Survival in Extreme Temperatures (Cold)

JSMcustoms

JSMcustoms

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Feb 2, 2012
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Recent weather conditions in my area have had me pondering this question for the better part of two days. When I first thought about it, the weather was frighteningly cold, about 15 degrees Fahrenheit with winds of 40 - 50 miles an hour and gusting to at least 70 mph at times, creating a wind chill of well below zero. This made me wonder how a person would go about surviving outside in an emergency survival situation. Building a fire in those conditions unless you could find a cave or other sheltered place to keep warm is out of the question with that kind of wind.
 
A recent cold snap in eastern Europe has left some 220 people dead. Temps dropped to a brutal -50 degrees Celsius. Some people suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning from faulty heating (I didn't see details). The cold is no joke, but you can do fairly well, for a short time anyway, if you can protect your skin and extremities, find shelter, make fire, and stay hydrated.

8 degrees (F) here now; time to take the dogs for a walk.
 
Clothing is a big deal, if you dont have enough basic protection from the weather you can die. If your only warm around a fire you cannot gather for long and surely cannot leave the location. A plane wreck or stranded car type situation comes to mind here.

I often go into the woods with just enough clothes to keep moving and to be around the fire but if I had to stay without shelter or fire I would die or get extremely close to it. If your going out for long take a pack with an extra top and bottom layer along with plenty of goodies to keep yourself alive in a bad spot!

Here in IL I cannot get too lost and can always walk out but if I was in the rockies I would surely take a serious approach when I left the house for a woods outing.
 
Of course, survival starts with good preparation. Being physically fit for starters. Medical conditions like diabetes or smoking can lead to small vessel disease and increase the risk for frostbite. Good nutrition is always a plus, but prolonged cold exposure will burn calories, so some kind of food is helpful (not necessary, but a good idea). Alcohol use can lead to more rapid heat loss and hasten hypothermia. Adequate clothing (dry, with good insulation) is essential. A hat, gloves or mittens, and eye protection is obvious...except for the people who seem to forget them. I need something to cover my ears (hat, scarf, balaclava, hood).

Staying dry is really important. Obviously you can become hypothermic on a 50 degree day if you get soaked, but in sub-zero temps, moisture really cools you off quickly and can lead to localized frostbite. Try to avoid sweating in extreme cold (not always easy to do oddly enough) and be sure you don't fall asleep with sweaty socks on if you value your toes!

There must be a thousand tricks to staying alive in the cold, but it all seems to boil down to the basics: shelter, water, food, fire, stay dry if possible, get dry if you get wet.
 
Subaru alluded to clothing. I stay away from cotton materials since cotton tends to collect moisture. However, I saw a comparison of WWII uniforms that indicated Soviet quilted cotton jackets performed better than Wermacht wool coats in really cold weather. Perhaps the extreme cold kept the air dry and prevented moisture build-up. Regardless, stay away from cotton clothing--wool, silk, or poly is the way to go in my book.
 
It was a nippy -14 degrees this morning (North Dakota in December, lol) and I was actually getting hot while I was shoveling because my jacket is so good. Now, if you had to spend the night out in temps like that, it's a whole different ballgame, but for a couple hours, no sweat with the right gear. There's actually a Norwegian saying that goes something like "there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing!" However, in an emergency, I think with some extreme cold weather clothing, you could survive a night 10 or 20 degrees below zero with nothing more than a little snow cave in the side of a hill to cut the wind.
 
We got 16" of snow last night, I've thought about spending a night simulating a "stranded in your car" scenario, by sleeping in my car tomorrow night, with just the gear I normally have in there. :) (family thinks I'm nuts)
 
About the warmest thing that I own is a full body insulated suit that is also water proof to a point. This cold cuts right through it within a few minutes. Not as cold as it would be without it, but still cold enough that being outside even in it for more than half an hour in this weather is a really bad idea.
 
Indeed. Finding water is also fun. Everything's frozen solid for the most part. Melting down ice once you get a fire going is the easiest way I know of right now. My kit is really lacking in cold weather gear other than a couple of old wool army blankets, an extra coat and a pair of heavily insulated pants along with the suit.


Andrew Carlson said:
However, in an emergency, I think with some extreme cold weather clothing, you could survive a night 10 or 20 degrees below zero with nothing more than a little snow cave in the side of a hill to cut the wind.
Click to expand...

