A Quick Guide on How to Escape Quicksand

Remember how quicksand seemed like the ultimate danger in every adventure movie growing up? Well, it turns out Hollywood may have oversold it a bit.

The tricky part is that the more you struggle with quicksand, the worse it can get. Officials say the real danger isn’t being swallowed underground. It’s getting stuck, becoming exhausted, and potentially waiting hours for help.

So, here’s a quick guide of how to escape, if you ever get caught in quicksand:

1. Stay calm . . . struggling can make quicksand behave more like a liquid and cause you to sink deeper.

2. Spread your weight . . . flattening out your body and leaning forward can help keep you from sinking further.

3. Move your legs slowly . . . wiggle your legs toward the surface instead of trying to yank them free.

4. Army crawl out . . . once you’re closer to the surface, crawl carefully to firmer ground.

5. And they saved the most important one for last. Always hike with others. That way if you ever get caught in quicksand, they can help you get out or call for help.

So, the good news is quicksand probably won’t eat you alive . . . but the bad news is it’ll still ruin your hike.

(AZ Family)