Lost in the snow (survival)
Dec 25, 2008 | 06:52 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,371
Likes: 6
From: Texas
Lost in the snow (survival)
Just wanted to drop ya'll a reminder that a survival situation can happen in a hurry and since this is the "gear" section I thought it might go well here.
One of my cousins got lost Monday while looking for a Christmas tree this year, he's fine though. He and an uncle and a close friend of the uncle went up into the Jemez (little mountain range north of here) to cut a tree and he wandered off about 100 yards into the snow to take a look at a nice tree on a little ledge. Well when he went to walk back to the truck he got turned around. The cloud cover was so low that he couldn't see the sun to get his bearings and with the snow fall (light) he got disoriented. Instead of walking 100 yards back to the truck he walked 3 miles the wrong way. It never crossed his mind to just follow his trail in the snow back to the vehicle, in his mind he KNEW which was the right way to go. The odd part is that he packed a survival pack with him in the truck, and it was sitting on the seat the entire time he was lost, he even left his cell phone in the vehicle.
When he realized he was indeed lost he started down hill to where the main road came in and was picked up by a passerby in a Jeep and brought back to the rest of the folks. By this time my uncle had been tracking behind him following the trail in the snow and the state rescue folks were alerted. He got back to camp with no injuries other than his pride and a new respect for the outdoors.
I'm going to Sportsmans next week to pick up a "pocket survival kit" for him so he'll have at least something on him if it happens again.
It doesn't take long to lose your way out there folks. Lots of times the bodies are found within 50 yards of the vehicle or camp.
Be safe.
One of my cousins got lost Monday while looking for a Christmas tree this year, he's fine though. He and an uncle and a close friend of the uncle went up into the Jemez (little mountain range north of here) to cut a tree and he wandered off about 100 yards into the snow to take a look at a nice tree on a little ledge. Well when he went to walk back to the truck he got turned around. The cloud cover was so low that he couldn't see the sun to get his bearings and with the snow fall (light) he got disoriented. Instead of walking 100 yards back to the truck he walked 3 miles the wrong way. It never crossed his mind to just follow his trail in the snow back to the vehicle, in his mind he KNEW which was the right way to go. The odd part is that he packed a survival pack with him in the truck, and it was sitting on the seat the entire time he was lost, he even left his cell phone in the vehicle.
When he realized he was indeed lost he started down hill to where the main road came in and was picked up by a passerby in a Jeep and brought back to the rest of the folks. By this time my uncle had been tracking behind him following the trail in the snow and the state rescue folks were alerted. He got back to camp with no injuries other than his pride and a new respect for the outdoors.
I'm going to Sportsmans next week to pick up a "pocket survival kit" for him so he'll have at least something on him if it happens again.
It doesn't take long to lose your way out there folks. Lots of times the bodies are found within 50 yards of the vehicle or camp.
Be safe.
Last edited by Junkers88; Dec 25, 2008 at 06:54 PM.
Dec 26, 2008 | 10:57 AM
#4
Interesting story, I use to teach survival. A few degree drop in body temp will effect thinking to the point that rational decisions aren't made. As you said "it never accrued to him to follow his tracks back." He walked 3 mile out insted of the 100' to the rigs.
This story turned out good, I've seen other that haven't. As the example above of not make rational descisions do you want to wait until a situation gets bad to use a survuval guide? Could you trust yourself to make sense of the direction given in a survival guide, when you are cold and not in a rational state of mind?
If anybody doesn't have a survival background, and beleive me even self proclaimed outdoorsman who have all the most technical equipment money can buy that head out to the "woods" every year, get into trouble. Take a class. Read before you head out. Practice what you learn.
The best plan for a survival I've seen is the acronym:
Sit- a good time to start a fire
Think
Observe- what's availible
Plan
Practice starting a fire, in the rain, snow, wind as you may not have optimum conditions to do so, this is a skill one that was the highest from of technology once in our history it takes practice.
If this is longer or not what you wanted to hear then disregard its content. I can go on and on this is a very passionate subject.
