What is it Really Like? My Recent “Survival” Story

Originally posted by ArnoldNonymous
Wow great read, OP! I love camping and backpacking and even though I'm not really one who would look forward to a survival situation like this, I learned a lot from your experience.
I think the thing that impressed me the most and the greatest tool for one in a situation like that is attitude. When you mentioned the wolves I initially thought of it as a potential problem, but you were actually looking forward to hearing them as it would bring some dinner entertainment! Haha very inspiring.
Thanks again.

I think rational thinking and comfort in an environment comes from learning about it. Its natural to repel the unknown. It saddens me that we are not taught anymore about what used to be our natural home and when we are forced back into it, instead of embracing it we feel the need to get back to civilization, me included in this case.

Wolves and Cougars are a perfect example and have an undeseverd bad rap. If you look at the statistics for Cougars it something like two deaths attributed to Cougars in Alberta in the last hundred years, Five in BC which is kind of the capital of cougars and 20 some in all of Canada in the last 100 years. If you compare that to deaths from say bee stings, up to 40 people can die a year from bees.

There are so few deaths from healthy Wolves that it is hard to even find documented cases. I heard from a Wolf expert once that the reason Wolves were so feared was that religions needed an icon of evil and unfortunately the Wolf got chosen for the job. Of course then we get completely ridiculous movies like "The Grey" with Liam Neeson and everybody wants to go on a witch hunt for them.

I myself am extremely moved at the site of a Wolf. They are a social species and though I don't recommend doing this if you are at all uncomfortable, whenever I get the opportunity I just sit there and let them come up and investigate me. Once when I was lucky enough to come across a brave enough Alpha the pack took the time to sit with me for a while.

Images like these really yank at my heart.
Wolf and Hunter

reply to post by intrptr


I think they do it for efficient travel because I see some other non-predatory spieces do the same thing. But I have not asked an expert.

Starred and flagged for sure.

Great read and what a great job documenting your situation.

I love taking the kids camping, although we do not go primitive. I told my son that if he can make a primitive fire then he has the rights to fire. He is 9 so it is kind of funny.

Thank you for the read

reply to post by liejunkie01


Exactly how I think kids should be raised. Good call.

Originally posted by dainoyfb
reply to post by intrptr

 

I think they do it for efficient travel because I see some other non-predatory spieces do the same thing. But I have not asked an expert.

I myself am extremely moved at the site of a Wolf. They are a social species and though I don't recommend doing this if you are at all uncomfortable, whenever I get the opportunity I just sit there and let them come up and investigate me. Once when I was lucky enough to come across a brave enough Alpha the pack took the time to sit with me for a while.

Images like these really yank at my heart.
Wolf and Hunter

Same here. That is a keystone tragic moment to see that.
This wolf was shot for sport, just to show it off. What a loss.

Your experience with them is so much more preferable. That was what I was wondering about. They spend time with you? Just....wow.

Originally posted by intrptr
Your experience with them is so much more preferable. That was what I was wondering about. They spend time with you? Just....wow.

It's got nothing to with me. It's just their nature. I'm a cat guy actually.

Oh this was SO riveting! I hate the cold so I'd be miserable I'm sure.... and I have zero survival skill training


One question: of all the things you had packed, it all made sense but one thing. The bike wheel inner tube. What would that be for?

Slingshot?

Torniquet?

Unicycle repair?

I was wondering the same thing

Originally posted by sarra1833
One question: of all the things you had packed, it all made sense but one thing. The bike wheel inner tube. What would that be for?

I always try to pack things that have multiple uses. The section of bicycle inner tube is a great example. Mainly I use it for starting fires when I can't find good kindling or tinder. I do this by cutting off about a half inch section and lighting it. It lights if it's soaking wet or if it's freezing cold. It's not messy like petroleum jelly, or crumbly, smelly and toxic like fuel sticks. A half inch piece will burn evenly for about three minutes. Because it is flexible it takes up almost no room in my pack and I don't have to babysit it because it isn't going to break.

Also, cutting off half to one inch sections creates heavy duty rubber bands which can be used for holding things together, repairing gear, bandaids, or whatever. These are known as ranger bands.

It can be cut lengthwise to make an excellent slingshot.

The ends can be squeezed closed with cordage for carrying water.

The whole thing can be lit on fire to make a thick black smoke signal.

Best of all I get a bunch of it for free whenever I repair my bike tire. If you don't bike, repair shops throw them out almost every day.


Thanks for asking, I should have explained it earlier.

Thanks Dainoyfb!

Helps start a fire? Think I would have frozen to death before I thought of that one.

Excellent tips and really enjoyed your story

Okay, I'd like to set the record straight on a few things here.

First of all, I would like to start by saying this area is not as remote as he would like to make you believe. I know, because, I live within a few hours drive and have many local friends. Sometimes I joke and say its the "edge of civilization", but nature is my backyard.

To start- saying that the local Native Indian tribes are "warring" and would be dangerous to ask for help, should something happen, is the most ridiculous thing I may have ever read. They are just as civilized and normal as you and I, spare the poverty many live in.

Yes, the freezing sweat and exposure to the elements is dangerous. But he was already fully prepared to spend a few hours outside. When the temperature is what it was that night, all he needed was a fire, and his winter gear.

