We are heading up north early Friday for a few days. One of the what if's that I have always thought about is, how would we get home if there was a major natural disaster (earthquake) that took out the bridges and tunnels on the roads back to home.


Using my scenario that if an earthquake were to hit and take out even one bridge and or a couple of tunnels, your drive home would cut be off completely and you have the below details and options to decide from on how to get home. (see the last paragraph for the main question)


Details:

The highway we will be traveling up is an older 2 lane (with the occasional 4 lanes and passing sections) that traverses north through temperate rain forest then into one of the PNW's longest river canyon / mountain passes that eventually opens up into a semi arid region. The canyon area can see quite a bit of snow in winter.



In the summer, day time temperatures of 100F plus is very common and can last for weeks with little rain...if at all. The current average temperature today is 67F.



The area through the canyon is sparsely populated with only a few villages that only number in the low hundreds of people to a couple of small towns with less than 1000 people. The small towns only have the most basic of stores and gas stations and accommodations are limited.



On the highway route through the canyon, there are 2 crucial (and old) bridges that must crossed along with 5 tunnels and should be noted that neither the bridges nor the tunnels have ever been seismically upgraded. It is a well known fact that the bridges and tunnels are very vulnerable to an even a moderate earthquake. This picture shows a railroad bridge in the foreground. The highway bridge is in the background. Take note, it is suicide to attempt to swim cross that river here...


The only detours are to head back up north and take 2 alternate routes of which the first route is along a very narrow, windy mountain pass that sees snowfall in the tens of feet per year and daytime temperatures of 90F or more. This route has no services, and no towns or villages for over 70 miles in one area.


The second route is over a more modern 4 lane highway that traverses through some of the very rugged terrain which again receives tens of feet of snow in winter and high temperatures in summer. It should be noted that both these alternate routes have bridges that are vulnerable along with the chance of snow and rock slides. This is a much longer route (by having to first head back north and then swing to the east then eventually travel south.)

A few more details:

- On each side of the canyon and river are 2 separate train lines. These tracks also go over bridges and through various tunnels that may or may not be passable.

- The highway tunnels do not go under any water etc and a few of them may be bypassed by hiking/climbing around them one side or the other. Keep in mind that this is extremely steep country and it is not as simple matter of jaunt up and over a hill. That hike/climb around may take some hours.



- Even in the hot summer, water is available from many creeks. Due to the low population, pollution is generally not a problem, however keep in mind that water by nature can have it's own nasties that need to be dealt with.

- Due to the semi arid climate in most of the canyon, finding game or food is a real problem as I wrote above, the area is sparsely populated. That said, there is some small game and also deer, mountain sheep and the odd moose. Once you descend south out of the canyon into the beginnings of the PNW rain forest, your chance of finding edible food increases dramatically.

- Crossing the main river without a proper sized powered boat is suicide...people die every year on this river from not repsecting it's power. That said, if you were to attempt to traverse cross country and get out of the canyon which is not difficult in some areas, you will still need to cross the river at some point. Once out of the canyon and into the valley, the river is wide and fast flowing for any boat unless you are an expert canoeist or kayaker. Even if you were not able to travese the river yourself, this valley leads into a major metropolis and large population are where you may be able to get someone with a proper boat to get you across the river.

If you were caught in this earthquake scenario, and you chose for whatever reason to attempt to walk home (lets leave out the questions of why would you even try? etc) what gear and other resources would you want to have with you? This question is not based on the regular traveler who has usually takes nothing but a cup of coffee in his car, rather the question is for you who travels equipped to survive.

This one is difficult for me to answer on several grounds: One, I have never traveled one hundred miles alone, let alone two. Two, when I travel more than one hundred miles I am in someone else's car so, not including the usual gear the typical American has in their car, what emergency gear we have is what I brought. Three, when I travel by myself outside The Metroplex alone, it is to visit with someone I know so if something did happen to the bridges, my visit got unexpectedly extended.

Jeanette Isabelle

Teslinhiker,
you ever been to Teslin?
What gear? The one I have in the truck.
If my wife & dog are in it, the whole subject is moot.

upgrade your shelter and sleeping supplies

dedicated water filter and transport to redundancy

MRE entrees with heaters for a couple of weeks

alternate transport...mountain bikes with tire repair tools, heavy duty racks and panniers...bike rack

upgrade your travel clothing, footwear

redefine or reconfigure your GHB packs if necessary...I assume you have minimum of water/first aid/navigation/fire making equipment already on board...expect trekking accidents..additional elastic wrap, foot powder etc

long gun like Savage 24C .22lr over 20ga (slugs) for foraging and protection

rugged solar array for recharging Nimh cells for LED head and hand held lights....or redundant lithium cells

Kernmantle and precut line for improvised Ranger/SF Swiss seat with locking carabiners, heavy duty leather gloves

have a safe trip

Does the river freeze solidly enough in winter to support walking, skiing, snowmobiling?

In seasons other than Spring flood, is the river floatable by today's large river rafts?

What is your feeling about flying ultralight aircraft home?

It's funny, I got stuck on a bridge for a while on the commute home tonight and thought about having to hoof it if it and the others between work and home were somehow out of service. Of course, my trek would be on relatively level ground, and only about 60 kms, so not nearly the scale of yours.

I'd start by thinking of what you're going to wear.

First off, I'd want REALLY good already broken-in footwear, a REALLY good pair of already broken-in back-ups, and a few pairs of REALLY good socks. Your feet will be your salvation. Take REALLY good care of them! Blister care and moisture protection would be right up there too, as would a repair kit for my footwear, including the socks.

Your clothing will be essential too. It's your first line of protection against the elements. Plan for all possible weather and bring back-ups, including underwear. I'd pack multi-tasking (weather-wise) clothes where possible, to lighten your load. Plan a layering system, and consider "wickability" to help you stay warm and "soakability" to help keep you cool. I like wool and synthetics personally, but I am partial to loose fitting cotton when it gets hot.

Drifting a bit into shelter, a wool poncho retains warmth when wet, and helps protect you from the wind. It's easy to wear and can be used as a blanket, it's fire and heat resistant, and it can make a roof for a lean-to if it's not too wet.

No the river does not freeze. It is too fast and deep.

Yes, large river rafts guided by pros take thrill seekers on a trip down the river. It is highly regulated due to the danger.

An ultralight is out of question for many reasons, chiefly it does not fit in the trunk of the car...

Here is a brief video of the river. It shows how fast the water can flow.

Good answers Bacpacjac. All you suggested is close to what we already carry in the trunk of car. If someone has to walk any significant distance, the proper footwear and clothing is crucial. Depending on the time of year, the requisite temperature range of sleeping bags are also in the trunk. There is a post I made last year here that listed the typical contents that are always in the car trunk. I'll see if I can search for the post and link it here.

Edit: Here is the Car trunk post.. If the above scenario ever came to fruition then having a car trunk of kit to choose from would make it much easier.

Looks like axe country to me. Fire, shelter, travel and signalling could all be dependant on it. I'd throw in a saw too, as well as a sharpening stone.

Cordage will probably find multiple uses as well!