If you're hiking in areas that are part of a wolf pack's territory, will you be attacked by wolves? You're more likely to be attacked by bears or cougars, or even struck by lightning. But a wolf attack isn't impossible, so be prepared.

A group of Norwegian scientists researched wolf attacks in Europe, Asia and North America in 2002, and found that most attacks occurred before the 20th century, and in the past 50 years, there have been only 17 people killed in Europe, and at that time, none in North America. In 2005, a Canadian, walking alone where food dumps from energy development were common, was killed and eaten by four wolves.

There are four possible reasons for wolf attacks. The first, and the probable cause of the Canadian death, is habituation: wolves become accustomed to humans, begin to associate them with food, and lose their fear of humans. Rabies is the second reason, but rabies is rare in North American wolves. The third reason is predation. While a rabid wolf will bite savagely and then move on, a healthy wolf kills and eats its prey. Typically the victims of predation are children and women, and it's more common in Asia than here. The fourth reason is defense. A cornered wolf may bite, but rarely kills.

Stay safe by remaining in a group. Avoid being prey by making lots of noise while hiking and setting up camp. Carry a large backpack to make yourself look larger, and spread out your arms and jacket, if you happen to see a wolf, to look even larger and scarier. Make sure your tent has a lantern because wolves don't like light - but don't shine it directly into their eyes, as that can trigger an attack. For worst case scenarios, carry a mountaineering axe for self defense. Finally, make a fire in front of your tent (if the area isn't under a burn ban) and keep it going all night. Wolves fear fire. Don't feed wolves, or leave food out, and report anyone who does to park or forest rangers.

(Sources: Linnell, J. D. C., R. Andersen, Z. Andersone, L. Balciauskas, J. C. Blanco, L. Boitani, S. Brainerd, U. Breitenmoser, I. Kojola, L. Liberg, J. Løe, H.Okarma, H. C. Pedersen, C. Promberger, K. Sand, E. J. Solberg, H. Valdmann, and P. Wabakken. 2002. The fear of wolves: A review of wolf attacks on humans. Norsk Intitutt for NaturforskningOppdragsmelding: 731:1-65; http://www.wolftrust.org.uk/a-wkp5-linnell-results.html; http://www.wolf.org/wolves/news/2005releases/123005_wolfattack.asp ; http://www.wolftrust.org.uk/faqpeople.html )

If you've followed Survival of the Fittest, you know how to dress for cold weather and how to set up a camp that can protect you in a winter storm. But pay attention: hypothermia, a gradual cooling of your body, can kill. Know the symptoms, how to avoid it and what to do if someone in your group develops it.

The early symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, pale or blue-gray skin, and what the Mayo clinic staff call the "-umbles:" stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles. The grumbling may appear as indifference to what's going on, and the mumbling can also appear as slurred speech. Difficulties with movement and balance are the stumbling part, and can also appear when numbed fingers fumble with tasks like pulling up a zipper. Later symptoms include confusion, slowing of breathing and pulse, muscle stiffness, extreme fatigue and loss of consciousness.

Most people assume that hypothermia occurs only when the temperatures are below freezing. That's a myth. If the weather is cool and cloudy, and you get soaked with rain and don't get into dry clothes and a warm place, you can get hypothermia. Cold water is another common cause of hypothermia. Depending on the temperature of the water, it can take several hours or just minutes of exposure to develop hypothermia.

Preventive measures include layering your clothing; wear a thin pair of gloves inside your regular gloves and double up your socks. Keep your head and ears covered with a hat or headband. Avoid too much exertion; evaporating sweat can make you much colder. If you swim in a mountain lake, make sure it's not too cold and don't stay in too long.

If someone is wet or cold and showing signs of hypothermia, get them back to camp immediately. Strip all the wet clothing and leave it outside the tent. Dress them in warm, dry clothing or wrap them in a sleeping bag, and warm their feet with dry wool socks or primaloft or down booties. Heat stones in a campfire, wrap them in fabric, and bring them inside to help warm the cold person. Provide plenty of hot liquids to warm the victim from the inside. Get the victim of hypothermia out of the cold and back to a better shelter, and apply medical care if needed, as quickly as possible.

