Not kill your self in the woods!

The MOST important thing mentioned here is to let someone know where you are and where you're going. Look at Aron Ralston: would have still lost his arm, but he wouldn't have had to amputate is own arm with a 2 dollar Leatherman clone after nearly a week of what must have been hell.

In terms of equipment. Anyone who is serious about outdoor pursuits should know what they need to bring: water, shelter, warmth, food, navigation, FAK - these are the basics. Accidents happen, doesn't mean you're under prepared. You can also be OVER prepared. Too much weight, slows you down, causes fatigue and decreases enjoyment. The majority of what I do in the backcountry is either technical mountaineering, scrambling, or difficult hiking [BC and WA State] so I tend to look at what mountaineers do. Too much weight means that you move slowly and expose yourself to objective hazards for longer periods of time. Too much weight is also uncomfortable and lessen your chance of success. As outdoors people we need to adjust gear requirements for the trips we plan to do based on our experience level and the duration. Often more experienced people require less gear etc. That said, they still need to cover the basics - adequately. The older I get, the more I realize that light is indeed right. Refine refine refine until you have the most efficient gear setup for your skills and type of trip. Read, practice, repeat ... the more you know the better.

Never rely on digital or electronic gizmos to save your ass, but take advantage of the right technologies. I never carry a cell - only because I know it will never work in the areas I'm in. If you're in really really remote areas [e.g. you've been heli'd into a remote glacier etc for a week+] carry a SAT phone [rent] - I have a friend who had to use one this spring on day one of twelve when his climbing partner fell into a crevasse.

Happy exploring ...
 
Bushman5 said:
another Canadian here :D

For FAST egress out of the wilderness when night hiking (night hiking is for VERY experienced hikers only) ..............I like to cut up about 500 x 1" x 1" squares of Dept Of Transportation approved "Signal Stat" reflective tape (leave backing on it).
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Another Canadian here too ...

Great idea. I do the same thing when mountaineering, but I toss marine grade SOLAS tape around 'wands' [bamboo gardening plant supports]. Works really well. Generally, when you're climbing, the route up is also the safest route down. An LED headlamp picks up the SOLAS tape insanely well.
 
yea its interesting that LED lights light up SOLAS, 3M or DOT reflective tape at much great distances than incan flashlights...
 
I agree that (when I read about them) many of these folks are nitwits for traveling unprepared. But you do your job as an act of volition, no? It's your choice to do what you do. If you don't like it, stop. Who do you think you're going to be 'rescuing', capable people with knowledge of the wilderness and survival? Of course not, because they know how to help themselves out of bad situations (largely) or to not get into one to begin with. I have to give drugs and counseling to patients everyday where my advice goes in one ear and out the other, where incredible drugs are completely wasted. But it's part of my job, so I do it without whining.

skammer said:
Case you missed it.

As far as people staying in the city, fine, many people have no business in the deep outback. I think you should have a mandatory course to earn the right to be in serious bush country outside parks. But thats me.

Hey man its how I see it.

Give me your number you can pitch in hauling these numbnuts out next time.

Skam
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For a book that contains this kind of advice and a lot more, I recommend everyone read Cody Lundin's book, 98.6 Degrees - The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive! It's got a chapter on just this sort of thing.
 
Just so if doesnt get too off topic, didn't want this to turn into the age old decussion.

Just a list of things the average hiker can do before he/she set's out, these things WILL save lives if you follow them, sometimes other things come into the equation, but generally speaking, that list will make the difference.
 
^ you should see all the runner on the North shore that have NOTHING with them. Just a water bottle.

she's cute! :thumbup: :)
art.eugina.osca.jpg
 
When you go in woods, take a good compass with you and make sure you know how to use one.

Learn to find and recognize Stella Polaris in Northern Sky ( I can't remember what star you need to learn recognize in Southern Hemisphere where the North Star cannot be seen )

Moss grows in south side of the tree trunks.

and if you got lost where is snow, don't even think trying to sleep outside. You'll freeze to death. You need to borrow yourself a small cave into snow and go as deep you can as its near 0 and plus degrees under snow in ground level. When you sleep in such thing, your body warmth will keep you alive in sealed burrow over night.
 
I am an electrician by trade. My life is in danger during a normal work day probably far more times than the average emergency responder (cop,fireman,emt,sar,etc.). I get paid pretty well to do it. I have been trained well to be safe around electricity and to be able to go home to my family when i'm done working. I also teach lay people how to be safe around it but still a lot of people are unsafe around electricity and even get killed by it. If I ever get to the point where I don't want to be around it anymore or where I think no one should be around it because I might get hurt helping them then I hope I will change occupations, because the U.S. was founded on the basis of personal freedom (that means the right to make mistakes and even be stupid if we choose to) and I have no right to tell others not to risk their lives so I may not have to risk mine, I do have the freedom to do something else. If you don't like the thought of having to risk your life to help other people in dangerous situations, PLEASE quit being a cop, fireman, emt, sar, electrician, or whatever and do something else, or go find another country to do your trade in.This is the only country that I know of that we are supposed to be guaranteed freedom, please do not be a part of taking any more freedoms away.
 
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m said:
I am an electrician by trade. My life is in danger during a normal work day probably far more times than the average emergency responder (cop,fireman,emt,sar,etc.). I get paid pretty well to do it. I have been trained well to be safe around electricity and to be able to go home to my family when i'm done working. I also teach lay people how to be safe around it but still a lot of people are unsafe around electricity and even get killed by it. If I ever get to the point where I don't want to be around it anymore or where I think no one should be around it because I might get hurt helping them then I hope I will change occupations, because the U.S. was founded on the basis of personal freedom (that means the right to make mistakes and even be stupid if we choose to) and I have no right to tell others not to risk their lives so I may not have to risk mine, I do have the freedom to do something else. If you don't like the thought of having to risk your life to help other people in dangerous situations, PLEASE quit being a cop, fireman, emt, sar, electrician, or whatever and do something else, or go find another country to do your trade in.This is the only country that I know of that we are supposed to be guaranteed freedom, please do not be a part of taking any more freedoms away.
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1. Electricity is predictable. People, weather, fire, etc are not predictable events. This is not even a valid comparison. Yes, I've done it...

2. Just like cops will sit around and talk about what an idiot someone is, skammer is doing the same, but from the POV of SAR. While he goes about it in a completely contrarian and quite irritating fashion, it does not invalidate the core of the statement. People do stupid things. People who have to bail them out have every right to be irritated with them.
 
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Electricity is predictable. So are guns, knives, fire, etc., it's the people that use them that are not predictable. The point was that a lot of people risk there lives fixing other peoples messes or trying to protect people as part of their job or as a volunteer, and we can all change our paths if we don't like them anymore. Gripe all you want, just get out before you get to the point that you want the government to make your job easier, that should not be this governments job.
 
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dougo83 said:
I would be willing to bet that you can thank the BSA for that little tidbit. They taught us that when I was in...:rolleyes:
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Learned that one from native man trackers actually. I encorporate it in the natural navigation section of the map and compass and survival courses I teach. All I remember from the BSA is how to skin deer an shoot shotguns.

Skam
 
dougo83 said:
1. Electricity is predictable. People, weather, fire, etc are not predictable events. This is not even a valid comparison. Yes, I've done it...

2. Just like cops will sit around and talk about what an idiot someone is, skammer is doing the same, but from the POV of SAR. While he goes about it in a completely contrarian and quite irritatiing fashion, it does not invalidate the core of the statement. People do stupid things. People who have to bail them out have every right to be irritated with them.
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Thank you Doug.

Was that irritating enough?;)

Skam
 
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