I was looking back at huntfishtrap's compass question. Had me wondering how "lost" has anyone gotten and what was the resolution? I'll fill mine in on first post.

[Happy Myles]

I was elk hunting in tough country, tough even for elk, it was snowing hard and fog was dense. I came across tracks in the deep snow. I was chagrined, and surprised. This was isolated, three hours from base camp, which itself, was a long day by pack train from trail head. I followed the tracks always until I noticed where the individual had relieved himself. The chilling realization hit me, these were my tracks. Until that moment, I thought lost people traveling in a circle was an old wives tale. I backtracked a couple hours, straighten myself out, and plodded back to camp

[Happy Myles]

I was elk hunting in tough country, tough even for elk, it was snowing hard and fog was dense. I came across tracks in the deep snow. I was chagrined, and surprised. This was isolated, three hours from base camp, which itself, was a long day by pack train from trail head. I followed the tracks always until I noticed where the individual had relieved himself. The chilling realization hit me, these were my tracks. Until that moment, I thought lost people traveling in a circle was an old wives tale. I backtracked a couple hours, straighten myself out, and plodded back to camp

The cook tent looked inviting, the hot stove felt good, the coffee with a shot of whiskey hit bottom just right, and it was to foggy to hunt anyway

[4everAutumn]

I've never been lost, but I have gone on several little side expeditions that lasted longer than I liked. Sure, I ended up in different places than I intended but that's how I discovered the out of the way places nobody knows about. Now, if I could find my way back to them....

[charlie elk]

To this day I regularly get turned around, perhaps lost in big cities. Skyways, subways, hallways in high rises more often than not get me walking the wrong way until I spend enough time becoming familiar with the surroundings.
Out in the country's fields, woods, mountains and swamps I rarely have any trouble finding my way. The exceptions are the times I did not have a compass or now a days a GPS. Those times are hardly worth talking about because they only lasted for some hours and resulted in a little longer hike than planned. I did learn early on never camouflage your tent, truck, boat, flashlight, knife, compass, etc..
I have had unplanned overnights while tracking elk, deer and bears as in the hunting technique not wounded game. In these instants darkness came before I found my prey so I just stay out overnight and resume the trail in the morning.

[charlie elk]

Possibly worse than getting lost is returning to your vehicle that's parked in the middle of no where some 20-30 miles back in, where cell phones don't work, only to find it does not start or 2 tires went flat. Trust me this sucks!

[jcarlin]

Sorry folks, I was away all weekend at a pistol class and not here when you decided to share. Thanks all.

[jcarlin]

True story, happened to a friend. They drove into the Adirondacks in a big ford station wagon. Found a good place to hunt and proceeded to carry gear and tent into the woods. They walked for a few hours and set up camp. In the AM they got up and one guy said, hey what's that over there? About 100 yds away from camp was their ford station wagon. They walked for hours in a big circle.

At least packing out was easy.

[jcarlin]

One evening set a stand up in the dark, headed out with my FinL who had been hunting the mountain for 40 years, at a spot that I was unfamiliar with. That being said, I was definitely being led around at that point. Should have been easy in and out though. Stand couldn't have been 50 yards off the main access trail.
I couldn't even tell you how we headed in wrong direction. But it got to the point of starting to hang survey tape to figure out where we'd been. About 45 minutes later I stopped us walking.
"OK, we are back on the trail." "how can you tell under all these leaves?"
"You can feel the ground is all compacted here. Walk 5' in either direction and you'll feel the difference." He did, and agreed.
"Well, the lights from town are showing against the clouds way over that way, so I'm guessing we go this way."
We were off the mountain in 20 minutes from that point.
What always makes me laugh thinking about it is when the sun came up the next morning I could see survey tape seemingly randomly placed on trees and bushes for about 200 yards from my stand. I got down for a break around lunchtime and went and gathered up all I could find.

We don't have big mountains, but our elevation range is from sea level to I think just under 4,000' feet. A foothill is a mountain to an ant.
And I agree once you're on a trail, feel and the slight difference in canopy overhead helps keep you on a well established trail.

[jcarlin]

I've never been lost, but I have gone on several little side expeditions that lasted longer than I liked. Sure, I ended up in different places than I intended but that's how I discovered the out of the way places nobody knows about. Now, if I could find my way back to them....

Excellent.

[jcarlin]

Possibly worse than getting lost is returning to your vehicle that's parked in the middle of no where some 20-30 miles back in, where cell phones don't work, only to find it does not start or 2 tires went flat. Trust me this sucks!

That does suck.
It crosses my mind, particularly on cold winter evenings when you're hiking back to the truck. "Dear God, I am cold and tired, please let this car be there and start."
One of my most treasured possessions in my vehicle is a jumper pack, and it has come into play more than once.

