I carry fire starter,two of them sos sleeping bag and blanket they are light. Suture kit,a few tampons ,old school military compass,muti tool, saw, some other basic first aid,blood clotting packs, military flares. Tampons are very good for dipping in gas tank and starting fires they also are very good at stopping bleeding wounds. Also a rhino 655. 300 ft of 3/8 rope since my sled fell in an old mine shaft hole.
Survival gear list
- Thread starter revrider07
- Start date
Good time for a refresher on this after the group of 4 from SD spent 5 days on the mountain in the snowies.
I have not heard there story yet, but I have been in the same situation in the snowies back on new years eve 2005/2006.
Some things that came in VERY handy for us was rope, a 8x10 tarp, headlamps, saws, a way to boil water, and multiple ways to start a fire.
The rope and tarp is an easy and fast way to make shelter or a wind block. Cut pine bows to sitting on so your insulated from the snow.
When building a fire, be aware that the fire is going to burn itself down to dirt...5,6,10 ft down depending on the snow pack. Also if your tucked into the trees, the fire will melt snow above you in the trees and water will drip down, and chunks of snow will fall... on you
You will burn A TON of wood! the nights are long and cold, and you will be getting fire wood very often. This is where the headlamp comes in very handy so you can find, cut and haul wood with both hands. This is also why I always carry more then one saw... One in my shovel handle, a folding one in my pack and on my sled.
13 yrs ago we didnt have a spot or inreach or sat phone, but we did have more then one GPS's units with us and a tri-mode cell phone to dial 911. Any old cell phone will dial 911, those old phones with the pull out antennas is what allowed us to get our location to SAR (call made in analog emergency service mode) and got us off the mountain in 36 hours.
Also carry way more water then you need, and some of those soup packs that you just add water too sure is nice to have along with you.
Also, one thing we wished we had but didnt, was something like a book or a deck of cards..... time goes by very slow!
I have not heard there story yet, but I have been in the same situation in the snowies back on new years eve 2005/2006.
Some things that came in VERY handy for us was rope, a 8x10 tarp, headlamps, saws, a way to boil water, and multiple ways to start a fire.
The rope and tarp is an easy and fast way to make shelter or a wind block. Cut pine bows to sitting on so your insulated from the snow.
When building a fire, be aware that the fire is going to burn itself down to dirt...5,6,10 ft down depending on the snow pack. Also if your tucked into the trees, the fire will melt snow above you in the trees and water will drip down, and chunks of snow will fall... on you
You will burn A TON of wood! the nights are long and cold, and you will be getting fire wood very often. This is where the headlamp comes in very handy so you can find, cut and haul wood with both hands. This is also why I always carry more then one saw... One in my shovel handle, a folding one in my pack and on my sled.
13 yrs ago we didnt have a spot or inreach or sat phone, but we did have more then one GPS's units with us and a tri-mode cell phone to dial 911. Any old cell phone will dial 911, those old phones with the pull out antennas is what allowed us to get our location to SAR (call made in analog emergency service mode) and got us off the mountain in 36 hours.
Also carry way more water then you need, and some of those soup packs that you just add water too sure is nice to have along with you.
Also, one thing we wished we had but didnt, was something like a book or a deck of cards..... time goes by very slow!
Muff pot for water but doesn't hold much for melting snow but works. Starting a fire and tending if for a couple of hour in practice really helps it's not as simple as you think it would be with snow coming of trees and it melting downward. I've been in some blizzards and close to looking for a place to spend the night but have been able to get to the truck. Spent a few hours at queally warming hut in the dark warming up. It would be great if others would share experiences on what worked for them and what did not.
The muff pot works fine for boiling water and heating the soup. But if you just put it at the edge of the fire it ends up getting ashes in it. It works better to get some rocks away from the fire and pile some red hot coals on it to melt snow or make food. If you dont have rocks near by you can use your Aluminum avy shovel blade.
If you decide to go the snowcave route, or anything away from your sledor sled tracks, or if snowfall is heavy, your shelter might be camouflaged. Mark your location so rescuers don't just go by your shelter.
