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 )

Ever thought about going back to some of the simpler things in life? One way to do so with outdoor activities is to set up a tournament of classic games. Remember games like ring toss, horse shoe, croquet, and Frisbee? Now that we have so many different options and high tech gadgets, people often forget about classic tournament games.

Gather a group of friends and set up a tournament day at a park or in the backyard. When setting up the game play area, consider designating an area for each game. Croquet will need the most free space, as the stakes will need to be spread around. For extra fun in a croquet game, stakes can be placed on slopes and hills and in between rocks and other small structures. If space will be limited, save the croquet game for when the others have been played already.

Horseshoes and ring toss are set up pretty much the same. Both will require a ground stake and a starting line to throw from. Frisbee doesn't really need to be set up, but players should spread out from each other evenly while playing. If there is a large number of people, consider splitting them in groups of 3 or four and giving each group their own Frisbee.

Horseshoes, ring toss, croquet, and Frisbees can all be found at various sporting good suppliers, as well as some discount retailers. There is more than one way to have a classic game tournament. Some may choose to play one game at a time, while others may wish to set up the games as stations to be played all day long. If kids will be participating, consider setting up a separate area with toy versions of these classic tournament games.

All of these games can be played in the grass or on a dirt surface. Be sure to wear appropriate shoes to help protect feet. For instance, if you're playing in the grass, wear shoes with the appropriate traction for turf. Classic tournament games can be held as a singular event or enjoyed during summer parties, barbecues, and camping.

The most dangerous situation you're ever likely to encounter in the outdoors is a wildfire. If you're hiking or camping outdoors and a fire starts, you have four basic options to survive.

The first option is to run. If you're far from a fire, and near a safe haven, this is possible. A forest fire can move 650 feet a minute, or 7 miles an hour, and a grass fire about twice that. While most hikers can run 7 miles an hour, they can't keep it up. Consider how close you are to a haven (a wide road, a rocky area, a marsh, or a large pond), and how far you are from the fire before trying this.

Another option is to make a haven. In a grassy area, if you have wind resistant matches and enough time before the fire reaches you, burn out a clear zone. This won't work in wooded areas. Wood takes longer to ignite, and fire will reach before you're ready. If there's a sudden wind shift, you could find yourself trapped by your own fire.

If you're in the open and a fire is almost on you, you have two options. First, find a large area with little vegetation. Lie face down on the ground. Put on leather gloves and cover your head and neck and ears. Your biggest danger is radiant heat, the heat given off by the fire. Radiant heat can kill before the fire reaches you. As the fire moves over you, even if you feel hot, don't panic. Get up when the fire is past you. Cover your mouth with a bandana to reduce the inhalation of smoke.

The most dangerous option is to run through the fire into an already-burned area. Don't try it if the fire is over 5 feet high or wide. Look for the easiest path. You may be burned, but you'll probably survive.

Which option you choose depends largely on where you are and what kind of fire you're in, but in any case, don't panic, and remember that you can survive.

( Sources: http://www.healthline.com/blogs/outdoor_health/2007/10/surviving-wildfire.html , http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/news/466,http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/feature?section=news&id=6199163 )

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 )