Here in western WA we've been getting more snow than usual, one to two feet. I've even had to go to a local county utility yard to ask if they could clear the large berm they built in front of a RR switch access road (gravity would get me down, but back up could be tricky).

So, one thing that I haven't seen mentioned here...

Most of us know that using a cheap mylar emergency blanket behind our aluminum lawn chair will reflect heat from the marshmallow- and hot-dog-roasting fire in front of us.

In a car situation, wouldn't it help to raise the inside temperature if we had several of those emergency blankets and rolled up one edge in the window and let it drape down the uninsulated doors, and maybe tucked the edge of another one under the windshield visors? IOW, slowing the heat going out the windows?

Add a candle or two or a simple alcohol stove... wouldn't this work?

Sue

I usually try to avoid the dreaded white stuff at all costs. But just in case, I have a shovel (little one, WWII GI e-tool, but better than nothing), chains, sleeping bags, tent, tarp, one burner stove, some food, some water, little bitty propane lantern, coffee can with TP roll and several bottles of rubbing alcohol, cell phone, CB radio, GPS with local terrain, including all topo map info. We dress for the weather, in winter have rain gear and warm clothing along even if we don't plan on wearing it. So if I can't get unstuck, at least we can be somewhat comfortable for a while...

Susan,

Here's what I carry for my 14-18 hour car trips. This is my Personal Support Kit. It's designed to allow me to survive in a rental car for a while, or make a walk to better shelter, more water, more food, or find my way to some help.

Shelter
5'x9' brown tarp
Fleece car blanket w/small pillow
mylar emergency blanket
55gal garbage bag

Water
1 liter nalgene bottle
Water purification tablets

Food
A fruitcake (Sunmade)
6 Datrex Bars
2 large bags of Beef Jerky
Assorted restaurant condiments
2 coffee bags
8 tea bags

Warmth

BlastMatch
Wet Tender
Magnesium Bar
2 Bic Lighters
2 small boxes of short strike anywhere matches
12 chemical hand warmers
Touque
Insulated Gloves
Pair/dry socks
baggie of dryer lint
6 tea candles
4 Trioxilene tablets
1 can of "Magic Heat" w/stove

Other

Large metal Signal Mirror
50ft of paracord
10-in-1 survival tool (magnifying glass, compass, knife edge, flathead screwdriver, butterfly nut wrench, bottle opener)
Large Lensatic Compass
Photon/Laser combo light
2 pocket knives
Large First Aid Kit
Small First Aid kit
Wind up flashlight w/12vdc female outlet
xxxxx(powers cell phone & Electric Cup)
Survival Kit-in-a-Can
Plastic Spork
Motel size bar of soap
Electric Cup (powered by windup flashlight)
Metal enameled camping cup
FM radio receiver (w/batteries)
Camper's roll of Toilet Paper
2 packs of Bug Wipes
1 Travel Pack of Baby Wipes
small packet of leather lacing & string

I fit everything into a hunting vest and it's attached game vest.

There's a lot more in my kit than what you would need Sue, but hopefully my kit contents will provide you with some intelligent food for thought.

i would avoid an alcohol stove in a vehicle, hard to control. A candle system is a smart choice. Sleeping bags and blankets are also smart choices. Chemical hand and torso warmer as well.

A car kit for your situation would also include at least 50 pounds of sand, (in my truck bed in Seattle when it snowed I carried 400 pounds to weigh down the back end and use as traction) and extra blankets and wool ski caps.

Heck even when I run in the winter i carry a shower cap in case my head gets to cold. It is a waterproof, vapor barrier that can trap heat in an emergency

I have stuff with me, but I'm asking if you think covering the windows with the mylar emergency blankets would help trap body and candle heat, since cars have virtually no insulation.

Sue

Sue..seeing as how no one has really answered your question yet i would say it would have to help..it reflects heat.if you were really into it you could duct tape a sheet of it behind the drivers seat--roof to floor--so you were not heating the unused back seat area.

