Travel mishaps: Civilization to Wilderness

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fnc

Joined
Nov 13, 2005
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Traveling in your vehicle. Things turn bad, either immediately or gradually and you realize
that you are really in a wilderness. Can happen with boat, airplane, or car. The car, truck,
SUV trips do not scream "assumption of risk", but maybe it should scream at you sometimes.

In the Outback, cars have got stuck or broken-down and the people died. It happens
occasionally in the USA also: mostly in mountains or desert.

Sometimes deserts are more dangerous in the winter, due to "flexible" road closure/reopen.
This true story of "X-country" trip starting in California but ended in Nevada.
Taking a paved highway, that is "open" is no guarantee that authorities or others
will be traveling that road anytime soon; the road segment may be closed, after you.
enter it.
http://www.amazon.com/Snowbound-Jim-Jennifer-Stolpa-Story/dp/6304848307

One comment, on this Amazon entry, rated it low because you: should not take a
sideroad if a main highway is closed. It is good advise in a widespread storm,
but one could take a lesser highway at any time. Much of my travel
is on lesser roads (garvel, dirt) and Jim and Jennifer were on a paved highway.

Please comment on this or any other scenario.
 
A large majority of our rural roads are seasonal-signs clearly warn travel at your own risk, road is not maintained, search and rescue may not be possible. Doubly so in the wintertime, when avelanches tend to block alot of the roads by the end of the season

This winter I commuted Idaho 55 twice a week. It's a deep, amazingly beautiful canyon stretch in the middle of absolute nowhere-sheer dropoff to raging Class V river on one side, sheer rock wall on the other. There's alot of off cant twists and turns and steep climbs and descents that made driving very... interesting. I saw three cars (all of them 4 wheel drive) including a rescue operation in the middle of the river over the winter season and I'm sure there were more. There's a Walmart as you turn on to highway 55, and I consider that to be my last chance for survival prep in society-Highway 55 marks the end of civilization and the beginning of the wilderness. Every time I drove this road my Mountainsmith Maverick was packed with weather-appropriate clothes and survival gear, so that if I did wind up in the river and had to self rescue, I could grab the bag, get out and have a chance of finding help. PS, in this particular situation, whitewater kayaks were used to recover the people in the Subaru Outback in the middle of the maneater rapids...

march356.jpg


After work we would take the boss's truck up a steep mountain road to hot springs to sit in the 105 degree lithium pools after work with snow falling on our heads, listen to the wolves and watch meteor showers. The Dodge Ram we were in wound up losing complete control on a patch of ice-we had about 4 seconds warning to brace for impact and there was nothing we could do as we slid off the side of the road down into the Gold Fork River. A branch wound up slowing us down, put a nice gouge all the way through the paper thin sheet metal that Dodge uses for its' body work. I was in a swimming suit at the time, thankfully brought gloves and my Dale of Norway sweater. After an initial damage assessment and fitting chains we were able to get out on the first try, but it could have been a serious situation. We were in the middle of nowhere on a seldom traveled road in the dead of winter at 8,000 feet.
 
Good info. That highway 55 must get some icy patches that are hard to predict;
it would make me want to wear a helmet and inflatable impact vest like equestrians do.

I did not know about those "seasonal" warning road signs in Idaho, though I have
been on a few non-interstate highways in Idaho, 30 years ago.
I wonder if other states have signs like that.

That Dodge Ram accident was a very close call with enough consequence that I bet
you were more cautious for a while rather than emboldened for more action (i.e. a
psychology described by Gonsalez).
 
fnc said:
Traveling in your vehicle. Things turn bad, either immediately or gradually and you realize
that you are really in a wilderness. Can happen with boat, airplane, or car. The car, truck,
SUV trips do not scream "assumption of risk", but maybe it should scream at you sometimes.

In the Outback, cars have got stuck or broken-down and the people died. It happens
occasionally in the USA also: mostly in mountains or desert.

Sometimes deserts are more dangerous in the winter, due to "flexible" road closure/reopen.
This true story of "X-country" trip starting in California but ended in Nevada.
Taking a paved highway, that is "open" is no guarantee that authorities or others
will be traveling that road anytime soon; the road segment may be closed, after you.
enter it.
http://www.amazon.com/Snowbound-Jim-Jennifer-Stolpa-Story/dp/6304848307

One comment, on this Amazon entry, rated it low because you: should not take a
sideroad if a main highway is closed. It is good advise in a widespread storm,
but one could take a lesser highway at any time. Much of my travel
is on lesser roads (garvel, dirt) and Jim and Jennifer were on a paved highway.

Please comment on this or any other scenario.
Click to expand...

was that the incident where a young couple and their baby were driving in the snow and either didn't see signs or ignored them and took a back road and were stuck for days something like that I remember
 
There are north-facing parts that never see the sun, due to the steepness of the canyon, and the off-canted turns you can expect the snow to have melted and frozen across the road so you kinda learn to expect where the worst parts are. It's pretty rough. The unmaintained forest service roads are generally used by snowmobiles in the wintertime. The locals deal with that kind of driving on a daily basis, so what seems like a survival situation to most is just an everyday fact of life to those that commute here. There are some VERY skilled drivers in rural Idaho. Some ID55 shots I took in March
march280.jpg

march005-1.jpg

march279.jpg

march271.jpg
 
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some of the areas I drive around in can be difficult as well. No snow or ice, but there can be moving water to ford, mud holes to navigate, and sugar sand that just drags you to a stop.

