31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge

Posted by: BruceZed

31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/09/10 11:24 PM

I just had a former student send me an excellent article and pictures from a Survival Situation that occurred on the Long Weekend. It was excellent improvisation and she did very well in a tight spot. Also note that she was thinking ahead about how to survive the second night. Take a look at the second picture of her beside the fire and please note the height of the cliff down to Wall Lake.

Article Link

Note to Readers: The article is posted exactly as I received it. I added the titles, quotes, and placed in the pictures and links to give readers some extra information about the area and situation.
Posted by: hikermor

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 12:54 AM

Indeed it is good to see education paying off. This is a beautiful example of the great importance of kindling a fire when faced with a night out.

Even better would have been an alcohol or canister stove in the pack. There would have been considerably less drama.
Posted by: Byrd_Huntr

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 02:04 AM

Great job with the training. There is little doubt that she credits it for their survival.
Posted by: BruceZed

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 02:55 AM

I agree relighting a fire in those conditions who have been hard and keeping it small but going was excellent work. Both for survival and morale which is a factor that should not be forgotten.
Posted by: Dagny

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 03:31 AM


Gripping account. Thanks for posting it.

Their resourcefulness, preparedness, calm and strategic thinking are very impressive.

Am going to take another inventory of my fire-making gear.
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 04:58 AM

It's great to hear that kind of story- the one where the training pays off and saves two lives. And it's surprising how quickly a day hike or other brief outing can turn into a survival situation.
Posted by: MostlyHarmless

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 06:04 AM

Thanks for posting this, it is great to have a personal report on exactly why we carry the gear and skills we do.
Posted by: chickenlittle

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 06:25 AM

Spare socks and an extra set of poly long underwear might have helped a bit too.(top and bottom set)
I am sorry to say that her chattering teeth indicate hypothermia and she likely would not have survived another night.
Posted by: MostlyHarmless

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 07:25 AM

Events like this almost always inspire discussions of exactly what kind of gear they should have brought along - in addition to what they already had in their packs. Remember, there is always a delicate balance between having a light pack and the proper gear. Proper gear for a night out in the snow is full size tent, sleeping bags and cooking gear - a bit too cumbersome for your average day pack.

They had some bare minimum nescessities and made VERY good use of them. Kudos for that - and for their training and attitude.


That being said, there is always room for improvements, and I am looking forward to read the suggestions of this forum of what those improvements could be.


Myself, I am reminded of exactly why I carry almost 1.5 pounds of bivy bag around: From the PSK sharing center thread I've found more lightweight bivy bags alternatives, but for trips outside the beaten path where I may encounter exactly the kind of conditions that pair suffered I always bring that bivy bag. If need be, there is room for two good friends - I can actually fit my whole family in there. Cramped, but that's just warmer... I have been lumping that thing around for the last 16 years... Old habbits die hard, I guess.
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 09:23 AM

Originally Posted By: MostlyHarmless
Events like this almost always inspire discussions of exactly what kind of gear they should have brought along - in addition to what they already had in their packs. Remember, there is always a delicate balance between having a light pack and the proper gear. Proper gear for a night out in the snow is full size tent, sleeping bags and cooking gear - a bit too cumbersome for your average day pack.


Well said. I've addressed this many times over the years in many venues. If you knew you were going to get into a gunfight at McD's tomorrow, the wise man would just stay home! And if he had to go he'd have a rifle and body armour!

Monday morning quarterbacking aside, you have make a realistic assessment of the risks to decide what to take. The biggest weakness in the human cognitive process has to be dealing with extraordinarily unlikely events that, if they do occur, carry catastrophic consequences. Y2k, 2012, Presidential elections- many people assume that the vanishly small chance that these changes will result in catastrophe warrant going to BATTLE STATIONS. Of course, people very used to dangerous events err on the other side. Who from Kansas, Minnesota or Wisconsin, if visiting the coast, would consider a Hurricane Party to be a good idea? There, repeating a state of high alert with no "true" danger creates a dangerous complacency.


