While her story is captivating, we must remember that it was a tale of survival in which her life was at stake. It reiterates the important of prepping and survival knowledge. It also sparks a much-needed conversation about what we would do if we are ever in a similar situation.

On March 12, 2017, Amber Van Hecke ran out of gas in the Havasupai Reservation while leaving the southern rim of the Grand Canyon.

When Hiking Goes Bad

Amber’s problem started when she plugged Havasu Falls Trail Head into Google Maps and followed the directions, just like the rest of us probably would. She only had 70 miles of fuel left until empty, not counting the reserves (so she thought) in her tank and decided to roll the dice because, according to Maps, it was only a 40-mile drive to the next main road.

She took a right turn when it told her to, even though her gut told her that it was too early. She found herself on what she calls a “ratchet dirt road” and followed it for 35 miles before her GPS told her to take a right onto a road that didn’t exist.

Instead of finding a road, she ran straight into a fence. By then it was getting dark and she was down to zero miles to empty, and her reserves were empty, too. She found the nearest man-made structure and decided to wait til morning to decide what to do.

This is when her 5-day period of waiting began. She had no cell signal, so she made an SOS sign from rocks that were about 4’x10’. That didn’t work, so she spelled out “HELP,” again using rocks, but this time she went big – her letters were 20-30 feet tall.

Finally, after 5 days, she decided to take matters into her own hands and took off walking in an attempt to find a cell signal. Fortunately, she didn’t kill the battery in her car, so she was able to charge her phone.

She left a detailed note with her vehicle, and she marked her trail. It said: “I started following the road EAST to see if I can get a cellphone signal. I am marking my way with white sports tape. If you read this, please come help me!”

After she’d walked 11 miles east of her vehicle and tried a whopping 76 times to get a call out she did manage to find a weak signal and contacted the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. Her call dropped 49 seconds into the call and she couldn’t get another call out.

The helicopter did find her after searching with the limited information that they had. They spotted the glint off of her car and the help sign that she’d made. They also found her note.

8 Survival Lessons to Learn from Amber’s Story

Don’t Depend Solely on Technology

Her gut told her she was turning too soon, and had she heeded that instead of doing what many of us are trained to do – trust that technology knows more than we do.

Don’t Cut it Close on Fuel

The US – especially the US West – still has many roads where there are at least 70 miles between gas stations.

Stock That Vehicle Bag

A flashing headlamp. The materials to make a fire. White sports tape. Pen and paper. Food and water. A mobile cellphone charger.

Don’t Risk Getting Lost

What if she’d panicked and taken off walking in the dark? She stayed where she had shelter and she marked her trail when she did leave so that she could find her way back.

Pack Energy Dense Food

She purportedly had sunflower seeds and an apple left when they found her.

Be Proactive

She communicated: she made signs, she built a signal fire, and, when none of that worked, she got tired of waiting and took her fate into her own hands and decided to walk til she was able to help people help her. Don’t just sit around waiting.

Keep Your Vehicle in Good Repair

The rest of her car was in good repair and ready for a trip. Had her battery failed, she may still be sitting there.

What do you think of Amber's story? What would you have done if you had been in her position?

Article Source: Survivopedia