Wild Bound

Yesterday I saw that a hiker died on Mt Rainier. The circumstances surrounding this hiker’s death act as a good reminder that you should always be prepared for the worst weather that you might encounter whenever you go out for a hike. Right now, in the NorthWest that means being prepared for a late blizzard. In the SouthEast you should be ready for blazing hot temperatures and torrential downpours with thunder and lightning. If you are in tornado alley, you might want to brush up on your “What to do in a tornado” skills.

The Sierra Trading Post blog has posted an article about hiking in high altitudes.

It may be June, but three hikers were caught in a blizzard on Mt. Rainier yesterday. Rescuers saved two of them, but the third hiker has, sadly, passed away.

It’s hard to believe something like that could happen during a summer day hike. It’s yet another reminder that when hiking high-altitudes, even in the summer months, you need to be prepared for sudden changes in the weather. Sometimes you don’t have much notice before an alpine storm hits.

click here for full article

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After all the talk about putting together a survival kit, I decided to go spend some money to assembly one of my own. I spent about $40 purchasing the stuff I needed. Here is the rough list of what I bought:

Coghlans 46 piece survival kit ~$15

contents:

• Pencil
• notepad
• Needle
• emergency poncho
• Compass (this is a small cheap compass and I will replace it with a better one when I find mine in my camping gear)
• fish hooks
• 30 ft fishing line
• sinkers (fishing weights)
• 1 salt packet
• 2 fire sticks
• 1-5 hour candle
• 12 hour light stick
• signal mirror
• signal whistle
• 2 safety pins
• 2 razor blades
• small spool of thread
• 4 alcohol pads
• space blanket
• 3 ft snare wire
• 12 ft nylon rope
• book of Matches (non-waterproof, I will replace these with waterproof matches or strike anywhere matches in a waterproof case)
• 35 ft nylon cord
• 48 ft orange trail/surveyor’s tape
• 2-4″ adhesive strips
• 1- 3in X 3in gauze pad
• bandaids of various sizes
• waterproof pouch

To that kit, I added a few extra things:

• Leatherman Multitool (not sure of cost because I owned it before hand)
• a mini knife/fishhook sharpener ~$4
• Magnesium fire starter ~$7
• Moleskin (to put over hot spots and blisters) ~$3
• all purpose support wrap for knees, ankles, wrists, and elbows. (about a 24″ ace bandage with velcro on one end. Good for wrapping strains and sprains and achy knees) ~$4.50
• 1 roll 2″ gauze ~$1.50
• .35 oz of vaseline lip therapy (useful for chapped lips, dressing cuts, or starting fires) ~$1

Although I haven’t weighted it, this gear probably comes in at around 1 lb.

I still have a few things to add like a crank operated flashlight (don’t want to depend on batteries), sunscreen (travel size), water purifier, and a good topo map of the area. I almost forgot–FOOD!

Because it is winter, I will also carry a sleeping bag (0° F rated), a sleeping pad, a cooking pot (for melting snow to drink), and a small wood burning stove.

Have I forgotten anything?

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A Bug-Out-Bag (BOB) goes by many names:

• 72-hour kit
• survival kit
• go bag
• etc

The idea is to have 3 days worth of food and gear stowed in a backpack so you can grab it and go for a hike. I’m not talking about grabbing the BOB and heading out for a 3 day hike, and this kit isn’t intended to be a “camping in comfort” kit. The Bug-Out-Bag is designed for survival if you have to spend an unexpected night (or 3) outdoors.

Other applications for a survival kit might be disaster preparedness (hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.), emergency car kit, or a quick prep overnight camping trip (with a few extras added).

I have been researching Bug Out Bags and survival kits in preparation of assembling my own, and have come up with some basic guidelines for deciding what to include.

• Your primary concerns are Food, Warmth, and First Aid.
• Every person will have different requirements for a survival kit.
• Every season and location has different gear requirements–pack for the worst.
• The BOB should not be so heavy that it gets left in the car.
• Make sure that perishable gear (i.e. food, batteries, medicines) is rotated out every 6 months or so

A winter BOB in northern climates might take up a hiking backpack once you include a sleeping pad, sleeping bag, extra clothes, and maybe even a tent. In the summer, a photographer’s vest (also known as a hunting or fishing vest) with lots of pockets, a fanny pack, or a small backpack may be sufficient for carrying your survival gear.

Now it’s time to make my list and check it twice.

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When you head out on the hiking trail for an afternoon or all day hike, you will need to pack some essential gear. The gear that you choose to carry will change depending on the climate, season, and location of your hike.

In the 1930’s, The Mountaineers, a hiking club based out of Seattle, created a gear list that is still referred to as the Ten Essentials. Here is their list:

1. Topographic Map
2. Compass
3. Flashlight
4. Extra food
5. Extra clothes
6. Sunglasses
7. First Aid Kit
8. Knife (multi-tool)
9. Waterproof matches
10. Fire starter material

There are a few extra things that I would add to The Mountaineers list like water and a way to purify it, sunscreen, rain gear, and a space blanket.

The basic idea of carrying this much stuff on a day hike is to be prepared to stay out all night in the worst weather the season can throw at you and survive it.

In the winter, you should carry gear to survive a night of snow and freezing temperatures. The temperature lows vary from location to location, and when you pack for a mountain hike, don’t forget to take altitude into consideration.

Summertime, your greatest threat is likely a cold thunderstorm. Actually, the chance of hypothermia is probably worse in the summer than in the winter because the average summer hiker is not prepared for it.

I’ve said it before, the most important thing to carry with you is knowledge, common sense, your brain. Unless you know how to read a map and use a compass, just carrying the items in your pack won’t do you any good.

I’m as bad as anyone–worse even–for wanting to just put on my shoes and head out to the trail, but a little pre-planning could save your life.

Next time, I’ll write about putting together a Bug-Out-Bag (BOB) with essential gear so that going on a day hike will involve putting on your boots and grabbing your BOB.

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