Enjoy winter sports and mountain lakes, but make sure you can survive hypothermia.

(Sources: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothermia/DS00333 , http://firstaid.webmd.com/tc/hypothermia-and-cold-temperature-exposure-topic-overview, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fitness/HQ01681 )

Planning to hike and camp in the North Dakota badlands this summer? For the last few years, the number of cougars has been increasing there. So plan your trip, and plan to stay safe.

Head for the North or South Unit of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, or the Little Missouri Grasslands. There are primitive campgrounds and a paved driving loop in the South Unit, but the North Unit is wilderness area, and if it's adventure you want, that's your destination. The buttes are taller, the trees are denser, and the wildlife is more abundant.

Take a light backpack for a day trip, or a sturdier pack for camping. There are hundreds of good sleeping bags out there; pick one that's light and not too warm for summer, like the North Face Kilo. You have a wide choice of tents but consider a light and eco-friendly tent like this one by Sierra Designs. If you're in the North Unit, you're a long hike from help, so be sure to take a good first aid kit, one that allows you to treat injuries - or bites - so you have time get to help.

The best way to survive an attack is to avoid one. Keep your food in zipper-closed plastic bags in your pack, and don't leave crumbs around. Along with that medical kit, carry water and add a good filter for water you may find along the way. Make a lot of noise as you hike, even if you're wearing lightweight boots. Keep your tent zipped when you sleep, and carry a good flashlight; use it all night if there's a burn ban while you're there. A heavy flashlight can also make a good weapon.

If you do come face to face with a cougar, make yourself look big, and be as loud as possible. Don't run, or you'll look like prey. Watch for tracks, and if you see them, head the opposite direction. Avoid creeks at dawn and sunset, "happy hour" for cougars.

Take these few steps, and be the (camera) hunter, not the prey.

Long before the series focused more on style than substance, Sylvester Stallone gave one of the best performances of his career in "First Blood," the story of a Vietnam Vet who had serious difficulty returning to civilian life.

Stallone plays John J. Rambo, a decorated war hero trying to reconnect with some members of his squad. Unfortunately, after traveling to a small town, he learns that one of his Green Beret buddies has died from long-term exposure to the chemicals used during the Vietnam conflict. Of all the soldiers in his squad, he literally is the last man standing.

The frustrated Rambo simply wants to get something to eat and leave town, but the narrow-minded local sheriff (Brian Dennehy) doesn't like the way he looks and drives him to the city limits. When Rambo returns to town, the sheriff promptly arrests him, abusing him with a high-pressure hose and a straight razor. The mental and physical torture reawakens Rambo's guerilla warfare skills and he escapes into the woods. With only a survival knife and his military training, the former soldier wages his own personal war against both the town and the memories that still haunt him from Vietnam.

The best scenes in "First Blood" take place in the wilderness, where John J. Rambo goes into hiding and lives off the land. As his former commander tells the police, Rambo has been trained to eat things that "would make a billy goat puke." He also has an incredible tolerance for pain, especially during one outdoor sequence where he has to sew up his own wounded arm.

A soldier such as John Rambo can survive with just a knife, but most people who enjoy camping really can use a good duffel bag like the Expedition made by Mountain Hardware. When you need to haul a lot of gear into rough terrain, the Expedition is roomy enough to hold everything you need.

Though the later "Rambo" movies focused more on special effects than characters, "First Blood" remains one of the best outdoor movies ever made.

Yellowstone National Park continues to attract millions of avid hikers, campers and outdoor enthusiasts each year. If you're one of the many hiker paying respects Old Faithful this season, make sure you're well-prepared for the adventure.

Here are a few essentials for making it through your Yellowstone trail like a pro:

Layer it up
Wearing layers is essential when hiking or camping in Yellowstone's temperate climate. Many areas of the park experience rain showers and chilly winds, especially during the autumn and winter seasons. Make sure you're well prepared for inclement weather with wool socks, moisture-wicking pants and shirts, an insulated vest, a wool beanie and a lightweight puffy jacket for any evening excursions on the itinerary.

