Blizzard survival

[The Bubba Effect]

Avalanche danger is real up here. I have seen traffi

Back in the mid 90's, I went camping with BSA troop 568 at Mississinewa for 3 days and 2 nights. The high temperature was below 0. The low was -32, with wind chill colder than -60.
We had some really young boys with us, so myself and one other person went out ahead of the troop to establish a base camp. We took several bales of straw so that the boys could put half a bale under the floor of each tent. Each person would also use multiple sleeping pads and two or three sleeping bags with additional blankets. We had a cargo trailer that we ran propane heaters in to be able to change clothes. We also set up a dining tent with walls and ran a generator so we could use a salamander heater in the dining tent. We had to do this to be able to cook, since everything would freeze outside of the dining tent.
I was wearing heavyweight polypropylene and winter weight BDUs underneath an N3B parka and F1B trousers, with gloves inside the heavy USAF mittens. I also had a helmet liner with a wool cap over that and of course, Mickey mouse boots. I stayed warm all weekend. I was also much younger then, I'm certain that it would not be as easy for me to stay warm now.

The only other troop that attempted to stay overnight at this winter Klondike decided to leave in the middle of the night, rolling up their tents with their gear inside and leaving their tent stakes in the ground.
We got our picture on the front page of the Kokomo Tribune.

32 below with a bunch of kids? Your troop leader must have been one hard core dyed in the wool Scout.

 

[Brian's Surplus]

Avalanche danger is real up here. I have seen traffi


32 below with a bunch of kids? Your troop leader must have been one hard core dyed in the wool Scout.

We had several troop leaders with a lot of real world experience. We camped every weekend and never cancelled campouts. I went to Philmont in New Mexico twice.
We even camped in Canada a few times. One year, I received an award for 100 nights of camping in a calendar year.

Before this particular Klondike, we made all of the scouts bring in their pack at the meeting before the campout. We went through all of their equipment to make sure they were adequately prepared. We also had multiple reliable vehicles and cell phones (in an era where many people didn't have cellphones). I was the troop Quartermaster, and I can tell you that 568 was the best equipped troop I've ever seen (and I have seen plenty).

 

[DoggyDaddy]

We had several troop leaders with a lot of real world experience. We camped every weekend and never cancelled campouts. I went to Philmont in New Mexico twice.
We even camped in Canada a few times. One year, I received an award for 100 nights of camping in a calendar year.

Before this particular Klondike, we made all of the scouts bring in their pack at the meeting before the campout. We went through all of their equipment to make sure they were adequately prepared. We also had multiple reliable vehicles and cell phones (in an era where many people didn't have cellphones). I was the troop Quartermaster, and I can tell you that 568 was the best equipped troop I've ever seen (and I have seen plenty).

Your story reminds me of my first winter camping experience in Boy Scouts. Would've been some time around 1971 or 1972. We camped on the property of our scoutmaster's brother-in-law. It was -15 with a -60 windchill. We froze our asses off! Most of us had little cheap sleeping bags that were probably rated down to maybe 30*. I remember my chest hurting from breathing so hard and shivering all night. A buddy of mine got mild frostbite and had ice crystals in the bottom of his sleeping bag.

But we all learned a lot that first night. The second night, we buddied up with other scouts and put all our gear in one tent, then slept 4 to a tent in a separate tent. Two sleeping bags on the bottom and two on top and all 4 of us underneath. We were fine then, and I never got cold on another winter campout after that. Lesson learned!

 

[bdybdall]

I used to carry cold weather gear all the time, even in the summer. It was called bunker gear or firefighter's gear. The boots , bibs, coat, gloves and nomex hood could have been used in a cold weather situation and worked well. Too bad I had to give them up when I quit volunteering. At least I kept the gloves.

 

[BluePig]

I snowmobiled into Grand Marais MI many years ago and the temperature on the bank clock said -55 deg. F. That was without wind chill. The sleds would not run unless we duct taped all the vents shut. We also duct taped around the helmet visors to keep air out. At that temp, the air was like stabbing knives hitting you.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I snowmobiled into Grand Marais MI many years ago and the temperature on the bank clock said -55 deg. F. That was without wind chill. The sleds would not run unless we duct taped all the vents shut. We also duct taped around the helmet visors to keep air out. At that temp, the air was like stabbing knives hitting you.

I forget which Jack London novel I saw it in, but I remember it said that your spit would freeze before it hit the ground at -50.

 

[Brian's Surplus]

I forget which Jack London novel I saw it in, but I remember it said that your spit would freeze before it hit the ground at -50.

