[the hog]

Has anyone on the forum ever been in a survival situation, nothing is too small, from being stuck in the mountains to the home front and how did you deal with it.
Remember the story of the Guy who cut off his own hand with a multitool so he could escape the canyon he was hiking in.

 

[Ihatebugs]

Careful planning and preparation reduces the chance of an emergency arising in the first place. So no, I haven't been in a survival situation.

 

[Trek]

Looking forward to reading of people's experiences on this one!

I haven't found myself in a dire survival situation yet. Like Ihatebugs said, careful planning/preparation reduces chances of such things.

I guess the closest thing that comes to mind is when the power grid was knocked out on the east coast a few years back. Everyone thought it would last at least three days in my neck of the woods. It turned out to only be about half a day.

It comes to mind only because it's the day my children realized that Mom isn't nutzo for her contingency planning. The windup shortwave radio picked up the local hydropower radio station telling us to expect about three days of no power because of the "non-terrorist" related event.

The kids never listened to me so well as they did that day. Water brought up from the creek for flushing toilets. Cooking up the perishables on open fire and a solar oven. Moving refrigerator stuff into the cool "root cellar" type dig out I had set up. Disconnecting from the grid to protect from electrical fire when power was restored. Simple stuff.

There was not alot to do because I have things pretty much organized and accessible. Most of all, I had a plan in place that was easy to put into action. Besides, the situation was not dire, just unexpected at the moment.

None of it was major stuff. But it did have value... I learned that my children did have panic alarms going off at first & they learned that we have measures in place - that work - so they should keep their sense of panic in check. I also learned that the child I thought was least likely to take the lead in a bad scenario is the one who handled herself the best.

Well, you said nothing was too small!:

 

[arrexian]

This was a small thing the hog, compared to the stories of hacking off limbs or being out days without rescue, but not without its sense of doom at least for a while, to know what it is to feel lost. I went up a small jungle mountain somewhere in the Kpalimé district of Togo, with a very lanky librarian vegetarian Texas guy I had met on a vehicle en route. The locals were supposed to have taken us but it had been raining non stop with a lot of timber falling and they said it was all closed and we should wait until tomorrow. This was irritating to me and I suggested we sneak out the village on the dust road and just have a wonder instead. When we got to a beaten path it was still before noon and it wasn't all that bad so we went up a bit. Then a bit more. Then a bit more, it was exhilerating. Then the path started to seperate in different directions and each time it was less and less evident to the eye. The cautious Texas guy said that was enough but I goaded him foolishly that there could be no more than a 100m. In the last 50m there were no trees at all, there had been a mudslide over them. It was very deep and soggy. In the process of sinking trying to get to the top the Texas guy said that he was waiting till I got to the top. When I realised he couldn't be convinced I actually wondered about it myself. It was a very slippy affair getting down to where he was, but a lot of fun. I got some good pics at this point (which I will ask to be emailed to me and put here!) but was still peed I hadn't got to the summit. The clouds were very grey at this time and it began raining so it was all as well we went down. On the way down we just didn't seem to come back across the original beaten path, it stayed faded and eventually disappeared! It was a very confusing environment, the leaves were twice the size of humans and everything just seemed massive like that. We tried going back up and coming down again but didn't recognise it. I was looking everywhere for the mud huts of the village but they had just vanished and there was nothing but rolling jungle canopy tops. No dust road, nothing. Went back up and down another way and this time kept going. The Texas guy was getting very concerned but I was just asking him to take pictures for me ha! Then we found where part of the excess rain had created a temporary little river downhill and I remembered that coming into the village in the trotro we had had to get out and push over a flooded part of the dust road. So it seemed we'd gone down the wrong way but if we followed it it would hopefully lead to the road and be the same stream. It wasn't easy following it as it darkened and there was a lot of jumping over swampy messes involved and I got a lot of slop in my trainers. But alas we reached the road, the case of survival being the common sense to follow water and get out before being stuck up a jungle and forced to make embarrasing echoing calls across the valley :. It just seemed to take forever getting down and I had expected the opposite. The villagers were estatic we had gone up, but the chief was peed and did allow us to stay after that night.

 

[the hog]

Nothing is too small, every ones experience is individual and how you overcome the problems.

