I have been in a similar situation. But it took me 2 years to get my finger tips back. You know it is hard to tell people about storms and how deadly the winds can be on a mountain. How cold you can get when the wind picks up and if you are not prepared you do not have to worry about getting back. On Mount Rainier my buddy left a water bottle unprotected and it froze solid right between us. Scary uh?

Almost a survival situation. Don't read any further unless you have a high tolerance for stupidity.<br><br>Went pig hunting in unfamiliar territory with a friend one December. Our camp was on a mountaintop by a lake. I had a detailed topo and I had mapped out a 9 mile loop that consisted fairly quick descent along a creek (about 4 miles) to where it dumped into a river then a level stretch and a gradual climb back along a fire road. I was in lousy physical condition but I figured it would be a scramble for a while then a cakewalk back. For that reason, I didn't bring usual survival kit stuff with me. After all, the temperature was in high 40s when we left camp - practically balmy<br><br>We set off midday. Bushwhacking down the creek soon proved to be very demanding - alot of hands and knees scrambling over boulders. The sides of the hill were covered with pea sized scree so it was impossible to walk there. I was wearing a heavy fleece underlayer, a fleece jacket and a shell. I overheated and left the shell under a tree, planning to get it the next day. I was sweating like crazy and I couldn't imagine any reason to lug around that heavy shell. <br><br>We examined map, confirmed that we were only about 1/2 mile from river (and flat land) so we stopped and had a long lunch. I took some nice pictures of ice formations in the creek we were walking along. I had to use the flash because, even though sunset was still hours away, it was pretty dim in that narrow canyon.<br><br>After we hit the trail, I realized that I had misread map (the spring I used as a landmark was the wrong one) and that we were about 2 miles from river. We picked up the pace so we didn't notice the dropping temperature and increasing wind. It actually felt good to not be so overheated. The boulders became bigger and more slippery, forcing us to do some very fancy footwork. It was getting darker but I reasoned that we would be fine once we got to the river and fireroad and could walk back in the dark if need be.<br><br>After climbing/sliding down one series of boulders, we saw that our creek turned into small waterfall flowing through a house-sized rock. Going down was dicey and it would have required getting soaked in the water. <br><br>We sat to think a bit. At that point, I started shivering violently and was a bit dizzy. I was very tired. We were out of water.<br><br>Right about here is when I realized I was in a fix and frankly, I got a bit panicky. <br><br> I was a couple of thousand feet down in a narrow canyon that would be effectively dark pretty soon. I was soaking wet with perspiration. As soon as physical activity stopped, the wind cut through the fleece making it very, very cold. A strong wind was now blowing up from the valley below and being funneled into the little canyon we were in. (No wonder there was plenty of ice in the creek.) We had no real emergency food, shelter or warmth. We debated whether we should take the plunge through the falls, stay there through the night, or backtrack up the (now icy boulders) we had just come down. I reasoned that it it had taken us about 4 hours downhill and I just couldn't imagine having the stamina to go even longer than that uphill.<br><br>I was very tempted to try to dig out some dirt and leaves to sleep under and spend the night there, a nice nap seemed like the logical, perfect solution to me.<br><br>So what would you have done?<br><br>We turned tail and backtracked.The good news is that my companion had quite a bit more good sense than me. She reasoned that I was dehydrated, not dipping into hypothermia, but that I might if we remained stationary. She insisted that I start drinking alot of water from the creek, reasoning that I was dehydrated. I resisted since I didn't have a water pump or Iodine but she, logically, explained that the very small chance I might get giardia was outweighed by the more dangerous possibility that I would continue to get dehydrated, suffer immobilizing cramps, etc. I warmed the water a bit inside my jacket as I climbed. She was right, about 1/2 hour later i was no longer dizzy and I felt like I got a "2nd wind." We dumped some nonessential gear to lighten the load. I cut a sapling down with my knife and make a sort of walking stick. It proved invaluable as we helped one another up the boulders. It got pretty dark but we made it back to camp in less time than it took us to get there. (Duh, when I was sitting there calculating the time, I forgot that we had spent at least an hour on photos and lunch.) <br><br>The mistakes I/we made on the way down are almost too numerous to count. 1) inadequate survival gear, 2) leaving a windproof shell behind instead of stripping off an insulating layer, 3) inadequate water or filter, 4) poor map reading, 5) overestimating physical stamina and ability, 6) poor planning (waiting til last minute to leave camp instead of allowing plentyof time, 7) failing to critically assess problems early one, etc.<br> <br>I [censored] sure learned a few things that day, the most important being that even a benign little day hike can turn into a real challenge, if you make enough stupid decisions.

I suppose that I have, but I didnt consider them as such at the time. <br> In 1993 the Eastern part of the US was hit with a fantastic (in a bad way) snowstorm. I was stuck. I put on my coveralls, loaded the pockets and started walking. Early that evening I finally lay down on my couch. The power was out, but that was not a problem. <br>People can say what they will about space blankets, but I was happy to have one that day. Every time I rested I wrapped myself in it. The wind was brutal and the blanket was a good shield. <br> <br> October 4th 1995 I took my seaplane checkride. I let the instructor and the FAA man talk me into taking it that morning. That was the day hurricane Opal hit land. When I finally put the plane down, the cloud ceiling was about 20 feet above the pine trees with monsoon type rain. I do NOT want to repeat that experience. I honestly thought I was going to die even if I did manage to get the plane on the water without nosing it over. <br>I lived without mishap and even got the plane beached and tied down, but those two were thoroughly cussed. After I got the slip of paper, of course.

I think you make a very good point here. It often struck me while doing SAR that our teams were going out and functioning well routinely in the very conditions that had caused our victims to come to grief. The difference seemed to me to be experience, knowledge, and (definitely last) equipment. Knowledge and expereince go hand in hand - the vast majority of our vicitms were neophytes, often drunk beginners at that.

Great story, thanks for sharing. I had a similar experience, though not as interesting, so I won't bother to elaborate. <br><br> It's important for people to realize that a simple dayhike can easily turn into a survival situation. No one should leave the survival kit behind just because they expect to be back in a few hours (or even a few minutes). That's the best way to get caught out with absolutely no equipment.

<br>Hatchet a survival story.<br><br><br><br>This for mbrodw, it is a survival story by Gary Paulsen the book is called Hatchet it is a random house production.<br>This is one of the best stories I have ever heard of, it is about a 13 year old city boy named Brian Robeson who is ripped and torn form his world because of a plane crash, he forced to survive alone for 54 days in the Canadian wilderness.<br><br>I recommend that you do not read the book but listen to the audiocassettes, and listen to them at night all by yourself in the dark; it will make a bigger impact on you. <br>You can probably get the tapes from your library or you can get them at the bookstore.<br><br>Enjoy.<br>

I agree with Presumed Lost and Hikerdon. Prepare so that you reduce the chances of finding yourself in a survival situation. And if you do find yourself in one, you have acquired the knowledge, training, skills and equipment to mitigate it.