Lost overnight in the Mountains with no gear.

What to have on hand at all times?

A good friend of mine said, "If I were you I wouldn't have told that story", after this happened to me back in 05.  But here it is, in a nutshell.  I used to run trails near my home here in Port Angeles, one beautiful Aug. Afternoon I finished up early and headed up a back road for  a nice run.  I had the foresight to put on my running shorts and t-shirt.  Drove up to the end of a forest service road and took off up a trail I'd never run and hadn't bothered to look at on a map.  I came to this nice ridge and decided to climb up a ways figuring I would get a nice view and fair bit of heavy climbing, I ascended for nearly 40 minutes and decided it was time to head back down not wanting to risk being on the mountainside after dark.  I took off running down the mountain and withing 10 minutes realized things weren't looking to familiar.  The long and short of this story is I got thoroughly lost, no food, no water and nothing remotely warm.  As darkness approached I realized I better make what little preparation I could to get through a potentially chilly summer night in the Olympics.  I found a rock that afforded a bit of shelter, gathered moss and fern, (had found an upwelling and drank well), And barricaded myself in and covered up in the moss and fern.  This was the longest night of my life and when light began to show I crawled out and was I'm sure mildly hypodermic.  My activity eventually took the chill off and I'm here today to tell the story.  The moral of which is, had I been even somewhat prepared for the unexpected I would have been much more comfortable that night. 

Here are a few Items I try to always have on hand, no matter how short or safe the expedition.

1-Energy Food
2-Extra Fluids
3-Emergency Blanket
4-Fire starter & lighter
5-A dry change of clothes when possible.

An emergency kit is a great idea.  What would you add?

-First aid kit with pain killers
-tool kit

Sounds pretty scary! What were you wearing at the time?

I'd add some water and/or wind proof layers (rain jacket w/ hood etc) as essential.

Bryan. Hate to tell ya but you already had your pain killer with you. It was in the hypodermic. You must have been hypothermic

Add some means of communication.  E.g. a cell phone, PLB, radio, depending on where you are and what sort of signals are likely to work.

Also, tell someone where you're going and when you expect to be back.  That way when it's a couple hours past your due time they can call out the cavalry.

Some means of navigation would have helped you find your way back.  Map and compass or GPS. 

Thanks fishnut, that hypodermic was not a typo, it was a spell checko, that I missed.  But you got it right.

Last fall I fished a lake that was only open for the month of November.  They lock the gate every night.  Not knowing what  time they locked it, I made sure I had extra provisions.  I always have a sleeping bag and warm clothes in my car when it is cold out.   I grew up where it was real cold, so it is just a habit I carried over when I moved. I also keep an Adventure Medical first aid kit in my Yak or car.

Add a knife and a small flashlight to that list

I agree with the previous recommendations but i'd like to suggest knowledge and training.  All the emergency supplies in the world won't save you if you don't know how to use them or you can't stay calm enough to properly assess situations.  Bryan, do you have some training or what do you account to your ability to stay calm in that situation?  Some may have panicked, and continued to try to find a way out as hypothermia set in.

Like I always suggest in other forums or conversations about what to carry in such an event. 

My number one item is "Common Sense".   

Without it, you can let your guard down and then you get screwed.   In reality, you could carry a second person, all the provisions and sheltor gear you want, but without "Common Sense", you could still fail early in the game. 

"Common Sense" will usually go hand in hand with "Gut Feeling".  If it doesn't feel right, stop and don't proceed until you have taken the time to activate your Common Sense approach to the situation.  This little feature can quickly run you through many options to possible outcomes to your situation, guiding you to a better approach.  Things like, don't take this trail as you don't have the proper knowledge of where it goes.  Nobody knows where you are, so odds are good they won't find you easily, maybe make a phone call or leave a note at the car? 

Most accidents are avoidable, especially if you are the lone player in the situation.   All decisions go through you, and only you.  Make good choices, even if it means missing out on the adventure side of it. 

GPS, and know how to really use it.

I often fly over inhospitable terrain and carry a limited amount of helpful gear.  It is always a tradeoff between weight & risk.  I think unprepared in the wilderness your greatest risk is hypothermia.  Around here water is plentiful and you can go a week or more without food.  So, my preparations are geared toward staying warm, staying put, and signalling, as I am likely to be injured.  Water proof warmth is my number one priority, so I always carry a hunting parka and bibs.  In the many pockets of the clothing are gloves, flint and steel, a strobe, an LED flashlight or two.  I always have a knife on my person.  My phone has a compass and GPS apps.  Back in the baggage bin are tie down ropes which are generally useful, and 2L of water.  The plane has an ELT, but I really do need a PLB like a Kannad.  And of course, a couple of cigars, a cutter, and a charged lighter.

Thanks all, I'm trying to put together a basic essentials kit, as basic as possible.  VHF Radio noted, Staying warm & getting dry being crucial.  I think I would add some of those handy hand/body warmers.  But that about covers it.  Knowledge and training duly noted, common sense a must.  But the lack of it has never slowed me down too much, and I've gained a little in the process.

In January of 2000 or 2001, I got caught in a snowstorm on St Helens.  We couldn't see more than 3-5 feet on the exposed upper portion of the crater.  It was quite the climb getting back down.

I never hike anywhere without a GPS anymore.

I think I would add some of those handy hand/body warmers. ...

These things have a limited shelf life.  I've found them considerably weaker after a year, so you may want to replace them every fall.