This site has been created to assist you in acquiring the skills to enjoy the wilderness. I have attempted to alert our guests to the potential dangers and emergencies that might occur in the wilderness and how to avoid them. This knowledge might help a person survive or avoid a difficult and/or dangerous situation.
This site will give you a birdseye view of nature and your surroundings so as to help you improve your ability to improvise and respond to your immediate situation. You can remain alive anywhere in the world only if you keep your wits. Nature and the elements are neither your friend nor your enemy but it is your determination to live and your ability to make nature work for you that are the deciding factors.
Your knowledge can be amplified by the confidence in your equipment, use of the equipment, group interaction, and survival techniques. Your understanding of the smell, the noises, the physical characteristics of land, weather and your relationship with them that will only enhance your wilderness adventures beyond your wildest dreams.
Please be my honored guest and pack in with me as we can sharpen our wilderness skills together and just maybe cross paths in days to come.
DEATH ON THE TRAIL
The note read:
"Attention possible visitors. S.O.S. I need your help. I am injured and near death and too weak to hike out of here. I am all alone. This is no joke. In the name of God please remain to save me. I am out collecting berries close by and shall return this evening. Thank you."
Chris McCandless wanted to embrace the Alaska Wilderness. Instead, he died in its arms. The death note above authored by Chris McCandless was found by a hunter taped to the outside of an abandoned bus hauled in by hunters into the wilderness north of Denali National Park.
By the time the hunter found the note taped to the school bus window it was too late. Its author lay dead in a sleeping bag inside.
The body, badly decomposed, had to be indentified through dental records. It was indeed the body of Christopher J. McCandless, originally from Virginia.
McCanless starved to death, seemingly unable to signal for help or to walk out of the widerness to the nearest town of Healy, Alaska which lay 30 miles east.
According to author and researcher Kris Capps, Christopher McCandless left behind a 113-entry log journal. In one word entries and an occassional brief paragraphs, he chronicled his ill fated three/four months within the Alaskan wilderness.
In tiny letters, on a blank page at the back of a book about edible plants, he wrote entires like "missed ducks," "weakness", and "disaster". The explanations of events surrounding the death of McCandless are varied but almost certainly stem from being unprepared for an extened adventure into the Alaskan wilderness.
McCandless hiked in. Why couldn't he hike out? An autopsy found no broken bones and no internal injuries. According to entiries within his journal, he hiked mountains, picked berries, even butchered a moose. It has been theorized by some who have studied the circumstances surrounding his death that hypothermia clouded his judgement.
Just perhaps he had become weakened by eating poisonous plants or hallucinogenic plants. An array of handpicked vegitation still lay in a pile outside the old hunters bus.
As reported by Capps, it has been theorized the "potato seeds" that McCandless ate were really a similar looking, poisonous plant called locowed, which can cause irregular gait, loss of muscular çontrol, weight loss, appetite loss and, finally, death.
A National Park Service cabin several miles away might of offered sanctuary. We wonder why Christopher did not start a fire. Just maybe that in his physical and mental condition starting a fire did not occurr to him. We will never know for sure.
On starting out on his widerness adventure, without a topographic map or watch he made his way at least 20 miles into the wilderness, crossing the narrow, deep Savage River and the wild Teklanika River. Both rivers were probably still frozen at that time.
McCandless had no compass, light hiking boots, no emergency first aid equipment, and not even any mosquito dope. He did have a warm coat, a .22 caliber rifle, and a $50 tent. He planned to live off the land.
He killed and ate ptarmigan, squirrel, and duck. But after a few entries, his journal notes take on a desperate tone. "Snowed In" is followed by "Disaster" then "Misery".
Some of Christophers short journal entries:
Day 48:
After shooting moose," maggots already. Smoking appears
ineffective. Don't know, looks like disaster."
Day 50: "Have given up on preserving much of Moose.
Returned to berry fields, they are dying out. Live in
Mosquito hat."
Day 69: "Rained in, river looks impossible. Lonley.
Scared."
Day 78: "Missed wolf. Ate potato seeds and many berries
coming."
Day 94: "Woodpecker. Fog. Extremely weak.
Fault of potato seed. Much trouble in standing up.
Starving. Great jeopardy."
One of Christopher McCandless's last log entires read in
part as follows:
"Made it! But in weakest condition of life. Death looms as
serious threat. Too weak to walk out...no game."
He then crawled into the sleeping bag his mother had made for him and slipped into unconsciousness. He probably died on August 18, 113 days after he'd walked into the wild, 19 days before six hunters and hikers would happen across the bus and discover his body inside.
Special Note:
It is believed that McCandless kept the log updated until the day he died in the arms of the unforgiving Alaska Wilderness.
In one of his last self-photographs that McCandless took of himself, he's waving goodbye, holding his goodbye note, a huge smile on his face.
