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Survival Strategies:  COLD WEATHER SURVIVAL  |
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 30 2008 : 8:13:53 PM
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Has anybody ever been in a scary winter wilderness situation? My hub & I went on a January canoe trip years ago, and we got into a fix. We pulled the canoe up onto the bank, but it slid down, back into the water, and across the river. Luckily, the current was slow & there was a shallow crossing, so my hub hiked up his jeans & went out to get it (I offered, but he insisted - ah, the chivalry of new love!).
Anyway, he managed to get into the canoe & paddle it back over to me, but when he tried to get out again, he tripped & fell into the icy water. He was SOAKED. Fortunately, we had lots of dry clothes, so he stripped down & changed before hypothermia set in. We had a terrible time trying to start a fire with cold, moist wood, though....I'm shivering just remembering!
Here's a website I found with winter survival tips: http://www.wilderness-survival.net/chp15.php
We could all use a refresher now & then, right?
Jen
Farmgirl Sisterhood Member #9
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
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Ladytrapper
outbound
32 Posts
Juanita
Nova Scotia
Canada
32 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2008 : 06:21:38 AM
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This is a tricky situation...you kept a level head and diverted what could have been a fatal situation. Good for you.
We carry sometimes with us what we call the "trapper's snowball"....it is simply a long piece of string that has been dipped in wax and then rolled into a ball. It is light and small, and burns for a very long time and will give a longer flame for catching even damp wood and tinder afire.
Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. ~Kahlil Gibran
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Mountain Girl
outrigged
237 Posts
JoAnn
Colville
WA
USA
237 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2008 : 08:17:02 AM
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Never heard of a trappers snowball. Sounds like a good idea.When you light it do you unroll it or leave it in the snowball shape? JoAnn
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away. Unknown |
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Ladytrapper
outbound
32 Posts
Juanita
Nova Scotia
Canada
32 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2008 : 09:55:58 AM
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It's left in the snowball shape and burns a little slower this way.
Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. ~Kahlil Gibran
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Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2008 : 11:15:37 AM
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What a great idea! I had never heard of the Trapper's Snowball either! I have some great beeswax that would make a great homemade snowball. I will have to make a few of those to put in our cabin for hiking expeditions to put in their packs.
The scariest winter situation that ever happened to me was on the eve of my birthday a few years ago. I was driving a van up a mountain to go to a hotsprings retreat for my birthday. Several people said they were going to go but for one reason or another couldn't come at the last minute. My dog was in a crate in the back of the van because I was also delivering a dog up to the retreat and they weren't getting a long. The van lost traction and couldn't make the incline. It was sliding backwards so I angled it to hit the snow berm on the Mountain side, not the drop off side. It was about 8 pm and pitch black. I had no idea how far I had to go to get to the retreat.
The van got stuck in the snow berm, tail pipe buried and door to get to my dog buried in snow. I thought about walking up to get help, but had no flashlight and didn't want to walk over a drop off or something in the dark. I stuck rags that I had on hand under the tires and managed to get the van out of the drift and headed back down. I then gunned it up and realized I was only about 20 feet from the parking lot to the retreat.
Looking back I realize it wasn't as life threatening as it seemed, but with no survival gear on hand and having the van stuck with no light or anything, it was scary. It certainly taught me to always have a survival kit on hand and a shovel to dig with!!
Elizaray |
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Ladytrapper
outbound
32 Posts
Juanita
Nova Scotia
Canada
32 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2008 : 4:10:01 PM
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Smart idea ...the rags for traction!
I will remember this
Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. ~Kahlil Gibran
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Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2008 : 9:57:02 PM
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It was the only thing I could think of! They were really big rags- the size of small hair towels. I also have successfully used commercial (like arm and hammer) laundry detergent to melt through snow to get a car unstuck as well. You need between 2-4 cups per tire (depending on depth of snow). It really works great!
Elizaray |
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Jul 11 2008 : 07:35:06 AM
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Great ideas!! I'm hoping to have a winter as wet (with snow) as this summer has been. I'll have to start a list of this stuff!
Jen
Farmgirl Sisterhood Member #9
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
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Survival Strategies: COLD WEATHER SURVIVAL |
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COLD WEATHER SURVIVAL
