 more comments
up vote
1
down vote
In many parts of life, you have to play the percentages. The likelihood is higher that going downstream will lead you to a trailhead or some other sign of civilization than it is for going upstream.
As for the comment that
....as long as you stay on the road, you will find civilization.
This may be true of a road, but it is often not true of a trail. Many trails have one end at a trailhead and the other end at a glacier or waterfall or a high lake or a sheer cliff. Examples: trail leading from Tenaya Lake to Pieywack Cascade in Yosemite (waterfall, high precipitous cliff) or the trail (actually a ghastly four wheel drive road that turns into a trail) leading from Camp Dick to the St. Vrain Glacier (Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado).
Also, if you choose incorrectly, you may spend an extremely uncomfortable, even fatal night out. Several years ago, a couple stumbled into our camp near the latter trail, lost, wearing shorts, no food, little water, only light jackets, hiking upstream when the trailhead was less than a mile downstream. If they had continued, they would have spent a night out in freezing rain on their way to the glacier.
So if you have a choice, go downstream unless you have a good reason to think the correct choice is upstream.
answered 5 hours ago
ab2
11.6k339102
But the trailhead is on a road, no?
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
Just to clarify: I meant maintained road. Following a trail is more risky, but probably preferable to cross country if you have no map or any general knowledge of the area.
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
@ Tomas By Yes, a trailhead is usually on a maintained road. If you can get to a trailhead, you are close to civilization. Take the bet that following the stream downstream will lead to a trail and then to a trailhead or a town, unless you have good reason to chose to go upstream.
– ab2
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
In many parts of life, you have to play the percentages. The likelihood is higher that going downstream will lead you to a trailhead or some other sign of civilization than it is for going upstream.
As for the comment that
....as long as you stay on the road, you will find civilization.
This may be true of a road, but it is often not true of a trail. Many trails have one end at a trailhead and the other end at a glacier or waterfall or a high lake or a sheer cliff. Examples: trail leading from Tenaya Lake to Pieywack Cascade in Yosemite (waterfall, high precipitous cliff) or the trail (actually a ghastly four wheel drive road that turns into a trail) leading from Camp Dick to the St. Vrain Glacier (Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado).
Also, if you choose incorrectly, you may spend an extremely uncomfortable, even fatal night out. Several years ago, a couple stumbled into our camp near the latter trail, lost, wearing shorts, no food, little water, only light jackets, hiking upstream when the trailhead was less than a mile downstream. If they had continued, they would have spent a night out in freezing rain on their way to the glacier.
So if you have a choice, go downstream unless you have a good reason to think the correct choice is upstream.
answered 5 hours ago
ab2
11.6k339102
But the trailhead is on a road, no?
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
Just to clarify: I meant maintained road. Following a trail is more risky, but probably preferable to cross country if you have no map or any general knowledge of the area.
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
@ Tomas By Yes, a trailhead is usually on a maintained road. If you can get to a trailhead, you are close to civilization. Take the bet that following the stream downstream will lead to a trail and then to a trailhead or a town, unless you have good reason to chose to go upstream.
– ab2
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
In many parts of life, you have to play the percentages. The likelihood is higher that going downstream will lead you to a trailhead or some other sign of civilization than it is for going upstream.
As for the comment that
....as long as you stay on the road, you will find civilization.
This may be true of a road, but it is often not true of a trail. Many trails have one end at a trailhead and the other end at a glacier or waterfall or a high lake or a sheer cliff. Examples: trail leading from Tenaya Lake to Pieywack Cascade in Yosemite (waterfall, high precipitous cliff) or the trail (actually a ghastly four wheel drive road that turns into a trail) leading from Camp Dick to the St. Vrain Glacier (Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado).
Also, if you choose incorrectly, you may spend an extremely uncomfortable, even fatal night out. Several years ago, a couple stumbled into our camp near the latter trail, lost, wearing shorts, no food, little water, only light jackets, hiking upstream when the trailhead was less than a mile downstream. If they had continued, they would have spent a night out in freezing rain on their way to the glacier.
So if you have a choice, go downstream unless you have a good reason to think the correct choice is upstream.
answered 5 hours ago
ab2
11.6k339102
In many parts of life, you have to play the percentages. The likelihood is higher that going downstream will lead you to a trailhead or some other sign of civilization than it is for going upstream.
As for the comment that
....as long as you stay on the road, you will find civilization.
This may be true of a road, but it is often not true of a trail. Many trails have one end at a trailhead and the other end at a glacier or waterfall or a high lake or a sheer cliff. Examples: trail leading from Tenaya Lake to Pieywack Cascade in Yosemite (waterfall, high precipitous cliff) or the trail (actually a ghastly four wheel drive road that turns into a trail) leading from Camp Dick to the St. Vrain Glacier (Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado).
