silversummit - Dec 14, 2008 12:01 am - Voted 10/10
A good overview!
With plenty of details for thought! We always teach our Boy Scouts to pack their own First Aid kit (it's a rank requirement) and bring it on every trip including day hikes starting in a small bandaid type box. As they gain skills they advance and the kit grows with them. Some of things they add are: super thin space blanket and small bottle of hand sanitizer (instant fire starter). We also try to make every thing be multi-purpose such as a bandanna can be a sling and so on. Even if kids don't stay with Scouting we hope these skills stay with them!
Ah yes... I remember the days of being a Boy Scout. Perhaps I unknowingly still return to the memories of my younger days where I learned many things about the outdoors. Thanks for the comment!
When my hubby and I went to Kathadin the end of Sept...it was a rainy and cold weekend...not to mention very windy (they shut the mountain down the next morning due to Hurricaine Ike). We were miserable and we were prepared. We met a large group of hikers with a church group that day...mostly teenagers (about 25) and the adults (about 3!!!). On the way up, we met probably 6 - 7 of these teenagers coming back DOWN (no adult in sight) as it was just too crappy to keep pushing forward. They said they were going back to the car to wait for the others (who were going to continue to the summit).
Later that day (after 2:00ish) we noted the rest of the group slowly trickeling down the trail from the summit. They said it was 0 visability and extremely windy although the rain had slowed down and stopped for a short time. The really scary thing about this is that other than the adults, very few of the kids had a backpack or daypack of any kind, many were in shorts and short sleeves, cotton was the fabric of choice (lots of tee-shirts) and (this is what REALLY killed us!) most had on canvas-type sneakers! You know, Converse ones...skateboarding type with no treads!! We were completely astounded that no one had been hurt on this trip.
Sheer ignorance! I cant believe that! You can only blame the adults in that group for being so unprepared and taking a group of kids somewhere they shouldn't have been with improper footwear, no warm clothes and nothing else!
Following the author's desire to generate a discussion, I'm going to add that, whilst there's a huge amount of common sense included in this article, I think he has metaphorically "shot himself in the foot" by suggesting that everyone might reasonably carry a 11b 10oz emergency supply kit with them whenever they go out into wilderness areas.
OK, I'm from the UK where we don't have that much wilderness, nor any real poisonous creatures or things with huge clwas and teeth (except in politics), but us Brits do have a reputation for taking huge rucksacks into the alps and other areas. My own rucksack is usually huge because I believe in being prepared, though not obsessive about every possible risk. For my needs of solo walking in wilderness areas and alpine-style mountaineering over many years I'd venture to suggest that a sensible person should cut the contents down of the kit recomended here by two thirds. And throw out anything you don't know how to use.
I've just returned from a 3 week mountaineering trip to Mexico where, as always, the practical first aid kit we carried had to be balanced against other weight and life-saving equipment. My packing list tells me my first aid kit weighed 4oz, though unusual "essentials" like iodine were admittedly additional to this. OK, there were two of us, but even alone I wouldn't plan on taking much more than this. In a hot climate I'd rather have the spare space taken up by a second or third playtpus of water.
I know I'm going to spark controversy and probably some abuse by saying "get realistic, don't get paranoid". Yes, follow all the absolutely excellent advice in this article, especially making sure everything has a dual purpose wherever possible. Take only what you know how to use, and what you're really going to need for the most likely incidents. Mountaineering is about risk assessment and, yes, I've met those idiots too who clearly have no idea what risk they're putting themselves and others into. But get the balance right in the emergency kit you carry, as in everything else. (Right, I'm off to my local surgical suppliers to get some forceps to remove that bullet from my own foot now!)
Thanks for your comments and thank you for starting up a discussion! I am a bit obsessive compared to others, I'm sure, but living and hiking in the desert makes me pretty cautious. You make an excellent point in saying "take only what you know how to use." I hope your comment attracts more members to post their thoughts on the issue.
One of the first rules of survival is preparing and staying informed. Preparing for the unknown and unplanned circumstance and staying informed of things like the weather and your surroundings. It sounds like that church group didn't do either and shame on the chaperons for placing those kids in that situation.
I found that when I put my survival kit together, that it was far less expensive and time consuming to just buy one already made from a good company. Just found a really cool site called armageddonoutfittersonline.com that carries a hunter's backpack kit with everything I needed. Check em out.
I've been worried about being ready for a natural disaster since before I even got married. I've got my 72 hour kits and emergency food storage all ready to go now, and feel much more secure about it if anything were to happen.
Easily the best way to pack food into the mountains is with freeze dried food. Every time my family goes backpacking, we love taking freeze dried dinners and sometimes snacks. Not only are they lightweight, but they are easy to prepare. They are one of the best preparedness cautions you can take!
silversummit - Dec 14, 2008 12:01 am - Voted 10/10
A good overview!With plenty of details for thought! We always teach our Boy Scouts to pack their own First Aid kit (it's a rank requirement) and bring it on every trip including day hikes starting in a small bandaid type box. As they gain skills they advance and the kit grows with them. Some of things they add are: super thin space blanket and small bottle of hand sanitizer (instant fire starter). We also try to make every thing be multi-purpose such as a bandanna can be a sling and so on. Even if kids don't stay with Scouting we hope these skills stay with them!
