Cold-Weather Firemaking Challenge or How to Prevent Hypothermia

Cold-Weather Survival Firemaking Challenge

This is something I do with my students in my winter survival classes and quite frequently in my backyard when the snow is coming down. It is -1 degrees today in Flagstaff so it seemed like a good time to practice. It's one thing to start a survival fire under controlled conditions during a camping trip or when your body is in good shape but quite another when you are dealing with hypothermia and the reduced motor-skills that accompany it. 

1. Place your hands in the snow for 2 minutes then 2) grab your different firemaking tools and try to ignite your tinder. Simple as that. 99% of the time the spark rod is my tool of choice as it requires gross motor skills unlike a lighter or matches and works when wet. Good luck trying to get a lighter going when you're all thumbs. Tinder is in the top pics. For my friends in Phoenix, get a bowl of ice cubes!

 Since the majority of hypothermia cases happen in 50 degree F weather around the world and since most lost dayhikers are injured and hypothermic, it pays to build your skills and accompanying trail gear around the fact that you may have reduced motor-skills.

Rigging Tarps and Ponchos for Survival Shelters

Whether it's for camping or survival, a lightweight tarp can be a trusty friend. I use one regularly for sleeping out, coping with a brief storm on a dayhike, or when I'm shade-hungry in the desert. In addition to a Heatsheet in my shirt pocket, I always carry a small 6'x8' blue tarp in my pack for short trips or a 10'x10' Campmor nylon tarp for multi-day trips. These can be erected in mere minutes compared with the time (and calories) it takes to construct a shelter from branches and pine-needles. A blue or red tarp can also serve as a ground-to-air signal panel for searchers.

When I'm staying in a wilderness basecamp near my truck or weight isn't an issue, I prefer a more rugged 14'x14' canvas tarp from Panther Primitives which I arrange in a diamond configuration  (photo above). This provides ample space for sleeping, storing gear, and room for my dogs. There's nothing better than waking up to the first rays of the morning sun from the spacious interior of a tarp. If mosquitoes are severe, I'll defer to a tent but, thankfully, that rarely happens in the mountains and desert regions where I live. See the pics below for more info on rigging methods.

How not to "die of exposure"

Hypothermia and Immersion Hypothermia are both serious killers of people in the outdoors each year. Most cases of hypothermia happen in 50 degree F weather and are preventable- dress properly (no cotton!), stay hydrated, and do something about it when you get wet or begin losing dexterity such as build a fire & shelter, get back to the vehicle, or into the sleeping bag. A good hypothermia recipe is to have a cup of hot chocolate with a tablespoon of butter and I always carry this solution in a thermos when on the winter trail.

Keep in mind that the statistics bear out that the classic "survivor" lost in the wilds each year is injured and hypothermic.

Immersion Hypothermia is a real killer and you only have a limited amount of time on your hands. The best info comes from this U of Toronto Professor who has studied it the most and is on YouTube. Pass this vid around to those who spend time playing ice hockey, ice-fishing, or traveling the wilds in winter. It can be a lifesaver to know- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysnKtuUTt8k

Another test I do with my students on winter survival courses is to have them place their hands (minus gloves) in the snow for a count of 60 seconds. After this, they must get a fire going using their matches, lighter, or spark rod. With a loss of dexterity, the spark-rod wins out as it involves gross-motor movement compared to the lighter and matches. Try this test in the backyard next snowfall and see how your firemaking gear holds up when the hands are numb.

Cottonballs smeared with vaseline and used for tinder is the other half of the picture in successfully starting a fire when the forest is buried in snow.

Tony Nester

Ancient Pathways, LLC
http://www.apathways.com