Some survival story. As kids, my friends and I would take our sleeping bags and spend the night in tents in that weather. He didn't do any more than what a bunch of Canadian teenage girls call a chilly saturday night.

reply to post by smilesmcgee


I wondered when the first troll was going to come along. I see you just signed up and this is your your very first post. Welcome to ATS. Thanks for letting us know what a he-man you are and also for trolling my thread.

I didn't say "warring" I said rivaling so get Your record straight, there is a big difference. When one band sneaks into another's reserve to start the forest alight so that they can steal their women while the men go off to fight the fire, thats rivalry. When the kids are getting together to throw rocks at the helicopter while it's landing, that's a bad sign. The last thing I look forward to is heading back South toward populated areas and to be doing 1km/h, unarmed and carrying a bunch of expensive gear and clothing in the middle of nowhere when mister trapper who drinks his meager wage away pulls up on a snowmobile.

Also, when I spend weeks walking around an area and never come across another human, then that is remote. When it would take a month to hike out of an area and I only have a few days of food with me, that is remote.
If my last drop location is not correct and the search area for me turns into several thousand square km then that is remote.

Also, we cannot afford the weight of carrying all of the luxuries of home with us. Warm clothing is one of the heaviest items we carry so we do so sparingly. Sleeping bags and tents are out of the question. In short this isn't ha planned camping trip. There are three weather systems that come together in that area making it near impossible to predict what temperatures and conditions are going to be if you get stuck out there. I was lucky. I prepared as much as I could, the weather that night was cold but wasn't as bad as it could have been, and my ride fortunately came the next day. I made no claims that it was a particularly harsh experience. In fact, again, I put quotes around survival in my opening post. If I had not been prepared for survival it would have been harsh, and potentially deadly.

In the over three years that I have been on this site I've not been known to falsify or exaggerate things. If you were more than a few minutes old on ATS you might know this about me.

Hi again. While you call me a troll and newbie, just know that I am neither. I have been a long time observer and fan of this site, I haven't had an account until now. Why? Because I found the whole story to be so outrageous, I was inspired.
Now that I have had time to cool down, let me just say, I'm sorry. After all, I understand, you have to make a story better by making it feel like you were in more danger. I get it.
But really, a bunch of kids throwing rocks? Yeah, they throw rocks no matter what reserve you visit. They aren't trying to kill you, just piss you off.
Anyways, good luck with your job. Hope you don't freeze to death.

PS: When you say "steal their women" I hope you aren't picturing them literally dragging them by their hair and are picturing them picking up the girls in their trucks, while wearing brand names.

And please know I understand completely what you mean by the weather changing every 15 minutes- I did grow up here.

This is what every Finnish male citizen must go through for 6-12 months. It is called mandatory military service.

On the other hand, over here you can not get that isolated anywhere, so help is always "near".

But try carrying your squad mate and his stuff, on stretchers made from wood and rope, for 5km to the nearest road to be rescued after breaking his ankle. That is exhausting. Luckily there were 6 of us so we got to take turns.

In those days it felt like torture, but afterwards looking back at things, the good memories of overcoming yourself tend to take over and i think this is something everyone should go through during their lives. If only we could get the discrimination out of the army and have women do mandatory military service too, i would call it fair.

In my later teens, I took a survival instructor's course as an Air Cadet in northern Quebec, ^ weeks in and out of the bush, the longest being 8 days in the bush, 3 as part of a team, and 5 solo, I know hard that was with help a whistle blast away, and it was summer. I cannot imagine doing that in the winter, as we had no equipment beyond what we were wearing , a whistle, canteen, glow stick,and 3 matches.

Thank you for relating your experience, it was insightful, and informative. There are a few things I might be adding to my kit, and a few things I might be removing now, hearing your experiences.

reply to post by smilesmcgee

Okay, I'd like to set the record straight on a few things here. First of all, I would like to start by saying this area is not as remote as he would like to make you believe. I know, because, I live within a few hours drive and have many local friends. Sometimes I joke and say its the "edge of civilization", but nature is my backyard.

I have done some work in the oilfield north west of High Level, AB. and I will agree with the OP, it is pretty remote up there. The location I had to go to was a good 25Km off the highway on a cut road, a path bulldozed trough the bush, and quite remote. A few hours drive is a long way, sounds like you are the one pontificating to be honest. Try walking that "two hour drive" sometime, through the bush, it will take a wee bit longer than a couple hours, or even days for that matter. It might even take weeks.

There are points along the Trans-Canada in Northern Ontario in which you will not see anything for several hundred Kilometers, should you break down, it is a long walk, however short the car trip can be, it is still in the middle of nowhere, same goes for Northern Alberta.

reply to post by dainoyfb


What a great thread! I'm going to have to mess with the bike tire thing. Really good idea. I think you should pop that into the survival forum. Also the idea of having one item with multiple possible uses. Great pictures too.

reply to post by dainoyfb


Interesting story.

Why is there no gun in your survival gear? Too heavy? Not necessary? No chance of encountering a non hibernating bear, or big cats? Seems odd. Maybe, since it's Canada, only party members are allowed to have guns?

I remember seeing one of those survival shows with 'bear' the celebrity. It was freakish cold and he was making a show of running around naked, in order to generate body heat, for survival. The image of his small buttocks was blurred by the film producers, so, yeah, he was def naked. What's your take on this.

reply to post by dainoyfb


Looks like you`re only lacking a sleeping bag and food for it to be one of my regular trips @ wintertime.... o_O
2nd. line