Backpedal: Before you sink too deep, take a few quick steps backward to where the ground was solid.The lighter you can make your body, the easier it will be to extract yourself. Eliminate excess weight: Throw your backpack to the side, and take off your shoes, if possible.If you can’t avoid it, you have to escape it. If the ground gives way under the walking stick, map another course. Test Before You Step: Tap the ground in front of you with trekking poles or a walking stick.Terrain with a rippled appearance is also a key indicator. Eye Your Terrain: If water is bubbling up from below the ground, you may have stumbled upon some quicksand.Be extra careful after a large rainstorm. Know Quicksand Danger Zones: Be on the lookout for quicksand around wet terrain near riverbanks, lakes, swamps, marshes, tidal flats, glaciers, or underground springs.Your best bet for surviving quicksand is to avoid it altogether. So quicksand is generally located near riverbanks, marshes, and beaches. Flowing water underground agitates the sand, which can create quicksand. Why? Because in order for quicksand to form, there needs to be water present. It is not until a person tries to step through it that this ground liquefies under his or her feet.Ĭontrary to what you may have seen in movies, quicksand is not actually often found in the desert. Unlike typical mud, quicksand can appear solid upon first glance. This quicksand then re-solidifies, trapping whatever may have sunk into its depths. The water turns the “sand” into a thick liquid mud that collapses under moving weight. Quicksand is a bit of a misnomer, because it isn't always, well, sand-it’s any mass of sand, clay, or dirt particles that contains trapped water. Try to reach for a branch or person’s hand to pull yourself out.Keep your arms up and out of the quicksand.Make yourself as light as possible-toss your bag, jacket, and shoes.
#Stuck in quicksand how to#
Keep calm and trek on, adventure travelers, because we’ve got the 4-1-1 on what it is, how to avoid it, and what to do if you find yourself sinking in quicksand. It’s nature’s version of pulling the rug out from under you, after all, and it's a rare enough occurrence that can cause even the most seasoned hiker to panic.
Once both limbs are free, gently flip onto your belly and crawl to solid safety.Though it's not quite as deadly as it appears in movies, quicksand can still throw an unsuspecting hiker for a loop. It may take a while to remove your leg, but you’ll get it out eventually. Removing your leg in one fell swoop would require as much force as it does to lift a mid-sized car, so take your time.
Water will slowly flood the sand around you, weakening the quicksand. Wiggle one leg in small circles and pull. With your upper body now serving as a counterweight, you can start pulling your legs out.
You’ll sink if you stand, but you’ll float if you spread out on your back. Don’t panic about sinking-a pit of quicksand is like a swimming pool. If you’re ankle or knee deep, slowly sit down. That’s your route to escape-and the only way to do that is to move. But if that water can return, the sand’s grip should loosen. You’re sinking because the sand around your legs has lost water. With the water gone, the sand thickens, creating a vacuum that tugs you down. As you sink, your weight pushes water from the sand. Quicksand is what’s known as a non-Newtonian fluid, so it liquefies whenever there’s movement. They will make escaping more difficult (boots in particular become stubborn suction cups when in mud). Ditch your backpack and try wriggling out of your shoes. 2) Toss Your GearĪll that extra weight will make you sink faster. The more air you have in your lungs, the better you’ll float like a human cork. Even in the deepest quicksand, you won’t sink far past your midsection. 1) Calm Down!įorget what you’ve seen in movies - you’re not going to be sucked into a bottomless pit. Unless the tide rolls in while you’re stuck, you should be able to escape to safety. If you’re hiking alone and get that sinking feeling, don’t panic. However, quicksand is still somewhat common near rivers, estuaries, and marshes, so it’s worth knowing how to get out. Despite what every corny '70s adventure flick may have led you to believe, you’re unlikely to run into quicksand in your day-to-day life.