Posted on 12/11/2013 9:22:32 AM PST by smokingfrog
Last week was potentially ugly. It was too cold to chill the beer on the deck.
LOL...the message is if you start getting hypothermic, you won’t think clearly...
The point is not to build a fire under an overhanging branch full of snow with your last match!
To comment on my own remarks, I need to add:
We have gotten small fires to start, but not with anything close to the ground that has been laden with moisture by nature.
We look for dead brush still standing, with no buds, that freely snaps with a clean break, that has been hanging out there in the wind and sun to be dried by nature.
As far as the survival shows go I think I like Les Stroud best. He doesn’t jump off a 300 foot cliff with a plan of catching a tree on the way down. His attitude is “stick 2 or 3 butane lighters in your pocket if you’re going into the wilderness”.
In a survival situation, roughing it doesn’t make you tougher, it just makes you suffer.
Well, thank you for your efforts anyway. The experience might be a useful reference for some future event. I’m just glad they’re all okay.
Bump
Yes.
Me too.
Even with proper clothing, in a cold environment if you don't have a food supply you're going to be in trouble a lot sooner than 3 weeks.
The question is of course utterly dependent on the environment. Summer desert is as unlike winter mountains as can be imagined. Either will kill you really quick if you're not prepared.
Speaking of SAR about 30 years ago wife and I walked out to National Park headquarters after an early spring storm, with our 1.5 year old little girl.
SAR was mounting up in the parking lot, so I walked over to see if I could help. Turns out there was a couple lost in the mountains with a baby...
Friend of ours panicked. But we were prepared and never in any danger.
That said - I spent last weekend out in 15 deg weather all day (10hrs) properly dressed
I had no rain gear back then in my poor days
little kids are not helpful to survival unless you eat them.
/sarc
I don’t disagree with what you’re saying. The Rule of 3’s just puts into perspective what your priorities should likely be. Obviously, the 3 weeks is not hard & fast, nor is the 3 hours/3 days ... it does depend on environment.
Wasn’t trying to be overly critical. Generally agree with the list of priorities, though they change with the specifics of the situation.
Could add 3 minutes without air, though!
“Swiss Army Knife. Carry it.”
Interesting you would list that as I just ordered one for myself yesterday. There is a multi-tool in the survival backpack in the trunk of my car, but I don’t have a Swiss Army Knife handy in my purse. I didn’t get one that weighs a lot but one for primary reasons one would need a knife. Naturally, I got PINK.
I have a tool in my car in the door compartment next to my seat that breaks side windows and has the gizmo that cuts through a seat belt fast.
In my life of long distance travel I have always slept in the car, and I prepare to live in the car until I can repair it, if it breaks down.
I have been in my vehicle during times when I had to boil up water, to store with my drinks in a cooler, to keep them from freezing in sub zero temperatures.
I carry the needed clothing to be outside of the car, working on it in the snow for hours, with good lighting, to then be able to be dry and fed and watered and comfortable, with a book to read, inside of the vehicle, and also to hike out if needed, without suffering frostbite or death.
Breaking down in snow or a cold rain, with sneakers and blue jeans, and an emergency blanket, with some candy bars, doesn’t cut it, and cold is accumulative, it gets worse for you as the hours go by, especially sitting in the dark, and worried, so you need a way to heat yourself and to protect the heat that you have inside.
This is all easier in the desert, I make sure that my car backpack can carry plenty of heavy water (several gallons), and I keep a sun-buster (reflective) umbrella for the hike, and a reflective emergency tarp to cover the car in a tent fashion, for sheltering in place or working on the vehicle.
That's the key - familiar terrain. Even those with outdoor skills would have a hard time in an unfamiliar area. Those from the desert southwest would have no idea what was going on in the swamps of Louisiana or Florida, and those from the Alaskan tundra would be confused in an old growth forest.
You left out fire.
And fire comes first. It’s far more difficult to create, than Shelter.
Once you have fire, you can heat shelter, and boil water.
Below is the basic desert recovery plan written by a friend of mine - used sucessfully several times. The first trick is to have the basic tools. The second is to use the terrain to your advantage and the third is not ot make it worse.
“Solo recovery ideas.
Without a highlift jack you are almost out of luck. With a high lift, a shovel, a couple floor mats, a spare tire and some rocks, you might be able to do it.
Make sure the e-brake is set, and the trans is in park or gear, with the t-case engaged into low or high.
If possible, maneuver the rig so it’s in the best possible position to roll back on it’s wheels. When they are on their top, sometimes it’s easy to point them in a good direction. You want it to be in a position so that it will roll as easy as possible, even if you have to adjust some bodywork to accomplish it.
Dig under the low side if possible, then set up something to trip the vehicle and keep it from sliding. Often a rubber floor mat will do the trick, anything to keep it from sliding once you start jacking the high side up.
Start jacking the high side and stacking things under the rig. You will have to stabilize the jack with one hand and stack with the other, or your feet. Don’t let the stupid thing fall on you. If it starts to fall, let it go and get the jack back later.
If you have help, once you get it high enough, they could pull on a strap to help pull it over, or they may have to hold it back to keep it from going over again, if possible, but again, it will have some force behind it, so let it go rather than get sucked along with it on it’s second uncontrolled rollover.
If you have a winch, you might be able to pull it back over, once you get it lifted a little, provided you have an anchor to winch across to. Run the cable under the front corner, up and over the rig, to an anchor point. You may have to position substantial objects on the downhill side to keep it from spinning or sliding. Then winch it over.
Hopefully the battery doesn’t run out all the acid and leave you stranded. Use Optimas!”
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