+1 on Canoedogs answer. Any insulation should help, condensation could become an issue at some point but you won't die from condensation.

JohnE

Semi Off-Topic: In snow/ice/rain... drive slow, even with 1/8" of snow on the ground... I pulled out a car last night that went around a rather large sweeping turn a little too fast and found himself in the ditch. There was barely any snow on the ground, the amount so that after you drive on it you see the road where your tires are easily. On a back road or one less traveled he would have been easily stranded, even on this road he could have easily had to wait 10 minutes or more in cold temps, or 1hr+ in the middle of the night for someone to pass by.

For snow/cold temps... I suggest wool blankets at least two so you can snuggle up and hunker down until help arrives. Putting a towel on your front windshield (outside) helps too. I don't like the idea of running the car for the heater because carbon monoxide since not all cars are 100% air tight (Jeeps come to mind).

As far as warmth goes in my truck during winter I have.
- 2 Wool Blankets
- Extra pair of boots
- Pair of wool socks
- At least 3 beanies (I wear different ones and just have them there)
- GoreTex "boonie style" hat.
- Goretex pants
- Goretex jacket

I also keep my chainsaw with me in case I`m going home in a storm and trees are down. I also have a v28 sawz-all with a wood pruning blade for quick easy action if I need to cut something rather small hanging in the middle of the road.

I also keep 2 gallons of water x2 for misc usage (and potentially drinking) as well as 5-10 drinking water bottles.

A tow strap is also a very very good idea to keep on hand and shackles/hooks that may be needed too. A flashlight of coarse (I think you do this already).

I wouldn't use any flame inside the car. If you NEED a wire do it outside... however wool blankets and your 'snow gear' all on you in a car should be plenty warm to stay toasty through the night even in very cold temps. Some people even leave a sleeping bag in their car all winter just in case. Never hurts if you have the room.

We go "Snow 4-Wheeling" in our Jeeps during blizzards and "plan/prepare "to get stuck and spend the night... If you go prepared for spending a night or two then you will be ready to wait out a storm or until help arrives.

Another thing that may not fit in a car unless you get a collapsible one is a shovel. Often times in the snow simply removing the build-up in the front or rear (depends on if you are rocking or your plans to go front or back) is all you need to free your stuck vehicle.

Remember in snow if you are not making progress moving STOP do not dig a hole and sink the vehicle up to the frame. Rock it back and forth (From drive to Reverse) until you can get far enough back (or forward) to propel yourself out of the rut you just made. A good idea is to flatten out the rut too with the shovel so you can get out easier. I did this recently in my own driveway after getting semi-stuck.

Not to complicate things more but if you had brake stands with rocking forward and back, and also staying on the brakes while moving and turning the wheels side to side that often helps. There's a lot of little tips and tricks that really help when driving / stuck in the Snow. #1 tip... go slow, don't turn the wheel to much, and don't over correct. And recently I saw someone FLOOR IT and then catch traction and fly off the road on the OTHER side... So, know the traction in front of you too

I hope that's not overwhelming.

Sue, I'm going to say I've never tried, but here are my thoughts.

Clothes, sleeping blankets, snow caves all work by trapping body heat. The loftier they are, the better. That being said, I think it would probably be warmer to keep the blanket on you, and create a small zone of trapped air, than to insulate the entire car and then be trying to heat up that air with your body.

That being said, I suppose if the car was full of passengers, then you might be a bit better off sharing collective body heat.

Thank goodness the mylar space blankets are cheap, and most folks can afford to carry more than one, in case you want to experiment.

+1 on the smaller area. I took a class once for "winter driving survival" to get out of a bad detail in the Army. They taught that if you use whatever is available to section off the interior of the car to only the area needed, you had less area to heat.

We were using a CUCV (old Chevy Blazer) and used blankets and 100 mph tape to curtain off the cargo area. Made the passenger area noticeably warmer.