This story turned out good, I've seen other that haven't. As the example above of not make rational descisions do you want to wait until a situation gets bad to use a survuval guide? Could you trust yourself to make sense of the direction given in a survival guide, when you are cold and not in a rational state of mind?
If anybody doesn't have a survival background, and beleive me even self proclaimed outdoorsman who have all the most technical equipment money can buy that head out to the "woods" every year, get into trouble. Take a class. Read before you head out. Practice what you learn.
The best plan for a survival I've seen is the acronym:
Sit- a good time to start a fire
Think
Observe- what's availible
Plan
Practice starting a fire, in the rain, snow, wind as you may not have optimum conditions to do so, this is a skill one that was the highest from of technology once in our history it takes practice.
If this is longer or not what you wanted to hear then disregard its content. I can go on and on this is a very passionate subject.
Dec 26, 2008 | 01:16 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,371
Likes: 6
From: Texas
Interesting story, I use to teach survival. A few degree drop in body temp will effect thinking to the point that rational decisions aren't made. As you said "it never accrued to him to follow his tracks back." He walked 3 mile out insted of the 100' to the rigs.
This story turned out good, I've seen other that haven't. As the example above of not make rational descisions do you want to wait until a situation gets bad to use a survuval guide? Could you trust yourself to make sense of the direction given in a survival guide, when you are cold and not in a rational state of mind?
If anybody doesn't have a survival background, and beleive me even self proclaimed outdoorsman who have all the most technical equipment money can buy that head out to the "woods" every year, get into trouble. Take a class. Read before you head out. Practice what you learn.
The best plan for a survival I've seen is the acronym:
Sit- a good time to start a fire
Think
Observe- what's availible
Plan
Practice starting a fire, in the rain, snow, wind as you may not have optimum conditions to do so, this is a skill one that was the highest from of technology once in our history it takes practice.
If this is longer or not what you wanted to hear then disregard its content. I can go on and on this is a very passionate subject.
This story turned out good, I've seen other that haven't. As the example above of not make rational descisions do you want to wait until a situation gets bad to use a survuval guide? Could you trust yourself to make sense of the direction given in a survival guide, when you are cold and not in a rational state of mind?
If anybody doesn't have a survival background, and beleive me even self proclaimed outdoorsman who have all the most technical equipment money can buy that head out to the "woods" every year, get into trouble. Take a class. Read before you head out. Practice what you learn.
The best plan for a survival I've seen is the acronym:
Sit- a good time to start a fire
Think
Observe- what's availible
Plan
Practice starting a fire, in the rain, snow, wind as you may not have optimum conditions to do so, this is a skill one that was the highest from of technology once in our history it takes practice.
If this is longer or not what you wanted to hear then disregard its content. I can go on and on this is a very passionate subject.
Very well said. I should add that the "pocket survival kit" is a metal tin containing several esential items. Fire starting kit, fishing line, whistle, mirror, small compass etc.
That STOP thing is a great mental tool. I'll keep that one in mind.
Passionate about personnal survival huh? Yeah I could listen to or read about it all day long, ever watch Survivor Man? *grin* I love that show and take notes while watching.
Dec 26, 2008 | 01:38 PM
#6
Dec 26, 2008 | 01:51 PM
#7
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,371
Likes: 6
From: Texas
You can watch some of the shows online. I do from time to time if I've missed something. The guy, Les Stroud, goes out to survive for 5 days and carries only what he has with him (usually a leatherman and whatever is in his pockets as well as several cameras and batteries). I've learned a lot from that show, even more than I picked up in the ARMY. I never realized how much there was out there to eat if you just know where to look. I think the scorpions look tasty.
Trending Topics
Dec 26, 2008 | 02:03 PM
#8
Look up Tom Brown, His best-freinds Gpa was one of the last Apaches to be raised as one. Grandfather taught both the boys, Tracker is the best book of his I've read. Good stuff.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Scotttekoch
General Electrical & Lighting Related Topics
5
Sep 28, 2015 10:30 PM