In sharing this true story with you it is in no way intended to pass judgement but in keeping the memory of Christopher McCandless close at hand when we are treking the unforgiving wilderness.
McCandless wrote,"It is the experiences, the memories, the great triumphant of joy of living to the fullest extent in which real meaning is found. God, it's great to be alive. Thank you.Thank you."
Starvation
Starvation is not a pleasant way to die. In advanced stages, as the body begins to consume itself, the victim suffers muscle pain, heart disturbances, loss of hair, shortness of breath. Convulsions and hallucinations are not uncommon. Some who have been brought back from the far edge of starvation, though, report that near the end their suffering was replaced by a sublime euphoria, a sense of calm accompanied by transcendent mental clarity. Perhaps, it would be nice to think, McCandless enjoyed a similar rapture.
SURVIVING A ONE NIGHT STAND WITHOUT MARY-ELLEN
Knowledge: This is the first step in overcoming fear. Knowledge can be amplified by the confidence in your equipment, proper use of the equipment, group interaction, and survival techniques.
It cannot be impressed enough for we wilderness travelers and adventurers to have a good basic understanding of the smells, noises, physical characteristics of the land, weather, and our relationship with them will also be of great help.
If one remembers nothing from this brief web-site please remember under almost all circumstances that the will to survive is the key to survival.
Most people can save themselves by following three rather simple steps:
The fact is that most people forced to make a one-night stand can save themselves, even without Mary-Ellen, no matter how bad the weather is, by following:
Step#1) First, to admit that they are lost and stay where they are.
Step#2) Secondly, to use what ever materials one carries or that nature provides to shelter themselves from the elements.
Step#3) Retain your warmth. Build a fire, if that is possible.
Simple wisdom, you say! Such simple wisdom can be difficult to follow, even for adults. Your head is the one "survival tool" that you cannot do without.
My family and I make it one of lifes golden rules to tell someone where we are going or to leave a note indicating where we have gone, which trail or ridge we will be taking and when we expect to be back. Do it every time even if entering a familar area even for a short time. Bare in mind that one can break a leg a few hundred yards from camp as well as 10-12 miles from camp. It happens and I have seen it happen within my area on the northern fringes of Alaska's Brooks Range.
Always carry survival tools such as a hunting knife, para tool, compass, waterproof matches and a windbreaker or poncho. Take time to build yourself a basic wilderness survival kit for summer travel, cold weather travel, and even take the time to insure the fruits of our lives in building a simple child's day pack for the kids.
TRAVELING ON ICE
Ice travel is never totally safe even when it is very cold. In rivers a swift current will continue to flow below the ice cover (like the area of my near death experience). These areas can be thin and dangerous but not visible above the surface.
If the water level falls, which happens if it is very cold and no melting is occurring in the river drainage basin, the ice can be suspended in the air and become very fragile and the internal tension of the ice might not be stable.
Note: My wife (Linda) says I lack common sense during ice travel, but what does she know, right?
Hypothermia will most likely result in a few minutes after falling through the ice.
I have been instructed many many times that should a person fall through the ice, brake off as much ice in the direction of escape as is possible under these dire circumstances. When you are near the ice that can support your weight, squirm up onto the surface. This will require all your strength and then some if you are to survive.
Slide and roll along the surface so your weight is distributed and you don't break through the surface a second time. The average person will not have the physical and mental capabilities to generally survive a second plunge into the icy waters for a number of reasons.
Once you have rolled and distributed your weight, keep moving toward the shore and attempt to dry as quicky as possible. It has been said that one method of drying is to roll in the snow. Your weight will blot the water out of the clothing and the snow will absorb the water.
The remaining water will freeze and make a shell around you. The ice will add additional weight and make you very uncomfortable. Your clothing will also loose its insulation capacity.
Change your clothing immediately, irregardless of possible on lookers (wolverine, caribou, wolves, old horny trappers, etc). You need to regain your warmth as soon as is possible or you will surely be at deaths door with hypothermia.
Some ice survival teachings will lean toward using a sheath knife to help an individual crawl out of icy water. That would be great if you had your sheath knife attached to your outer clothing but in reality this is quite impractical when dressed for travel within the Actic tundra. It is taught that upon falling into the icy water, plunge your knife into the solid ice and roll yourself onto the soild surface.
THICKNESS OF THE ICE
The following numbers are approximate because the type of ice has to be considered. How it was formed, how many snow layers are on the surface, and how many thaws there have been.
Less than 3" (5cm) : Very dangerous
4" Inches ( 10cm ) : Ok ice fishing/skating
7" Inches ( 18cm ) : Ok for Snowmobiles
8"-12" ( 20-30 cm ) : Some vehicles & all-terrain
Not Created Equal
All matches are not created equal, and very few are up to lighting a fire in wind and wet. Even some of the supposedly "waterproof" matches sold in camping-supply stores are pretty wretched: heads crumple, wooden shafts snap, boxes fall apart.
