Another question ---read Opening post

[WILLIAM.M]

On the last few questions I posted a lot of people did not read the question--they read the Title...(my fault)

Here is the question:

Have you ever had to TEST yourself in a survival situation???

Either alone or in a group???

Ever been lost,Hurt Badly,or lost Equipment durning a Wilderness Outing so bad that you might have died or never been found???

I'm NOT talking about Practicing Wilderness skills---I'm talking about using them--for REAL.

I have been lost a few times and needed to CALM myself down in order to get back on track(I was much younger then)

I also injured my Knee on the AT and had to hike out(limping for 18 more miles--Now that SUCKED).

Both times I was not alone---and having someone there with me was quite a comfort .

How about you?????

 

[Md 25v]

To answer your question: Yes
Explanation: I decided to go to the Smokey Mtns for two weeks of hiking and try to see a new part of the country. On the third day I got hit by a nasty storm. I checked the weather and kinda knew it was coming but the whole point of my annual trip is to go because I CAN and thats important to me. I set up my tarp and decided to wait it out. It was supposed to rain on Wed and into Thurs morning. It rained until Sat afternoon. I was several days behind schedule and needed to pick up the pace to make up some time. I hadn't eaten my third MRE (brought 3 total) because I wasn't doing anything but sitting on my but, so I ate it on Sat and headed out. By Sun night I was REALLY hungry. I didn't see anyone after the rain (everyone else probably had better sense than me) or I would have tried to buy/traded for some food. I started to realize something about going W/out food in a survival situation(I was not "surviving, if I had sat on my but for a couple more days someone would have come by I'm sure). After a few days W/out food and trying to make up time, I couldn't think strait and I was so mentally exhausted that I wasn't making good decisions about when to rest, break for the night, etc. I was completely on auto pilot. I ended up setting my tarp on Mon and was so weak that I could barely tie the knots, and it was even hard to remember them. Mon evening and some people came by and I traded a wetterling axe for half a dozen power bars and a small bag of granola, which at that point was a necessity if I was going to be moving any distance in the morning. I realized that the distance I was traveling each day was decreasing by about a third every day I didn't eat. I was never in any real life threatening situation because, like I said, someone would be along eventually, but I figured that if I was in a bad situation and NOONE would be coming I would be in a lot of trouble if I had to self-rescue for a great distance couldn't get some food along the way. I lost 16lbs in 10days and I know it could have been a lot worse. I have since then been working very hard on skills more bushcraft oriented than my traditional survival (military)training. On my last trip I got a storm as well, but it was summer and not cold so I didn't mind much. I took the time to set some traps and after three fig4s and 1 paiute sitting for a day and a half I finally caught a squirrel. I was not doing anything but sitting under my tarp and taking a leisurely walk around my traps in the evening, very little energy wasted. I didn't need the squirrel(still ate it of course) but I did want to practice my fig4 and paiute deadfalls. I was pleased to know that if I ever did need it the skills are there.

 

[WILLIAM.M]

