What to Do If You Are Lost

What to do

1STOP and stay put — if you don't know where you are or which way to go, stop moving; wandering makes you harder to find and can get you more lost.
2S — Stay calm. You can't think in a panic; breathe slowly and deeply, drink some water, eat a little.
3T — Think. How did you get here? Get out your map and figure out what you can.
4O — Observe. Look for your footprints, landmarks, and other clues to where you are.
5P — Plan. Only if you're pretty sure of the way back, move carefully — and mark your trail (stones, broken branches) so you can always return.
6Get noticed — call for help in threes (three shouts, three whistle blasts), make a smoky fire by day or a bright fire at night, and spread bright clothing in the open. Use a signal mirror toward aircraft.
7Make yourself comfortable and safe — shelter out of the wind, and use your gear to stay warm and dry while you wait.

Remember it as

STOP — Stay calm, Think, Observe, Plan.

Any time a hike or off-trail trip goes wrong and you lose your bearings.
The mindset drilled before the trip so panic doesn't take over in the moment.
The core of the Hug-a-Tree teaching for younger scouts and the wilderness-survival skills.

Staying put is usually the safest choice. Most lost people are found near where they went missing — wandering spreads the search area and burns the energy and warmth you need.
Panic is the real danger. It stops clear thinking and wastes energy — the first "S" (stay calm) exists because everything else depends on it.
Don't move unless you're genuinely sure. A wrong "shortcut" can take you far from where searchers expect you; if you do move, mark your trail so you can undo it.
Warmth and water outrank food. You can go weeks without food but only days without water, and much less in cold and wet without shelter — prioritize warm, dry, and hydrated.
Make yourself easy to find. Signal in threes, use bright colors and mirrors, and pick an open spot a searcher or aircraft can see — a smoky or bright fire does double duty, built safely.
Prevention is the best plan. Carry the essentials, tell someone your route and return time, and use the buddy system so you're missed quickly.

Hug-a-Tree. The version taught to younger children: if you're lost, stay with a tree (stay put), keep warm, and blow your whistle — a simple rule that prevents dangerous wandering.
Why threes. Any signal repeated three times is the internationally recognized call for help — so rescuers know it's distress and not a random sound.
"Days without water, weeks without food." Why survival priorities run shelter/warmth → water → food, not the other way around. Food anxiety is common but rarely the real threat first.

This maps to the Tenderfoot requirements. The STOP method is the core of scout wilderness-survival teaching.