After many years spent 600 miles north of the Arctic Circle, I believe that I know a little about matches, as in life and death in the Arctic.
U.S. Cavalry, a military-surplus outfit of professional standards, offers and sells NATO-issue "Lifeboat" matches that burn with a furious flame under any conditions. They're varnished safety matches that burn for a solid 12 seconds, and come in sealed vials of 25.
The price is quite reasonable at around $2.95 per pack. I am not affiliated in any manner what so ever with the above mentioned outfit but have used these matches at 65 below zero without difficulty..sometime the difference between life and death can be measured between your choice of matches, especially when hypothermia is looming over one's shoulder.
Overreliance On Technology
In the last decade, technology has done a great deal to better the odds of surviving for those who are injured and/or stranded. I have viewed this first hand on many many occasions within the outer fringes of the Alaska Brooks Range and in the coastal mountains of Northern California and Southern Oregon.
The cost? Maybe a couple hundred dollars at most and a couple extra pounds in ones pack for a cellular phone with an extended battery or a simple twoway radio and a GPS unit to pinpoint position.
Many radios will broadcast up to 35 miles away, especially from high ridges and mountain tops, while many recreational type radios will broadcast up to 5-miles away, which may be adequate for the weekender.
I for one am not a big fan of the almighty cellular phone even though I own three. My preference is the portable direct dial or operator assist radio phone which has virtually no "dead spots". But the cost may be of concern to some at an easy $1100.00 per unit. I also belong to an air medical evacuation service which I feel highlights my level of safety for a number of very important reasons vs use of military/USCG medi-vac service, but that is another story.
Even with a recreational twoway radio that has a 2-3 mile range has proven to be a god send to injured and lost parties wihin the wilderness. By calling in with a position and the nature of the injury, an injured party can be asured that appropriate medical help will be dispatched almost immediately.
Please remember, that your radio or cellphone while in the wilderness is for safety, not for tracking game, and general conversation.
We as typical humans tend to over rely on the technology and the corresponding break down in safety practices along the wilderness trails of todays world. Always bear in mind that batteries and receivers can fail and the nature of some injuries will make it impossible either to pinpoint location and/or call for help.
As yet, there is no little black box made that is an adequate substitute for preparation. A sound knowledge of survival skills, and the prudent placement of one foot in front of the other.
Solitary Wanderer
Treking the wilderness alone for any number of reasons entails much greater risks from the consequences of injury or becoming lost than treking/exploring with partners does.
These are risks that I personally and willingly accept for the rewards of solitude. Ironically, the reward for treking solo is a heightened awareness of potential dangers and a stricter adherence to safety concerns. I firmly believe that having spent vast a amount of time hunting and prospecting alone, I am more careful than a person who has someone to watch his back.
A solitary wanderer becomes more conscious about leaving a note behind. He or she looks at the cliff a little longer before deciding if it is safe to climb.
The Soul
The man who hunts alone becomes closer to his heartbeat. Hour by hour, his internal dialogue becomes stripped of the clutter of everyday life.
As these layers peel away, he discovers the core of his being, that constant but often sublimited inner voice which, for lack of a better word, we call soul.
Shelter
The best lightweight shelter an individual can carry is a tarp made of coated nylon or clear plastic Visqueen.
Such a tarp can be draped over a log to make a sloping tent, with one end of the log raised 3 to 4 feet off the ground and wedged into a tree fork or supported in some other way.
Naturally, the type of shelter to build depends upon the equipment and material available, the season, and the length of stay. By using ones head for something other than a hat rack, a shelter can be built with the proper use of available material during any season of the year and under any conditions.
Your comfort and ability to build a shelter will depend upon your initiative and skill at improvising a structure in which to protect you from the elements.
Why Build A Shelter?
If by chance you are lost in the wilderness and have made the decision to stay put, at least for one night, your priority is to find or make a shelter.
Shelter Is Need To:
Cool You Off:
A cooling shelter can be built in the sand on a beach or desert or provided by a tree.
Keep You Warm:
To get out of the wind and rain. A proper shelter will greatly assist a person in retaining his or her body heat, reducing the effect of wind and air currents and should be relatively easy to heat. Body heat is not lost as fast by the body in still air.
Retard Thirst:
A shelter will reduce one's need for water.
Protect From The Sun:
This will reduce your water consumption and reduce the risk of heat illness.
Protect From Rain Or Snow:
Being cold, damp and wet will make one feel very chilled and may indeed lead to hypothermia and to depression.
The list of basic common sense reasons for construction of a shelter go on and on, but when lost, disoriented, and/or injured these simple tasks of reasoning prove quite difficult for even the hearty.
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