Don't get Stuck in the mud
The trails are usually very wet and muddy at the beginning of the year; make sure you're wearing comfortable hiking boots that provide plenty of ankle support and will prevent your toes from getting wet. You may need trekking poles to make it across some of the bogs and marshes on the more challenging trails, so map out your route and factor in weather conditions well beforehand.

Pack up that First Aid Kit
Whether you're putting together your own or picking up a pre-made kit, make sure you're well prepared to manage insect bites, cuts, bruises and small wounds. While you won't have many rocky boulders to conquer on the beginner's trails in Yellowstone, you might find yourself forging through forests, thermal springs and canyons. Wrap up those wounds and treat insect bites in a flash with basic supplies stocked in your first aid kit.

Cook Smart to Avoid Bear Attacks
When you're setting up camp in Bear Country, make sure you're doing everything you can to avoid a bear attack. Many hikers and campers encounter bears in Yellowstone because they're not prepared; leaving food unattended at the campsite or cooking and storing food in open areas will leave a scented trail that attracts bears day and night. Use an efficient cooking and food heating system for your meals to make that food prep and cleanup is a cinch.

Being prepared sometimes makes the difference between surviving and not surviving. "Saving for a rainy day," quite simply refers to being prepared for a bad situation when it occurs. Whether one is camping, biking, hiking or doing other outdoor sports, it is imperative that a survival gear kit go along with the athlete or weekend warrior.

If looking for a basic survival kit, a top recommendation is theAdventure Medical Kit with Paddlers. This is a very versatile bag, which includes basic survival items as well as some repair gear. Some of the essentials included in the Adventure Medical Kit with Paddlers include Nitrile gloves, infectious bag control, a two-person emergency blanket, wound irrigation system, storm waterproof matches, Aquaseal urethane adhesive, a guide to wilderness and travel medicine, an emergency pamphlet, wound cover strips, bandages, wound care medication, several oral medications, paddlers and more. The Adventure Medical Kit with Paddlers is a must have essential for the outdoor person including athletes adventurers. The kit of survival gear is a great buy at $54.

If you are looking for a smaller kit which contains survival gear an excellent choice is the Adventure Medical Kit with Ultralite Paddlers. This unique kit weighs only 10 ounces and is loaded with great survival gear including: Ibuprofen, Moleskin dressing, Antihistamine, Nitrile gloves, first aid and life threatening emergency instructions, a guide to the wilderness, bandages, gauze, adhesive fabric bandage butterfly clips, antibiotic ointment, Tincture of Benzoin Topical Solution, swabs, safety pins, survival gear for repairing things and much more. This is the ideal survival gear for a weekend getaway, a hike or to even keep in the trunk of a car in case of emergencies. The bag measures approximately 8.5" x 5.25" x 3.5" and weighs approximately 10 pounds. The Adventure Medical Kit with Ultralite Paddlers survival gear retails for approximately $38.

Owning survival gear is a part of being prepared in case of emergencies and increasing one's confidence by influencing coping skills as a benefit of preparedness.

One of Canada's most well-known mountain ranges is ready to put your hiking, climbing and survival skills to the test. The Canadian Rockies are the ultimate challenge for avid rock climbers. This mountain range boasts snow banks, icy turf, challenging trails and brutal temperatures year round. Some of the most developed climbing areas are right around Calgary, and you can head off to the Ghost River, Canmore or Lake Louise for your fair share of an amazing alpine adventure.

You'll need a survival plan to trek along this challenging region like a pro, so make sure you're well-prepared with the following basics for survival:

MIOX Purifier - It's easy to forget about hydration when you're battling cold temperatures and trekking through snowy territory, but you'll need a reliable hydration pack to keep up with your water intake throughout the trip. Pick up the MIOX Purifier, a lightweight and versatile purifier that will clean up any untreated water in a snap.

Petzl Headlamp - A reliable headlamp will help you navigate those coves and caves on your trail and keep you on track as you head to the mountaintop. Just strap this headlamp in place as soon as the sun goes down so you can maintain good form throughout your evening's climb. The Petzl headlamp has extra features such as red LED lighting for extra night vision benefits.

