Recent posts mention the polar regions and deserts as extremes in survival. This is natural,we can quickly freeze in one and die of thirst in the other.What is poorly understood, you can do both in each environment. People tend to dehydrate quickly in cold climes. Remember, the general definition of desert is LACK OF WATER. Snowfields are not humid and are subject to high winds. The frozen water underfoot does you no good unless utilised ! The human psyche tends to become introverted and lethargic sitting in a snow shelter, bundled in a mummy bag. We quickly learned ( arctic survival school) to brew something hot after securing fire and shelter. Another trick is to drink varying amounts of water before sleep. People waking during the night to relieve themselves have a chance to look around, check any signal fires, ill companions etc.

I will add my two cents from my experiences in climbing:<br><br>-if there is a chance before you go to sleep fill up your water bottle with hot liquid and put it around your feet in your sleeping bag, it will keep you very warm for the next 5-6 hours plus you will have a ready canteen for the next day without nasty purification tablets.<br>-if you need to dry your wet clothes put them on the mattress under you or bundle them up bewteen your legs. They may not get totally dry but they will be fine in two days or so. Wet socks go under your back pack straps<br>-try shielding your eyes to avoid snow blindness<br>-never ever in high altitude when tired and cold sit down and promise yourself a 2 min nap unless you have somebody watching. While climbing Kilimanjaro I found a person who slept for 7 hours after promising themselves 5 min nap. He lost 6 fingers and part of his ear and nose.<br>- "step by step and slow" is my motto when walking in the snow. <br>- no alcohol, cold and liquer will put you fast to sleep and you may freeze to death (example Russia in the winter)<br>- shelter build out of the snow will be much better that trying to find sticks or tarps<br>- as mentioned: drink water just like in the boot camp at least four canteens a day<br>- sun protection: no matter how cold it is you will get sunburned even after short exposure<br>- double check your knots and double check after others. Cold can make you delirious and you may skip some simple steps such as acctually not attaching the safety line.<br>- if no gloves are available wear extra pair of socks on your hands. I did it, was uncomfortable as hell but I finished the trek.<br>- take care of your feet, it's all you got that will get you out<br>- watch out for bear tracks<br>- watch out for the ice surface and cracks, I never heard yet of succesfull rescue of a person who fell into pit or water around arctic area<br><br>I probably missed a lot and people will add to my list. But I was so amazed how all of the above is true and how quickly weather can change and your situation as well. When I was climbing Mt. Kenya first day I got hit with tropical storm, second day was a snow storm and third day wind was throwing me around (160 lbs plus 60 lbs pack). When I moved out on the fourth day around 2 am to summit around 6-7 to see the sun rise I had a clear sky. For the next 4 hours weather went from extreme windy to snowing to clear sky again yet when I was comming back I had 4 days of perfect weather.

Here is a story from our newspaper up here this winter it a succesfull rescue of a person who fell into pit around arctic area.<br>He was lucky enough to have person with him that was able to call for a rescue. that was the only reason he survived.<br> Yukon<br><br>A Haines Junction RCMP corporal is recuperating from a dislocated left shoulder and minor injuries after he fell 27 metres into a mountain crevasse Saturday afternoon.<br>Cpl. Ken Putnam and Const. Kirk Gale were patrolling the Kluane National Park on snowmobiles that afternoon when the pair stopped on the Haines summit to walk around a bit.<br>The park patrols are routinely done by RCMP and Parks Canada staff in response to the large number of snowmobilers and other people exploring the mountains, especially during the Easter long weekend.<br>At about 3:10 p.m., the call came into the Whitehorse detachment from Gale that his detachment commander had fallen into a crevasse, and landed some 27 metres below on a small ledge.<br>It’s not yet known how large the crevasse opening was, whether it was covered in snow or how visible it might have been to Putnam, an experienced outdoorsman.<br>The National Parks search and rescue glacier team was called in and at about 2:30 Sunday morning, pulled Putnam out of the crevasse.<br>By 9 a.m., the officer was medivaced to Whitehorse for a full medical examination following a rescue described as challenging due to the mountain’s conditions and the darkness in which rescuers worked.<br><br>

Yes, in my post I forgot to add that I meant a self rescue not the assisted one.<br><br>Matt