Dangers of Mountains and Forests
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What you will learn
- 1Recognize the main dangers of mountains and forests
- 2Choose how to avoid falling rocks, edges and steep snow
- 3Explain why weather can change fast high up
- 4Spot dangers overhead and underfoot in a forest
Mini Lesson
Mountains and forests are some of the best places to explore. They also hide dangers that are easy to miss when you are having fun. Most of these dangers can be avoided if you spot them early. In this lesson you learn to read the slope, the sky and the trees around you. Then you make the safer choice with your grown-up.
🌿 The Wild Way (dangers in the mountains)
- FALLING ROCKS: loose slopes and rock piles can send stones rolling down. Don’t stop or rest below them, and never throw or kick rocks downhill.
- CLIFFS AND EDGES: stay on the trail and well back from edges. In fog, an edge can appear with no warning, so slow down or stop and wait.
- FAST WEATHER CHANGE: higher up, it is usually colder and windier, and the weather can change in minutes. The air is thinner, so you may tire faster.
- LIGHTNING ON RIDGES: ridges and peaks are the worst places in a storm. Leave high ground early when clouds build (Grade 3 lightning lesson).
- STEEP SNOW: steep snow and ice can be very slippery and can slide. Don’t go on it - find another way with your grown-up.
Dangers in the forest
- DEAD BRANCHES OVERHEAD: on windy days, deadfall - dead branches and dead trees - can come down. Don’t stop or rest under them.
- SLIPPERY LOGS AND MOSS: wet logs, roots and mossy rocks are as slippery as ice. Step around them, not on them.
- GETTING LOST: in thick forest, every direction can look the same. Stay on the trail and stay within sight of your group.
- ANIMALS: give all wild animals plenty of space, as you learned in Grade 4 "Dangerous Animals: Recognize and Avoid".
Never go near a cliff edge, onto steep snow or across a loose slope, even if it looks fun or quick. Stay with your grown-up and your group the whole time. If someone gets hurt, stop, stay safe and get the adult - the adult calls your local emergency number.
Words to know
loose slope
A hillside of small rocks or soil that can slide or roll when stepped on.
e.g. We went around the loose slope instead of across it.
ridge
A long, narrow strip of high ground along the top of a mountain or hill.
e.g. We left the ridge early when the clouds grew dark.
cliff edge
The top of a very steep drop.
e.g. In the fog, we stayed far from the cliff edge.
steep snow
Snow on a sharp slope, which can be slippery or slide.
e.g. My grown-up found a path that avoided the steep snow.
deadfall
Dead trees and branches that have fallen or could fall.
e.g. We didn’t rest under the deadfall on that windy day.
hazard
Something that could hurt you if you are not careful.
e.g. Wet, mossy logs are a hazard on the trail.
🧠 Survivor’s Trick: if you ever knock a rock loose on a slope, shout "Rock!" loudly at once. Everyone below knows to look up and move out of the way. If you hear someone else shout it, look up and get clear.
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