James Kim

[+bumblingbs]

Can't cut and paste yet-new computer to learn. This one-

 

"If you see me spiraling inwards, all is well. If I am spiraling outward; offer assistance.

 

Nice. Just my level of dysfunction.

[+runhills]

There are lots of survival books, the best make you think about what can happen before it does. This link is a good start.

 

In my opinion, clothing is what most people skimp on. On your next hike stop and sit for a long lunch and see if you have enough dry gear to stay warm. As your teeth are chattering, ponder what would happen if you had to spend the night.

 

Yes, my life consists of continuing spirals

[+TotemLake]

 

You say there are books out there. What book. What book would be a good place to start. Not just for lighting fires, but for outdoor skills in general. At a beginning level. Of course, if we were to read it, learn it, we'd then practice. Just start me from space #1.

 

Thanks~

 

I am by far no expert on any of the reading materials... I can only point out Google is your friend.

[+Criminal]

I always carry at least one Tea Candle in my hiking gear.

I'm waiting for the punch-line. What do you intend to do with the candle, and have you ever actually tried to do it?

 

Anyway, there’s a parallel thread over here where we are discussing just that. Everybody has ideas and theories about what they would do if they ever had faced that situation, so far we’ve gotten very little hands-on experience. I mean, your car/truck/SUV has a spare tire squirreled away somewhere, do you know how to get it out? The main difference is that in the woods you can’t call AAA to come help you.

 

That’s what we were trying to accomplish, some hands-on real world experience. I thought it was an afternoon well spent.

[+runhills]

Firestarter. It is small and light enough to always remain in the pack and can be lit under a jacket out of the wind/rain then moved to the selected fire location.

 

Yes, I have used it more than once as practice. The several times I have unexpectantly spent the night out (climbing trips) we had enough clothes so a fire was not worth the effort.

[+bumblingbs]

I always carry at least one Tea Candle in my hiking gear.

I'm waiting for the punch-line. What do you intend to do with the candle, and have you ever actually tried to do it?

 

Anyway, there’s a parallel thread over here where we are discussing just that. Everybody has ideas and theories about what they would do if they ever had faced that situation, so far we’ve gotten very little hands-on experience. I mean, your car/truck/SUV has a spare tire squirreled away somewhere, do you know how to get it out? The main difference is that in the woods you can’t call AAA to come help you.

 

That’s what we were trying to accomplish, some hands-on real world experience. I thought it was an afternoon well spent.

 

Yeah, I can get my spare tire out. (I'm talking about the one in my car, don't look at my belly) Can I light it on fire, and if so, would it be toxic? Uhhh.....

[+Mopar]

 

You say there are books out there. What book. What book would be a good place to start. Not just for lighting fires, but for outdoor skills in general. At a beginning level. Of course, if we were to read it, learn it, we'd then practice. Just start me from space #1.

 

Thanks~

 

I am by far no expert on any of the reading materials... I can only point out Google is your friend.

 

I've been following this thread from 3000 miles away, wishing I could have participated.

I will contribute my suggestion for reading material to get started: "98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your a** Alive ".

The basic focus of the book is you can survive a month or more without food, days or even weeks without water, but if you can't maintain your core body temperature you die within a very short time. The book concentrates on real survival skills; not primitive living. In other words the author concentrates more on how to keep your matches dry then on how to start a fire by rubbing 2 sticks together.

 

My next suggestion would be: "Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why". This book isn't about the physical preparation stuff like food, fire and shelter. It's about being mentally and emotionally prepared, and is a must read IMNHO. If you don't maintain the proper mindset, all the training and preparing will go right out the window when you most need it.

[+WATreasureHunters]

Thanks for these two suggested readings. I, for one, will be checking them out.

[+bumblingbs]

Thanks, also for the suggested readings. DH and I had a grand time recounting our various close scrapes. and I have to agree that the mental outlook plays a good part in it. I can remember one time when I was ready to give up, and my husband saved my life with one well chosen word that brought me back to survival consciousness. And another time when he actually apologized to me for killing me and set off down the wrong path in a raging storm. That time, I just wasn't having any of it. I don't know, that may have been beginning hypothermia for him; I didn't have it. So, I'd say a ~partner~ is a good first line of defense.

 

The offer is still open, though, I'll hide a cache in honor of anyone willing to come teach kids for an hour and a half. )

 

And by the way, hypothermia does have some good points. You understand that blankets won't warm you if your own body is not radiating heat. Best thing to do? Get naked in a sleeping bag with a warm person. Cool! I mean, warm!

