A Dry Run And A Good Test

A few weekends ago my friend and fellow ats member Accuroman decided to go sleep in the woods just for the hell of it.
We decided this at 6 in the evening so we had to rush as the woods was about 10 kilometres away.

Accuroman brought a can of beans,a can of tuna,a bag of peanuts and a bottle of hot sauce.He also brought a can opener and a bottle of water.
We both brought sleeping bags.

The temperature was about minus 3 overnight

I was dressed in bike cleats(shoes that connect to your pedals)my bike tights and shorts.My upper body had a mountain equipement co-op undershirt and a wool sweater with a windbreaker.Not exactly prepared if you know what I mean but I didn't really care.

I brought a sleeping bag a can of beans a few teabags for the morning a six pack of beer and my night vision just for fun.No multitool or knife or flashlight.

We biked into Quebec and left the bikes and walked for about 2 hours into the bush.It turned out that the snow hasn't melted there yet and was about a foot in a half in the deep spots.
My shoes and socks got totally soaked.
After 2 hours I was starting to sweat so we made camp.
Camp was on top of a big hill with big boulders to shelter the wind.

We collected alot of wood but we were hard pressed to find dry wood other then a bit of birch to start the fire with.

With the fire going I took off my socks and shoes and started drying them over the fire.
We ate our supper and had a few drinks.Accuroman brought rum LOL
As the evening wore on we were getting cold.Out came the peanuts and hot sauce...peanuts on an open fire really hit the spot...especially when you add hot sauce on a cold day.

It was about 2 in the morning when we ran out of wood so we called it a night.
I slept between 2 rocks as it kept me from sliding down the hill.
I woke up to drizzling rain but was sooo cozy in my sleeping bag that I wasn't getting up anytime soon...I mean I can dry out the bag if need be later.
I used my cell to call Accuroman sleeping 4 feet away to wake him up...after my second call he started to respond.I still laugh at this.
We skipped tea and went to Accuromans place and had coffee instead.
With minimal gear and a good attitude it was a great night.
I have never woken up surrounded by snow before...it was a good learning experience and overall I was fine and really enjoyed it.

To me this was a test and it was great to put myself in a tough spot that I have never been before.
I usually camp alone and do that in the summertime so I am very used to sleeping outside....the cold was a whole new test in itself and I made it through pretty easily just by having a good time with it.
I suggest anyone to raise your own bar and try something that you question might be difficult for you.
Always keep a good attitude...it seems to work.

I just thought I would share this with you all.

Great story. I had a good laugh during some of it.

I write like I think I'm an expert, but I'm more of a novice.

Winter... great testing time. The worst conditions is the best time for testing your survival capabilities. Peanuts ROCK!!!! Fiber, protein, and all around goodness. Coffee, debatable... good energy, but at what cost?

I really need to test my own survival skills, I haven't been camping in quite some time. Last long term was a 14 day excersion to Philmont(New Mexico). We bathed once, and I almost wish I hadn't bathed. We used Iodine to purify our water.

Question: During winter, would you wash yourself in stream or pond, or just keep going?

I've seen you post in the survival section before, so you probably know this, but I'll put it out there all the same. The Boy Scouts Handbook is a great source of information, don't discount it because it says "boy" in the title.

a good experiance for the both of you, maybe this is the time to get your bug out bag toghether, how did your night image intensifier fair?

reply to post by dragonking76


I would wash myself with a clothe and some warm water and do it while I was warm and do it fast.
I would only do it when its needed tho I think.

reply to post by foxhoundone


We have bugout bags ready but thought to just go without them and our basics to see how we faired.
The night vision was pretty cool but since it was really cold we only used it for a bit.Its not rated for below zero and i didn't want the condensation to screw it up.

Good story Reminds me of the time I went backpacking in the Highwood Mountains in Montana. It was late may, the weather that day was in the 80's, went to bed under a tree. The stars were out and it was a beautiful night. Woke up and I couldn't move very much in my bag, poked my head out into a snow bank.... it had snowed that night a good 2-3". Sure taught me you should always be prepared for the worst, no matter how good you think(or the weather channel thinks!) it will be.

reply to post by DrumsRfun

six pack of beer and my night vision

No multitool or knife or flashlight.

Good stuff man...


Did you take the time to search the sky for 'things' with your NV..? Or that wasn't on the agenda..?

Originally posted by DrumsRfun
Always keep a good attitude...it seems to work.

This is actually Rule #1 for surviving anywhere.

With a good attitude your mind is sharper and panic goes by the wayside.

Excellent that you figured this out. Most don't.

awesome.

i went winter camping a couple years ago. It was a last minute thing. I grabbed hotdogs and ketchup, and we went into the woods with:

-hot dogs
-small travel shovel
-a small axe
-a saw
-sleeping bag
-2 pairs of snow shoes

We left around noon (it took about 20 mins to decide) and went to a location. We were three guys. Two of us starting piling snow, while the other started on cutting wood. After making snow cave, two of us helped the other bring the wood to the site. We had to dig down to the ground for the fire,. Anyone who knows forest in winter, the snow was about 5 feet high. We used this "hole" to pile onto snow pile to make cave.

It took most of the day to prepare sleeping arrangments, and the firewood.

Fun night, in the end we decided that if we had to, we could totally do it again. We also learned cooperation since, it took the three of us to make camp and collect firewood, but we did not get food. Sure we brought some, but if we didnt we would have had to have less wood, inorder to have food. Cooperation is the key to survival.

Just wondering "where" in Quebec you went, seeing as its in my neighborhood.

Let me fully understand here. You were wearing shorts at -3 degrees? Holy crap man! I guess you have a pretty badass sleeping bag.

Or maybe you were saying -3 c in that case it's not so bad I guess.

reply to post by downtown436


Yes, in Canada we are on the metric system. Still though, I wouldn't go out in shorts when it's -3C.

Now -2C...that's a different story

reply to post by chapter29


I originally bought it for searching the skies.It now has an attachement to hook up to my video camera.
We didn't see too much tho that night.

reply to post by Le Colonel

We were in Gatineau Park in Gatineau.
I spend alot of time there in the summers.

reply to post by downtown436


I was also wearing full length bike tights.Its kinda a spandex material.

Good outing there friend. What type of sleeping bags did you have?

Also a good maneuver to do when it's below 20 degress outside is rub yourself with snow, let it freeze, takes only a minute and quickly rub it off with your coat or an extra cloth.

Fast way to get clean if you dont mind getting a little chilly.

reply to post by Tentickles


My sleeping bag is nothing special...just a regular old sleeping bag.I have no clue on the rating but have used it for years.I think Accuromans is goose feathers.

I didn't know about that snow trick.I will definately try to remember that one next time.

Sounds like a really fun trip. My only question is, if you were trying to simulate a bare minimum (no BOBs), then why the sleeping bags? That is the last thing you would have on your person if you were caught unaware. Don't get me wrong, you wont see me camping in -2C without my sleeping bag, but if you were going "minimal" I think your BOB would have been more realistic than a sleeping bag and alcohol

reply to post by koytetsu


The sleeping bags were to stay warm in the snow.
We wanted to have a good time,not screw ourselves out of a good night.
We weren't trying to simulate anything so much as we just wanted to go sleep out in the woods for a good time.