Survival Guide for the California Wilderness

California is well-known for its raging forest fires, so caution in this arena cannot be stressed enough. It is relatively dry even in some coastal regions, so be sure to locate your in a fire ring, on sand and near water, if possible. Choose small pieces of dry bark, dead grass or paper for kindling, and stack the larger wood in a manner that enables oxygen to reach the inner flames.

Fatigue and cold will inhibit your ability to think rationally. Do not allow yourself to sleep until you have obtained sufficient shelter. Survival shelters should provide protection from the sun, wind, rain and snow. Scan the area for overhanging cliffs, large trees or naturally occurring cliffs. If nothing adequate can be found in the immediate vicinity, construct a shelter by stacking large rocks, or creating a lean-to with fallen branches and covering them with a tarp, driftwood, seaweed or leafy boughs.

Dehydration is one of the most pressing issues in a wilderness survival situation. Rainwater can be collected and consumed, as can the moisture from dew each morning. Boil all water collected from standing sources for at least 10 minutes prior to drinking. Also remember, the larger the water sources, the larger the animals who frequent them. The forests and mountains of California host a large population of black bears, and they are not shy about defending their resources.

Start searching for food as soon as you can--do not wait until you are hungry. Meticulously clean and cook anything you catch, taking care to remove all the entrails and to clean your hands as thoroughly as possible after handling. If you cannot catch any meat, make use of berries, nuts, fruits and roots. Blackberries, currants, fiddlehead ferns, huckleberries and acorns can all be found in abundance in the California forests. However, do not eat anything you cannot identify with complete confidence. If all else fails, dine on the local insects.

If you are unfortunate enough to encounter one of California's 20,000 black bears, do not approach the bear. Give it plenty of room to maneuver. If it does not feel threatened, it may simply go away. If this does not work, do not run. Running will trigger the bear's instinct to chase. Stand still and face the bear, make eye contact, but don't stare. Try to appear larger than you are by raising your arms. Bears dislike confrontation, and by increasing your size, you may convince a bear that you are, in fact, the larger animal.