To answer your question: Yes
Explanation: I decided to go to the Smokey Mtns for two weeks of hiking and try to see a new part of the country. On the third day I got hit by a nasty storm. I checked the weather and kinda knew it was coming but the whole point of my annual trip is to go because I CAN and thats important to me. I set up my tarp and decided to wait it out. It was supposed to rain on Wed and into Thurs morning. It rained until Sat afternoon. I was several days behind schedule and needed to pick up the pace to make up some time. I hadn't eaten my third MRE (brought 3 total) because I wasn't doing anything but sitting on my but, so I ate it on Sat and headed out. By Sun night I was REALLY hungry. I didn't see anyone after the rain (everyone else probably had better sense than me) or I would have tried to buy/traded for some food. I started to realize something about going W/out food in a survival situation(I was not "surviving, if I had sat on my but for a couple more days someone would have come by I'm sure). After a few days W/out food and trying to make up time, I couldn't think strait and I was so mentally exhausted that I wasn't making good decisions about when to rest, break for the night, etc. I was completely on auto pilot. I ended up setting my tarp on Mon and was so weak that I could barely tie the knots, and it was even hard to remember them. Mon evening and some people came by and I traded a wetterling axe for half a dozen power bars and a small bag of granola, which at that point was a necessity if I was going to be moving any distance in the morning. I realized that the distance I was traveling each day was decreasing by about a third every day I didn't eat. I was never in any real life threatening situation because, like I said, someone would be along eventually, but I figured that if I was in a bad situation and NOONE would be coming I would be in a lot of trouble if I had to self-rescue for a great distance couldn't get some food along the way. I lost 16lbs in 10days and I know it could have been a lot worse. I have since then been working very hard on skills more bushcraft oriented than my traditional survival (military)training. On my last trip I got a storm as well, but it was summer and not cold so I didn't mind much. I took the time to set some traps and after three fig4s and 1 paiute sitting for a day and a half I finally caught a squirrel. I was not doing anything but sitting under my tarp and taking a leisurely walk around my traps in the evening, very little energy wasted. I didn't need the squirrel(still ate it of course) but I did want to practice my fig4 and paiute deadfalls. I was pleased to know that if I ever did need it the skills are there.

Excellent story--THANKS for taking the time to post it

Hopefully all of us can learn from it--

I Know I have

Thanks again for your honesty

Dr.Bill

 

[jw2n]

Yes, on three ocassions. But I will keep this to one.

In December 1986, while assigned to a unit at Ft Bragg, NC, it was announced that we would fly to TX, spend the night, fly to Arizona the following morning and jump in on a DZ located close to Ft Huachuca. This was to be a combat equipment jump, so we all had plenty of gear in our ALICE packs. As were rigging up, it was decided that it would be a Hollywood jump, and our equipment would meet up with us on the ground in AZ. Many of use decided that we would keep our LBE, including myself, as it contained some of my personal gear - lucky I did. After jumping it was decided that we would be trucked a certain way up Garden Canyon, and we would walk towards Millers Peak (7500 ft). The weather was fantastic, sunny and temps in the mid 60s. We were to have the entire day to walk up as far as we desired and be picked up by trucks and returned back to the barracks by early night. As late afternoon came, I would estimate that we were at 6500 ft. The sky rapidly darkened and we began to pick up some rain. The wind gust rapidly increased until there were gust nearing 60 mph. The temp plummeted, and the rain became a mix of sleet and snow quickly making walking impossible. We found a large cul de sac and decided to ride it out, as it would not last long. The storm changed to pure ice, and quickly even standing became next to impossible. We all immediately began shelter building. Since my best friend /roomate had kept our LBE, we both had ponchos in our butt pack. We snaped and lashed them together, and erected them in an A-frame between two small trees. I carried an 8" custom John Wagaman tactical knife, and my buddy carried a 7" custom coffin bowie that I had sold him months earlier. I also carried a larger SAK, and a Kershaw Folding Field. The knives were critical to us at this time. As we lay in the shelter, the wind was strong enough to tear the base loose. We lowered the shelter by 18", and by laying on the excess poncho folded inwards we sealed the bottom. Every 5-10 minutes we would have to slap the ponchos to break off the sheet of ice that threatened to tear the whole thing down. This went on for nearly 6 hours before the storm finally started to let up during the wee hours of the morning. The cold was brutal. We lay back to back and curled up in fetal position. At daybreak we awoke to a world of pure crystal. Movement was done on hands and knees. I carried a small stove and coffee in my butt pack. As I was cookin coffee, I glanced up to see that I was surrounded by people. I laughed and spent the next hour making coffee for everyone who wanted it. As the day progressed, it warmed enough for the ice to start melting. By late day we were walking back down, and were met by several trucks to pick us up. We later learned that all attempts to reach us the previous night had failed, vehicles could not drive and all aircraft had been grounded. A large operation had been set in motion to get to us without our knowledge. Start to finish was less than 48 hrs, but it was brutal. I doubt that I can convey in words just how bad it was. My memories of those two days is just as vivid as when it happened. If we had jumped our rucks, or if they had met up with us as promised, the situation would have been far different.

