Do You Know How To Cross A River?
I know what some of the people are thinking: we live in the 21st century. We’re civilized and we have a pretty cool infrastructure, so what do you mean by how to cross a river safely? Just use the damned bridge, right?
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A common occurrence for outdoors enthusiasts (hikers for example) and one of the most dangerous obstacles that you can run into is river crossing when there’s no bridge available.
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Quick fact: more people are killed every year in the US during attempted river crossings than are killed by snake bites. Drowning is usually the main cause of death, making for 37% of casualties.
What to Beware Of
While on the trail, one of the most dangerous things to do is to cross rivers while they’re running high and that’s also a common occurrence in any season.
Usually, people are lured by the sight of logs and rocks that may serve as an improvised bridge for getting to the opposite bank of the river.
Yet, most of the time, these rocks and logs are wet and the humidity has them covered with mosses and algae, making them very slippery. Trying to use them may lead to slips or falls.
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Before you go hiking, make sure that you check the conditions in the field. Be aware of your precise destination/trail; check the weather conditions on the internet, on the dedicated website of the National Park or wherever you choose to go. You can usually call them in advance to get information about conditions.
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Go hiking early. There are 2 main reasons for that: first, early in the morning weather is cooler and the probability of snowmelt is lower; second, thunderstorms usually happen in the afternoon, making currents more dangerous.
A Few Tips for Finding the Best Crossing Point
When you’re at the crossing point, first you must assess the situation thoroughly.
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A good crossing point is where theriver breaks forming separate channels. The force of the stream will be dissipated and small islands may appear here and there. These are ideal places for taking a break during crossing. Hence, check out the area for braided channels.
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Always test the current to see how fast it’s moving by tossing a branch in the water and watching how fast it goes downstream. If the branch is moving faster than you can walk, then the river is probably too dangerous to cross at that point.
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These are the best options for safely crossing a river. If you should ever be in the situation where you need to do this, unhooking your backpack is probably the most critical step that you can take. If you do fall in, at least you won’t be bogged down and will stand a better chance of swimming to safety.
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Article source: Survivopedia
Image source: same as above
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