These local areas also are the ones with no cell coverage. ;)

When in those areas, I make sure that I have filed a 'flight plan' with my wife, that I have my emergency supplies, and have checked to make sure the old 4Runner is in good shape.

Recovery equipment is a must.
 
silverbullets said:
was that the incident where a young couple and their baby were driving in the snow and either didn't see signs or ignored them and took a back road and were stuck for days something like that I remember
Click to expand...

Yes they had a baby. I did not see a documentary or see an actual map of their progress;
I just saw the movie a long time ago. IIRC, they started in Cal on an Interstate and the
pass over the Sierra was closed, so, knowing a lesser highway, crossing a different pass,
was open, they tried the lesser highway. And that part worked, they got over the pass, and they got into Nevada.

The problem they had was out in the open in Nevada the storm was essentially a
blizzard. They were on Paved highways that got closed for weeks at a time.
I wish I knew more and in more detail; so at some point they decided to leave the
car/truck and another adventure begins.
Now, aside from my poor memory, Hollywood could have changed, added, deleted;
but it was presented as a true story.

I remember their doing things that were inadvisable, but leaving the car seemed the worst, to me.
Other mistakes were: which road to take, hurry-up for family-reunion, lack of supplies (food).
They did have some cold weather clothes, but I cannot remember how much clothing;
likewise for fuel, blanket, sleeping bag.
 
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The Sierra's in the winter can be the last place on earth you want to be. Having spent a lot of time driving through and living through many severe storms and blizzards up there, they can and will take your life in a heartbeat if your not prepared and don't know where your going. Many of the highways up there have seasonal warnings and even in the summer spend most of the time out of the sun due to the steep canyons. There are signs all over saying that the roads are not always patroled and rescue may not be available, just like Payette said about Idaho. In fall through spring black ice is everywhere and you will hit some here and there if your up there as well as cell service is very poor. Too many people take everything for granted when they head up into the mountains and lose their life due to not being prepared.
 
A significant percetage of wilderness fatalities here in eastern Maine involve getting vehicles stuck in remote areas, and not always in winter. So easily avoidable.
 
Almost every year in Oregon we lose someone or darn near lose someone who ventures off road accidently or on a day trip. Most famous are two - the well known Internet Guru from that electronics review website CNET who took the wrong turn off of a two lane highway to the coast. He died, and his family endured a week or two in bitter cold snow.

Then about ten years ago in the same area a guy in a pickup and camper did the same thing - only they never found him until spring. He died of starvation after month of eating all his supplies. He wrote in his journal everyday right up until a few hours of his death - lying prone in his pick up or trailer. No knowledge of the wild and how to provide for himself. Sad.

This last week, we were in a wilderenss class and in an area where there is only one way in/out and there are many rock slides, trees falling across the road blocking the only egress out. Plenty to sustain life for a long time there...but it really drives home the point of being ready. A chain saw can cut and remove the trees but the rock slides - yikes.

No cell phone coveraget but we do have HAM radios & a Sat Phone to communicate to the outside world in the event of an emergency.
 
Quirt said:
This last week, we were in a wilderenss class and in an area where there is only one way in/out and there are many rock slides, trees falling across the road blocking the onlyegress out. Plenty to sustain life for a long time there...but it really drives home the point of being ready. A chain saw can cut and remove the trees but the rock slides - yikes.

No cell phone coveraget but we do have HAM radios & a Sat Phone to communicate to the outside world in the event of an emergency.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you live or frequent very primitive areas where you must be prepared,
and do for yourself on a regular basis.

As to tree cutting and removal, I have done it, and later read on forestry forums that it
is dangerous. Even downed timber, has bent limbs that can let loose, as you cut,
and they can kill you. Or the main trunk can slide/roll onto you.

Sometimes a reflector can extend the range of cell phone or other signals. Hams have
done this for decades. On the internet are examples of Wi-fi users who us various
reflectors like old BBQ top covers, fold out (like a folding fan) daisy shaped reflectors.
BTW, WIFi is used as an example of reflectors, WiFi would be a weak signal and poor
choice for that area. Though, maybe BroadBand could reach the area in the future.
 
fnc, thanks for the tips on the reflector. I'll check into this!!

Regarding timber related issues. Duly noted and you're absolutely spot on. I worked as a logger as a young man and my grandfather was a timber faller. I've lost a friend and a family member to the timber industry so I hear exactly what you're saying.

I'm not advocating anyone do this - it truly is a survival "have too" and not a "get too!" situation. I only do this if I have too and I've had some timber training and experience. Many out there are weekend wood cutters or not wood cutters at all. I see photos on this forum of how some folks handle and use their axes and I cringe...so this isn't something I'm recommending or encouraging.
 
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