 

[jeff92]

I haven't had the chance to get put into a real survival situation yet, and my experience was probably more embarrassing than dangerous. Anyway, a few years back (I was about 14 years old) I was out deer hunting the local game lands with friends. I had hunted there maybe 1 or 2 times previously so I didn't know the area all that well; it was getting toward dusk and I was taking a loop back to where I would meet up with the others, and got turned around. Remembering not to panic, I stopped and thought through it, and made the most logical decision. Thankfully I did find the others, thus not getting truly lost. In more serious circumstances, not panicking, and thinking logically can be a lifesaver.

 

[rednecknoise]

stuck 55 miles off shore for over 12 hours, took two coast guard ships to bring us in, sucked big time! Oh and i got lost once at age 10 ;p

 

[Grinnan Barrett]

to The Hog: One thing that almost got me was a few years back in the midwest US when I was driving across the plains in an old MG. WE hit a snow storm that shut down the freeway. Snow and ice piled up higher than the bumpers of the cars and soon we all were stuck there. this was about 7 PM and lights were out. I was in Kansas and had just my kit with me. I always kept my sleeping bag and gear in the trunk and behind my seat. Good thing. I almost froze that night. It was 19 hours before they got to us. I was awakened when the snow plow hit my car. I had put a red wipe rag on a mast antenna on the car and they could see where i was. SNow got over my hood. that was same year people froze to death in Black Forest area outside of Colorado SPrings. Made me glad I had my kit with me. SOme water and energy bars came in really handy. I don't travel with my kit now. I drive most of the time because it is difficult to carry much on airlines.

T. H. do you travel by air and how to you take things with you?

 

[awildchipmunk]

Last summer I went tubing with a friend down a river, he said he had gone down the river at other places and had a blast.

We left the truck at the pull out spot and his dad dropped us off at the put in spot about 1:00 this was suppose to be a 3-4 hour hour run.

We were having a good time and about half way through when we came to a big curve that was flowing really good, lots of little class 3 rapids picking up speed going around this curve I ended up heading feet first into a very large log jam, the force of the water pushing me right into it, got a good breath before I went under.

A little voice in my head said ok if you panic your toast, I had gotten a little tangled up, found a stable foothold and climbed out of the jam, got up on a log and rested for a bit before trying to get around the rest of the logjam.

The trip was longer then expected by the time we got off the river it was cold and getting dark (about 7:00) his folks were waiting at the pick up spot about ready to call out the search and rescue teams because we were so late.

We were a bit on the frozen side and I had twisted my ankle but we made it ok, gave me some very colorful bruises to go with the sunburn. : It only hurt for a few days.

Sometimes the voices are good : :thumb:

 

[offroadgreg]

well, not really survival.. but last march I was out camping with 7 other guys, 5 were my age or younger and then there was my dad and a friends dad.. it was -18c and even after harrassing everyone.. there was only my dad and I who brought winter bags.. actually mine is a -7 bag and my dads was just a cheapo like the rest of them but he brought extra blankets.. we were also the only ones to think of padding for under us..

I got about 2 hours sleep that night.. my dad stayed up all night keeping the fire going and drying peoples boots.. by 4 in the morning every single one of us were huddled by the fire trying to stay warm..

I learned to bring an extra pair of pants even for 1 nighters in the winter.. when I awoke I learned that my pants were wet at the ankles.. just damp enough to freeze enough that I couldn't get in!! sitting by the fire naked waiting for your clothes to thaw isnt fun...

 

[Sweeper]

well, 4 years old ,banging on tree with shovel, hornets nest fell on me, stung over 600 times,bathing suit and life preserver,ran so fast got a hernia,heart stopped when arrived at hospital(60 miles)

7 years old,throwing crap in frozen swimming pool(kids,what cha gonna do?)fell in, coat filled with air,made it out, learned to swim following summer.

In army,grafinvere,-20 degrees,guard duty,no relief comes,finally decide to siphon fuel out of the tanks I'm guarding(F' in tankers can't guard their own ****) and start a fire in my helmet,frostbite,fingers and toes.No post deserter here.

Back home, logging,saw kicks back,hits me just above the knee, go's to the bone,blood spurting with the heart.reach in and pinch nicked artery, hobble to vehicle,20 miles to hospital.350 stitches.

