This past Snow storm reminded me again how quickly the city can become a "wilderness" environment.

Saturday I had to help my SO pack up her Art Studio, on the way there it wasn't terrible but kind of "fun" to travel the normally 30 min drive to the studio. Now keep in mind our first travel was when the storm was really starting to warm up to lay down the snow. On the way there we pulled out only one car. The roads were starting to become unplowed. While rigging up the truck to pull out the first victim of the storm police car barley made it up a hill to see what I was doing. The road that we were on was impassable by any type of car and the squad car wisely chose to not go up the street we were on as it was unplowed.

Many back roads and some main streets were not plowed, and very impassable to the average car. This was my first sign that down town St. Paul was becoming a "wilderness" environment.

After packing the ride home became more of a challenge. By the time we got home I had to close down an off ramp, and pulled over 7 cars. The off ramp had to be closed, because it was clogged by an abandoned car and 3 other cars that went around it. We got the three cars out of the off ramp but it was best to use flairs to block off the ramp while getting the cars off the on-ramp and back on the highway.

The reason for posting was not so much about pulling cars or being able to help others but how quickly a "urban" environment had become wilderness. If you left your car at all you had to have your hat, mittens, scarf and eye protection on to keep warm, my pants had frozen up to my knees. We had to do a quick repair to the truck due to the snow and that required improvisation and we cold not rely on anyone or anything but ourselves. The only difference was that our surroundings were buildings and parking lots not trees and fields, but we were still not able to call on anyone to help us or help those around us. All of the gear that I carry in my truck was put to use, and often tested.

The gear that I had with me was pushed, and tested. I remember getting into the truck after hooking up one car and thinking that had I worn lesser boots, socks, jacket, gloves, hat and scarf I would have been frost nipped at the least, after only spending 10 min in the cold hooking up a car. Many times I was reaching for gear that I thought I would only need in the woods while in the middle of down town. When in the wilderness you take precautions, you don't do things that can put you at risk. I found myself in a more, "Wilderness" mental state.

I am interested to here what others experience was with this storm and if they felt it turned there urban world into a Wilderness expedition.