I'm with Rick D, if I had to depend on someone going with me, I would hardly get out. It used to be only me on every trip, but now I have a bunch of CA bpers who I get together with now and then, even though they are all from cities. Experience wise, out doing this on a limited basis to begin with for the first ten years but more as time goes on. Started bping just to go fishing in the early '70's, so I am just about to Jim's level but not with the Boy Scout training, more like the school of hard knocks. I have no compass, have a limited first aid kit, even less than Jim's, but I know I need a few more items. I've missed the easy to find trail junction and found the hard to find one and gotten way off course and just kept hiking to "correct" the situation after studying the map. After being tired, may not have been the best decision, but to me was better than retracing my steps. Always up or forward. I do envy and respect a number of people here, they have more experience than I do, knowledge, smarts. If I had to have more of everything, I would never get out.