I also carry a dry set of wool underwear to change into once the work is done, because I know I will be soaking wet with sweat! Been looking into a sat phone. Anyone have any experience with the Garmin InReach Mini Handheld ?
Reflective blankets. Pack a few they're small packages. Use one as a fire reflector. Works great. Can't have enough ways to start a fire. Matches ,flares,flint,fire starter sticks. I made some out of wax and sawdust with a wick. They burn long enough to get the wood hot enough to ignite. And a saw made of chainsaw chain. You'll be surprised what you can cut with one. And food. You are going to need calories/energy. Jerky, mres, whatever you like. And candles to heat your snow cave. They work.
I just never bought into that "don't eat snow" thing. So 20* snow will drain your heat, but 40* water doesn't? Come on.....
From my experience in the snowbank overnight(s) - 80% of the heat generated by a fire outside in the snowbank is from the sweat of fetchin' wood. I find a fire to be more of a security blanket than an actual survival tool - unless maybe you need to dry some clothes. The more of you that there is to share the wood fetchin' - the more that it makes sense. I generally carry a short handled axe and road flares.
I just dropped my sat phone this last year. It was a 2000 model, so it is old and was very costly - especially for as little as I used it. I just ordered a "factory reconditioned" Garmin In-Reach. The yellow one. It is cheaper and just doesn't doo the GPS nav as much as the other one. I think that I want to keep my emergency radio fresh in case that I need it, and not have run the batts down all day while riding. I'll carry a sepparate GPS. I pd $275 for the reconditioned unit on E-bay.
The reflective blankets - I can see their use at the fire as was posted above. That could be a VERY good use for one actually! Never tried that... Also - you could use it to sit on to keep dry, but in all honesty, I don't know about the other sleds, but the Doo seats just pop right off. I would gues that they all doo these days? Then you have a soft/warm/dry place to sit.
Have overnighted with big tarps (one above and one below) and -30 sleeping bags before, but that is bulky to carry. But did wake up in morning to find moose tracks that walked around our spot in the trail. (that could've left a mark eh?)
There is always at least one cheap compass in my britches at all times. But I actually think that I could scrounge up two if I empty all the pockets.
For the last 20 years I have carried enough tools that I could doo anything to my sled in the bush. I could fit it all inside a clutch cover toolbox. Have not figgered out anything for the new G4 yet. I actually made it a habit that if I was working on my sled at all, I worked out of my sleds toolbox - to make sure that "it's in there". Others laugh at you, 'till they need sumpthing...
One recommendation that has been made to me that I have not tried yet (and hopefully never will) is to dig your way to the bottom (?) of a big full pine tree to make camp.
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From my experience in the snowbank overnight(s) - 80% of the heat generated by a fire outside in the snowbank is from the sweat of fetchin' wood. I find a fire to be more of a security blanket than an actual survival tool - unless maybe you need to dry some clothes. The more of you that there is to share the wood fetchin' - the more that it makes sense. I generally carry a short handled axe and road flares.
I just dropped my sat phone this last year. It was a 2000 model, so it is old and was very costly - especially for as little as I used it. I just ordered a "factory reconditioned" Garmin In-Reach. The yellow one. It is cheaper and just doesn't doo the GPS nav as much as the other one. I think that I want to keep my emergency radio fresh in case that I need it, and not have run the batts down all day while riding. I'll carry a sepparate GPS. I pd $275 for the reconditioned unit on E-bay.
The reflective blankets - I can see their use at the fire as was posted above. That could be a VERY good use for one actually! Never tried that... Also - you could use it to sit on to keep dry, but in all honesty, I don't know about the other sleds, but the Doo seats just pop right off. I would gues that they all doo these days? Then you have a soft/warm/dry place to sit.
Have overnighted with big tarps (one above and one below) and -30 sleeping bags before, but that is bulky to carry. But did wake up in morning to find moose tracks that walked around our spot in the trail. (that could've left a mark eh?)
There is always at least one cheap compass in my britches at all times. But I actually think that I could scrounge up two if I empty all the pockets.