Originally Posted By: MostlyHarmless
They had some bare minimum nescessities and made VERY good use of them. Kudos for that - and for their training and attitude.


Absolutely true! Just the fact that you're an ETS member probably means you've "wargamed" this scenario repeatedly after reading this post. Man, I'd have carried X,Y, &Z! Well, more gear would have been helpful and maybe they just got lucky. But they wouldn't have had time to get lucky if they hadn't kept their wits and known what to do.

A character in a favorite film of mine said, "Luck will often save a man, if his courage holds." I firmly believe that's true.
Posted by: Byrd_Huntr

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 10:16 AM

Originally Posted By: Phaedrus
Originally Posted By: MostlyHarmless
Events like this almost always inspire discussions of exactly what kind of gear they should have brought along - in addition to what they already had in their packs. Remember, there is always a delicate balance between having a light pack and the proper gear. Proper gear for a night out in the snow is full size tent, sleeping bags and cooking gear - a bit too cumbersome for your average day pack.



Originally Posted By: MostlyHarmless
They had some bare minimum nescessities and made VERY good use of them. Kudos for that - and for their training and attitude.


Absolutely true! Just the fact that you're an ETS member probably means you've "wargamed" this scenario repeatedly after reading this post. Man, I'd have carried X,Y, &Z! Well, more gear would have been helpful and maybe they just got lucky. But they wouldn't have had time to get lucky if they hadn't kept their wits and known what to do.


You both hit the nail on the head as far as I'm concerned. My wife accompanies me each year on a four day autumn trip and a couple of weekenders into the remote parts of the Chippewa National Forest. Over the last few years each of our PSKs went from the size of a baseball to the size of a football to a 12 pound rucksack....too cumbersome! I unpacked and repacked them a dozen times trying to eliminate weight and bulk, but refusing to give up much of anything.

We have had the experience of setting out on a brisk cool day and ending up in a 6 inch snowstorm. The difference was that it was mid-day, we were not on a bluff, we were only two or three miles from our truck and we were walking a very long trail in the woods that we could still follow.

We sat down last week even before this was posted and talked about that experience and others, and assessed the real risks of this activity. We agree that there is not one single thing in the packs that would not be nice to have if we suffered an injury or were lost in the woods at dusk and had to spend a night in the woods in late fall/early winter.... Together we agreed, it's not a camping trip, it's survival.............we're going back to basics.

The story actually inspired us, as they made good with minimal equipment and excellent training. I don't necessarily agree that they wouldnt have survived another night, because the only reason they didnt build a better shelter and gather more wood, is that they knew they were going to be rescued and they just waited and it just took a little longer than they thought.

Here is what we will each carry going forward:

Full set weather-appropriate hunting clothes:
Base layer
Heavy shirts/pants
Canvas coat
waterproof hunting boots and heavy socks
gloves
scarf
nylon balaclava
hat
bandana

Usual upland hunting gear:
shotgun & ammo
Leatherman Wave (she pefers a SAK w/saw)
field belt knife (me: cord-wrapped Western W36, her: Linder Traveller)
map and compass (Taylor)
mini bic
tube of DEET (early season only)
Gorp and clif bars
motorola radio
whistle
mini maglite (me) LED (her)
1 mini binocular between us
1/4 roll TP
nylon poncho
gaiters (snowy weather only)

Survival kit:
signal mirror
Vic Classic w/tweezers
double orange emergency blanket
flint rod
35mm film canister with duct tape wrap containing greased cotton balls and a treble snag-hook
Frontier emergency water filter-straw
three CC teabags
two ricola cough drops
two sizes fabric bandaids
6 ibuprofin
sierra cup
20" 550 paracord
10" lightweight wire
4 misc zip-ties

Kit seals into the sierra cup with tape and plastic and fits in the coat pocket.

