Chapter 2 of How to Survive Against the Odds hit close to home. It follows a hiker in California’s Joshua Tree National Park—someone who expected a quick walk but ended up in a life-or-death fight against the desert. As a Texan familiar with South Texas heat and dry terrain, this story felt especially relevant.
This wasn’t a multi-week expedition. It was just a day hike—until a wrong turn changed everything. What followed was a hard lesson in what happens when you’re unprepared and the landscape stops cooperating.
The book does a great job showing what went wrong without mocking the hiker. One critical mistake: walking farther after realizing they were lost. That’s a common and deadly error. Another issue was a lack of gear—no extra water, no real survival supplies beyond a basic boo-boo kit and a thermal blanket. To their credit, both items got used and may have helped buy time.
One smart move stood out: they drank their fluids. A lot of folks try to ration water and end up dying with full bottles still in their pack. One of our gear testers here at Squatch Survival Gear does desert rescues in Arizona, and he’s said the same thing—they find dehydrated bodies with sealed water bottles. Use what you have.
Eventually, this hiker was rescued by helicopter. The final section of the chapter breaks down what they did right, what to bring, and how to avoid ending up in the same situation. It’s an important chapter for anyone hiking in arid climates—Texas, Arizona, Nevada, you name it.
The gear recap at the end is solid. It emphasizes packing light but smart—water, navigation tools, and emergency signaling gear. This chapter should be required reading for any weekend warrior heading into dry country.