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Voluntary overnight survival!!!!!

S
Nov 26, 2007
455
146
43
Custer, SD
who has wanted to try spending the night out voluntarily to see just how prepared they really are? Could be a humbling experience!
I have!
You could always call it a night if you wanted to. Then you would have an idea of things that work or not. How much wood to gather, building an adequate shelter,things you absolutely need Etc.
I can't convince my wife and my nephew it would be fun to try.

Anybody else game in my area?
 
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theultrarider

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
3,311
890
113
Soldotna Alaska
Now to keep it real, only pack what you NORMALLY ride with on your sled and in your pack. I have done this from to time on a smaller scale to my wife and kids.At different times I have had them start a fire, a real burn for hours fire. That can be very humbling to most people when they try it with nothing but what is one them....
 
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Snow Fox

Guest
I am planning on it, if I can fully convince the wife. I think that I will take a sleeping bag though, something I won't have if I am in the real situation.
 
I
Oct 29, 2001
442
42
28
62
Central WA
Only use your regular pack stuff but bring sleeping bags in case something goes sideways on you.
No reason to intentionally put yourself in a hazardous situation!
 
D
Nov 26, 2007
631
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Northern Utah
I mentioned this in another thread. I'm trying to get some of my riding buddies to do it and like said above only with the things that we take normally and not too far from the truck incase we arent as prepared as we thought. I think lately the biggest worry is that those d@mn wolves will think we look good for dinner :( and they arent near as bad here as north further. If anyone tries it lets us know how it went and what you did right and wrong
 

rockdog2112

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Sep 13, 2008
27,325
1,474
113
Cheyenne,Wy USA
I'll bet if every rider did it once(voluntarily), they would never leave the parking lot again without being totally prepared and geared up. I think even doing it voluntarily would be a rough night. Let us know so we can learn something too. I try to be prepared but you just never know until your out there. Good luck.
 
K
Good idea.
It's a humbling experience just trying to get a fire started. You don't necessarily have to do this at night either. You can practice shelter making and fire starting during daylight hours too. Of course the darkness adds a whole new element.
 
B
Nov 26, 2007
387
8
18
Rapid City, SD
I have thought of doing this too. It would be nice to know whether or not I am really prepared. I have a fealing that if I was to "fake it" I would want to sleep but in the real situation, I would be up all night tending to the fire and too nervous/scared to sleep.
 
S
Oct 21, 2004
735
53
28
Puyallup, WA
I carry more crap than most, but still think that I would want some more stuff if we really had to spend the night in the bush. I am just flat out of storage room. Most people we see ride with way less stuff, How many of you think that you could stay over with what you normally carry?
We are going to attempt this and report back on our experience.:face-icon-small-ton
 
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BackCountryBob

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2001
928
158
43
Arvada, Colorado
Two of us had an involuntary mostly over nighter in March and we were prepared BUT my sled went into a pond with alot of my stuff on it.

The biggest problem I had was wet feet. So now I carry more personal stuff in my BP. The other problem we had was finding enough fire wood even though we sheltered right next to a fallen tree. The saw we had really struggled cutting the larger branches so we dragged parts of the tree into the fire. What ever wood you have, better have 3X the amount.

The flash light and cell phone batteries were losing most of their power in the cold. It gets really dark at night in a snow storm so extra batteries are a must. Trail mix bars and tea work great.

I have alot of winter tent camping as a Boy Scout leader so no panic except for possible foot frost bite.

BCB
 

rockdog2112

Well-known member
Lifetime Membership
Sep 13, 2008
27,325
1,474
113
Cheyenne,Wy USA
There was a gal on here last month who had this incredibly detailed and very thorough list of what she carried. She had it broke down into sled, backpack, and person. Does anyone remember seeing it? I tried finding it, but didn't have any luck. I thought it was real good.
 
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theultrarider

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2007
3,311
890
113
Soldotna Alaska
There is a "sticky" thread at the top of the Alaska section of this for entitled "what is in your pack" or something close to that. There are alot of good ides in that thread as what you should be packing in the backcountry.
 

castlesledder

Member
Lifetime Membership
Nov 29, 2007
132
16
18
Northcentral Washington
I went with my boys a couple of years ago on an overnight snow cave survival campout with Boyscouts. Rode the chairlift to the top of Schweitzer at 8 am on a Saturday, and back down at 8 am on Sunday. (First time I ever rode a chairlift downhill !) It was an eye opening experience - teams of two built snow caves and spent the night in them. Dig like heck for a few hours and work up a good sweat, change into dry clothes and heat your cave with a candle... It was a long uncomfortable night - I would not do it again voluntarily, but would strongly recommend anyone interested in winter survival skills to go through the experience one time, it is essential to practice skills so you know what to do, rather than just read about them...
 
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MN_Nole

ACCOUNT CLOSED
Nov 21, 2007
330
38
28
Big Lake, MN
I would be interested in doing one, if anyone here in MN wants to try it. Good chance to learn if you set your pack up right. Knowing is half the battle, sorry to steal from sat morning tunes. But if you don't know in a situation like this, then the end is, well we all know.
So if anyone in MN wants to do/try this let me know. I am game. The life I save could/will be my own. Check the MN riding thread for further details.
 
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Drifter

Well-known member
Dec 16, 2007
254
94
28
I have done it a few times. I carry enough stuff to stay over night if I was in a jam. The only thing I wouldnt have would be a sleeping bag. You use way more fire wood then you think cut some then cut 3x as much. It allways makes me wounder when you see most people leave the parking lot with no back pack or a really small one. I bet most people would not be able to get a fire started.
 
S
Dec 9, 2007
15
2
3
I carry a couple of small fire starter logs about 2'' w by 5'' long and dont really weigh much. i dont know what is more important fire or shelter but i stayed the night in the back of my yukon this last hunting season was in the low 20's and froze my a$$ off and had blankets. try never to ride alone and if one sled breaks down if you cant get it out dont wait until frost bite sets in to leave, it will be there the next day and if not is your life worth what you payed for the sled. just my thoughts.
 
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