 

[WILLIAM.M]

Yes, on three ocassions. But I will keep this to one.

In December 1986, while assigned to a unit at Ft Bragg, NC, it was announced that we would fly to TX, spend the night, fly to Arizona the following morning and jump in on a DZ located close to Ft Huachuca. This was to be a combat equipment jump, so we all had plenty of gear in our ALICE packs. As were rigging up, it was decided that it would be a Hollywood jump, and our equipment would meet up with us on the ground in AZ. Many of use decided that we would keep our LBE, including myself, as it contained some of my personal gear - lucky I did. After jumping it was decided that we would be trucked a certain way up Garden Canyon, and we would walk towards Millers Peak (7500 ft). The weather was fantastic, sunny and temps in the mid 60s. We were to have the entire day to walk up as far as we desired and be picked up by trucks and returned back to the barracks by early night. As late afternoon came, I would estimate that we were at 6500 ft. The sky rapidly darkened and we began to pick up some rain. The wind gust rapidly increased until there were gust nearing 60 mph. The temp plummeted, and the rain became a mix of sleet and snow quickly making walking impossible. We found a large cul de sac and decided to ride it out, as it would not last long. The storm changed to pure ice, and quickly even standing became next to impossible. We all immediately began shelter building. Since my best friend /roomate had kept our LBE, we both had ponchos in our butt pack. We snaped and lashed them together, and erected them in an A-frame between two small trees. I carried an 8" custom John Wagaman tactical knife, and my buddy carried a 7" custom coffin bowie that I had sold him months earlier. I also carried a larger SAK, and a Kershaw Folding Field. The knives were critical to us at this time. As we lay in the shelter, the wind was strong enough to tear the base loose. We lowered the shelter by 18", and by laying on the excess poncho folded inwards we sealed the bottom. Every 5-10 minutes we would have to slap the ponchos to break off the sheet of ice that threatened to tear the whole thing down. This went on for nearly 6 hours before the storm finally started to let up during the wee hours of the morning. The cold was brutal. We lay back to back and curled up in fetal position. At daybreak we awoke to a world of pure crystal. Movement was done on hands and knees. I carried a small stove and coffee in my butt pack. As I was cookin coffee, I glanced up to see that I was surrounded by people. I laughed and spent the next hour making coffee for everyone who wanted it. As the day progressed, it warmed enough for the ice to start melting. By late day we were walking back down, and were met by several trucks to pick us up. We later learned that all attempts to reach us the previous night had failed, vehicles could not drive and all aircraft had been grounded. A large operation had been set in motion to get to us without our knowledge. Start to finish was less than 48 hrs, but it was brutal. I doubt that I can convey in words just how bad it was. My memories of those two days is just as vivid as when it happened. If we had jumped our rucks, or if they had met up with us as promised, the situation would have been far different.

Great Story and attention to detail

Were you in radio contact at all???

 

[jw2n]

We did not even have a PRC-77 with us. This was a free day prior to an exercise, and was intended to a "Fun day". Even if one were with use, it would not have done much except to inform the CO we were all alive. The one fellow who made out the best of all of us had found a large brush/debri pile that had been fomed by some previous flashflood. When it intially was raining, we all told him not to get in it, as it may flood again. After the precip changed, he was judged to be OK staying there. He burrowed down about 4-5feet and emerged in the morning dry, warm, and well rested. Our knives were absolutely critical since everything was frozen. We were unable to even undo knots in our 550 as they would freeze and ice over within minutes.

 

[WILLIAM.M]

We did not even have a PRC-77 with us. This was a free day prior to an exercise, and was intended to a "Fun day". Even if one were with use, it would not have done much except to inform the CO we were all alive. The one fellow who made out the best of all of us had found a large brush/debri pile that had been fomed by some previous flashflood. When it intially was raining, we all told him not to get in it, as it may flood again. After the precip changed, he was judged to be OK staying there. He burrowed down about 4-5feet and emerged in the morning dry, warm, and well rested. Our knives were absolutely critical since everything was frozen. We were unable to even undo knots in our 550 as they would freeze and ice over within minutes.