What will we do with the excess that is currently piled around me? It will go into a dedicated rucksack to keep in the truck in the unlikely event that the truck is the problem and we must leave shelter to trek out to a remote highway.
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 10:46 AM

Great post, Bryd! grin That's the beauty of a forum like this: We have the ability to bounce things off one another and learn from examining real life situations. I think the day hiker has luxury on his/her side- since you anticipate a short trip you're not already encumbered with a 50 pound pack. In my mind that means that each person carrying a 10-15 pound load is really nothing. Certainly not like humping 80 pounds along the AT!

You see articles and videos on the "Top 3/10/20 Items For Survival" but realistically we should probably think of "2/5/10 Pounds of Gear for Survival." If you take a kitchen-sink approach to gear, at best you won't enjoy your time out of doors, feeling like a pack mule. And at worst, you'll leave that bulky pack at home because it's just a day hike... You really have to balance security with living your life.

I'm going to copy your list into a Word file for reference.
Posted by: Byrd_Huntr

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 11:28 AM

Originally Posted By: Phaedrus
Great post, Bryd! grin That's the beauty of a forum like this: We have the ability to bounce things off one another and learn from examining real life situations. I think the day hiker has luxury on his/her side- since you anticipate a short trip you're not already encumbered with a 50 pound pack. In my mind that means that each person carrying a 10-15 pound load is really nothing. Certainly not like humping 80 pounds along the AT!

You see articles and videos on the "Top 3/10/20 Items For Survival" but realistically we should probably think of "2/5/10 Pounds of Gear for Survival." If you take a kitchen-sink approach to gear, at best you won't enjoy your time out of doors, feeling like a pack mule. And at worst, you'll leave that bulky pack at home because it's just a day hike... You really have to balance security with living your life.

I'm going to copy your list into a Word file for reference.


Thank you, but what is appropriate for us in our environment and for the activity we are engaged in is not necessarily appropriate in another place or scenario. Some members will be appalled that we dont have water or a stove on the list. Nice to have? Yes! But we simply dont need those here. Others do in their environment. I did revise my list slightly because I forgot a few items.
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 12:05 PM

Absolutely true. But some things are universal. For example there are few climes in the world where you don't need shelter at night no matter the season. And fire is a near-univeral need for cooking and water purification. No matter where you are on this blue marble, you need oxygen to breath, a means to regulate your core temp, water to drink and food to eat. Honestly, those things would also apply on Mars; it would just take different gear to provide for them.

I'm a fan of both Dave Canterbury and Cody Lundin. Dave preaches that for survival, you take tools. Tools are hard to make in the wild. With tools, the rest is just a matter of effort and calories. Cody emphasizes using what you have instead of looking for something you can use. Both approaches make sense.

Ultimately it was training that saved the couple in question. Knowledge helped them first by ensuring they packed a minimum of useful gear. Then it saved their bacon by teaching them how to use it.

I think you're better off with a couple pounds of gear tailored to your environment and a lot of knowledge of how to use it than someone with a 70 lb pack full of random "survival" and camping gear they don't know how to use.
Posted by: unimogbert

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 12:13 PM

Great story.
I liked the part about trying the seam sealer as fire starter. That suggests they hadn't gone into brain-lock yet.

I hike alone very frequently. My pack weighs over 20lb with all the just-in-case stuff. Yes, I may not walk as far because of the weight but it's the price I make myself pay to be out there. (Besides, I'm mainly out for the exercise anyway and the weight just makes it a better workout.)

