I was talking with Beeman on our last trip after our group got separated for two hours. I asked if he had all the survival gear needed for a stay.. He had some, and what he didnt have i had. But since seperated would of done no good. We were talking about dedicating 2 hours to build a snow cave a fire just to see how much we would be prepared. Anybody else do this? I think it would be the best way to figure out what you have or dont have.
Who has mached up a snow cave and a overnighter?
- Thread starter Himark
- Start date
We've spent the night out wood once. We thought we were taking a different route home, and we ran out of daylight. We decided to camp out rather than risk having anyone get hurt. After that most of us got backpacks and started carrying more stuff. Below is a list of stuff that we did had:
(2) Shovels
(2) Saws
Extra gas
A lighter (good thing we had a smoker with)
(7) other guys to talk to
Some extra water
Some candy bars (Of course we forget we had them)
(2) Shovels
(2) Saws
Extra gas
A lighter (good thing we had a smoker with)
(7) other guys to talk to
Some extra water
Some candy bars (Of course we forget we had them)
I had the "Pleasure" of spending the night in the woods a few years back while trail riding in Michigans U.P..
We all rode in a huge group, I carried alot of gear becuase I am always 'Mr. Prepared For anything" on this particular trip we had some rookies along. I stayed at the back of the pack in the A.M. to babbysit them, and finally I got sick of that and rode in the front of the pack to play with the big dogs.
We are out in the middle of the Ottowa national forest and I break a chain, I am off the sled waiting for the rookies to show up and they pass right by me! WTF??? it was 20-30 miles before the lead end of the pack knew someone dropped out becuase the rookies never stopped. I wasn't goingto hike it out in the dark, so I figured I would say put until found or morning.
Anyways, the stuff I carry in the flatlands may be of help to you guys at high elevations too.
I keep 4-5 mylar space blankets, Parachute cord, Dry packet hand warmers and liquid fuel warmers, Zippo lighter with spare fuel. (leave the bic's at home, they are useless under 40 degrees) A magnesium bar with attached flint for fire starting, a knife, pliers, and a packet of dogwood fuzz for tinder to start a fire. All of this is kept in foodsaver vacuum bags to keep it dry and compact. I also have aspirin, tylenol advil, some patch kits and ace bandages for minor injuries. a few chocolate bars is highly recomended. It sucked but nobody ever razzes me about carrying too much gear anymore. And I just about killed the rookies that were on that trip, they never rode with any of us again!
being in any elevation, I would be concerned about water or a way to melt snow for drinking water.
Good luck, I hope it never happens to anyone, but at least be prepared.
We all rode in a huge group, I carried alot of gear becuase I am always 'Mr. Prepared For anything" on this particular trip we had some rookies along. I stayed at the back of the pack in the A.M. to babbysit them, and finally I got sick of that and rode in the front of the pack to play with the big dogs.
We are out in the middle of the Ottowa national forest and I break a chain, I am off the sled waiting for the rookies to show up and they pass right by me! WTF??? it was 20-30 miles before the lead end of the pack knew someone dropped out becuase the rookies never stopped. I wasn't goingto hike it out in the dark, so I figured I would say put until found or morning.
Anyways, the stuff I carry in the flatlands may be of help to you guys at high elevations too.
I keep 4-5 mylar space blankets, Parachute cord, Dry packet hand warmers and liquid fuel warmers, Zippo lighter with spare fuel. (leave the bic's at home, they are useless under 40 degrees) A magnesium bar with attached flint for fire starting, a knife, pliers, and a packet of dogwood fuzz for tinder to start a fire. All of this is kept in foodsaver vacuum bags to keep it dry and compact. I also have aspirin, tylenol advil, some patch kits and ace bandages for minor injuries. a few chocolate bars is highly recomended. It sucked but nobody ever razzes me about carrying too much gear anymore. And I just about killed the rookies that were on that trip, they never rode with any of us again!
being in any elevation, I would be concerned about water or a way to melt snow for drinking water.
Good luck, I hope it never happens to anyone, but at least be prepared.
I've slept in snowcaves a number of times as a boyscout years ago, but I did it again last winter with my son. It wasn't too bad, but it was also a planned camping trip and I had my zero degree mummy bag too! Snow caves are the best for staying warm though!
SPent the night in the Centennial range many years ago. Did not build a snow hut but did build a huge shelter by cutting many many branches and piling them up between the trees we had the fire going in. Wind shelter makes a huge difference to get the heat from the fire. Had wet mathes, so we used the sleds to start teh fire. Dumped gas on the wood, then dipped toilet paper in gas, pulled a spark plug and started the sled on two cylinders (triple) and start the toilet paper on fire with the spark. My uncled showed me that trick when I was little,,,worked great.
vaseline soaked cotton balls wrapped in waxed paper are as good as it gets for starting a fire. a tampon is the bomb if your sled till has gas in it.......drop it in the tank by the string and it soaks w/gas. a simple spark and voila......fire. be sure to have plenty of wood. it goes fast.
J
jaysonfreerider
Well-known member
never spent a night in the cold before but im always prepared as possible!
but i have hiked all night looking for some people that were lost in a deep canyon in the summer but im sure thats nothing like in the winter!
but i have hiked all night looking for some people that were lost in a deep canyon in the summer but im sure thats nothing like in the winter!
stuff i always have with me....at least 8 granola/candy bars...at least 1/2 of a monster sandwich that i had at lunch...extra head sock, glove liners, and gloves....a down storm parka that fits under my one size too large goretex riding parka (compresses to fit in a water-proof stuff sac that fits in the boss seat).....tools to fix what i can fix on the sled.....a good ten inch saw blade and one of those new rip saw blades that cat sells....a good 4 inch knife....matches and a small flashlite size butane torch (starts anything on fire)....tampoons....shovel for melting snow (filling a water bottle with hot water and putting it under your parka will warm you up)....one liter of water, one 20oz energy drink...a spot (emergency satelite location device)....cell phone....super bungee for unsticking sleds and 30 yards of nylon tape....depending on where i'm riding, a scandium frame .44 mag....most of this stuff doesn't really weigh that much, but can be invaluable.....l've had a fair amount of survival training, both military and civilian, been a hunter and outdoorsman for a long time......oh yeah, the most important, a clear brain and an indominable desire to live....
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Recomend to you and everybode else who has not tried it to dig a snow cave.
It can be a lot of work depending on the snow and a easy mistake to make is not taking of enough clothes when digging..
You end up with a nice cave but soaked through with your own sweat. Makes for a cold night.
And yeah, I found that out the hard way when I was 15..
RS
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