For the last 20 years I have carried enough tools that I could doo anything to my sled in the bush. I could fit it all inside a clutch cover toolbox. Have not figgered out anything for the new G4 yet. I actually made it a habit that if I was working on my sled at all, I worked out of my sleds toolbox - to make sure that "it's in there". Others laugh at you, 'till they need sumpthing...
One recommendation that has been made to me that I have not tried yet (and hopefully never will) is to dig your way to the bottom (?) of a big full pine tree to make camp.
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Thanks for this always good to hear real life experience. One thing that comes to mind is that our group needs to do an inventory of what we carry as well as what our first choice plan would be if we have to spend the night as opposed to wasting time debating options
LOL!
Like that's gunna happen!
Unless you can predict where you are gunna be "down and out", when, weather conditions, what info you gave or who you talked to or seen earlier that day, if - and how wet any of you are, available resources where you are, if anyone is hurt, or not in good enough condition to hike, who will be with you, or even if you know the way out to begin with --- I think I would forget that part of the equazsion.
Too many variables to process that ahead of time IM/HO.
I've been gunna see about making a plate or something to fasten to the ski's to use as cross country ski's.
Good grief - they are always RIGHT THERE.
It would seem that they should be made usable in an "Aw Shiite" situation.
Walking out when on or near a trail is one thing, but if the snow is up to your knees or more, good luck walking very far, especially up hill at all!
Crickie, just walking that last bit to a stuck chum can take the wind out of a fella pretty quick at 10K'!
I'm cornfused:
Why not just put the lid on your pot?
It would hold heat so much better too.
???
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Eating snow vs drinking water - the weather channel just aired an episode Of “ So you think you’d survive” and the “expert” said water. Reason is your body will lose too much heat melting snow in your mouth or stomach. Said a gallon of snow only produces a fraction of that into water. Melt the snow first, then drink the snowmelt.
You can melt snow in a plastic bottle because the snowmelt inside the bottle will keep the plastic cool enough that it doesnt melt. I packed a 32oz Nalgene bottle with snow and set it on the stove in a warming hut. I ended up with about 4 oz of water. Not needed, just an experiment. I have seen the survival guy use a normal thin plastic water bottle over a fire and it didnt melt. Note -over the fire and not in the fire.
You can melt snow in a plastic bottle because the snowmelt inside the bottle will keep the plastic cool enough that it doesnt melt. I packed a 32oz Nalgene bottle with snow and set it on the stove in a warming hut. I ended up with about 4 oz of water. Not needed, just an experiment. I have seen the survival guy use a normal thin plastic water bottle over a fire and it didnt melt. Note -over the fire and not in the fire.
I think it is good to have ‘what if” discussions prior to an incident. From that you will gain knowledge on how each will react to an emergency situation and an idea if you generally agree on certain things and also get the opportunity to hear other ideas which might be better than yours or highlight things which might need more research. Easier to think thru possible scenarios in comfort rather than in a potentially life threatening situation.
Yeah, I've seen that episode, as well as others that say that same thing, but the math on that just doesn't make any sense to me. "Melting" is not a process in it'self that takes an extra amount of energy to break over the threshold of. It's just the fact of raising the temp that amount. So whether you put a bottle inside your bibs to warm up, or you melt it internally should make no difference.
If you are just melting it on the stove, then it is still 40*? You are still gunna hafta warm it up the other 60*. 60 vs 80. It's that simple as far as I can tell. The energy spent trying to git it melted outside could have gone to melt it internally.
I think that the most gained from that is just the distraction of something to doo while you are otherwise fretting about your situation. If you are in any way able to work your way out, I hafta think that the effort to head out would be much better spent than the time and sweat in building a fire and melting water.
Now if it's as simple as puting it in the windshield of your truck - then sure. But .... I just don't see it. And of course a gallon of snow doesn't make a gallon of water - unless you are in the Sierra's of course.... :face-icon-small-win
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A couple reasons. It takes a bunch of snow to make a little water. If the lid isnt on it, and its not on the main fire source you can keep adding snow to it with your hands while it melts. Also, if its snow, you really dont need to boil it. Now, if your getting water out of a creek or drainage, then fill up the pot with water and put the lid on.