My load list is very much like byrd_hunter's.
And I file a detailed travel plan with my wife so she knows what to do and when.
Posted by: Russ

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 12:15 PM

It seems situations like this almost always start with getting lost and this one was no exception. Other than having no nav gear (GPS) for a hike back, I notice they were yelling for help. A whistle would have been very useful. Once the helo was on scene a mirror could have helped it find them quicker. What else? . . . a PLB would have been nice. . .
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 12:38 PM

Each story like this alters my own kit. After decades of knowing how valuable a whistle can be I finally ordered a pair of Fox Micro's a few days ago. blush And I still don't have a proper mirror. But of course, got the sexy stuff- knives, mylar sleeping bags, ferro rods, Chitosan-based hemostatics...Now before you bash me too much, I am back-filling the mundane stuff a little at a time.

I do at least carry GPS most of the time.
Posted by: Russ

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 01:02 PM

Phaedrus, Doug's Pocket Survival Pak (PSP) contains a whistle and mirror. Look at the top four items in the list and tell me they wouldn't have helped:
Quote:
# 1..... Signal Mirror, Rescue Flash™
# 1..... Spark-Lite™ Fire Starter
# 4..... Tinder Quick™ Firestarter
# 1..... Whistle, Rescue Howler™
Posted by: BruceZed

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 02:44 PM

"Old habbits" if they make sence often keep us alive!
Posted by: billvann

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 03:17 PM

Originally Posted By: unimogbert

And I file a detailed travel plan with my wife so she knows what to do and when.


They didn't file with the rangers because it was only a day hike. But they should have left a trip plan with someone. Then when they didn't show up when they should have, that person could have sounded the alarm the night before. They still would have spent the night on the ridge but there would have been folks looking for them in the morning. They were damn lucky a random cyclist came by and heard them or they would have been dead by the next day with still no one even knowing they were missing.
Posted by: dougwalkabout

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 04:03 PM

Like everyone here, I'm glad they made it. No doubt their survival course was a significant factor in this positive outcome.

Still, there are many worrisome details. Indications of inexperience perhaps? They were going deep into a little travelled area in the off season, in the Canadian Rockies, at a time of year when snow at higher elevations is common. Had they prepared for that possibility?

While seeking shelter, they got themselves wet, and then into an impossible situation. This amplified their problems. Perhaps the terrain left them no alternative?

They don't appear to have had individual kits, but rather were sharing critical items (knife, metal water bottle, firestarter). If they had become separated, would they have made it out?

Others have correctly noted the lack of basic signalling equipment. Navigation is also part of the picture; noting general direction on the way in can be a big help in finding the way out.

Despite all this, they deserve credit for positive actions and attitude in a difficult situation. We have all learned critical lessons the hard way.
Posted by: Russ

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 04:11 PM

Often getting lost is a result getting flustered at something new resulting in unclear thinking. Sometimes it's best to go slow and think things through.

I've seen this before though. . . at the first unscheduled snowflake I'd've been turning around looking for a cup of cocoa at that diner we passed on the way up. . .
Posted by: Byrd_Huntr

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 08:43 PM

Originally Posted By: Russ
Often getting lost is a result getting flustered at something new resulting in unclear thinking. Sometimes it's best to go slow and think things through.

I've seen this before though. . . at the first unscheduled snowflake I'd've been turning around looking for a cup of cocoa at that diner we passed on the way up. . .



Not me! I know of nothing more peaceful than a cold calm day in the woods when it's snowing. Sky and land are one, and you can hear the snow falling. Poet Laureate Robert Frost wrote a poem about it.........

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Day

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Posted by: dougwalkabout

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 09:11 PM

There is something in this: when you are prepared for snow, it can be beautiful and utterly magical.

Mr. Frost's work is not new to me. And I have railed and raved at the abuses of his quiet, perfect words. Both by the haughty and angry poets du jour; but more usually by well-meaning and sloppy misquotes "... I took the road not traveled by ..." etc.

