Wildlife Encounters
You spot a black bear 50 yards away staring at you. Name two things you should NEVER do.
Do NOT run, play dead, or turn your back. (Make yourself big, make noise, and back away slowly).
Why is it dangerous to drink directly from a crystal-clear mountain stream without purifying it first?
Microscopic parasites (like Giardia or Cryptosporidium) cause severe water-borne illness.
What piece of vegetation can you use as a natural compass? Hint: connected to trees
Moss
Uncontrollable shivering, slurred speech, and loss of motor coordination are early signs of what cold-weather condition?
Hypothermia
On a standard topographic trail map, what do closely spaced contour lines represent?
Steep terrain or elevation changes.
If you encounter a cougar up close, should you crouch down to appear non-threatening or maintain eye contact and stand tall?
If you encounter a cougar up close, should you crouch down to appear non-threatening or maintain eye contact and stand tall?
What natural phenomenon causes dry wash creek beds in deserts or canyons to rapidly fill with fast-moving water, even if it isn't raining directly above you?
Flash flooding
True or False: If you get lost, the best strategy is to keep walking downhill until you find a river or road.
False! (Wandering takes you further from search parties. Stay put unless you face immediate danger).
What is the first treatment step for mild hypothermia after getting a person out of the cold element?
Remove wet clothing and cover them with dry, warm layers/blankets.
What signaling device produces a sound that travels much further than a human voice and works even if you are exhausted?
Whistle!
What is the safest, most effective tool to safely remove an attached tick from your skin?
Tweezers
You are trapped on an exposed mountain ridge during a sudden thunderstorm. Where should you immediately move?
Move down to lower elevation immediately, away from tall isolated trees, open water, and high peaks.
If you are bitten by a venomous snake, you should cut the wound and suck out the poison.
False! Introduces infection.
How can you tell a hiker has moved from heat exhaustion to dangerous heat stroke?
They become confused/dizzy and their body stops sweating or becomes extremely hot.
How many whistle blasts is the international distress signal?
3
Unlike bear encounters where you stand your ground, what specific posture should you take if an aggressive moose charges you?
Run and put a large object (like a tree, boulder, or vehicle) between you and the moose.
What common outdoor slogan warns hikers about the dangerous temperature-regulating properties of wet cotton clothing?
Cotton Kills!" (Cotton holds water and drains body heat 25 times faster than dry air).
True or False: If you get lost, drinking liquid from a wild cactus is a safe way to get fresh water.
False (Most cactus fluid is extremely acidic or toxic, causing vomiting and making dehydration much worse).
If someone suspects a classmate has frostbite on their fingers, why should they NOT rub the fingers to warm them up?
Rubbing frozen tissue causes severe cellular damage from ice crystals under the skin
What basic piece of gear should every hiker carry on their body, even on a short afternoon hike?
Headlamp (extra batteries)
At what distance is bear spray most effective? (in meters)
Effective at approximately 15 to 30 feet (4 to 9 meters)
At high elevations (above 8,000 ft / 2,400 m), reduced atmospheric pressure causes this physiological condition characterized by headaches, nausea, and fatigue.
Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) / Altitude Sickness
What vital pieces of safety information should you always leave behind with a family member or trusted adult when you go on a trip? (3 pieces)
Include where you are going, your trail route, and when you expect to return home.
Name the two most reliable methods for treating wilderness water to kill both bacteria AND viruses in the field.
Boiling water (for at least 1 full minute) or using chemical purifiers (like chlorine dioxide / iodine tablets).
If the dirt trail disappears over rocky ground and you get confused, what man-made structures should you look for to find your way back onto the path?
Rock cairns