Even as cold and windy as it is, there's less than a quarter inch of snow. Despite this brutal cold to have so little snow is very odd for this area.
 
It's probably so cold because of the lack of cloud cover/moisture. Over here on the other side of the country it's been really warm. Right now it's just below freezing. We've had about 8-9" of snow the last two days, and it's still cloudy. This snow was the first real snow we've had all year (we've had rain), I think it's mostly due to the amount of cloud cover and moisture that we don't typically have.

I often wonder about what folks wear when it's really really really cold out. Around here if it's in the teens and blowing 40 were having a bad day, so it's not like the mid-west or anything. But most folks still don't work outside in the winter around here. Of course the cowboys still have to feed there cows and such.

I've seen some video's on youtube where mountain/ice climbers will hike out in sub freezing temps and all they're wearing is a base layer, a fleece mid layer and a water proof/wind proof outer layer. Of course they're wearing pack boots, two pairs of gloves, neck gaiters and good hats as well, but they still sound completely insane to me.
If it's below freeing, and there is any wind at all I'm wearing way more than three layers. Oddly though, if there is no wind and I'm working I'm happy in a t shirt and jeans down to 30.

Folks talk about how important clothing is, but What the heck do you guys wear when it's actually cold?

I'll wear long johns, fleece pants, and carhartts. Long john top (or 2), fleece sweater, vest, and a down parka. A pair of thin gloves, a pair of over gloves. Wool Scarf, ball cap and fleece ear flap hat with built in neck gaiter. And a pair of polarized sun glasses. One thing I can't stand though is big heavy sweaty boots so I pretty much always wear my wolverine romeos. But then again it doesn't get all the cold here, and honestly if I have to be outside when it's that cold, I find something more important to do inside :D
 
There are so many variables in this type of scenario (stuck in your car/truck, lost in the woods, hiking/climbing above tree-line, etc).......

That said, getting out of exposure to the wind is priority #1. After that, get into the forest if above tree-line, construct a shelter and/or wind-brake, gather up materials for and build a fire (away from "widow makers"). Hopefully the un-mentioned details include basic cooking gear (pot/pot gripper/mug/etc) because these things would be in my pack during winter outings..... Then start melting snow for some liquid and brew up some chai or hot chocolate (again, these are basic materials in my pack *every* outing).

Point of fact: A couple years ago (in the early spring) my work colleague and i were scouting some new trails to take our clients and Partners in the mountains northwest of Sarajevo, Bosnia. The main roads were pretty much snow-free, but there was still 2-3 feet of snow on ground as we hiked further up. Since it was so warm 'down low', neither of us packed full-conditions gear - just the "basics" and lunch. Well, as we crested a ridge all of a sudden we found ourselves in complete white-out conditions - probably around 50mph winds and gusting from there in addition to the lower temps (in the teens not quite down to single digits) we had been experiencing as we climbed higher up the mountain.

We weren't in any sort of danger (though we were a couple miles from our car and about 2,000ft higher up) because we simply retreated under some white spruce trees (out of the wind and blowing snow) where we put on our down parkas and started our lunch (which included thermos's of hot chocolate). If we would have had to stay there until morning, we would simply have dug into one of the nearby snow drifts and made a big 'ol fire (not under any trees!!!). We would have gotten hungry (no extra food brought along) and maybe a little chilly (didn't bring insulated pants/bibs, sleeping bags/pads), but we would've been OK. I *always* carry fire-starting gear/materials with me - and i do mean *always*.
 
With the kind of wind speeds and temps you are talking about, shelter - good shelter - would be priority number one, without which you can kiss it goodbye. 70 mph gusts will destroy most tents, short of true 4-season mountaineering tents. It can also create widowmakers, if you are in the forest. You either need to build something pretty substantial, find a cave (sounds like building a snow cave is out of the question), or luck into a building of some sort. Even then, you'd have your work cut out for you. You would really want a serious sleeping bag to crawl into, plus a fire. Even then it could be grim if you had to hunker in those conditions for an extended amount of time. Staying alive in bitter cold takes a lot of prep, the right gear and plenty of food and water.
 
