Preparation is key to a safe return from a wilderness hike or backpacking trip. It can make the difference between a happy face, or your worst nightmare!

“The Ten Essentials” are items carried by hikers and backpackers to be better prepared for any situation in the wilderness. Things don’t always go as expected: accidents happen, and Mother Nature throws a curveball, and you find yourself on a hike in the snow wearing tennis shoes and shorts. This is when you need to stay cool, and most of all, have everything you need in the face of adversity, to complete your hike mission: getting home without rescue! You may be well provisioned with the Ten Essentials, but equally important is knowing how best to use utilize them. Experience is the best teacher, as we shall see.

Presented by Royce Jones, Wilderness Patroller 1, Mount San Jacinto State Park and Wilderness. Royce has over 800-miles of backpacking experience, countless miles of hiking experience, wilderness training from Boy Scouts of America, the state park, and eight years as a Wilderness Patroller.