Stay warm survival techinques

[FNG]

I carry a couple of space blankets, a small bundle of dried kindling and pine sap in a zip lock, a couple of flares which I have wrapped in a couple of feet of heavy duty Aluminum foil and some heat/warming packs. I do have a saw in the shovel, some lite nylon line, a couple of glow sticks, a flashlight and a couple of energy and snickers bars stashed around my sled.

If you carry any kind of first aid kit (I do, it's in my pack at all times) you can also use any of the bandaids or bandage material as the tampon to soak up gas or oil.

I have also dug one snow cave, I will probubly dig another one this year as it's just nice to "know" that you can do it and how to go about it with the least amount of energy output. Digging the first one, I got soaking wet and would build a better one today from that experience even though it was years ago.

 

[xrated]

Here is my backup to my Oh Chit gear. 20 bucks plus shipping, I think my old man got mine for 25 at REI.

Basically has everything I all ready have, just serving as backup.

http://www.tmru.org/kits/index.php

http://www.tmru.org/kits/description.php

 

[KFD070]

Recognize well enough ahead of time that you are going to be spending the night. Get supplies together and try to accomplish as much as you can prior to darkness setting in and colder temps arrive. Make sure to have more than one method of ignition. A disposable lighter will not work if it's windy. Small butane windproof lighters are cheap and a better bet. I purchased these single packet fire starters at Wal-mart the other day. Lay a pack or two at the bottom of your kindling and light. They burn for about 5 to 7 mins. so if you have some dry enough kindling this should get things going. Starting a fire in the outdoors in the cold of winter is a lot harder than one would expect. I like the tampon idea and other guys have mentioned cotton balls with vaseline. Some great useful tips on here.
Cheers

 

[tundra twin track]

Lot's of wood

Did a over night in Valemont a few years back ,had a pile of wood stacked up that would not fit in a pickup truck.It took a lot of wood to keep us nice and warm for the 12 hours till the helicopter showed up.

 

[helmethair]

i know this has been posted on this thread already but i've always used the tampon trick. works really well to get a fire going... that and pack a space blanket...

 

[BackCountryBob]

KFD070 X 2..two of us were stranded most of the night but we started the snow camp immediately by looking for a dead tree and digging our snow pit next to it. We had all the survival gear including several heavy duty 50 gal construction trash bags that we used as extra outer wear and wind protection. It took us about 1.5 hours to build the camp. We had 3 alum avy shovels and used one of them to build a fire on and the others used as a wind shield. The shovels were also used as an ax to cut branches.

We used tampons and steel wool--now we will carry road flairs as well. We never use all our extra gas as a reserve for an emergency.

Added to my inventory is an alum pie plate--12" diameter-- to act as a heat reflector.

Don't forget to carry extra flashlight batteries as it get really dark when it's snowing and you are searching for more firewood A miner's head lamp works best.

Great idea using the belt as a fire starter--two belts/sled = alot of fire. Thanks for that

BCB

 

[Powderhound]

Great Post.. In my backpack I carry a Nalgene Bottle. It holds the following

3 tampons
5 firestarter sticks
3 Glowsticks
2 lighters
10 Zip ties
5 Boulon cubes
1 Pocket knife
1 Small Pack of Gum ( It fit and sounded good)
Out side is wrapped with about a 1/4 Roll of Duct Tape.

Very Light and has enough in it that I can make a fire Heat some water with my Hot Dogger dig my snow cave and wait it out. It would suck but you can make it throughout the night. You can make yourself one for cheap and it is easy to carry. Fits in the pack and is always on you no matter what happens.

In my Tunnel bag I carry the following

Rope
Small Tarp
Fleece Pants and Top (sealed in a vacum bag very thin )
Extra gloves
food and water
Extra foldable saw ( other is in the Handle of the Shovel)
Batteryless Flashlight
Backpacking stove and fuel.


I would take two sleds put them in a V nose to nose. Cover with the tarp and zip tie it down . Take the shovel and bury the edges so that no air gets in. Line the bottom with Pine bows to protect from the snow... Build a fire at the entrance and get my tea going. Heat from the fire will reflect in the Makeshift cave. Even a tarp roof will hold some heat in. Make sure you have enough wood and see you in the Morning. Would be a long night but you will make it.

Just my 2 cents

 

[will]

Over night in winter

We've never had to over night it but, I've always been very confident with fire making skills with what I found in the bush, in rain or snow with out using gasoline until about 5 years ago. We were in the mountians one day and I couldn't find anything that would burn, dead trees were no where around and it didn't matter what kind of dead spruce branches or fuzz type materials we gathered, it wouldn't lite, must have been a wet fall, not sure?

As a result I now carry tin foil to get the fire started on and a very small packet of cedar shingle wrapped in plastic, a flint and stricker, lantern wick, lighter, waxed or water proof matches and paper, among alot of the other stuff mention.

I keep alot off the fire stuff in various pockets on me and most of the other tarp and survival blanket stuff in my avy pack. I know a lot off guys think it's a bit excesive but I like being prepared.

I know there's gas in the sled but I like not to depend on it.

If fire making skills aren't in practice and you ever get really cold it could be intersting.

Will

 

[slyrydr]

stuff i've learned over the years.....turn your sled to create a shield from the wind, use your shovel to fill up the area (on the upwind side) of the skid...then dig down parallel to the track a length to sit or lay down....use branches or the seat of the sled to sit on.......use the fire techniques listed...a light nylon tarp secured to the off-side of the sled and pulled over as far as it will go will help keep snow off and heat in....heat water in whatever you have (shovel) and fill a water bottle with hot water and put it under your parka, keep your core temp comfy....i carry a decent down parka that stuffs down tight and keep it in my sleds seat or pack...i always have candy/granola bars in my pockets (you need water with them)....my main fire starter is a small butane torch (about the size of a one d-cell flashlite)....starts in any weather, burns very hot, if it's burnable, the torch will light it.....extra gloves, knife, saw, small flashlight,....a spot (satellite rescue beacon)......most important, a clear head and the desire to live.....

 

[karmaline]

Military store.

go to a true military store. its called compressed trioxane. a puck the size of a double A battery will burn for around half an hour. then you can add stuff around it to burn

 

[straight-shot]

Great posts to all!!!!!!!!
Very good info!

 

[m_beeson]

In response to the handwarmers. My feet get annoyingly cold at times, and I put them in my shoes when I can't seem to get warm. It takes a little while, maybe an hour before they are very warm, but they work, and I keep them in my pack.

I have thought about this a lot, and if there were enough snow, I would dig a snow cave. When I was a kid; I did a klondike derby with the scouts where we actually dug snow caves, and slept in them. The key is to go as deep as you can, and then make a small door. Once inside you can clear it out high enough to sit in it.

Snow caves are very warm. If you needed to you could use the seat off of your snowmobile to sit / lay on, If you didn't have anything else to isolate you from the snow. but as I originally stated; I am always aware of the posibility, and am ready for it if I needed to spend the night.

If the snow isn't deep enough to dig a cave, I would definately dig a pit, and try to cover it. Give yourself a temperature barrier, even if it is just a thermal blanket, and a couple of hand warmers.

Just as important as anything previously stated is the need for a beanie hat. They say that 90% of heat loss is through the head. I alwayse have a hat with me.

 

[Supplicate]

Recognize well enough ahead of time that you are going to be spending the night.

That is probably the most important part.

Everyone should read To Build A Fire to see a perspective on what happens when you don't know when you need to stop.