Winter car survival

The most important thing, to keep the gas tank topped off in the winter. Stuck for a few hours with a full tank of gas... piece of cake. Driving on fumes in bad weather... stupid. Most stranded motorists aren't in the remote wilderness; they're stuck in a traffic jam or on a neighborhood street. Having fuel is the difference between an inconvenience and an emergency.

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A buried car is a tomb.
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Had this family not stayed in their car, they would have not survived.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...r-buried-deep-ice-snow-tell-feared-lives.html
They would have benefited from Codger's friend's fishing pole too. :)
 
GadgetGeek, you are right, MTS can track your location but I think they are the only company that can in MB. That's what I was told when they used it to help track me down a couple years ago. Where abouts on the boarder did you grow up? I spend a lot of time in the Duck Mountain area and some around Flin Flon, but I realize it's a long border.
Of course staying with your car is the best option especially if you are prepared for it. But it's easier said than done when you are freezing to death. I would have probably walked out if I was in the state they were too but no one knows how they would react unless they have been through it themselves. There is a difference between getting stuck and knowing you have to get yourself out or you will die and getting stuck and having to wait it out.
 
Sullie said:
Of course staying with your car is the best option especially if you are prepared for it. But it's easier said than done when you are freezing to death. I would have probably walked out if I was in the state they were too but no one knows how they would react unless they have been through it themselves. There is a difference between getting stuck and knowing you have to get yourself out or you will die and getting stuck and having to wait it out.
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The family in the story was on a two-lane highway somewhere between the towns of Clayton and Springer, New Mexico. The two towns are 90 miles apart. There are some isolated ranch houses out there, but unless you were stranded at their front gate, you'd never find one nor get to one in winter conditions.
This family was fortunate that people did know they were missing, and rescuers were able to narrow their location to a 90 mile stretch of highway. :thumbup:
 
Sullie, just north of Duck. Small world huh? You are right, lots of factors go into that decision. The story of the movie Alive is a good overview of that. Do you Stay together, leave together, or do some stay and go? I mean that is the ultimate extreme situation, but the thought process is there.
 
You mean small world "eh"? You're not kidding, you're a long way from home! I love fishing the Ducks and the area, going ice fishing there in a couple weeks. Guess you upgraded for the weather??
Yup, lot's of factors go into the decisions made in an emergency and the truth is many don't know how they will act till they are already in it.
 
Thanks for all the input guys.

For the most part this is a theoretical exercise for me. I have trained in the north of Norway and in the Highlands of Scotland but for the most part real winter and real snow are just not a yearly danger to me. During that training I dug snow holes and quincies and they were a lot of work but I was more than happy to have the shelter come nightfall.

I've always got a bag in the trunk of my car with enough kit in it to get me out of most situations or to at least give me a chance of self rescue. I think if I was to undertake a trip in some of the places discussed I'd add a route card to my kit list. It makes sense to me that I should know, or have a map showing, places to seek help or refuge should an emergency happen.
 
I think the volume of the car is an important consideration as well. It might be better to leave the car (after the gas is gone) uncovered and build a smaller snow shelter nearby. The snow trench or quinzy has a much smaller volume to heat. -- Bear
 
Have a question for you guys. Put together a bag for my trunk it has many of the things in it I took from what I read here. The weather here has been extreme to say the least -14 -35 with the wind chill. Pulled the bag out today and noticed some of my gear has frost on it. Mostly on some of my cold weather clothes. Should I be bringing it in the house with me when I'm not using the car? Or once in a while to dry it out? Thanks for any advice and for starting this thread gave me a lot of idea's on what I need.
 
It's always a good idea to replace or freshen up your supplies. Some items might even benefit from shrink-wrapping or putting in packing cubes.
 
Everything but the clothes are in bags guess I should seal that stuff too didn't think of that. Thanks
 
Temp changes are going to give you that frost, and therefore moisture buildup. sealing things up will help, and will probably be better than bringing things in, since they get damper until they warm up. Plus then you know its in the car instead of having to remember it each time. If you are getting frost and moisture build up in your car, you can run the air-con a bit once everything is warm to help dry the air. (although shut it off well before you shut the car off so any water can fully drain away from the coils) I don't know what kind of temp range and humidity you are having, all I know is from the prairies, so cold and dry is the order of the day.
 
Lots of good tips here. One of the most important items is a winter sleeping bag with a hood, don't be without it. Car charger(s) for the cell phone is sometimes overlooked, I'm surprised there are people who don't own a 12v cigarette plug car charger. Spare phone battery (like an iphone battery case) could be critical.

Situations differ, but generally a car is at least dry and a windbreak. Leaving the vehicle's shelter to go hiking out if you can't see a destination, people or shelter is very high risk.

Many people overestimate how quickly 'rescuers' would find them. Nowadays even State Troopers are generally not out on the roads once conditions deteriorate (officer safety & liability). In a true blizzard you might be on your own for days, not hours. In some locales it's not crazy to put your winter tent in the car.
 
Bob W said:
The most important thing, to keep the gas tank topped off in the winter. Stuck for a few hours with a full tank of gas... piece of cake. Driving on fumes in bad weather... stupid. Most stranded motorists aren't in the remote wilderness; they're stuck in a traffic jam or on a neighborhood street. Having fuel is the difference between an inconvenience and an emergency.
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+1 to staying topped up, especially in Winter but a good practice year round. A spare container of gas in the trunk is another good practice.
 
Had battery problems this year so cables and a 12v charger for sure. Food for thought had to change my battery in below zero temps rubber or coated handles on you tools in your car tool kit. Wasn't thinking and grabbed a bare metal socket wrench not good of course I should have had my gloves on but it only takes a second. Lost a little skin definitely replacing some tools for the car.
 
I would stay with the car if I could not see a house\ signs of human activity, or if the weather got ugly. The car has a new battery in it and a cell charger in the ashtray plug. This is the basis of my trunk tub and there is much more in the trunk or car back seat. Stuff for SERIOUS cold like full body snow suits etc. If I have too much, I have the choice not to use it, too little, we may be in trouble.

 
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