Thanks for taking the time to post

I'm AMAZED at how few people have posted to this question

No one has ever got lost-hurt or injured???

 

[ROCK6]

Probably the scariest was a remote backpacking trip with the family. We had just stopped to adjust one of the kid's packs and as we started again, I slung my pack and twisted my ankle, falling towards a pretty decent cliff with a 30-foot drop. It actually scared the crap out of the wife and kids; glad I didn't tumble down! I had to actually limp down to the creek and soak my swollen ankle. We were only 4-5 miles from the trail-head, but way too far for me to make it back in the current state. After a few hours I was able to wrap up my ankle and we slowly made it back to the truck, unfortunately ending our backpacking trip. Nothing sexy, but really made me think about the "what if's"!

The actual sexy one was when I was station in a remote area near Patuca, Ecuador. It was an observer mission, but I had a little free time to hike around the highland jungle. We had a very small airfield and maintained a handful of Blackhawk helo's that we used for the observer mission and to transport the observers to various locations. On a particular "morale and welfare" trip, we loaded up a couple of helo's and few over to Guayaquil on the coast. There was a pretty decent mountain range that we crossed and after living there for a few months you understand that the weather is predictably unpredictable. As we wrapped up the trip and headed back we ran into some serious fog; enough to force us down and wait out the weather. Well, this turned into a 2-day delay in a remote mountain range. We stayed in/around the birds and made sure the pilots and crew got all the food and rest. Most of us were dressed in shorts and T-shirts (I bought a nice Alpaca wool hoodie that became a life save for me), and the mountain temperatures dropped severely at night. It was getting pretty serious by the end of day two and rescue efforts were getting started. The biggest issue is that if we couldn't fly out, nobody could fly in. Fortunately the senior pilot said we had enough of a break and we successfully made it out; fuel was low as they calculate pretty close for flight plans, but we made it.

Again, not a true survival situation, but the potential for it to turn really bad was very evident. I did have a small pack with essentials, but nothing was really needed.

I've been in a few massive storms when backpacking where I was pretty terrified, expecting a falling tree, flash floods, tornado or severe winds to tear the camp apart. I ("we" with the family) made it through those, but I've always been on edge during those situations.

The only "survival" skills were being prepared and staying calm..."wargaming" what I'd need to do if things really turned south.

ROCK6

 

[WILLIAM.M]

Probably the scariest was a remote backpacking trip with the family. We had just stopped to adjust one of the kid's packs and as we started again, I slung my pack and twisted my ankle, falling towards a pretty decent cliff with a 30-foot drop. It actually scared the crap out of the wife and kids; glad I didn't tumble down! I had to actually limp down to the creek and soak my swollen ankle. We were only 4-5 miles from the trail-head, but way too far for me to make it back in the current state. After a few hours I was able to wrap up my ankle and we slowly made it back to the truck, unfortunately ending our backpacking trip. Nothing sexy, but really made me think about the "what if's"!

The actual sexy one was when I was station in a remote area near Patuca, Ecuador. It was an observer mission, but I had a little free time to hike around the highland jungle. We had a very small airfield and maintained a handful of Blackhawk helo's that we used for the observer mission and to transport the observers to various locations. On a particular "morale and welfare" trip, we loaded up a couple of helo's and few over to Guayaquil on the coast. There was a pretty decent mountain range that we crossed and after living there for a few months you understand that the weather is predictably unpredictable. As we wrapped up the trip and headed back we ran into some serious fog; enough to force us down and wait out the weather. Well, this turned into a 2-day delay in a remote mountain range. We stayed in/around the birds and made sure the pilots and crew got all the food and rest. Most of us were dressed in shorts and T-shirts (I bought a nice Alpaca wool hoodie that became a life save for me), and the mountain temperatures dropped severely at night. It was getting pretty serious by the end of day two and rescue efforts were getting started. The biggest issue is that if we couldn't fly out, nobody could fly in. Fortunately the senior pilot said we had enough of a break and we successfully made it out; fuel was low as they calculate pretty close for flight plans, but we made it.

