Trek Decision with an Injured Knee
A 12-cadet trekking party has one 1:50,000 map with a 20 m contour interval, one compass and no GPS. The planned route from village A to forest rest house B is 12 km. The map shows a direct path that crosses the stream twice and enters a steep valley, and a longer ridge path that adds 3 km but follows a clear track and a series of spurs. It is 2 p.m., cloud is building, and daylight is expected to last about three hours. One cadet has a twisted knee and is walking slowly but can continue. The group has two torches, one first-aid kit and no radio signal. The nearest road is 4 km back the way the party came.
1. Which route will you take, and what map evidence and safety factors drive the choice?
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On a 1:50,000 map, 1 cm is 500 m and 2 cm is 1 km; closely spaced contours mean steep ground. The direct stream path saves 2 km but crosses the stream twice and enters a steep valley. With cloud building, a stream crossing can become a flash-flood trap, and a valley limits visibility and escape routes.
The ridge path adds 3 km but follows a track and spurs, giving handrails and better observation. However, the injured cadet slows the party to perhaps 2 km/h, so 15 km could take 7–8 hours - far more than the three hours of daylight.
The correct decision is not to push to B. Take the ridge track only as far as a safe turning point, or return to the road 4 km back. Navigation choice must fit the slowest member and the latest turn-around time, not the map distance alone.
2. If two cadets become separated from the main party, what back-bearing and search actions should they take?
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The separated pair should stop, stay together and avoid wandering. They take the bearing from their position to the last known point of the main party, then add 180° to get the back bearing; if the total exceeds 360°, subtract 360. For example, a bearing of 70° gives a back bearing of 250°.
They follow that bearing using the compass and obvious handrails, counting paces or time. They use whistles at agreed signals, show bright clothing and stay on the track rather than cutting across country. The main party should also stop at a known feature and send a buddy pair back, never a single cadet.
If there is no contact by the agreed time, the separated pair returns to the last junction or road and raises help. Splitting further is the main danger; the compass is useful only if the pair stays calm and together.
3. State your turn-around time and the conditions under which you would abort the trek.
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Set turn-around at 3:30 p.m., leaving at least 30 minutes of daylight as a buffer, because the injured cadet is slow and cloud may bring rain.
Abort if the party has not reached the ridge junction by that time, if the knee pain increases or swelling appears, if thunder is heard or the stream rises, or if visibility falls so that the next track junction cannot be seen. Also abort if the group is strung out and the tail cannot see the leader.
The destination is not the objective; returning all 12 cadets safely is. Inform the school or base before departure and leave a route card. A short, supervised return is a successful training outcome, not a failure.