The last stanza is very much my personal anthem. I had rather forgotten it; thanks, Byrd.
Posted by: Russ

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/10/10 09:56 PM

Key word there is "unscheduled". . . means the weather report is wrong. How wrong is it? Spent many days in out the cold and snow, but that was scheduled. . .
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/11/10 12:22 AM

At the time I didn't think of the PSP; I forgot the contents of it. Which is kind of silly since it's one of the products that lead me to ETS. blush That would have been a cheaper way to get all that stuff. But at least now I'll have 2 of the whistles, for 2 different kits. Still need to get the signal mirrors, and I hate to gut a PSP just for that and the sparker.
Posted by: xbanker

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/11/10 09:44 AM

A reminder that the seemingly innocuous dayhike requires a prudent, minimum-level kit just like longer outings. This page on Bruce's Boreal Wilderness Institute site speaks to this:

"Decide what critical survival items you need and always carry them, not a small placebo kit filled with trinkets and toys. What you take into the wilderness is critical to your survival, although your most precious possession is the mitigative learning and experience in your brain."

Further emphasized here 15 Critical Items for Wilderness Survival : "Always carry the first eight items, even on short day trips."
Posted by: hikermor

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/11/10 12:27 PM

The various "Ten Essentials" lists (often containing 15 or so items) are excellent aids for wilderness preparation, but they need to be tweaked for prevailing environmental conditions. I perused Byrd Hunters fine list and gasped, "He has no canteen! He's gonna die out there." Well, he would in the arid Southwest, my home range, but this is not the case in Lake Wobegone country, where the problem is likely to be too much water, rather than too litle.

Doing SAR in Southern Arizona, I kept a backpack ready to go, so that all I had to do was dress, grab it, and go. During the winter, it had lots of warm clothing and gear designed to cope with the prevailing subzero winter conditions in the nearby mountains. In the summer, it became a giant water bottle, with band-aids and snacks.

You almost always need the ability to light a fire. It provides immediate warmth, soothes and centers you psychologically, and signals your presence very effectively, as well as being useful for cooking and water purification.

I recently developed a little list of my "Ten worst nights in the woods." In all but one of them, lighting a fire was the most important act I took. In the top two, it may well have been a life or death matter.

Most importantly, none of these survival toys mean anything if you don't have the ability to use them effectively. Knowledge is the ultimate light weight hiking appliance.

With appropriate skills, you can carry everything you need for an unanticipated night out in an outfit that weighs less than two pounds, with the exception of water.
Posted by: Byrd_Huntr

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/11/10 12:53 PM

Originally Posted By: hikermor
The various "Ten Essentials" lists (often containing 15 or so items) are excellent aids for wilderness preparation, but they need to be tweaked for prevailing environmental conditions. I perused Byrd Hunters fine list and gasped, "He has no canteen! He's gonna die out there." Well, he would in the arid Southwest, my home range, but this is not the case in Lake Wobegone country, where the problem is likely to be too much water, rather than too litle.


Well said. Although DW and I always carry 27 oz steel water bottles with us on day hikes, we don't consider them essential survival items here. In the winter we have 3+ feet of freeze-dried water in the woods, and in summer we could probably float home on a log from most any point in the state if it weren't for those pesky patches of land in the way.
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/12/10 05:39 AM

Originally Posted By: Byrd_Huntr
In the winter we have 3+ feet of freeze-dried water in the woods, and in summer we could probably float home on a log from most any point in the state if it weren't for those pesky patches of land in the way.



Yeah, if the skeeters didn't pick your bones clean before you got there! grin
Posted by: BruceZed

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/12/10 05:34 PM

Like you when I carry a water bottle I carry one that is steel, has a wide mouth with a completely removable top, and then wire up the bottle lip with two wire loops so that I can easily use it over a fire. Its a small improvisation but remarkably useful when I do not carry or cannot carry a pot.
Posted by: Russ

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/12/10 05:43 PM

Stainless 27 oz Klean Kanteen goes with me most everywhere.
Posted by: Nomad

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/13/10 01:20 AM

I bought a FastFind PLB awhile ago. Of course I carry the normal stuff, but for its size and cost, I can't imagine not having it along.

