Spending the night? Got Shelter?

i carry one on my sled and in my coat.

I really feel like if you're honestly going to spend the night, you want a bivvy sack/ bag style. I can't imagine spending the night with just a blanket?

I use one of these



I'd be curious how that would compare to what is obviously a better material, but in blanket form.

Actually, in reading about this particular bivvy, it's made of a 4 ply material that is very different from a simple "space blanket", so perhaps this is closer than I thought to the same construction.

I carry 2-3 space blankets and the exact bivvy sack you posted Kaleb. I'll lay on 1-2 space blankets and get in the bivvy sack and then put the last space blanket over me.

I did though buy the bivvy sack at REI, so now I must be shot...

jbsleds said:

Anyone have any other suggestions for emergency shelter?

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A treewell makes a decent ready-made shelter if you're near any trees. The high sides of the snow around the trunk will block wind, and the tree branches will block snow. Downside is you can be hard to see (for rescuers) so you need to leave some sort of signal that is visible up higher.

Good call on heavier blanket / bivy. Would make things much more comfortable overnight.

Shelter ... Dig snow pit. Cover opening above with branches, pine/fir boughs with space blanket intertwined. Sleeping surface.. thick bed of pine/fir boughs to prevent body heat transfer into snow. Same for fire... Build base under fire to prevent it burning down into snowpack.

These are all great options. Anyone who has pulls their flimsy little space blanket out in heavy wind will find that they blow to pieces. The heavy tarps are excellent as well as the bivy shown above.

Something else to consider having in your kit is an additional layer of clothing that will provide insulation. We keep a synthetic down pullover in a stuff sack in the bottom of our packs (with the space tarp and bivy). This added insulation weighs practically nothing and stuffs down to a bit bigger than a softball. You can pull it out for the unexpected overnighter or for those times you are spending a little more time sitting still than your normal gear can handle. In a bad situation it gives peace of mind when you put it on and instantly start to get warmer.

A Black Diamond Mega light makes a nice shelter too and fits in the seat compartment (of an M8 anyway). It is a very light and packable Silnylon tent without a floor (packs about the size of two softballs). It's got a single carbon fiber pole in the center. Sleeps 3 or 4. Dig a hole in the snow the same size as the foot print and about a foot deep. Secure the tent in the hole then throw the tarps and bivys inside and you have a very comfortable little shelter. Rain, snow, or wind...bring it on!

Whatever option you choose to use in your survival kit, it's important to practice with it so it's familiar to you. And don't just practice in your yard when the weather is nice. Pull it out in the mountains in the wind and foul weather. There are a lot of variables that we don't realize are issues that come up when in a realistic environment...how do I keep my rear warm?, should I have a fire? will it make me warm or wet?, where can I get out of the wind? where will searchers look for me? can I drink the creek water? did I already eat all my food? Better to have actual experience with survival techniques rather than just theorize about them. Compare the overnighter to an avalanche accident...we don't want to have theorized about beacon searching right? We want to have rock solid skills for the best outcome. Practice getting cold, wet and hungry so you can develop a good cure

Great info MVR...as always!!

We have been talking about spending the night intentionally 1/4 mile from the snowpark. This way, if we discover we are not as prepared as we thought, we are only 1/4 mile away.

One thing I added last year was an empty Progresso soup can. Filled with fuel it will burn like a candle for 3+ hrs (tested). This was added after attempting to start a fire in wind blown, ice covered trees. I decided the amount of energy expended to start and keep a fire burning overnight was not practical...especially if there was an injury or medical situation thrown into the mix.

Great thread.

modsledr said:

Great info MVR...as always!!

We have been talking about spending the night intentionally 1/4 mile from the snowpark. This way, if we discover we are not as prepared as we thought, we are only 1/4 mile away.

One thing I added last year was an empty Progresso soup can. Filled with fuel it will burn like a candle for 3+ hrs (tested). This was added after attempting to start a fire in wind blown, ice covered trees. I decided the amount of energy expended to start and keep a fire burning overnight was not practical...especially if there was an injury or medical situation thrown into the mix.

Great thread.

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Yes, when testing your kit it's definitely good to give yourself an out in case you have to scream and run away

The candle and soup can is a great idea.

One thing those mylar space blankets are good for is a heat reflector.

Once you get your fire going and a nice bed of pine boughs to keep you up off the snow, set up your space blanket like a steep lean-to on the other side of the fire. It needs to be set back about 10 feet so the heat from your fire doesn't melt it.

With any sort of wearable shelter/bag you carry to protect you from the cold remember to minimize your contact with the snow. Digging down to bare ground is best but not always an option. A pine bough bed is usually a more readily available option, but make sure the snow is packed down first and the bed is at least 18" thick. More is definitely better.

MVR said:

Practice getting cold, wet and hungry so you can develop a good cure

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Sounds like the typical hunting / fishin trip in Western Washington, except the hungry part :face-icon-small-win

saftey

i have had several blankets, our group now all have the blizzard survival blanket, its similar but it expands to trap air for added thermal insulation, i picked a few up on ebay, check them out, they are very strong, some of them even have gromets inthe corners,

giddyup

backcountryislife said:

I really feel like if you're honestly going to spend the night, you want a bivvy sack/ bag style. I can't imagine spending the night with just a blanket?

I use one of these

I'd be curious how that would compare to what is obviously a better material, but in blanket form.

Actually, in reading about this particular bivvy, it's made of a 4 ply material that is very different from a simple "space blanket", so perhaps this is closer than I thought to the same construction.

Click to expand...

I have two space blankets in backpack, and carry bivy sack on the sled....

The Fourth Wolf is 100% correct. Minimize your contact with the snow and use pine boughs.

Also:
-Learn how to start a fire and have a couple of fire starting sources.
-Be prepared to spend the night out on every ride. No one ever plans their accidents or break downs, unless your name is Bear Grylls.
-Make a conscious effort to be found. What many people do to survive a night out makes it very hard to find them. Run orange flagging though the trees or hang an LED strobe light from a tree. If you hear searchers, start the snowmobile and keep it running. It's much easier to find someone with a light source.

Mike Duffy

Avalanche1.com
Avalanche education for mountain riders.

First thing every one runs out of is WATER!!

But the HMK shovel is great for melting SNOW!!