Shouldda, Couldda, Wouldda... all the planning doesn't do you any good if you "don't bring it with you". I am using this as a prime example of "you should take it (Ten Essentials) with you whenever you go into the woods" for my Scouts. Thankfully this ended happily, when it could have easily ended up otherwise.

Well they survived. What was it three days with heavy snow? Thats pretty good for someone with no planning or preparation.

I think this is an excellent and two-fold lesson: First poor planning will nail you, maybe not every time but when it does get you it gets you hard; second they would have been much more comfortable if they'd had even minimal gear, but their survival didn't depend on it. The father (and oldest son, he's 18 therefore old enough to shoulder adult responsibility) messed up. They should have let mom know exactly where they were going. Dad should have made sure everyone had good snow boots and warm clothing. Matches or stove would have made them down right comfortable. But they survived and did a lot right once the situation had gone south. They found shelter. They set up a signal (evergreen branches on snow is in many of the survival manuals). They kept feet warm and prevented frostbite.

So the lesson for the ruck of unprepared people is plan better and carry some kit. The lesson for those of us who read this forum is don't rely too much on equipment. Absolutely carry it , but remember you can survive with out it.

First post in several months for me, have been busy - but heard this story on the radio and was interested in checking this board's opinion.

You know, in reading this article I think they did fairly well, all things considered. I mean basically if you look at it they left the car to look for a tree and got lost in the woods - which many of you should know is NOT had to do. Unless you check behind you from time to time, it's downright impossible to navigate in a pine forest. EVERYTHING looks the same.

So yeah, even if he had a kit in the car, he probably would have left it because he was 'simply' getting a tree. Sure, the lesson is carry it with him but it's a simple, though potentially deadly, mistake. I am glad to see that given the circumstances they had the foresight to build a shelter, stamp out a 'help' in the snow filled with sticks to offset the color of the terrain, and that he was able to keep his kids emotionally stable (that alone speaks volumes) enough to complete the journey into awareness in one piece.

Let's not forget that even the most unlikely circumstances can catch even the most vigilant off guard - it's how we react when those circumstances occur that's important.

Just my .0002 cents

The instinct to go towards man-made structures (culvert vs. tree) could have cost these people their lives. I'll wager they spent a more comfortable night under the tree with boughs to sit on then in the metal culvert with water coursing through the bottom.

That's why practicing with what God gives us in nature is so important, and so incredibly neglected by 99% of people.

I think that article might not be entirely accurate. Every other report I've heard indicates they made a lean-to shelter out of tree limbs.

Here's an example:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/20/family.found/index.html

I also like the fact they were smart enough to remove socks and put their feet inside each others shirts to keep from getting frostbite.

I completely agree they could have had better training; you can always claim that though. My point is from a psychological perspective, they held together ALOT better than most of the people you end up reading about in the obituaries. They survived 72 hours in the cold, damp weather with relatively few injuries and zero fatalities. Not bad for a bunch of uneducated city-folk.

Then again, reading the same article I posted even though it states a lean-to made of branches you also see "singing her heart out in the tunnel".. I guess it's a bit ambigious as to what they were using for shelter. They also might have moved around too.

Yeah, somehow I don't think that "lax preparation due to living in modern America" is something the CPS folks can put in their records. Not to say that I condone the family's lack of prep, but whether or not we think it's criminal or not...the law hasn't caught up to us yet. It sounds like a gray area...child endangerment vs. poor judgment...

Of course I go toward the other extreme...if I'm going to the store for some milk nog and don't have a Heatsheet and whistle within arm's reach (in addition to regular EDC) then I freak out! What's to say that a building won't collapse on top of my car, trapping me in sub zero temperatures on the way to the store?

I've gotta go...late for my therapist appointment...

The following is what I gleened from the story:

1. The unexpected can can happen at any time.

This is evidenced by the simple act of going into a forest to collect a Christmas tree and getting lost.

2. The mind is the best survival tool you can have.

The Dad only had the clothes on his back and a saw. Yet, he built a crude shelter the first night and built a distress signal from available materials that eventually lead to their rescue. Recognized health hazards and developed a way to treat them with what he had.

3. Attitude is everything.

Kept his kids alert and interactive with his positive attitude despite the gravity of the situation.

I could play the "shouda-woulda-coulda" game and try to second guess their precise situation but the bottom line is they survived with minimal injuries from a potential deadly situation. For that, they should be commended.

From one article I read (don't have the site), the first night the father build a shelter at the base of a pine tree, but it was still quite cold. The next day, they tried to find the truck, but failed (they were 1.5 miles from it), and saw the culvert. Actually, this was not a bad idea. If the snow was building up fast, I can see someone worrying about snow collapsing a shelter. And if the temperature is freezing, you might not have much water running through the culvert.

But I still think that a fire at one end, reflected into the culvert, and the other stuffed with pine boughs wouldn't have made a bad shelter. Too bad they couldn't build a fire.

The 18-yr-old knew about camping and some survival, so I'll be he and Dad tossed a few options back and forth.

With what they had, they didn't do so badly. Firemaking equipment and a few Heatsheets would have been a great improvement. If they go looking for a Christmas tree next year, I wonder if they will be carrying a few extras?

Sue

I was also under the impression that it was the distress signal that caught the attention of rescuers. But apparently it was the father running around that got their attention.



http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/20/family.found/index.html