Pissed wife off once,THAT was a close one!! :

 

[Cunucu Beach]

Not really. In November of 1997 I AVOIDED a survival situation once by getting off the freeway at 4:30 p.m.at Chugwater WY in a blinding blizzard and checking into the Buffalo Inn. My doggie and I got the very last available room. Other idiots kept going trying to make it to Cheyenne (60 more miles). They were the ones who kept the Highway Patrol and rescue crews busy into the wee hours of the morning. Got up in the early morning to take my dog outside to pee and people were sleeping on the floor in the hallway, the lobby, the coffee shop, anywhere they could find a spot. We were snowed in for 3 days but my dog and I were comfy cozy in our own private room with TV, bathroom, shower--all the comforts of home. :thumb:

 

[sportzkardnutt]

Two years ago, we took a trip to my mining claim in Arizona. I had packed all needed camping equipment. My partner got sick after a couple hours out. My truck wouldn't start. My cell was almost dead and I couldn't get a signal. She panicked BIG TIME! Why I stayed calm, I have no idea. She insisted on walking to town (20 miles away). This was the first time I had driven to the claim so I had no idea where the heck I was at. There were many trails and I had to rely on my memory. The temp. was about 102. I stared out across the desert in search of the highest point. I knew I had driven down a pretty big hill. I grabbed 2 bottles of water for her and 2 for me. During the 2 mile walk, if I had listened to her, I think we'd still be stuck in the desert. I relied on my own senses and found the big hill. All the while listening to a hysterical woman crying she was going to die. LOL
I hoofed it to the top, turned on my cell phone, actually got a signal and called the only person I knew in Arizona. Luckily, I caught them as they were leaving for Phoenix. He was familiar with the area as he is a miner also. I did my best to remember how I got to where I was and about 2 1/2 hrs. later, he showed up.
I was sick the next two days from being sun burned. What did I learn from this experience? That I can stay calm in a bad situation and never take my partner on any trip that is remotely rugged!

 

[FredLee]

I've fallen thru the ice on Saginaw Bay,twice. First time,I got about half soaked,kinda one side of my body. Made it to an ice fishing shanty,started a fire.Good thing,as my clothes were starting to freeze solid,to where I could barely walk,like having pants made from steel pipe.
Second time I lucked out.I went completely under,but hit bottom,and made a super spring up unto the ice.My bike wouldn't start up,so I had to push it back to shore,about a mile.Generated a ton of effort and sweat,actually overheated on the way in.Took clothes off.

 

[Fishbread]

We were having a good time and about half way through when we came to a big curve that was flowing really good, lots of little class 3 rapids picking up speed going around this curve I ended up heading feet first into a very large log jam, the force of the water pushing me right into it, got a good breath before I went under.

A little voice in my head said ok if you panic your toast, I had gotten a little tangled up, found a stable foothold and climbed out of the jam, got up on a log and rested for a bit before trying to get around the rest of the logjam.

That same thing happened to me when I was a teen. I mean the exact same deal, weird.

Once in North Idaho about 8 years ago a buddy and I were doing a little night hunting (we had both been laid off and were getting real hungry) by the river. The rig I was driving broke through the ice in a landlocked pond next to the river and we sank about 2 feet into the water. Was several inches of snow on the ground and I didn't see the ice. Was about 25 degrees out and about 11pm. We had to get back to his place so we could get his rig and tow mine out, as it was stuck but good. Two routes were available. One via gravel roads for about 8 or 10 miles. The other was a more or less straight shot through the woods for about 2 miles. Problem with the direct route was we had to cross Priest River, which was not froze over. We decided to hike overland as the moon was out and we could see just fine. My buddy fell once on ice and nearly knocked himself out, I was afraid I'd have to pack him. When we got to the river we took off everything below our waists and waded across that cold river. Current wasn't too bad but one slip and we would have been done for. Water was waist high, not so much fun. Got to the other side, dried off as best we could and redressed. We were afraid to get our clothes wet as we didn't want to walk around in freezing wet clothes and die. We made it back. Dammit but that was cold.

When we got back to my rig it was frozen in solid and I had to bust the ice in front of my tow hook with a handle from a high lift jack. The hook was naturally under 8 or 10 inches of pitch black water so I had to fumble around until I got it chained up. Rig was so cold we had to bump start it with the other rig. Took us forever to warm up again.

Still have that rig too. Is my daily driver and my work rig. Thing is a real champ.