That wouldn't surprise me. Body temperature urine will freeze solid within 2 or 3 seconds at -30.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

That wouldn't surprise me. Body temperature urine will freeze solid within 2 or 3 seconds at -30.

Okay, worst case scenario... peeing on an electric fence in -50 degree weather. Now you're connected by an icicle of pee to an electric fence.

 

[Shadow01]

I snowmobiled into Grand Marais MI many years ago and the temperature on the bank clock said -55 deg. F. That was without wind chill. The sleds would not run unless we duct taped all the vents shut. We also duct taped around the helmet visors to keep air out. At that temp, the air was like stabbing knives hitting you.

I’ve duck taped my visor shut more than once.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

I forget which Jack London novel I saw it in, but I remember it said that your spit would freeze before it hit the ground at -50.

"To Build a Fire" IIRC, the story mentions spit freezing on the snow at -50 and in midair at -75.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

"To Build a Fire" IIRC, the story mentions spit freezing on the snow at -50 and in midair at -75.

Yes! That was it.

 

[smokingman]

I lived north of Two Harbors Minnesota for a few years,in the middle of no where. -20F was just an average winter day. I learned quite a bit(from Indiana originally).

In every vehicle(all 4 wheel drive) we had -20 sleeping bags,candles,headlamps(with lithium batteries as they can withstand the cold),isobutane camping stove and pot(for melting snow/ice to have water),saw,zippo with fuel(works even below zero),spare clothing(getting wet can kill you),boots,hat,and gloves,and plenty of snacks you could eat no matter the temperature(low moisture content). A firearm(yes wolves out numbered people where I lived,though I never feared them ,thanks to learning about and how to respond to them). Log chain for pulling other vehicles out.

Vehicles do some strange thing when it is that cold. Hit the brakes to hard and lines/fittings will crack ect. Universal joints will simply cease to function as bearings at all(I replaced so many I lost track of just how many on almost every vehicle).

People also kept plenty of food on hand. I know of no person out where we lived who did not have at least a month worth of food and a way to stay warm without power. Sometimes you just never knew when you would be able to make it to town. We snowmobiled the 11 miles to town more than once and snowmobiles were a normal sight at local gas stations.

I never once saw a car broken down that did not have nearly everyone driving by stop to help. It was partially kindness and sympathy,but it was also just instinct. Deep down you knew if you did not stop someone could very well be dead in a few hours,and with so few people in the area most all watched out for each other. The area also had zero cell coverage unless you were close to Two Harbors or Silver Bay.

 

[The Bubba Effect]

God bless the boy scouts. Lots of us up here. Skilled, loaded for bear and ready to help.

 

[BluePig]

I’ve duck taped my visor shut more than once.

Same trip, we got back that nite, parked the sleds and put our covers on.
Next morning we went out and the covers we very solid in the the shape of the sled. Then we tried to get the suspension loosened up, to no avail. Gas filled shocks were compressed and nothing would move.
We were lucky to have a room on the first floor. We managed to get the window to the room opened. We tipped our sleds on their sides and took trash cans full of hot water from the shower and doused the suspension.
They made the most horrible sounds right before the whole thing would spring out and were loose again.
Was so glad I invested in gore tex pants and a jacket that year. At that time, it was expensive, but keeping dry really helped with the chill you get from being out all day.
Snowmobiling taught me many good skills, like navigation, mechanical aptitude to keep the sled running., and most of all reading the weather.
My body doesn't really miss it though.

 

[MikeHoncho]

With the weather event we are having, what would be the minimal kit that everyone thinks would be required to survive a 24 hour period outside? Maybe think of having a car as protection and also not having any permanent structure as protection as 2 different scenarios.

I keep a set of Carhartt bibs, extra gloves and always have my EDC bag with me in my car or truck. In the bag I have a swagman roll, a sol bivvy, and the big hot hands handwarmers. I intend to stay in my car as long as possible. If I have to ditch it, I have friends within 10-15 mins of every part of my route home, pretty sure I could make the walk to one of them wherever I broke down.

 

[Hatchet601]

With the weather event we are having, what would be the minimal kit that everyone thinks would be required to survive a 24 hour period outside? Maybe think of having a car as protection and also not having any permanent structure as protection as 2 different scenarios.

Likely stuck in vehicle - for sure use it to keep wind out and just deal with temp. I Keep a big wool blanket and some woobies in my truck. Multiple packs of hand warmers go a long way, and always keep a candle that fits in my cup holder. A small candle can make a huge impact but must be safe. For warming water I have my jet boil in my bag. Of course try to keep half tank of gas at all times in that weather as well.