Comments on: Survival time: Two nights outside in Montana

By: Rick Stafford

Rick Stafford — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 20:52:59 +0000

Thought you would like to know …. The winner of the AIC/UAF Arctic Innovation Competition was the Airlite Inflatable Snowshoe. 212 inventors from around the world entered this competition held on Friday, Oct. 19th, 2012, at the University Alaska Fairbanks. Please see the website found below.

Rick

Rick Stafford
Airlite Inflatable Snowshoes
http://www.airlitesnowshoe.com
Phn. 907-242-3543
FAX 907-349-3668
Po Box 112568
Anchorage, AK 99511

By: Bill M

Bill M — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:29:31 +0000

Just a thought…a few keep referring to “walking out”, IMHO, better to prepare for staying with the plane and carry the lightweight gadgets that bring the cavalry to you. Moving around makes it very difficult for S&R. Easier to find the airplane than a hiker and plan for some physical challenges – injured psgr, broken leg, separated shoulder and the like. Plan to stay with the plane.

By: Carrie D

Carrie D — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:33:21 +0000

Thank you for the informative and thought provoking article and to all the respondents. I’ve just begun flying in the North East region of the U.S. and this topic is now very relevant to me. I am going to shop online this evening for a PLB and will get some warm wool pants to fly in immediately.

By: Jack Voss

Jack Voss — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:39:55 +0000

At the risk of being giggled at, here is how I make my survival bars. (They also taste good when sitting at home, with a cuppa coffee/tea/cocoa).

Cap’n Jack’s Power Bars
Dry ingredients: into a large bowl put:
1 cup powdered milk
1 1/2 cups dried fruits, well diced and mixed w/powdered milk – (dried cherries or dates or cranberries or whatever you have.) Dice up (1/8” – 1/4”), thoroughly mix and. coat each bit with powdered milk first, then add:
6 cups oatmeal (I prefer the Old Fashioned stuff)
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, whatever nuts you have around)
1 cup sunflower nuts
1 cup unsweetened chocolate bits
1 cup flax seed
1 cup sesame seeds (unhulled best)
Combine all dry ingredients & mix well.
Wet ingredients:
1 cup applesauce (I prefer without High Fructose Corn Sweetener, home made is best)
1½ cup honey (pre-warming honey helps)
Add wet stuff to dry stuff & mix well. Press firmly into a baking pan w/ raised edges (12” X 17”) and bake at 350° about 30 – 40 minutes.
Pre-score w/pizza cutter into 2” bars, let cool, then complete cutting.
These are a standby for me. Breakfast, lunch, extra day’s food. Store in freezer for months. Carry in hot or cold conditions.

By: Bill M

Bill M — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:11:40 +0000

…and one more thought…
I prefer to file a flight plan with my spouse. I get very detailed about my route, with many waypoints that FSS won’t accept. I also set up my Spot to send a msg to her cell phone when I arrive at destination, because in Idaho & Montana backcountry, there is usually no way to contact FSS to close a plan. We both sleep better.

By: Bill M

Bill M — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:57:38 +0000

Ditto to all the above and in my bag…
Bright orange tarp from U-Haul – inexpensive shelter and highly visible
Wire saw – small, light, easy to use
Sportys strobe and an extra D battery
Jet-Boil and coffee (hot liquid adds core warmth, coffee, although dehydrating, makes me feel better)
Roll of aluminum foil – reflector of heat from fire, and laid out in the open during the day to locate me.
Bear spray – yes, they’re hibernating, but the wolves aren’t, and they can smell injured prey for miles.

By: Rob Payton

Rob Payton — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:18:05 +0000

Flying in AK for 15 years.
in winter, wear wool pants (Swedish Military with thigh pockets work well) as wool will not burn and will keep you warm when wet.
ALWAYS have a Filson or Pendleton wool coat..(amazing warm and won’t burn) buy the best here…
WIGGYS’ sleeping bag (when your zip code is 99789, you only want the best.
Signal mirror (best and cheapest) is the hard disk from a failed disk drive…Metallic, smooth and hole in middle.. Free at any junk yard or computer repair place.
Fire-Carry strike anywheres, vaseline soaked cotton balls and Trioxane military starter in a flat wallet size carrier (in thigh pocket of wool pants).
Carry multiple knives (BUCK self opening made in USA) on you at least.. Others can be in pack.
Food- REI has a great selection of High Fat content bars.. put a couple in coat pocket..
LED button light in coat pocket.
Sunglasses – Safety polarized… Cheap but a necessity in snow.
You’re flying a $50k+ aircraft… pony up to 406mhz EPIRB…
You’re flying a $50k+ aircraft… pony up for Lithium batteries
SPOT is always a good coat pocket item.
There is no reason that 48hr rescues cannot be the norm… Just a little planning ahead..

By: Pete buitendyk

Pete buitendyk — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:16:27 +0000

Just a few that haven’t been mentioned, a 22 caliber rifle with a folding stock and a 25 round clip will provide you with ample food and protection if required.
Melt a bunch of paragon wax into a large pot and immerse a roll of toilet paper I to it, allow it to soak up the wax fully, take out and let harden, once hard you. An cut off slivers and use it to light fires, works excellent and lasts an amazingly long time.

Pack a couple of bags of Hawkins cheesier, good munchies and also burn very well as a fire starter

Cheers

By: Curtis

Curtis — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:19:23 +0000

I’ll never forget the two young American transport pilots I met at Entebbe (EBB), Uganda. They were dressed in white shirts with epaulets, cargo shorts and very sensible lace-up boots, and carried day-packs. Obviously, they were prepared as much for ‘walking home’ as flying, which is my philosophy …. be prepared to walk-out, whenever and wherever you fly. Wear shoes or boots appropriate to the terrain you will be overflying, and inflammable clothing. That warm fluffy down jacket will light-up like a Roman-candle with the first spark in a crash, which could ruin your otherwise impeccable survival plans.

By: airwolf

airwolf — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:56:05 +0000

All this is good advice. I would think the first thing to do is file a flight plan and stay in touch with the ATC. That is the first line of defense. If you don’t close it within 30 minutes of its end, they start searching for you.