But.... clearly you have all the answer to these situations!
W
I'm not sure if you are missing this or I'm just not following you.
Melting does in fact take extra energy. Any time there is a change of state either ice to water or water to steam you have latent heat. It takes 1 btu to raise the temperature of 1lb of water 1 degree, but it takes 144 btu's to change state of 1lb ice to water or vice versa. Steam is even higher at 970 btu's.
Bottle in the bibs vs internally I can't speak to although I wonder if it has to do with the fact your body is always giving off waste heat but if you ingest the water it is now using energy specifically to warm up the ice/snow. Of course warming it up on a fire would be best but eating frozen water definitely burns considerably more calories than even 33 degree water.
You understood perfectly.
I find this really interesting! If that is right - then it does make 100% sense.
Maybe I will look into this.
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A
Yes it makes sense, and you’ll get far more hydration from water than snow. You simply can’t eat enough snow hardly. but what I think Ox isn’t adding to his scenario is it makes a difference when you’re eating the snow.
Sitting in a snowbank freezing? Bad time.
Making firewood or digging a pit, cave, stuck sled etc, body is producing a lot of heat and I’ve found eatin some snow helps cool you down and reduce sweating, which is a good thing.
A
Good discussion going here.
Never had to spend the night unplanned thank goodness but after being pulled into a SnR years back, that ended in fatality, my buddy and i decided to go stage a survival night in the mtns.
We didn’t pack more than we normally brought with us and it was a good learning experience.
Although we did pretty well at setting up fire and shelter so it was kinda fun !
Even drank a little whisky to celebrate towards the end!
We had the advantage of being not tired and dry clothes to start out with. Just rode about 10 mi in and set up camp.
Did tarp n fire, not snowcave. Spent all night making firewood. That kept body heat up more than the fire I’m sure.
Road flare beats tampon n gas, wax n sawdust, etc for starting a fire. Plus it could be a good signal device.
Saw or axe? Bring both. They both have equal use. Not just for firewood either. Have used a hatchet more than once as a hammer that allowed me to ride out when no hammer would have meant no ride.
Never had to spend the night unplanned thank goodness but after being pulled into a SnR years back, that ended in fatality, my buddy and i decided to go stage a survival night in the mtns.
We didn’t pack more than we normally brought with us and it was a good learning experience.
Although we did pretty well at setting up fire and shelter so it was kinda fun !
Even drank a little whisky to celebrate towards the end!
We had the advantage of being not tired and dry clothes to start out with. Just rode about 10 mi in and set up camp.
Did tarp n fire, not snowcave. Spent all night making firewood. That kept body heat up more than the fire I’m sure.
Road flare beats tampon n gas, wax n sawdust, etc for starting a fire. Plus it could be a good signal device.
Saw or axe? Bring both. They both have equal use. Not just for firewood either. Have used a hatchet more than once as a hammer that allowed me to ride out when no hammer would have meant no ride.
A
The best thing to bring though is others who are also back country or survival saavy. Teamwork is key to the process 100%. Both physically and mentally.
I’d never doo a serious ride with some of the jokers I’ve ridden with. No tools, no skills, questionable riding ability, General sense of unaware of surroundings and not mechanically or Mc Gyver inclined.
You don’t have to be Bear Grylls or Chris Buranft in their respective categories , but if you don’t even know what’s in you’re tool kit and take your sled to the dealer to get “tuned up” for the season, I don’t want to hit the back County with you.
I’d never doo a serious ride with some of the jokers I’ve ridden with. No tools, no skills, questionable riding ability, General sense of unaware of surroundings and not mechanically or Mc Gyver inclined.
You don’t have to be Bear Grylls or Chris Buranft in their respective categories , but if you don’t even know what’s in you’re tool kit and take your sled to the dealer to get “tuned up” for the season, I don’t want to hit the back County with you.
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