Cold weather/winter survival

Yep, someone asked about this one and we got some great suggestions about the basics, but I found a really cool series of articles that shares more than the basics. Here's the list of how-to's listed in the article to help you survive the harsh conditions of winter, should the situation ever arise.

Overveiw
Keeping warm
Emergency insulation
Heat transfer and insulation
Snowshoes
Shelter
Fire making
Goggles

I'm not going to quote everything that's there, or even part of it. It's a ton of information and ideas. Happy reading.

None of the links work.

reply to post by princessgrey


They're working for me....

You got your s&f. Good info. I think a lot of folks have this fantasy tent camping sort of bug out image in their heads and they never even consider they may be forced out of their homes as refugees or God forbid their homes are not leveled and they have to go it based on a BOB list from someone in Arizona or Florida.

The critical thing you must know and I have done the camp outs at minus 7 degrees and one colder. You must never allow yourself to sweat. That means adding and subtracting layers constantly. this is critical to making it.


The other things you need to know are traditional "Pup" style tents are best in the snow when you can add both your rainfly as well as a larger tarp set at very steep angles to channel the snow down and away from the tent. Pile cut boughs along both sides and the back of the tent about 1 foot high and still underneath the tarp, and a layer of snow over the top of them. This keeps your tent from having frozen corners and seams along the ground and keeps the snow and frost on the outside.


Another tip. Lean to. Build one and use the 99 cent space blankets to line the inside in front of a long and narrow fire pit. If you use the reflective blankets on the inside of the lean to, and then add enough boughs for insulation you can sit in the snow with just pants and a shirt and be warm at the zero mark.


If i know i will be sleeping in a cold icy environ I carry both the thermarest self inflator and a military style foam pad for underneath it. If the thermarest goes flat in the middle of the night the foam pad can keep you from freezing to death in your sleep.

links ok for me . what i would like to point out is that in a SHTF scenario 70% of people will be in built up areas not in the middle of a glorious evergreen forrest. in a built up area there are already prebuilt shelters or homes, to keep warm all you need to do is logically work out your possible fuel store and then look at the area your trying to heat. why would you want to try and heat a 5 bedroom large house with only 2 residents. better to remove insulation from the roof and live in 2 rooms and super insulate these. no need to heat a bathroom as there probably will not be any water, same for kitchens etc there will not be any power to use the cooker etc, remember also that if your using an open fireplace that they are only 35% effecient at best and as you have created a pull on the flue/chimney they will continue to pull warm air from the room long after the fire itself is extinguished. remeber that the best form of heating is not the biggest but the most effecient. i like the idea of using a wood burner to generate heat and to cook on you could also heat stones on or around it to act as a heat store for when the fire is no longer lit . modern materials have some amazing insulating properties for example tri iso 10 is a roof insulation material built of layers but barely 1/2" thick yet gives the same insulation as 300mm of rockwool. imagine what you could do with a roll of it.in a smaller space. just one thing to point out though is the risk of carbon monoxide poisining. any form of combustion can produce CO without proper ventilation so bare in mind it may be nice and warm in your snow hole with your parrafin stove running but if youve closed up all the air inlets to keep out draughts then the chances of you waking the following day are slim

reply to post by Evolutionsend


Lots of info, more then I have time to look at, but cool none the less. Hopefully I wont have to be worrying about that any time soon. Other then the regular cold weather we get up here in WA st, that is.

First thing to learn in cold weather, don't take any "death fiber" or wear any of it on your person when going into cold weather or extreme weather, sure cotton is great in some environment'a but in others it will literally be the death of you.

trifter.com... c-of-the-traveler/

www.helium.com... oors

There were actually some stories about people dying on hiking trips and camping trips, from that very fact of bringing the wrong type of fabric/clothes up in Alaska, and other cold/extreme weather places. But I couldn't find them now.

Being outdoors in the Winter raises some situations that are unique to the Winter White months. If you are out for extended periods finding your way can be very difficult because it's easy to get lost in the snow. The path you take on the way into camping is likely not the path you will return on as snow quickly covers your tracks. Natural landmarks and reference points can vanish before you know it after a fresh snowfall. Everything tends to look the same on a bare winter landscape. Get to know your compass and a topo map very well to avoid getting disoriented.

Hypothermia...Hypothermia...Hypothermia

Winter is an entirely different game...

reply to post by jibeho


Good advice.

liquor is a must

151 to stay warm

lots of .223 ammo

1. Find a hawt babe to spoon with.
2. Continue spooning until you`re both hawt.

Goggles, snowshoes and such you can make after the spooning ritual - best way to find a new SHTF buddy

Originally posted by Shadowalker
The critical thing you must know and I have done the camp outs at minus 7 degrees and one colder. You must never allow yourself to sweat. That means adding and subtracting layers constantly. this is critical to making it.

What are menopausal women supposed to do?
I've got 3 dogs. That should be good on those 'three dog nights'!

You really need to keep clean as well. Dirty feet will make you very cold.

Control sweating as another member has pointed out.

If you are the average US citizen, then you are probably unfit and overweight. Pack lightly. Just the basics,nothing else.

2 changes of clothes, three max. Extra socks and panties. lol

Four things needed:

1. make shelter
2. Start a fire
3. Purify water
4. Procure food.

If you can do the above four things, you;ll have a good chance. if not, your done.

I love winter camping!!
( I am in the great white north and it gets freaking cold up here)

I don't do half the things mentioned in this thread.

I have a military artic sleeping bag with a gortex bivy sac.
The second last time i was out....we just laid our bags directly on the ground with no shelter or fire.

I carry a tarp for my shelter but never really use it unless its raining....my gortex bivy sac is waterproof and keeps the heat in while still being breathable.

If you create fire,do it on a platform of wood.
It will eventually burn and sink into the snow so you have to cut grooves in the snow to keep the air flowing or else you are going to be blowing and blowing to keep your fire going.

Another thing I always do is i eat before bed because digestion brings up the body temperature and helps keep you a bit warmer while you sleep.

If you need water....remember,snow is 90% air and 10% water....ice is 90% water and 10% air so go for ice.

I didn't click a single link because i already know what I am doing and have my methods.

One word...

WOOL

If you make sure you have wool, natural wool, you will find that even if its wet, it'll keep you warm.

Thanks for posting great links for emergency survival in the cold. Many people think they have it figured out because they have their coleman stoves, down bags and arctic tents. These links provide strategy and action for when you DON'T have your sh#t all together and are caught unprepared. Like a sudden snow storm on the way home from wally world, or it's 2:00 a.m. and you are on the way home from the big city airport 3 hours from home, and you hit a snow drift and swerve off the side of the road. In the mid west, there are many places that another car won't pass by for 5 hours or more. So unless you carry ALL your stuff all the time, this information if critical and life saving. We've all read stories of people dying from the elements. S&F and heads up for the unprepared.