[jcarlin]

I was elk hunting in tough country, tough even for elk, it was snowing hard and fog was dense. I came across tracks in the deep snow. I was chagrined, and surprised. This was isolated, three hours from base camp, which itself, was a long day by pack train from trail head. I followed the tracks always until I noticed where the individual had relieved himself. The chilling realization hit me, these were my tracks. Until that moment, I thought lost people traveling in a circle was an old wives tale. I backtracked a couple hours, straighten myself out, and plodded back to camp

I don't know that I've ever been in country big enough for that to happen.
Even in the most remote parts of PA, you can maybe walk 5 or 10 miles in a direction without hitting a road, but if you decide to gain or lose elevation, you're very likely to hit a road that parallels a creek or river, or rides the ridge in under a mile. If you know where you are and are comfortable bushwacking, there's generally a shorter route out than your plan, particularly if you're uphill of said road. If you don't, as the villagers cautioned in American Werewolf in London, Don't Lose the Path.

[jcarlin]

To this day I regularly get turned around, perhaps lost in big cities. Skyways, subways, hallways in high rises more often than not get me walking the wrong way until I spend enough time becoming familiar with the surroundings.
Out in the country's fields, woods, mountains and swamps I rarely have any trouble finding my way. The exceptions are the times I did not have a compass or now a days a GPS. Those times are hardly worth talking about because they only lasted for some hours and resulted in a little longer hike than planned. I did learn early on never camouflage your tent, truck, boat, flashlight, knife, compass, etc..
I have had unplanned overnights while tracking elk, deer and bears as in the hunting technique not wounded game. In these instants darkness came before I found my prey so I just stay out overnight and resume the trail in the morning.

I like the never camo advice.
Most things I owned in camo that would fit in your hand have been lost, and as the lesson was learned, not replaced in kind.
Base camp tent, I've learned if hiking away from, particularly if fishing in the evening that leaving a candle lantern or small led lit when you walk away saves a lot of frustration when you're working your way back in the dark. There's a big difference between knowing 'it's within a hundred yards of here.." and "I can see the light from a quarter mile away and KNOW I'm heading for it."

[jcarlin]

I actually haven't been really lost very often. The one situation that comes to mind was in the summer a few years ago. I was going to check a couple trail cameras I had put out on a piece of public land the week before. They were about 1 1/2 miles from the parking lot, and I knew there were some rain showers in the area, but I didn't think it would amount to much if it did rain, so I went anyway. I got back to the cameras and had just started to return when it started to rain lightly, and before long it was absolutely pouring. I was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, but it was probably 70 degrees, so I wasn't worried about getting cold, but it was still miserable getting soaked. I had been walking for long enough that I knew I had to be getting close to the parking lot, but it was raining so hard I couldn't see more than 20 or 30 yards in the thick timber. All of a sudden I realized the ground was sloping the wrong way, and I had a brief moment of alarm before I forced myself to stop and think things over. I finally realized I had overshot the parking lot and was actually past it, so I turned around about 120 degrees and was at my car within 5 minutes.

Good story. It reinforces that "stop and think" part that they always warn you to do the moment you realize you're not where you meant to be. Moving fast to cover ground gets you further away faster.

[charlie elk]

To this day I regularly get turned around, perhaps lost in big cities. Skyways, subways, hallways in high rises more often than not get me walking the wrong way until I spend enough time becoming familiar with the surroundings.
Out in the country's fields, woods, mountains and swamps I rarely have any trouble finding my way. The exceptions are the times I did not have a compass or now a days a GPS. Those times are hardly worth talking about because they only lasted for some hours and resulted in a little longer hike than planned. I did learn early on never camouflage your tent, truck, boat, flashlight, knife, compass, etc..
I have had unplanned overnights while tracking elk, deer and bears as in the hunting technique not wounded game. In these instants darkness came before I found my prey so I just stay out overnight and resume the trail in the morning.

Your light is a great idea! Never thought of it. Out on the tundra I use a bright yellow tent which others have made fun of. It sure is worth the teasing in order to be able to see your tent's exact location at end day.

[jcarlin]

To this day I regularly get turned around, perhaps lost in big cities. Skyways, subways, hallways in high rises more often than not get me walking the wrong way until I spend enough time becoming familiar with the surroundings.
Out in the country's fields, woods, mountains and swamps I rarely have any trouble finding my way. The exceptions are the times I did not have a compass or now a days a GPS. Those times are hardly worth talking about because they only lasted for some hours and resulted in a little longer hike than planned. I did learn early on never camouflage your tent, truck, boat, flashlight, knife, compass, etc..
I have had unplanned overnights while tracking elk, deer and bears as in the hunting technique not wounded game. In these instants darkness came before I found my prey so I just stay out overnight and resume the trail in the morning.

What's funny about that is that during the day, when other hikers and backpackers might be on the move, I like a tent to be a little subtle. Mine is solid, but in kind of a pine green. It's a big enough constant color that I can still find it during the daytime from within a hundred hards in most situations, but it's not a beacon in the wilderness. Get into the late evenings and anyone out there is likely spending the night on purpose or otherwise and it does truly stand out. I'm ok with that for anyone who needs it, and you'd have to be a fool to think the owner isn't coming back soon at the end of day. Even if I leave a light on all day, it's not visible at any distance in daylight anyway. Sometimes you CAN have your cake and eat it too.
When you say things like "Out in the Tundra" I realize just how narrow my experiences are. Teach me, Charlie.