I am in Maine at the moment. I hike the family woods (a VERY large lumber plantation) and am amazed at how often I am out of range of the many and various other communication systems.

Every time I hear another story like the one above, I think of that candy bar sized package on my belt.

Nomad.
Posted by: Susan

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/13/10 04:56 AM

It kind of surprised me that they had so little in firemaking materials, even after taking the survival class.

Not only do you need to make a spark, but you need to keep it going long enough to start the fire, as they discovered. Would they have died except for the dumb luck of having a tube of flammable glue with them? Maybe.

And one emergency blanket for two people? Pretty skimpy.

Extra socks! Extra socks!

A few extra things in their pockets would have made all the difference in the world.

How many times have we heard the same old thing: "We were only going out for a few hours"? How many more times will we hear it?

Sue
Posted by: MostlyHarmless

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/13/10 07:15 AM

Originally Posted By: Susan
It kind of surprised me that they had so little in firemaking materials, even after taking the survival class.


The article specifically states that fire making kit - type not specified - was usually part of their kit, but forgotten.

Originally Posted By: Susan
How many times have we heard the same old thing: "We were only going out for a few hours"? How many more times will we hear it?


Many, many times... I think "short day hikes" into wilderness is a high risk category because that's when you leave most of the gear behind. It takes dedication to put together a "day hike emergency kit" which is small enough to fit into your favorite daypack and still functional enough when you need it for a night or two. I think too many people wear PSK's and space blankets like they are magical talismans. Better than nothing, but only slightly.


I wanted to let a a list of comments and questions simmer a bit in my mind before posting. There are lessons to be learned here - and those lessons DO NOT in any way lessen their splendid performance when stuck soaking wet in that blizzard of theirs:

  • Failure to leave a game plan. Big no-no.
  • PLB. I don't carry one, but this predicament is exactly the reason why they are recommended.
  • A minor failure in preparation (lack of fire starting kit) can have fatal consequences. Kudos for improvising.
  • Clothing. They were soaking wet after 4 hours of walking and sliding down the snow covered mountain in a blizzard. What kind of clothing did they wear? I won't label their clothing as "inappropriate" because I am in no position to say that they should have prepared for 4 hours of snow bashing.
  • More clothing - or as Susan says: Dry socks. Having extra (wool) socks and possibly (wool) undergarments can be a life saver. Keep the extra's nice and dry until you stop moving.
  • I know for a fact that the bivy bag I carry would have made their shelter building A LOT easier, both as a bivy bag and used as a lean-too windbreak / fire reflector. That being said, it seems they put their meager little space blanket to the very best use, making optimal use of every skill they've learned on that survival course and otherwise. Me, I hate space blankets and prefer quick and easy - but that comes with a weight and volume penalty.
  • In their situation, they were right about getting off the naked mountain and into the forest (which is more sheltered, gives you firewood and materials for construction). But what if you can't find your way down? It is a scenario you should consider in your "what-if" thinking.
  • (EDIT) A GPS. May or may not been helpful. Switching on your GPS in near total whiteout conditions (such as your average snow storm) may not be that productive. If you have logged the trip up you may or may not be able to retrace your steps - depending on exactly how much visibility you've got and how much margin for error you've got. My guess is that if they had a GPS switched on all the time they would have been able to backtrack their steps during periods of "not total whiteout" conditions (they were, after all, able to spot the patch of trees). Knowing you can do that gives you an incentive to stay put until you have just the bare minimum visibility to crawl back the way you came. But if the GPS is OFF until you need it you don't have the option of backtracking. Then it is all in the hands of how accurately you can use whatever map that's in the GPS or in your map case together with the GPS accuracy. In the mountains, there are lots of places where the margin for error is less than 5 feet. Forget about negotiating that based on recreational GPS systems alone.


