Here are a couple of example I found in the news lately reguarding survival prepairedness.

Both are tragic events, the first one compounded by the lack of appropriate clothing/gear. The second is quoted as "He was an extremely well prepared individual,"

tragic story

made the best of it

And both of these serve to illustrate the point that you can be thrust into a survival situation at ANY time - whether you are prepared for it or not. Although I suspect the couple that got stranded in Utah felt that because they had a four-wheel drive, they were invulnerable, it again serves to illustrate the point that if you are prepared, at least you have a chance. If you're not - you don't.

The way I read it the only diference in the two stories is preparedness but luck. Aside from the winch in the back of the truck the New England couple was no more prepared than the folks in Utah. They just happened to find a cabin with weak locks. They also apparently squandered all of Monday in a vain attempt at signalling. Self recovery could have been started Moday morning, even as they waited for help. They knew that they were 17 miles off the main road, common sense should have warned of the slim liklihood of passersby. If not for the close proximity of that cabin the results between the two stories may have been tragically similar. That's why every autumn my winter bag goes in the back of the jeep.

That's my 2 cents

Ed

Leaving detailed travel plans with friends/family is always a good idea and would have probably have helped in both examples.
This doesn't mean you have to be restricted by your plans, if you have the urge to change your plans on the spur of the moment,just let someone know!

Hi folks, I'm new here; and I'd like to introduce myself after commenting on this topic at hand. It seems that all of US here ARE prepared, but what about your family members? Do they all have the Boy Scout motto, 'Be prepared' attitude or philosophy? Having grown up as a New England farmboy, I can sure count the number of my own 'cat's 9 lives' that i think I've used up so far! Weather is THE most unpredictable card in the whole 'hand' of survival. Yes, the couple that found the cabin were VERY fortunate, and rightly appreciative of the owner's hospitality. Hopefully they go through their lives recounting the story endless times; reiterating how important it was that they found a STOCKED cabin. Maybe putting the thought in others minds, that they too might save a Life by their hindsight. As for the Londoner, it'd be hard to tell in this day and age of Equality; whether or not the woman,Rachel, went along with no knowledge of the outdoors......Obiviously the guy did, and in an unfortunate twist of Darwinism, he lived and she died. Regardless, he WAS/IS a TYPICAL tourist type; surely to some day repeat his stupidity, and possibly endanger more lives. I hope he learned a hard lesson and, enrolls in some 'outdoor education' courses in England! It was LACK OF COMMON SENSE on his part, that cost her his Life. Yet in the couple from New England's situation, that kind of weather is considered 'normal' up here; and they should have stayed to 'known roadways, as the weather deteriorated. We all go away with a lesson learned. I too, put my 'Winter kit' in the back of whatever is my primary Winter vehicle, and remember to transfer it to whatever I get into, not just what I'm driving at any time during the 6 months I call 'Winter in New England. Ok, I'll fill you in on myself in another post. Thanks, Gene

When there's a blizzard in Calgary, I usually count the cars that get stuck while I'm driving home. It always seems there's about two 4WD or pickup trucks spinning their wheels for every sedan or station wagon. (I drive a Mazda MX-3 and I haven't been stuck so far - touch wood - <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> , except in the parking lot of my apartment building.)

Too many people seem to think that a 4WD is a magic carpet. I've heard stories (possibly urban legends, I admit) of people taking their brand new 4WD back to the dealer and complaining "it doesn't stop on black ice any better than any other car". (Well, DUH!) Some people just don't understand basic physics, I guess.

I hope the second couple had the decency to pay for the broken lock and the supplies they used, regardless of what the cabin owner said.

aardwolfe

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away (specifically Arizona backcountry in the 1950s) cabins were left unlocked. It was explained to me, and demonstrated, that you were welcome to use the cabin and its dry firewood ( as well as any food left, if necessary) and leave things neat, paying particular attention to stockpiling dry kindling next to the stove for the next person.

A regular feature of most of these cabins was a loaded Winchester 30-30 under the mattress. Somehow I don't think things operate in this fashion anymore.

I recently read about a new BMW FWD that tryed to drive through a puddle in the road, and stopped. The other cars just carried on driving past through the puddle on their ways. It turned out that the BMW's air intake had been too close to the ground. It's suposed to be an off road vehicle!

The closest I ever came to owning an off-road vehicle was an Austin Mini. That's because if you ever got stuck, you could get out and carry it <img src="images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />