Canoe trip/backpacking trip

H

Hoodoo

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Aug 18, 1999
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You are going on a summer canoe or backpacking trip in the wilds of North America. All by your lonesome. You've planned the trip to last 3 weeks. You will hike prepared trails or canoe smooth flowing waters.

Questions:
1) How many knives [or cutting tools] will you take, what will they be, and what will you use them for?

2) What special "survival" gear will you take (exclude the obvious like a map and compass) and why? Keep in mind that this is not a survival expedition per se, but a regular ol' canoe or backpacking trip.

You can run a scenario for either a canoe or backpacking trip (or do both).

------------------
Hoodoo

The low, hoarse purr of the whirling stone—the light-press’d blade,
Diffusing, dropping, sideways-darting, in tiny showers of gold,
Sparkles from the wheel.

Walt Whitman

[This message has been edited by Hoodoo (edited 05-03-2000).]
 
Make up your mind! Is it a canoe or backpack trip? I'll take a lot more gear canoeing, since I don't have to hump it. The bladed thing that would probably be different, canoeing, I'd take a full size axe, and a bow saw.

Backpacking: The knife and tool on my belt/in my pocket. A hatchet. A pocket chainsaw.

The knife will be used primarily for food prep, since I will likely be survivng out of my pack, and not being a hunter/gatherer. Ther knife will also be used for fire prep, with the hatchet doing the large work. The hatchet will do fire prep and tent setup. The pocket chainsaw is a nifty option, since my belttool has a saw blade... It would work better should I need to cut firewood, but not be necessary.

Other things: Mosquito headnet. Odd and assorted fire starting things. (Matches. Ferro rod(s). Lighter.) Water purification tabs (I would intend on my normal water being acquired by boiling, if I could use wood for fires. If I had to carry fuel, I would carry a filter too.)

Things I would add if in a canoe: Heavy Skillet (I just like cooking in them.) Full size axe. More fresh food/heavier food. More fishing stuff, and trolling lures. Butter for the fish. Canoe repair stuff. Spare paddle.


Stryver

 
Originally posted by Stryver:
Make up your mind! Is it a canoe or backpack trip?
Click to expand...

You have your choice of either or both. And the reason I did it this way is that obviously your decisions could be different. You can haul a lot more stuff on a canoe trip. Backpackers are usually forced to carry only the bare essentials, especially if you plan on being on the trail for more than a week. Three weeks worth of food on a backpacking trip can be a killer load. I meant this as a sort of compare and contrast thread.


------------------
Hoodoo

The low, hoarse purr of the whirling stone—the light-press’d blade,
Diffusing, dropping, sideways-darting, in tiny showers of gold,
Sparkles from the wheel.

Walt Whitman
 
Funny you should ask. I'm going to the Wind Rivers this fall for ~10 days.

Knives: Dozier Pro Guide, and a small Spyderco for cleaning trout, DMT two sided diamond, and multitool (TBD). Larger cutting/hacking tools are not needed: I won't be doing any felling or excavations.

Tent is a single wall 4 season Bibler, pack, bag, pad, stove, coffee pot, water filter, DEET, moleskin, headlamp: the usual alpine stuff. 9' 5Wt. fly rod with weight forward line, small box of lake flies, and small box of stream flies. Mt. parka, rain pants, DEET, camera, many pairs of sox, DEET, gaitors, small firstaid kit, DEET, and some DEET. Food, including energy bars.

There's a possibility that Grizzlies have come as far south as I'll be, so I'm considering a .44 and/or pepper spray.

Depending on the pack weight, 160M 9mm rope, some slings and biners, and ice axe.

Is any of this stuff really 'survival gear'? I guess it could be if a simple solo turns into an epic.

db
 
I wouldn't depend too heavily on the pepper spray. Take the gun. Which Bibler? I recently acquired an Ahwanee and haven't used it much yet. I find it a bit more awkward to set up than external poles, but I like not having to set up and carry a seperate fly.
So far noone's mentioned a radio for transmitting in case of emergency. Why?

[This message has been edited by HJK (edited 05-04-2000).]
 
HJK, The tent is a Fitzroy. Mucho dinero, but the strongest tent I could find. The wind does blow hereabouts, and the snowload can also be big. I've only used it in winter (-20 Deg F.), and it was wonderful. Minimal to no condensation. I think I agree about the gun.

No radio: if I screw up, I'll need to handle it myself.

db
 
I wouldn't go by myself on a extended canoe or back packing trip (of course i live on a island). every now and then I go hunting by myself 30-30 camel back and a air assault knife. sorry if I didn't answer the question correctly.
 
When I'm backpacking, the only knife I carry is my SAK (Victorinox Rucksack or my Wenger Mountaineer). I already have everything I'm going to need on my back. The more stuff I carry, the less knife I carry.

As far as survival equipment, that's very terrain specific. I have a small buttpack that I never leave camp without. Firestarting stuff, water purification, paracord, whistle, stuff like that.



------------------
-ramius
"oderint dum metuant"
 
I have heard relatively good things about the bear spray, primarily the rate of use without injury, which at a reported 75% is higher than anything I've heard for shooting a problem bear with a pistol.

If you shoot a bear, it will be mad, and come after you. Grizzlies to not 'drop'. I've heard two different, first hand, stories of a bear hit by a rifle, one a .58 blackpowder, and the other a .308 winchester, with a killing shot, confirmed in the cleaning, to the heart. Both times the bears managed to cover almost a hundred yards before stopping. With the spray, decent success has been had in deterring bears, and directing their interest elsewhere.

I plan on carrying bear spray this summer.

Stryver, rarely does one find a skunk chredded to pieces by a bear mad at being sprayed...
 
The spray doesn't always work, as I'm sure you've heard. Plus, it can be tricky to use. It is better to use nonlethal means against a bear if you can. Spray is good. Just be sure you don't use it as a repellent and that you clean the can after tests, because it actually attracts bears by smell. You might also consider the same technique used with walrus, shotgun loaded with a banger to be fired first and then the lethal shot. You could carry spray and your gun, or keep them close, but you might not have the luxury of time if you surprise the bear or if it charges. If it boils down to the bear's life or mine, or the life of someone I'm responsible for, I'd rather have the most powerful gun I can carry. I heard first hand of a .44 dropping a polar bear up on Ellesmere Island 2 years ago, but that was point blank and in the face. About the same range you would need for spray to be effective. A 1000+lb bear charging won't stop dead in its tracks for some pepper spray either. I hear they are acquiring a taste for it: Szechuan Camper
biggrin.gif
 
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