Again, not a true survival situation, but the potential for it to turn really bad was very evident. I did have a small pack with essentials, but nothing was really needed.

I've been in a few massive storms when backpacking where I was pretty terrified, expecting a falling tree, flash floods, tornado or severe winds to tear the camp apart. I ("we" with the family) made it through those, but I've always been on edge during those situations.

The only "survival" skills were being prepared and staying calm..."wargaming" what I'd need to do if things really turned south.

ROCK6

Thanks for posting

Keeping Calm has got to be a learned skill from getting caught in those situations and getting back safe

Thanks for your stories Rock:thumbup:

 

[Cpl Punishment]

Thanks for taking the time to post

I'm AMAZED at how few people have posted to this question

No one has ever got lost-hurt or injured???

Well, I doubt I have any stories that meet the OP. I've been through things that COULD have killed me/us, but we were a bit over equipped for what we were expecting and things turned out a little less comfortable than we wanted, but never got to a truly life or death situation. It's one of the reasons I don't ascribe to the "take only the bare minimum" mindset.

 

[WILLIAM.M]

Well, I doubt I have any stories that meet the OP. I've been through things that COULD have killed me/us, but we were a bit over equipped for what we were expecting and things turned out a little less comfortable than we wanted, but never got to a truly life or death situation. It's one of the reasons I don't ascribe to the "take only the bare minimum" mindset.

OK

Do you have a story where you were lost or injured that the others can learn from???

 

[OldPhysics]

Yes. More than once.

But I don't really care to re-visit ... at least not publicly. They are not good memories.

Hmm. I could say that sound, repetitive training and (eventually) a cool head are undoubtedly what got me through. Unlike CP, I cannot say that I was over-geared.

 

[WILLIAM.M]

Yes. More than once.

But I don't really care to re-visit ... at least not publicly. They are not good memories.

Hmm. I could say that sound, repetitive training and (eventually) a cool head are undoubtedly what got me through. Unlike CP, I cannot say that I was over-geared.

The goal was to help younger members--Learn from our mistakes

at 50---God knows I've made a ton--and I'm still learning

 

[OldPhysics]

The goal was to help younger members--Learn from our mistakes

at 50---God knows I've made a ton--and I'm still learning

Oh, I understand.

I remember 50 ... back when I was just a kid.

Sadly, I'm still making those mistakes. But, I haven't given up hope of one day becoming at least minimally competent.

At something besides physics.

 

[hiwa]

I learned the hard way when I was young that you can wander in circles ( big ones!) when you're lost. I was about 16 ,hunting partridge in Heavy bush in Northern Ontario. My buddy was on the other side of the river and the hunt camp was about 5 miles away. I had my bolt .22 , fixed blade German bone hunter , a lighter and some smokes on me. It was late in the afternoon when I figured I was lost , because I kind of had a deja-vu feeling I was in this area before. I marked the tree with my knife and tried to negotiate my way out again. I couldn't find the river unfortunately ,because the hunt camp was on it upstream. Foolish lad I was with no compass on me.
After about an hour ,you guessed it, back to tree number one ( with the mark.) It was getting late, and I knew my buddy and his dad ( at the camp) were probably getting worried about me. I sat down and stopped walking to figure things out. I let off a shot about every 5 minutes. After about half an hour , buddys dad let a couple loose with the 30-30 at the camp. It sounded far away, but gave me an idea where he was. My goal was to find the river , so I tried again. I tried to listen for the river, too. With the sun going down and a general idea of direction , I worked my way to the river, and headed up-stream to where they were waiting for me. I still let off a shot every 5 minutes or so and they reported back. That helped me a lot.
That was my lesson learned about not travelling with a compass some 32 years ago. Now my navigation skills are a lot better, even without a compass ,but I still always carry one everywhere I go.

