' Hutter plans to write a book about his experience, to help other adventurers avoid similar trials. '

Survival stories never get written by people who were prepared and equipped.

' “I was prepared for a 15-minute excursion,” says Hutter. “It was about two hours in before I realized I was in big trouble.” '

There's your mistake. This is how these stories start, with people who don't think they are doing anything dangerous.

(Since I haven't been around here in about 10 years, I'll just briefly mention that the much-publicized case of the Klein Family, who got lost in the snow near the Grand Canyon in December 2016 was actually my college roommate. Eric and Karen thought they were just going on the proverbial "three hour tour", and following the GPS in their rental car. Thankfully, they all survived, though Karen lost a toe to frostbite, I believe.)

I keep my usual backcountry ditty bag in my handbag, right next to my makeup bag. I used to have just the basics in my makeup bag, but decided recently to carry more.

I have a Victorinox Rambler, Bic mini Bic, and Fisher Bullet Space Pen, a Storm whistle, a small PackTowl, an Inova X1 flashlight and spare battery, a LMF Swedish Army FireSteel, and a DiaSharp card, along with a few odds and ends like a couple of blanket pins, a couple of ponytail elastics, and a small vial of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and diphenydramine, plus a 1 oz spray bottle filled with 70% isopropanol for hand sanitizer.

All of that goes in an IKEA fabric sandwich bag. I'm looking for a new pouch, though. There's a few things that need to be added/replaced, like a simple compass and a bit of cordage, those are on my shopping list.

On top of that, in my handbag is *always* a full set of Snow Peak titanium flatware (knife, fork, spoon, spork) a pair of Keith titanium chopsticks, and a fixed-blade Buck Diamondback for cutting baguettes, because those are all my EDC for lunch.

And then there's my vintage Gerber AirFrame folding knife.

My makeup case always has a compact in it that has a mirror that could be used for signalling, if necessary. Also, lip and eye pencils make good tinder, or a carpenters' pencil, if you don't wear makeup.