Glad you are still with us, Thomas. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

For the most part photographers are soloists unless you are traveling with a like minded person with similar goals. I traveled with my friend Martin for ten days and never felt pressured cause we were basically after the same thing, and then we met you at South Branch Pond. Sat communicator's are costly and then there's the monthly fee that goes with it. I have a Zolio similar to Garmin. What I like about it is if I know I'm not going to be using it for an extended time they have a standby option of 4 dollars a month to keep the account active. I would also add a hiking stick, especially in the conditions you were in. Carrying a pack loaded with gear can throw your balance off a bit especially when crossing streams or hiking through rock gardens. Extra lightweight top and windbreaker. Fleece neck warmer goes a long way in keeping you warm. You can pack those things pretty small. A compact space blanket will go in the pack as well depending where I'm at. Maine Northwoods is no joke. A headlamp with extra batteries is a must. I'd also include a small emergency repair kit, pen and paper, lighter. A battery bank and wires that fit your electronics. There's lots of map apps that track your travel direction. I use Komoot. Just remember to turn it on. If I'm in a known area that has trails it's more than likely on Komoot. From home I can preplan my hiking route. When out on the trail It gives me voice commands as I go. Just like your google maps. A map and compass and how to use it.

Glad to see that you made it back in one peice.i know many people will say take a friend but that's not always possible, I have done many different things during my life, boating, snow skiing and kayaking and photographing when kayaking. I always check the weather and wear a vest while kayaking and I have lucky that I have not been involved in a bad situation. But I try not to put myself in a position that could get me into trouble, hiking in the woods with out a clear path is something I would never do unless I was with someone I trusted to get me out safely. Take care and stay safe.

I'd add insect repellent for ticks in the Northeast! I'd take a tragic accident as an adventurer anyday rather than wasting away with an incurable tickborne disease. I keep two cell phones on different carriers, mostly a work decision since I visit many places with poor service along our peninsulas. In your area I really like Pleasant Point preserve for a varied hike. I had a real injury last winter that I'm not going to detail online, but yes, the woods are thick and without communications we could easily be immobilized and freeze and die less than 100 feet from a road or house and nobody would notice.

I can relate to your horrid experience here, Thomas. One county here in Florida has what they call a June Challenge each year. Whoever sees the most species of birds gets a trophy and bragging rights. It's a "challenge" because birds are scarce in the month of June. Gary and I decided to do it last year. Our first and last, I might add. Getting the high species count requires people to get out on Paynes Prairie, a mucky, snake and alligator infested 21,000 acre swampland. There were people who came back without their shoes, phones, and whatever else got sucked up in the thigh-high mud. I only went out for a few hours with a girl who is a bird scientist. I lost my phone but she found it for me with her mad tracking skills. We passed wild buffalo and horses that were so close, they could have attacked us. Never again! I feel embarrassed even admitting I tried it. One lady who was hiking alone got lost. The man who would go on to become the winner of the contest passed her on the trail and quickly decided he couldn't stop to "babysit" her so he ran past her and kept going. She eventually had to call 911 and they had to airlift her out of the woods. Never again!! I don't enjoy extreme birding and will never try that again! I'm glad you are safe. I can see your situation going down much, much worse than it did. Thankfully you survived.

I'm in the deep south, so unfortunately I don't get the thrill of dealing with beautiful snow. But last year I was trying to take pictures on a river, and found myself in quick sand. It was frightening.

Use that ZF dammit! 😂

Glad your event was minor. Great reminder for us all...

Glad your event was minor. Great reminder for us all...