The Outdoor Dawg: Preparing for the park | The Daily

There are many differences between city parks and their more wild cousins, the greater outdoors. One difference is how preparation changes. What you take in your mind and what you take in your pack can save your life out there.

Knowledge is power

One of the first rules is never to travel alone. When you do travel alone it?s even more essential to do the next step.

No matter if you go in a group or by yourself, always tell someone where you are going, how long you?ll be gone, when you expect to be back, and let them know you will call them when you return. Remember to call them back; some poor ranger doesn?t need to have a bad day because you didn?t call your emergency contact to let them know you?re alive.

Understanding the outdoors and the creatures in it can also be lifesaving. The big carnivores in the Pacific Northwest are grizzlies, black bears, and cougars.

Most animal attacks happen to people who aren?t aware of their surroundings ? they?ll walk into a clearing between a female and her cubs or the person doesn?t realize they?ve gotten so close to the animal and it may feel threatened.

Telling the difference between the two bears is rather easy. Grizzlies can weigh more than 1,000 pounds, they are brown, and are very opportunistic eaters. Black bears are black (though some can be brownish or white) and are quite small in comparison, at only 200-300 pounds. Bear spray can help and has been tested even on polar bears, so it will help deter other bears as well.

Cougars may weigh only about 90-120 pounds, but they are capable of taking down moose that weigh upwards of 600 pounds. Cougars are nothing to be trifled with. Do not run; don?t turn around, just stay calm.

People have survived attacks from all these creatures by knowing how to handle themselves. Awareness can keep these problems from occurring.

Packs are essential

Water is the source of all life, and one tiny water bottle from the convenience store is unlikely to help you in the greater outdoors. Take a big bottle, or two, and keep some chlorine tabs handy to help sanitize naturally acquired water when a fire is unavailable. Remember that a person can live weeks without food, but only days without water.?

Lighters are a hiker?s best friend. You won?t have to learn how to rub twigs or catch the sun. Keep a few in your car, in your pockets, have one in your sock as you trek the outdoors, and you?ll always have fire.

Also, take a spare set of non-cotton clothing ? cottons and other natural fabrics are more likely to absorb sweat and then you?ll be colder because you?re wet. Synthetic clothing doesn?t absorb sweat as much and will keep hikers warmer, longer-wicking clothing is best. Wet clothes can lead to hypothermia, which is the number one killer of outdoors people.

Shelter is also important, so packing a small bivi tent (a one person tent the size of a sleeping bag) can be beneficial and easier than creating a lean-to ? especially if you know you?re going a ways out there for a full day?s hike. Plus it?s more likely to come with instructions, whereas branches lack that for created shelters.

And then comes the food, because if you?re like many other outdoor hikers, a few hours on the trail just isn?t enough and meal time will come. Make sure you take some food with you, but also be aware that if you stay overnight, you will want to tie it up in a tree where animals cannot reach it. Also be sure it?s a safe distance from your camp.

As always, enjoy the outdoors: It?s your playground around here. Until next time, Outdoor Dawgs, when we?ll meet some Huskies that go get their paws into nature.

Reach reporter Deanna Isaacs?at sports@dailyuw.com.?Twitter: @Deanna_Isaacs

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