Andrew Carlson said:
It was a nippy -14 degrees this morning (North Dakota in December, lol) and I was actually getting hot while I was shoveling because my jacket is so good. Now, if you had to spend the night out in temps like that, it's a whole different ballgame, but for a couple hours, no sweat with the right gear. There's actually a Norwegian saying that goes something like "there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing!" However, in an emergency, I think with some extreme cold weather clothing, you could survive a night 10 or 20 degrees below zero with nothing more than a little snow cave in the side of a hill to cut the wind.
Click to expand...
+1

Attitude has a lot to do with it. A dry 15 degrees F is a lot better than a wet 30 degrees F. Just get out of the wind or put, wrap something around you that cuts the wind. If you have clothing on that is comfortable at that temperature (0 wind) You'll be fine. Get some insulation under you so you don't loose heat to the ground. Look for a small space, out of the wind, that will create a dead air space around you and you have a high probability of making it through a day and probably longer. If you get wet, a fire will be necessary to dry out and help keep you from becoming hypothermic. Just make sure there is adequet ventilation to keep yourself from suffocating or getting carbon monoxide poisoning. If you get a chance, some cold weather survival training will teach you some skills.
 
I have a friend who drives a big rig and one of the items he carries are those heating pads.
http://www.amazon.com/ThermaCare-Lo...6592608&sr=1-9&keywords=back+pain+relief+heat
He once had to do some work outside, He didnt have the proper cloths. He mentioned that after about an hour he started to get very cold and could feel his finger starting to hurt. He put on one of those pads under his cloths. He said he could feel the warmth spreading all over his body as soon as he put it on. It wasn't something he came up with. others that been doing it for a long time. gave him the heating pad and showed him a few more things to carry. He drives all over the country so on monday he can be in the desert sweating as fast as he can drink and wed he would be driving in a snow storm on the north part of the country.
 
I'm in Nebraska at the moment and it's cold. Most people I see use their cars as their primary outerwear. They go from their warm homes to their cars, then from the cr to work or the mall. They don't really need much clothing, even when it's below freezing. I don't think most people know how to dress if they had to withstand the cold for more than an hour.

Smartest thing I've read is "There is no bad weather, only bad clothing." That about sums it up. Dress right and you won't have to worry about shelter or building a fire to keep warm, though having a fire for company sure is nice, and it's essential for signaling.

You can go for days without food. Water is much more important. Regulating body temp is the most critical, and proper clothing is the key.
 
The coldest I have camped is -40
Shoe pacs
Wind gear
Insulated parkas and insulated leggings (a snow suit would do with a parka on top)
Insulated hat and boiled wool mittens with over mitts

Good high calory food to give you energy to keep warm
I had a gasiline stove with a cold weather pump
I ate bully beef and hot sweet tea
Slept in a tent
Don't let your boots freeze

The most difficult thing is in the morning before your body is warm from exersize.......... is going to the toilet ..............
 
neeman said:
The coldest I have camped is -40
Shoe pacs
Wind gear
Insulated parkas and insulated leggings (a snow suit would do with a parka on top)
Insulated hat and boiled wool mittens with over mitts

Good high calory food to give you energy to keep warm
I had a gasiline stove with a cold weather pump
I ate bully beef and hot sweet tea
Slept in a tent
Don't let your boots freeze

The most difficult thing is in the morning before your body is warm from exersize.......... is going to the toilet ..............
Click to expand...

More like getting dressed or worse yet having to pee in the middle of the night
 
neeman said:
The most difficult thing is in the morning before your body is warm from exersize.......... is going to the toilet ..............
Click to expand...


SubaruSTi said:
More like getting dressed or worse yet having to pee in the middle of the night
Click to expand...

Yes - so true!!!!

The only part of winter camping i don't care much for is getting up in the middle of the night (when the thermometer has dipped deeply into negative numbers) and you *know* you gotta get up because your bladder aches. Opening up my warm sleeping bag and slipping on my cold down parka - uggghhhhhh. Then forcing my feet into cold, stiff boots - tucking the laces into the boots so i don't have to tie them (have failed to do this and tripped - not fun). Grabbing the freezing cold zipper pulls to open the tent door and vestibule. Staggering like a drunk person and shivering during those 1st couple of minutes is rough.

Then sometimes, i look up and see an absolutely clear, star-filled night. It's such a beautiful thing that i usually stay out for awhile (because by now, everything except my feet have warmed up....) and enjoy the night-time sky. If the wind is howling and it's cloudy i'm back in the tent and warm sleeping bag lickity split!!!
 
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