Well the Army did try to come up with the DIVAD/Sgt. York, but it had so many problems that I believe it was abandoned. Chapparal is a typically thorny, dense mixture of brush that covers much of Southern California from about 0 - 6000' elevation. It's the stuff that figured prominently in our recent fires. Not exactly the maples of Vermont, but they'll have to do.


You EDC all that? I was sort of thinking of items normally carried on one's person, but if you've got all that, then you're pretty well set with respect to shelter in Southern California this time of year unless you're up pretty high, and I agree with you -- I too would climb in my bag/heatsheet first and then do any electronic signalling second. If on the other hand, one only had more common items and one had to make or find shelter, then I'd probably do the quick electronic signalling and then see about some shelter. That's sort of what I was thinking as I prioitized my list.


Well, and watch out for plants with leaves in groups of three.

One last thought: out here keep the matches in your kit unless it's pretty near dead calm. One of the big conflagrations here was caused by someone sleeping out who lit a fire for warmth but let it get out of control. Toasting the whole region just might not be the best survival move.