Being prepared for the elements is always your best bet. Here is a link that will teach you some about surviving in the Winter and hypothermia. This is information that could save your life.
http://www.state.sd.us/deca/DDN4Learning/T...ival/winter.htm
http://www.backpacking.net/winter.html

Stay safe out there and have fun. :)

It is VERY important that our kids know what to do if they get lost while out hiking.
I found this website about hiking safety, but the advice they give the "kids" for when they get lost is the worst!! :(
Scroll down to "If you become lost, how to get found"......
and look at the advice they are trying to give our kids.
http://www.bluebison.net/yosar/safety.htm#lost

Kids: hug a tree Thats all they have to offer our kids for advice??
If it was cold out...Our kids would freeze in no time with their arms out extended above them selves hugging a tree! :(

If they are going to tell our kids about the "Hug A Tree And Survive" program they need to tell more than to just hug a tree!! <_< The Hug a tree National Headquartes site is down, but here is another site that gives information on the program.
http://w3.hwdsb.on.ca/tailslap/other/outdoors/hugatree.htm

Here is a site that will truely help you.
http://www.sarbc.org/litw3.html

Dan and others,
There is a hot new product on the market which has received really bad publicity but if you look past the dumb users and think how this 25,000 foot BEACON of Light would truly get someones attention then this may also be the product to have handy.

Made in Oregon and I'm getting one for each vehicle keychain when the funds are there.

BIGHA JASPER LASER <----Click me !!

Rebel Red

those are nice items! i wish everyone on this website had one so we could see if theyre still kickin or stuck in the snow! there cant be that many football games on to watch!

Godown to a survey equipment store (or just about any construction equipment supplier) and get a reflective mesh vest. I got mine at LK Survey in Grand Junction Colorado for $5.95 or something like that. Nice and compact, and if you get lost and wanna get found, wear it. It's great for dawn/dusk because of the reflective tape. In fact, because of that tape, it improves your nighttime detection rate several thousand times. The reflective tape refects so well that you can be spotted as far away as several miles with a powerful spotlight.

For the money invested, it's the best thing since sliced bread!
Carl

Oh, and for the guys that wanna get lost and not get found (giggle), go fetch yourself a roll of Berkley "Gorilla Tough" fishing line. Mine is 175 yards, 80 pound test (GTQS80-14) and I got it for $18 or so at Wal-Mart.

Great stuff, very pliable, for the cost, you can't beat it!

Their website is http://www.purefishing.com
Carl