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A4 checklist with all illustrated steps. Tick the boxes on paper as you go.

FeatherSticks · Skills

Stuck Outside Overnight? How to Survive an Unplanned Night Outdoors

Caught out by darkness? The ground, not the air, is what chills you first.

Quick facts

Decide
With about 1 hour of daylight left
Difficulty
Mental more than physical
Priorities
Ground, wind and rain, warmth, signals, water
You need
Bivvy bag, headlamp, spare layer, phone

What you need

  • Emergency bivvy bag or foil blanket
  • Headlamp with spare batteries
  • Extra warm layer, hat and gloves
  • Charged phone with offline maps and a power bank
  • Whistle on the shoulder strap
  • Fire kit in a dry bag (lighter plus backup)
  • First aid kit, snack and water
  • Sit pad or small piece of foam

Step by step

  1. Decide to stop before dark

    1 Decide to stop before dark

    If you cannot reach a road or hut with about an hour of light to spare, stop and prepare the night while you can still see.

  2. STOP: stop, think, observe, plan

    2 STOP: stop, think, observe, plan

    Stop moving, sit down, breathe. Think about what happened, look around, then make a calm plan before acting.

  3. Emergency? Call 112 first

    3 Emergency? Call 112 first

    If someone is hurt, very cold or in danger, call 112, 911 or 999. Otherwise send your position and plan to your contact.

  4. Get off the ground and out of the wind

    4 Get off the ground and out of the wind

    Choose a sheltered, safe spot and sit on your pack, rope, spare clothes or a thick heap of dry leaves.

  5. Every layer on, then wrap up

    5 Every layer on, then wrap up

    Put on hat and all layers before you get cold, then get into a bivvy bag or foil blanket with your face free.

  6. Morning: walk out or wait

    6 Morning: walk out or wait

    Wait for full daylight. Walk out only if you know the way; if unsure or hurt, stay put and signal.

Common mistakes

  • Pushing on in the dark instead of stopping while there is still light.
  • Not telling anyone the route or alarm time, so no one knows where to look.
  • Sitting or lying on bare ground and trusting clothing alone to insulate.
  • Waiting until morning to call for help when someone is injured or confused.
  • Using a fire, stove or candle inside a bivvy bag or closed shelter.
  • Letting the phone battery run flat by using it as a torch and map all evening.
  • Splitting up the group to look for the way.