Russian Survival SuitThese nine points are quoted from an article titled, Survival is Your Own Responsibility,
by retired mountaineering ranger Daryl R. Miller of Denali National Park and Preserve:
- Everyone has a personal responsibility to maintain self-sufficiency in the wilderness and should always base decisions on getting back on their own.
- Your best resource is the ability to think in a controlled manner when a life-threatening crisis is happening.
- Prevention, not treatment, is what ultimately will save your life in the wilderness. There is a notable difference between a gamble and a calculated risk. A calculated risk considers all the odds, justifies the risk, and then makes an intelligent decision based on conservative judgment. A gamble is something over which you have no control and the outcome is just a roll of the dice.
- You cannot make intelligent decisions in the wilderness if you do not understand the risks.
- Never give up;the will to live is a valuable asset. Sometimes people perish simply because they fall short on perseverance.
- As a rule, if you die in the wilderness you made a mistake;careless judgment has a sharp learning curve.
- Wilderness rescues in Alaska are often dangerous to the rescuers and always weather-contingent.
- People do not realize the devastating impact that their accidents have on friends and loved ones.
- The prerequisite to misadventure is the belief that you are invincible or that the wilderness cares about you.
Click Here for the Ten Essentials - Don't leave home without 'em! |
Click Here for my page on Lightning Safety... |
Click Here for my page on Bear Safety... |
Backcountry Survival 101
My Chronicle of Philanthropy photoby Roger J. Wendell, Rocky Mountain Chapter Outings Chair
From the Sierra Club's Rocky Mountain Chapter
Peak & Prairie publication
Volume XXIII, Number 3, June/July 1998, page 9
In the last issue I talked about the "Ten Essentials" and the hope that we could reduce problems in the backcountry. Unfortunately, as I write this essay, the bodies of two young hikers have just been recovered a few miles outside of Canon City - both died from hypothermia. Also, as I write, the search for their adult companion continues, bringing to mind some important backcountry issues:
Again, there's more to the study of survival than just reading a short essay like this. Formal course work, publications like The Mountaineers' Freedom of the Hills, and conscious preparation can keep an enjoyable backcountry experience from becoming a newspaper headline.
©Copyright 1998 Roger J. Wendell
In their regular series, Survive, the Sierra Club magazine published this answer from Sascha Paris (their Outings' training manager) in response to a reader question about ill-equipped and unprepared backcountry skiers overdue on a very cold night:
"Pre-trip preparation is vital. Evaluate the experience and fitness level of all members of your party and whether they have appropriate equipment for the (possibly new) activity. Remember that groups travel slower than individuals. If possible, scout snow conditions, routes, and bail-out options in advance; at a minimum, call a local outfitter or do an Internet search. Finally, share written trip information with all parties - plus a loved one at home, in case you don't return on time."
November/December 2010 |
Remember, Stay Calm!
"The panic response triggered by runaway catecholamines* can serve vital ends, as in the proverbial superhuman feats of strength performed by men and women who lift cars off victims trapped beneath the wheels. On the whole, however, the panic is more dangerous than helpful. Thus survival experts teach their students to 'stay calm,' to 'avoid compulsive behavior and don't hurry.' They stand by acronyms such as STOP - 'stop, think, observe, plan.'"
- David Roberts in his book, On the Ridge Between Life and Death
(A Climbing Life Reexamined)*Any of a group of amines derived from catechol that have important physiological effects as
neurotransmitters and hormones and include epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
A note on backcountry safety
from my friend Larry DeSaules - April 4, 2010
Pretty darn good job, Rog.
My $.02:
I think individuals need to know and understand that whether you're on a CMC trip, or a trip guided by an AMGA mtn guide, out alone, or with friends out cragging, backcountry skiing, accidents are bound to happen.
The final decision as to your own personal safety resides with you the individual. Peer pressure to get to the top, keep going when a storm approaches, etc plays a huge part in mtn safety. The individual has to trust his gut once in a while and say 'this doesn't feel right.'
I mentioned the AMGA guide above, because last year a guide had a group out on a couloir snowfield all roped together, and he failed to drive in any snow pickets. Up, up, up they all went until ... He fell, dragging his group hundreds of feet down the mountain. There were injuries.
One or two incidents showing poor leadership decisions can certainly give the club, mountaineering, organizations a black eye, when in fact, 99% of the trips are safe and sound.
Great job keeping safety up on your site.
Lar
Whistle Protocol
as recommended by the Colorado Mountain Club
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Warning! Climbing, mountaineering, and backcountry skiing are dangerous and can seriously injure or kill you. By further exploring this web site you acknowledge that the information presented here may be out of date or incorrect, and you agree not to hold the author responsible for any damages, injuries, or death arising from any use of this resource. Please thoroughly investigate any mountain before attempting to climb it, and do not substitute this web site for experience, training, and recognizing your limitations! |
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