Outdoor Skills

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  First Aid

  5 min

  Stop severe bleeding

  You have minutes. Direct pressure first, tourniquet if it doesn't stop.

  1. 1Press hard directly on the wound with any cloth — shirt, bandana, hand. Do not lift to look.
  2. 2Elevate the injury above the heart if possible.
  3. 3Hold pressure for at least 10 uninterrupted minutes.
  4. 4If blood soaks through, add material on top — do not remove the first layer.
  5. 5If bleeding won't stop on a limb, apply a tourniquet 2-3 in above the wound, tight enough that the bleeding stops. Note the time.

  Warning: A properly applied tourniquet hurts. Once on, it stays on until a medical professional removes it.

  American College of Surgeons — Tourniquet

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  First Aid

  5 min

  Stop a blister before it forms

  The moment you feel a hotspot, stop. Two more miles turns hotspot into open wound.

  1. 1At the first burn or rub, take the boot off. Don't wait for camp.
  2. 2Dry the foot and sock completely.
  3. 3Cover the hotspot with athletic tape, moleskin, or duct tape — the patch must extend well past the friction zone.
  4. 4Smooth every wrinkle in the sock before re-lacing.
  5. 5Recheck within the hour; adjust before it goes through.

  Tip: If the blister has already formed, don't pop it in the field. Ring it with padding and leave it intact.

  Mowser — Why You Get Blisters

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  First Aid

  5 min

  Improvise a tourniquet for life-threatening bleeding

  A tourniquet is the fastest way to stop massive limb bleeding when direct pressure fails or is impossible.

  1. 1Use a wide (2+ inches), non-elastic strap — belt, folded cloth, or webbing. Never use paracord or wire alone — they cut tissue.
  2. 2Place the tourniquet 2–3 inches above the wound, closer to the torso, but never over a joint.
  3. 3Tighten until bright red bleeding fully stops — this will hurt; that is expected and necessary.
  4. 4Secure the windlass (stick, knife, pen) so it cannot unwind.
  5. 5Write the time of application on the patient's forehead or the tourniquet itself. Do not remove until qualified medical care is available.

  Warning: A tourniquet is for life-threatening bleeding only. Use direct pressure and wound packing first for anything less than arterial spray or amputation.

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  First Aid

  15 min

  Clean a wound in the field

  Infection risk is high in the outdoors. Cleaning a wound within the first hour dramatically improves outcomes.

  1. 1Wash your own hands with soap and clean water before touching the wound.
  2. 2Irrigate the wound aggressively with clean drinking water — 1 liter minimum for anything larger than a scratch, delivered under pressure (from a squeezed bag, syringe, or bottle with a small hole in the cap).
  3. 3Remove visible debris with clean tweezers if possible; scrub deeply embedded dirt with clean cloth or gauze.
  4. 4Cover with a clean, dry dressing — sterile if available, or the cleanest cloth you have.
  5. 5Change dressings daily and check for infection signs: expanding redness, warmth, pus, red streaks, or fever.

  Warning: Never close a heavily contaminated wound in the field. Cover it and let it drain — a closed dirty wound abscesses far worse than an open clean one.

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  First Aid

  20 min

  Manage a sprained ankle in the backcountry

  A sprained ankle can strand you if handled wrong. Support early and you can often walk out on it.

  1. 1Sit, elevate, and cool the ankle for 15–20 minutes with cold water, snow, or a wet bandana — this reduces swelling that will otherwise lock the joint.
  2. 2Assess: if you can bear weight cautiously without a grinding sensation or extreme pain, it's likely a sprain rather than a fracture.
  3. 3Support with a figure-8 wrap: run cloth or an elastic bandage under the arch, across the top of the foot, around the back of the ankle, and back across in an X pattern.
  4. 4Re-lace the boot firmly enough to stabilize the ankle but not tight enough to cut circulation. Check toes for warm color regularly.
  5. 5Walk out slowly using a trekking pole or stout stick on the injured side. Rest and re-cool at every break.

  Warning: Numbness, severe deformity, inability to bear any weight, or grinding sounds mean a possible fracture. Splint in place and get help rather than walking on it.

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  First Aid

  20 min

  Splint a limb in the field

  A good splint immobilizes the joints above and below an injury, turning a painful fracture into a walkable problem.

  1. 1Check circulation, sensation, and movement before and after splinting.
  2. 2Find rigid material: tent poles, trekking poles, sticks, rolled magazines, or a sleeping pad folded around the limb.
  3. 3Pad between the splint and the skin with clothing, foam, or grass to prevent pressure sores.
  4. 4Secure the splint with bandanas, belts, or strips of cloth — snug but not so tight that fingers or toes turn pale.
  5. 5Immobilize the joint above and below the break, not just the bone itself.

  Warning: If the limb is deformed, cold, numb, or blue below the injury, treat it as a medical emergency and evacuate.

  Instructor Strange — How To Make A Leg Splint

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  First Aid

  5 min

  Remove a tick safely

  The faster a tick comes off whole, the lower the risk of disease transmission.

  1. 1Use fine-tipped tweezers or a dedicated tick remover.
  2. 2Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible, near the mouthparts.
  3. 3Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Do not twist, jerk, or squeeze the body.
  4. 4If the mouthparts break off, try to remove them with tweezers; if not, leave them and let the skin heal.
  5. 5Clean the bite with soap and water or an alcohol wipe.

  Warning: Never burn a tick, smother it in petroleum jelly, or twist it. These methods increase the chance of regurgitation and infection.

  Mayo Clinic — Tips to Best Remove Ticks

Educational reference only. Wilderness conditions change fast — practice in low-stakes settings, take a certified wilderness first-aid course, and confirm regional regulations (fire, fishing, foraging, snaring) before you rely on any of these skills in the field.