[+The Jester]

Thanks, also for the suggested readings. DH and I had a grand time recounting our various close scrapes. and I have to agree that the mental outlook plays a good part in it. I can remember one time when I was ready to give up, and my husband saved my life with one well chosen word that brought me back to survival consciousness. And another time when he actually apologized to me for killing me and set off down the wrong path in a raging storm. That time, I just wasn't having any of it. I don't know, that may have been beginning hypothermia for him; I didn't have it. So, I'd say a ~partner~ is a good first line of defense.

 

The offer is still open, though, I'll hide a cache in honor of anyone willing to come teach kids for an hour and a half. )

 

And by the way, hypothermia does have some good points. You understand that blankets won't warm you if your own body is not radiating heat. Best thing to do? Get naked in a sleeping bag with a warm person. Cool! I mean, warm!

From personal experience, it's not much fun in a sleeping bag with a cold, unresponsive body (and you can hold all you comments about wives/husbands/spouse/significant others) - but it does work wonders for rewarming a hypothermic person (as I found out in 1973 in a spring blizzard at 6800 feet on the windward side of White Chuck Mtn). Although it is better not to get to that point in first place.

 

Other books: Backpacking One Step at a Time by Harvey Manning; Making Camp by Backpacker Magazine; Be Expert with Map and Compass by ?? (can't find my copy right now); and Don't Die on the Mountain by Dan Allen. On a related subject: Mountaineering First Aid by The Mountaineers - lots of good stuff for when accidents happen in the 'backcountry' (it has a good summery of the 10 essensials). And of course there is always the "bible" of back country travel: Freedom of the Hills by The Mountaineers.

 

Hmm, an hour and a half is pretty short to really teach much (a lot depends on size/make up of group) - you could cover one subject fairly well, or introduce a number of subjects briefly.

[+The Jester]

...

3. Fire starters work but only if you have the right amount to work for the conditions you're in. Magnesium bricks are probably the toughest to work with as you need to get enough shavings to make a good light up. I've read anything of a pile from a dime to a 50 cent piece will work. It's very light and can be easily blown out of its little pile of shavings by the slightest breeze. After 2 hours of trying that, I went to a pressed wax stick by Coleman. I had to feather the corner edges so it would light with my wind proof lighter. We also tried plastic and some other materials which would have worked had the wood we collected was dry enough to start burning.

...

Quick tip when using the magnesium bricks, toss a couple of cotton balls in with it. They can hold the shaving very nicely for a hot start, or can be ignited on their own in less severe conditions (generally with a single strike).

[John E Cache]

I remember my father used to be fanatic about starting fires in my Minnesota childhood. He had worked in the woods at portable saw mills when growing up. His favorite trick was to find a pitch stump. This was a rotted pine/fir stump that had rotted away except for the spires of wood that wouldn't rot because they were filled with sap by the roots after the tree died. The pitch wood was very dense and flammable. If the wood was not heavy it was just rotten and not pitch wood. He tried pitch wood in our new fireplace to show off and it melted the grate. Apparently Doug Fir stumps out here in the NW are even better than Minnesota's white pine, according to an article I googled.

[+TotemLake]

Criminal looked for some good pitch wood where we were at. All the stumps were either rotten or frozen solid.

[+bumblingbs]

[

From personal experience, it's not much fun in a sleeping bag with a cold, unresponsive body (and you can hold all you comments about wives/husbands/spouse/significant others) - but it does work wonders for rewarming a hypothermic person (as I found out in 1973 in a spring blizzard at 6800 feet on the windward side of White Chuck Mtn). Although it is better not to get to that point in first place.

 

Other books: Backpacking One Step at a Time by Harvey Manning; Making Camp by Backpacker Magazine; Be Expert with Map and Compass by ?? (can't find my copy right now); and Don't Die on the Mountain by Dan Allen. On a related subject: Mountaineering First Aid by The Mountaineers - lots of good stuff for when accidents happen in the 'backcountry' (it has a good summery of the 10 essensials). And of course there is always the "bible" of back country travel: Freedom of the Hills by The Mountaineers.

 

Hmm, an hour and a half is pretty short to really teach much (a lot depends on size/make up of group) - you could cover one subject fairly well, or introduce a number of subjects briefly.

 

You're right. An hour and a half is hardly enough time to teach 10 year olds beginning survival skills. I'll pencil you in for one hour and 35 minutes. We have a small but serviceable guest room. It's clean. Or could be. In theory.

 

The cat will join you in the sleeping bag.

 

What day did you say?

Edited January 10, 2007 by bumblingbs