North Face Down Jacket - Layer up with fleece and down to trap in as much heat as possible on your outdoor adventure. The North Face Jacket is a compressible, down jacket with a soft hood and plenty of insulation power for those days and nights when temperatures drop. Just add a pair of mittens or gloves to your ensemble and you'll be well-prepared for inclement weather.

The Canadian Rockies are a force to be reckoned with, a challenge that very few climbers undertake without practice, perseverance and - most importantly - a lot of courage. Brave the Rockies like a pro by packing the right gear and venture off to see some of the world's most breathtaking sights and sounds.

While hiking trips in the Rockies and overnight stays at nature trails in the Midwest offer plenty of opportunity to bond with the outdoors, the colder climate calls for padding up with layers and staying inside the tent for most of the trip.

Camping in an exotic rainforest offers a completely new experience for the avid nature lover: a chance to trek over rough terrain, catch a glimpse of indigenous species and take in a breath of very humid air. Rainforest camping survival is no easy affair, but you can make it through those hot and humid days with the right gear.

Get a head start on the trail with a lightweight and versatile backpack. The CamelBak H.O.S.S. is an expandable pack that can hold several water bottles, a change of clothes, your food stash and other essentials for your trip. This pack is also designed with a reservoir that has an extra-large mouth opening; you can fill it up with that much-needed H2O and haul it along on that multi-hour trek across the rainforest.

In addition to packing extra water bottles and storing water in your pack, you'll need a cooling reservoir to replenish water levels after a day or two of chugging down your stock. The Katadyn Hiker Pro Microfilter lets you fill up on water fresh from the rainforest without worrying about your health; the lightweight filter can process up to 300 gallons of water and generate nearly a quart of fresh water per minute. Taking along a water filter is an absolute necessity for desert trekking and multi-day rainforest hikes, and most filters can adapt to all types of water bottles for easy refilling.

Getting a good night's sleep inside a sleeping bag seems like "Mission Impossible" when temperatures continue to stay around record-high levels after sunset. However, a lightweight sleeping pad can help you keep your cool during those hot and muggy, air-conditioning-free nights. The Big Agnes Air Core pad is a lightweight pad that can be inflated within minutes. The pad provides a layer of comfort and relaxation after a hard day of trekking.

Heading off on a rainforest oasis trail can be an exciting adventure, but you need to take along the basic survival gear to get through that tropical climate like a pro.

A backwoods adventure is usually a family tradition, a typical camping trip for those who live in the upper Midwest and mountainous regions of the U.S., but for the first-time visitor who ventures into mountain territory, the trip can be more like a test of survival. If you're not used to subzero temperatures while camping and facing mountain lions and deer on your hiking trail, the smell of pine trees and fresh mountain air will be the last thing on your mind on your backwoods adventure.

Whether you're camping near the alpine lakes or hiking through miles of mountain trails, you'll need to be well-prepared for the trip into enchanting backwoods territory with some basic survival gear. Here are a few must-haves for your alpine excursion:

A well-insulated tent is a top priority for that chilly climate, and you'll need something that will keep nature at bay on those long and cold nights. The North Face Trailhead tent is a roomy and comfortable tent designed with water-resistant materials and an easy pitching process; it's a six-person tent that will keep bugs and small animals out of your living quarters and allow you to enjoy a restful night's sleep.

A medical kit is an absolute must on any camping or hiking adventure, and the backwoods are even more of an accident-prone venue. You run the risk of running into semi-poisonous plants, bugs and even small animals lurking around the forests. You'll need to protect yourself with bandages, antiseptic and splinter removal tools to get through the adventure safely and in good health.

If you're heading out on a fall or winter day, you might not make it to the campsite by sundown. Gearing up with a headlamp will help you stay on course and get to your final destination with ease. Look forward to a hands-free hike across your trail with an adjustable headlamp that delivers high-beam lighting right where you need it.

If you're a first timer on the backwoods trail, partner up with a local camping service provider or instructor to get some survival training before you head out on your own. Many backwoods survival adventure providers offer training in remote areas, and will even provide transport and rental camping accessory for your excursion. Still, you'll need to load up on some essential gear to enjoy a safe and exciting trip into backwoods territory; pack up these essentials to navigate your way through that trail and make the most of the experience.