Also, if you choose incorrectly, you may spend an extremely uncomfortable, even fatal night out. Several years ago, a couple stumbled into our camp near the latter trail, lost, wearing shorts, no food, little water, only light jackets, hiking upstream when the trailhead was less than a mile downstream. If they had continued, they would have spent a night out in freezing rain on their way to the glacier.
So if you have a choice, go downstream unless you have a good reason to think the correct choice is upstream.
answered 5 hours ago
ab2
11.6k339102
answered 5 hours ago
ab2
11.6k339102
answered 5 hours ago
ab2
11.6k339102
answered 5 hours ago
ab2
11.6k339102
11.6k339102
But the trailhead is on a road, no?
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
Just to clarify: I meant maintained road. Following a trail is more risky, but probably preferable to cross country if you have no map or any general knowledge of the area.
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
@ Tomas By Yes, a trailhead is usually on a maintained road. If you can get to a trailhead, you are close to civilization. Take the bet that following the stream downstream will lead to a trail and then to a trailhead or a town, unless you have good reason to chose to go upstream.
– ab2
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
But the trailhead is on a road, no?
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
Just to clarify: I meant maintained road. Following a trail is more risky, but probably preferable to cross country if you have no map or any general knowledge of the area.
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
@ Tomas By Yes, a trailhead is usually on a maintained road. If you can get to a trailhead, you are close to civilization. Take the bet that following the stream downstream will lead to a trail and then to a trailhead or a town, unless you have good reason to chose to go upstream.
– ab2
2 hours ago
But the trailhead is on a road, no?
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
But the trailhead is on a road, no?
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
Just to clarify: I meant maintained road. Following a trail is more risky, but probably preferable to cross country if you have no map or any general knowledge of the area.
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
Just to clarify: I meant maintained road. Following a trail is more risky, but probably preferable to cross country if you have no map or any general knowledge of the area.
– Tomas By
4 hours ago
@ Tomas By Yes, a trailhead is usually on a maintained road. If you can get to a trailhead, you are close to civilization. Take the bet that following the stream downstream will lead to a trail and then to a trailhead or a town, unless you have good reason to chose to go upstream.
– ab2
2 hours ago
@ Tomas By Yes, a trailhead is usually on a maintained road. If you can get to a trailhead, you are close to civilization. Take the bet that following the stream downstream will lead to a trail and then to a trailhead or a town, unless you have good reason to chose to go upstream.
– ab2
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Trails show less use the farther from the trailhead one goes because fewer people walk the trail all of the way to the end and most turn around far more quickly.
The odds are that going downhill will lead one back to civilization, but in the odd exceptions where this is not true such as when one needs to go uphill to reach the trailhead, trail usage will be the much clearer sign as to which way to go.
answered 3 hours ago
Charlie Brumbaugh
42.4k14115242
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Trails show less use the farther from the trailhead one goes because fewer people walk the trail all of the way to the end and most turn around far more quickly.
The odds are that going downhill will lead one back to civilization, but in the odd exceptions where this is not true such as when one needs to go uphill to reach the trailhead, trail usage will be the much clearer sign as to which way to go.
answered 3 hours ago
Charlie Brumbaugh
42.4k14115242
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
Trails show less use the farther from the trailhead one goes because fewer people walk the trail all of the way to the end and most turn around far more quickly.
The odds are that going downhill will lead one back to civilization, but in the odd exceptions where this is not true such as when one needs to go uphill to reach the trailhead, trail usage will be the much clearer sign as to which way to go.
answered 3 hours ago
Charlie Brumbaugh
42.4k14115242
Trails show less use the farther from the trailhead one goes because fewer people walk the trail all of the way to the end and most turn around far more quickly.
The odds are that going downhill will lead one back to civilization, but in the odd exceptions where this is not true such as when one needs to go uphill to reach the trailhead, trail usage will be the much clearer sign as to which way to go.
answered 3 hours ago
Charlie Brumbaugh
42.4k14115242
answered 3 hours ago
Charlie Brumbaugh
42.4k14115242
answered 3 hours ago
Charlie Brumbaugh
42.4k14115242
answered 3 hours ago
Charlie Brumbaugh
42.4k14115242
42.4k14115242
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Does it matter? If the trail is being used then just following it in either direction should work.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
@TomasBy It matters. What if the trail or road is not used? In many wilderness areas where there is logging, Logging roads can go miles into the wilderness and just stop. There are many variables. It matters!
– James Jenkins
6 hours ago
It says "well defined, trampled down trail", not logging road.
– Tomas By
6 hours ago
@TomasBy "I am lost in the woods, and I find a trail or a road" the quote is an example, not the entire scenario
– James Jenkins
6 hours ago
Ok, but the question is not meaningful without more details. And you can explore both directions. As long as you stay on the road you will find civilisation (unless it's an uninhabited island or something).
– Tomas By
6 hours ago