So much of the discussion in these threads assumes that the person(s) stuck overnight are suffering from a mechanical breakdown i.e. they're with their sled, unhurt and in no immediate danger of hypothermia or frostbite. While that is true much of the time there are any number of scenarios that we could reasonably foresee where things could be far more difficult, and therefore dangerous. Planning for survival should be about preparing to deal with as worse a situation as we are capable of dealing with given realistic limitations like weight, space, probability, our own knowledge and skills etc.
What I would like to do is get you to honestly examine your readiness to deal with a few likely scenarios where things are getting ugly quickly. The goal here is to read the scenario and then based on what YOU carry and WHERE you carry it, ask yourself 2 questions: Am I prepared to deal with this? And if not, What would I do to make due?
Scenario #1: Mid January, 15 degrees, 2 pm, flat light, snowing lightly, mountains--just above tree line.
(I know we all preach never to ride alone but we all do it from time to time, either out of necessity or confidence in the infallibility of our magic machines or our own abilities.)
So, you spent a mid-week morning with friends in an area new to you. You bail early because you have to get home by a certain time for some reason. On your way back to the truck you miss a turn. After just 10 minutes you realize your mistake and instead of back tracking you take off across a big meadow in the direction you need to go. You're not really focused on what's in front of you--pissed at yourself for missing the trail--now you're going to get home late but at the same time you're enjoying the detour, totally surprised no one has tracked up this meadow's waist deep powder. You don't see the ravine until it's too late because of the light and the snow. In that instant you know you can't break in time but it's not that far across, maybe 20 feet, so you pin it hoping to get the ski's up so you don't lawn-dart into the opposite bank.
You get the ski's up some but not enough and hit short, smashing pretty hard into the far side just below the rim. You go over the bars and land in deep snow on top while your sled rolls 15 feet to the bottom coming to rest upside down in 2 feet of fast water.
Your right thigh is F'ing killing you but it bears your weight so you're pretty sure the femur isn't broken but every step hurts. Your helmet is packed with snow and you've even got snow inside your underwear and you can feel it melting against your skin.
You do not recognize the immediate area. You don't see any lights or hear motors. You're standing in 3-4 feet of snow that turns to sugar near the ground. The closest vegetation is small willow scrub. The timber is 200 yards downhill.
Questions...
Are you wearing a pack? What's in it? How much stuff is on your sled? Is any of that stuff critical and is it worth the risk of getting soaking wet? If you drop into the ravine will you be able to get back out with your leg?
What are you going to do now?
Scenario #2: Early March, -10 degrees, 4pm, clear/calm, mountains--big timber
This one's simpler. You're helping your more-money-than-sense middle aged co-worker put his very first machine, an 800 mountain sled, through it's paces. It's his 4th ride so he's an expert now. You're leading a downhill run and zig when you should zag and get sucked into a deeep (7-8 feet) treewell. Bob (these guys are always named Bob) was riding your bumper (all day) and drops his sled on top of yours, and you. Your left forearm hurts bad and moving your fingers brings tears. You're pretty sure it's broken, but you're right handed and at least you missed the tree. Bob, however, did not. He's conscious but having a hard time breathing. He's pretty sure he broke a few ribs and he has shooting pain along his spine when he tries to move his head. He say's it hurts to breathe or talk but he manages to blame you for wrecking his brand new sled.
Are you prepared to deal with this?
Scenario #3: Early February, -20 and dropping, 7pm, the flats (lake system, prairie/tundra etc), winds 20 to 30 mph.
You and your partner rode out to his cabin/ice shanty waaay out in the boonies for the weekend. You're about half way home when your partner breaks through the ice into waist deep water. He's not hurt but by the time he gets out he's wet to his arm pits. You're dry and your sled is fine. Trees and firewood are a short ride away.
How would you deal with this?
My 2 cents:
The central theme for all of these scenarios is getting/staying warm, since in winter that's the primary key to our survival. The ability to build substantial fires quickly, and to get dry are paramount when selecting gear to carry.
What I would like to do is get you to honestly examine your readiness to deal with a few likely scenarios where things are getting ugly quickly. The goal here is to read the scenario and then based on what YOU carry and WHERE you carry it, ask yourself 2 questions: Am I prepared to deal with this? And if not, What would I do to make due?
Scenario #1: Mid January, 15 degrees, 2 pm, flat light, snowing lightly, mountains--just above tree line.
(I know we all preach never to ride alone but we all do it from time to time, either out of necessity or confidence in the infallibility of our magic machines or our own abilities.)
So, you spent a mid-week morning with friends in an area new to you. You bail early because you have to get home by a certain time for some reason. On your way back to the truck you miss a turn. After just 10 minutes you realize your mistake and instead of back tracking you take off across a big meadow in the direction you need to go. You're not really focused on what's in front of you--pissed at yourself for missing the trail--now you're going to get home late but at the same time you're enjoying the detour, totally surprised no one has tracked up this meadow's waist deep powder. You don't see the ravine until it's too late because of the light and the snow. In that instant you know you can't break in time but it's not that far across, maybe 20 feet, so you pin it hoping to get the ski's up so you don't lawn-dart into the opposite bank.
You get the ski's up some but not enough and hit short, smashing pretty hard into the far side just below the rim. You go over the bars and land in deep snow on top while your sled rolls 15 feet to the bottom coming to rest upside down in 2 feet of fast water.
Your right thigh is F'ing killing you but it bears your weight so you're pretty sure the femur isn't broken but every step hurts. Your helmet is packed with snow and you've even got snow inside your underwear and you can feel it melting against your skin.
You do not recognize the immediate area. You don't see any lights or hear motors. You're standing in 3-4 feet of snow that turns to sugar near the ground. The closest vegetation is small willow scrub. The timber is 200 yards downhill.
Questions...
Are you wearing a pack? What's in it? How much stuff is on your sled? Is any of that stuff critical and is it worth the risk of getting soaking wet? If you drop into the ravine will you be able to get back out with your leg?
What are you going to do now?
Scenario #2: Early March, -10 degrees, 4pm, clear/calm, mountains--big timber
This one's simpler. You're helping your more-money-than-sense middle aged co-worker put his very first machine, an 800 mountain sled, through it's paces. It's his 4th ride so he's an expert now. You're leading a downhill run and zig when you should zag and get sucked into a deeep (7-8 feet) treewell. Bob (these guys are always named Bob) was riding your bumper (all day) and drops his sled on top of yours, and you. Your left forearm hurts bad and moving your fingers brings tears. You're pretty sure it's broken, but you're right handed and at least you missed the tree. Bob, however, did not. He's conscious but having a hard time breathing. He's pretty sure he broke a few ribs and he has shooting pain along his spine when he tries to move his head. He say's it hurts to breathe or talk but he manages to blame you for wrecking his brand new sled.
Are you prepared to deal with this?
Scenario #3: Early February, -20 and dropping, 7pm, the flats (lake system, prairie/tundra etc), winds 20 to 30 mph.
You and your partner rode out to his cabin/ice shanty waaay out in the boonies for the weekend. You're about half way home when your partner breaks through the ice into waist deep water. He's not hurt but by the time he gets out he's wet to his arm pits. You're dry and your sled is fine. Trees and firewood are a short ride away.
How would you deal with this?
My 2 cents:
The central theme for all of these scenarios is getting/staying warm, since in winter that's the primary key to our survival. The ability to build substantial fires quickly, and to get dry are paramount when selecting gear to carry.
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