TrekAdam - Dec 14, 2008 4:09 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: A good overview!Ah yes... I remember the days of being a Boy Scout. Perhaps I unknowingly still return to the memories of my younger days where I learned many things about the outdoors. Thanks for the comment!
BobSmith - Dec 15, 2008 7:11 pm - Voted 10/10
Good advice.Basics and logic. Best way to go.
imzadi - Dec 16, 2008 12:15 pm - Voted 9/10
ScaryWhen my hubby and I went to Kathadin the end of Sept...it was a rainy and cold weekend...not to mention very windy (they shut the mountain down the next morning due to Hurricaine Ike). We were miserable and we were prepared. We met a large group of hikers with a church group that day...mostly teenagers (about 25) and the adults (about 3!!!). On the way up, we met probably 6 - 7 of these teenagers coming back DOWN (no adult in sight) as it was just too crappy to keep pushing forward. They said they were going back to the car to wait for the others (who were going to continue to the summit).
Later that day (after 2:00ish) we noted the rest of the group slowly trickeling down the trail from the summit. They said it was 0 visability and extremely windy although the rain had slowed down and stopped for a short time. The really scary thing about this is that other than the adults, very few of the kids had a backpack or daypack of any kind, many were in shorts and short sleeves, cotton was the fabric of choice (lots of tee-shirts) and (this is what REALLY killed us!) most had on canvas-type sneakers! You know, Converse ones...skateboarding type with no treads!! We were completely astounded that no one had been hurt on this trip.
TrekAdam - Dec 16, 2008 5:43 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: ScarySheer ignorance! I cant believe that! You can only blame the adults in that group for being so unprepared and taking a group of kids somewhere they shouldn't have been with improper footwear, no warm clothes and nothing else!
parky - Dec 17, 2008 7:35 pm - Hasn't voted
Generating a discussionFollowing the author's desire to generate a discussion, I'm going to add that, whilst there's a huge amount of common sense included in this article, I think he has metaphorically "shot himself in the foot" by suggesting that everyone might reasonably carry a 11b 10oz emergency supply kit with them whenever they go out into wilderness areas.
OK, I'm from the UK where we don't have that much wilderness, nor any real poisonous creatures or things with huge clwas and teeth (except in politics), but us Brits do have a reputation for taking huge rucksacks into the alps and other areas. My own rucksack is usually huge because I believe in being prepared, though not obsessive about every possible risk. For my needs of solo walking in wilderness areas and alpine-style mountaineering over many years I'd venture to suggest that a sensible person should cut the contents down of the kit recomended here by two thirds. And throw out anything you don't know how to use.
I've just returned from a 3 week mountaineering trip to Mexico where, as always, the practical first aid kit we carried had to be balanced against other weight and life-saving equipment. My packing list tells me my first aid kit weighed 4oz, though unusual "essentials" like iodine were admittedly additional to this. OK, there were two of us, but even alone I wouldn't plan on taking much more than this. In a hot climate I'd rather have the spare space taken up by a second or third playtpus of water.
I know I'm going to spark controversy and probably some abuse by saying "get realistic, don't get paranoid". Yes, follow all the absolutely excellent advice in this article, especially making sure everything has a dual purpose wherever possible. Take only what you know how to use, and what you're really going to need for the most likely incidents. Mountaineering is about risk assessment and, yes, I've met those idiots too who clearly have no idea what risk they're putting themselves and others into. But get the balance right in the emergency kit you carry, as in everything else. (Right, I'm off to my local surgical suppliers to get some forceps to remove that bullet from my own foot now!)
TrekAdam - Dec 17, 2008 10:59 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Generating a discussionThanks for your comments and thank you for starting up a discussion! I am a bit obsessive compared to others, I'm sure, but living and hiking in the desert makes me pretty cautious. You make an excellent point in saying "take only what you know how to use." I hope your comment attracts more members to post their thoughts on the issue.
dashav8r - May 30, 2011 4:50 pm - Hasn't voted
ComplacencyOne of the first rules of survival is preparing and staying informed. Preparing for the unknown and unplanned circumstance and staying informed of things like the weather and your surroundings. It sounds like that church group didn't do either and shame on the chaperons for placing those kids in that situation.
I found that when I put my survival kit together, that it was far less expensive and time consuming to just buy one already made from a good company. Just found a really cool site called armageddonoutfittersonline.com that carries a hunter's backpack kit with everything I needed. Check em out.
garfieldlogan - Jul 7, 2011 6:12 pm - Hasn't voted
PreparednessI've been worried about being ready for a natural disaster since before I even got married. I've got my 72 hour kits and emergency food storage all ready to go now, and feel much more secure about it if anything were to happen.
enderberett - Sep 20, 2012 8:55 pm - Hasn't voted
Freeze Dried FoodEasily the best way to pack food into the mountains is with freeze dried food. Every time my family goes backpacking, we love taking freeze dried dinners and sometimes snacks. Not only are they lightweight, but they are easy to prepare. They are one of the best preparedness cautions you can take!
Rafa Bartolome - Mar 18, 2014 5:41 am - Hasn't voted
thanksthanks a lot for the information