The world is full of unexpected events. When they happen in everyday life we have the support system of civilization. But when they happen in the wilderness we must deal with them using very limited resources.

I once heard a talk on wilderness emergencies by an expert in survival and first aid. She demonstrated a trunkfull of equipment that could be used to handle the unexpected. It was all very impressive. But then I had to ask her a practical question:

The well-equipped Arizona hiker.

“Well, not much,” she admitted.

So there’s a trade-off between preparedness and weight. Lugging too much equipment will ruin your enjoyment of the hike, yet not having something you really need (such as a flashlight) will make it a lot tougher to get through an unexpected calamity.

People are unpredictable. We go into the wilderness to briefly escape civilization and enjoy the natural beauty that humanity has left unchanged. It’s safer to go with other people. But you never know what your fellow hikers are going to do. Each of them brings a unique personality, life experience, and approach to problem-solving. I’ve found that most hikers are rational and cooperative in the wilderness, but sometimes your friends do things that surprise you.

Plan carefully and take all safety precautions. But know that Murphy’s Law prevails and the unexpected does happen. How you, as a hiker or as the hike leader, might deal with it is the subject of this book.

Our hiking adventures are set in Arizona, the beautiful state in which we are fortunate to live. But they could have happened anywhere. Details like the mighty saguaro cactus and the Grand Canyon give our stories a local flavor and unique photo opportunities.

Arizona is blessed with many excellent hiking guidebooks. Most of our hikes are described in them — at least our intended route. So we cite references instead of writing yet another description of a popular hike. But we do provide maps.