EDIT: Added my small rant about GPS...
Posted by: Phaedrus

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/13/10 09:03 AM

One of my instructors, a big Linux guy and old-school networker, is famous for saying, "First make it work, then make it pretty." Well, it wasn't pretty but they did make it work! grin They made some major mistakes (not leaving an itinerary, failure to wear proper clothing and carry a good fire kit, etc) but kudos for keeping their heads and using the training. They caught a bit of luck but if you keep your cool you can often make your own luck.

This definitely drives home the importance of giving your gear a thorough check before hitting the trail. How many times have you ever swiped some ibuprofen or bandages from your FAK because it was closer than the medicine cabinet or you were out, thinking to replace it later? Well, did you? I've occasionally raided my FAK and forgot to immediately replace it. So far I've never neglected replacing something and needing urgently, and hopefully I'll be diligent enough to avoid it in the future.
Posted by: Nomad

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/13/10 11:42 AM

Originally Posted By: MostlyHarmless

[*] (EDIT) A GPS.
<snip>
In addition to the PLB I mentioned above, I ALWAYS carry a GPS. I get out of the vehicle, turn it on, wait till it becomes active and mark the vehicle location. Then, leaving it on, I replace it in its belt pouch. Works just fine there.

I have been hiking these Maine woods for over 40 years now. Everyplace still looks like everyplace else. Very easy to get a bit disoriented and walk the wrong way.

After years of doing this, I have a very good idea about where the GPS will work and where it won't.

It is not the only navigation aid I carry, but I always carry it. Like the PLB, it gives great comfort should I need it. And because I am sure Murphy lives in these woods, having the track back to the car is always appreciated. Especially if I have to give the GPS to someone else so they can get back to my vehicle (with its company radio, parked in a spot that will hit our repeater) to summon assistance.

Nomad
Posted by: Russ

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/13/10 11:45 AM

Day hikes are the perfect opportunity to play with a GPS and practice using PSK's. Some folks don't like GPS tho' so . . . one reason I'm not fond of PSK's that are packaged like Christmas presents -- Do not open until Christmas morning so you can be surprised. I prefer some of those survival tools/items to be EDC users with maybe a Christmas present for new spares. What's in your pockets? Knife, lighter, LED flashlight. . .
Posted by: BruceZed

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/13/10 03:37 PM

If they had had good luck I would not have ever heard about it.
Posted by: MostlyHarmless

Re: 31 hours Stranded on Akimina Ridge - 09/13/10 05:11 PM

Originally Posted By: BruceZed
If they had had good luck I would not have ever heard about it.


Assuming you meant hadn't had good luck ... yes, they were lucky to be heard by anyone at all. They were lucky not to slide off a cliff. And so on.

But luck favors the prepared:

Originally Posted By: Roald Amundsen

"I may say that this is the greatest factor -- the way in which the expedition is equipped -- the way in which every difficulty is foreseen, and precautions taken for meeting or avoiding it. Victory awaits him who has everything in order -- luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck."
Roald Amundsen


Being able to call out for help at all after a night out in the snow was not luck at all - that was training, attitude, skills and a lot of hard work.


The simplest thing that would have eliminated most of the need to depend on "luck" in their little misadventure is filing a game plan.


After a game plan, a PLB - but like them, I don't carry one (yet), so who am I to argue?

Bringing a GPS is debatable - a great tool, but expecting a successful GPS assisted return under the conditions they were in (snowy weather=poor visibility on a mountain ridge) is questionable - although probably doable if you wait for moments of "just enough" visibility to negotiate the tricky parts. And having the unit ON so you can backtrack makes a huge difference (but does not totally eliminate the need to SEE where you are going in steep terrain). I say you need skills and training - and a bit of luck - to do that.


Then, of course, there are ways to improve the odds of "luck" happening. Such as a whistle.


Increasing the comfort level (better clothing, bivy bag and so on) actually translates to increased odds of living yet another day. Which again increases the odds of "luck" happening.