 

[WILLIAM.M]

I learned the hard way when I was young that you can wander in circles ( big ones!) when you're lost. I was about 16 ,hunting partridge in Heavy bush in Northern Ontario. My buddy was on the other side of the river and the hunt camp was about 5 miles away. I had my bolt .22 , fixed blade German bone hunter , a lighter and some smokes on me. It was late in the afternoon when I figured I was lost , because I kind of had a deja-vu feeling I was in this area before. I marked the tree with my knife and tried to negotiate my way out again. I couldn't find the river unfortunately ,because the hunt camp was on it upstream. Foolish lad I was with no compass on me.
After about an hour ,you guessed it, back to tree number one ( with the mark.) It was getting late, and I knew my buddy and his dad ( at the camp) were probably getting worried about me. I sat down and stopped walking to figure things out. I let off a shot about every 5 minutes. After about half an hour , buddys dad let a couple loose with the 30-30 at the camp. It sounded far away, but gave me an idea where he was. My goal was to find the river , so I tried again. I tried to listen for the river, too. With the sun going down and a general idea of direction , I worked my way to the river, and headed up-stream to where they were waiting for me. I still let off a shot every 5 minutes or so and they reported back. That helped me a lot.
That was my lesson learned about not travelling with a compass some 32 years ago. Now my navigation skills are a lot better, even without a compass ,but I still always carry one everywhere I go.

Great story and lesson:thumbup:

Thanks for posting it

 

[PayetteRucker]

I'm more akin to getting myself in seriously sticky terrain situations. Either climbing some place I can't get back down, hiking too far and having to hobble back on cranky hips or finding my way through a labyrinth of canyonlands and having to navigate my way back out. The first time I considered it a life threatening situation was in the Seven Devils, stuck exposed on a small ledge on a cliff face, got panicked and had to calm myself down-but since that time I've been in worse situations and have handled them better. Experience isn't just a conscious thing, just a factual thing. You overcome fears and realize just what you can do when you put your mind and body to it and soon what was once a life threatening situation is now just a challenge. That's one of the beautiful things about our lifestyle-you grow as a person, and the personal satisfaction that comes from it is indescribable.

 

[SouthernCross]

G'day William

....Here is the question:

Have you ever had to TEST yourself in a survival situation???

Either alone or in a group???

Ever been lost,Hurt Badly,or lost Equipment durning a Wilderness Outing so bad that you might have died or never been found???

Not really.

I can't recall the last time I was lost.

I've had a few minor injuries, like a twisted knee. Really more of an inconvenience rather than the source of a survival situation. I rested up in camp for a couple of days (with some Ibuprofen from the FAK) and used the "down time" to carve usefull utensils for around the camp :thumbup:

Can't really say I have lost equipment either.

What I have had is a lot of encounters with snakes when I've been miles from the nearest 4 wheel drive track

I've even had 2 encounters with Funnel Web spiders in camp (both were introduced to the sole of my boot )

So I guess I haven't had a real survival situation.




Kind regards
Mick

 

[fnc]

Edit to add: Great posts, really got my mind workin.
My experiences were too short term or not too dangerous.

In December 1986, while assigned to a unit at Ft Bragg, NC, it was announced that we would fly to TX,... .

Thanks for your service.
If the organization that you are "with", keeps making unexpected short term plans "for you",
then you will almost inevitably be in a risky situation; your planning, or response will involve
snap decisions: not good (for you).
Making it worse, there will always be those, at various levels of authority, or even peers,
that say,
"You do not need ..."
"That is taken care of by ...".
"You will be supported by..."

Some of this is inevitable in the military, and it is part of war, but other orgs do this too.

 

[jw2n]

fnc,

Thank you. From start to finish I would spend more than 26 years in the Army. Although units call the shots, it does not take long to understand that there are still certain things that one can do for yourself. As stated in my original post, the fact that I had knives and a small stove are but an example of this. Having a good knife and the ability to make coffee goes a long way towards making any situation bearable.