Well, I just broke my pushbroom trying to clear snow off the front steps, and I don't really feel like digging out my truck right now.. Maybe in an hour or so. lolQuote:
Originally Posted by blacklabel
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Well, I just broke my pushbroom trying to clear snow off the front steps, and I don't really feel like digging out my truck right now.. Maybe in an hour or so. lolQuote:
Originally Posted by blacklabel
Some of us get out in the boonies for a few days at a time quite regularly but see little point in posting trip reports.Quote:
Originally Posted by jonny450r
Are one of those natives that don' t know you have mountains west of you???Quote:
Originally Posted by rbeau30
There is more than you need just "up the hill"
You didn't mention shooting. So your option are pretty much unlimited.
Sorry to sound harsh, but I moved here for the mountains. Blows my mind how many locals I meet in the 25-35 age bracket who have never been to the mountains!!! WTF?
true I figured it would be more of a open discussion with others about what you learned and resource of sort. Although usually when I go into the woods it involves a quad and 4-10 other people and I'm the only one that usually carries a bag with em in case something happens. A couple other guys carry tools to get their quads out, if need be, but nothing if something catastrophic happens while we're out there and have to spend the night or someone gets injured. It would be nice to get some info and experience with some like minded people.Quote:
Originally Posted by hatidua
I'm down for this as well, just to mix it up a bit. My brother in law and I have been camping roughly every 6 weeks, for a few years now; year round. It would suck to not have my -20* bag and thermarest on a night like tonight, but I'd make do.
My get home bag lives in my trunk, along with a bunch of other items that prove useful from time to time...especially in winter. If I were in a situation where I was going to grab my bag and leave my vehicle, 95% of the time my normal daily life will have me within 20 miles of home. 99% of the time I'll be within 50 miles of home. My destination would always be home, unless it no longer existed. If the situation were different, and I was forced in to becoming a permanent nomad, my selection would be quite different.
Yes please! Collaboration is always welcome!Quote:
Originally Posted by HoneyBadger
Tinelement, no offense taken, and yes I am one of those minus the native part, I have been here since 2005 when I PCSd here. Always have been too busy to plan anything out in the mountains. I don't ski and have never wanted to, so winter time in the mountains has always been not in the forefront of my mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tinelement
I've been to as far as Idaho springs, and drove to Grand Junction once. But that is the extent of my excursions.
Reason why I asked for specific areas to go is I wanted to be a sort of a good steward and am looking for a place to go where I wouldn't trespass or anything. I wanted to ensure the area I was using is public land that I could actually utilize for the purpose I was looking for.
Okay, sorry about the delay! Here are the contents of my "Get Home" bag. Pictures now included!
You'll notice there are lots of things in my "Get Home" bag that may seem strange or out of place... I also keep this as my truck's emergency kit in case I am in a bad accident or I am first on scene at a bad accident. I have a lot of medical knowledge, and I plan on getting EMT certified within a year or two. Many of the things in my kit are intended to help others in need if I have the opportunity.
Also, I've noticed that this kit doesn't account for having more than one person in my truck, so I'm going to add a few things to better accommodate a passenger who also has a will to survive.
Please note that some of these things, such as the pocket chainsaw, are bulky and probably wouldn't do you a lot of good if you had to trek home across an urban environment. My general goal with my bag is to get home from work. I work about 15 miles East of Colorado Springs, out in the prairie. Everyone has a different situation to plan for, so prepare accordingly.
-In the "Get Home" bag
*LA Police Gear $20 B.O.B. - black
*Warm hat and boot socks
*Fire starting kit (2 ziplock bags with 10 vaseline-coated cotton balls each, a waterproof match container filled with waterproof matches and a flint, wrapped in about 2 yds of duct tape, a bic lighter, and a miniature zippo-style lighter that is indestructible and will light under almost any condition)
*Beeswax chapstick (million different uses)
*Iodine tabs for water purification
*Extra lighter
*Name brand painkillers - Excedrin migraine, ibuprofin, Advil and Midol
*2 oz bottle of hand sanitizer
*Waterproof notebook and waterproof pen and sharpie
*6 pairs of nitrile gloves (in case I am first on scene to a car accident and the person is bleeding)
*basic first aid kit (it had lots of bandaids and stuff, but I added superglue, tweezers, 2 safety pins, and a tiny printout of a bunch of basic first aid procedures)
*4 alcohol wipes
*2 oz dropper bottle of bleach
*Signal mirror
*Compass for landnav
*Sewing kit with added fishing line
*Survival saw (can cut through really tough metals, rocks... basically anything)
*Pocket chainsaw (can cut down a 6" aspen in about 3 minutes)
*32 oz plastic water bladder
*Cheap multitool (has pliers, 3.5" knife blade, a little saw, philips and flathead screwdrivers, a file, a can opener, and various other useful things... was only $5)
*Mainstay 2400 emergency rations x2 ( each one of these is broken into six 400 calorie rations. They can survive temps up to 160* and down to -30*, and have a shelf life of 5+ years, so these are perfect for keeping in the car)
*Clif bar (wild game LOVES peanut butter clif bars!)
*2 clear plastic garbage bags (Tons of survival uses: solar still, transpiration bag to catch water from foliage, water holding bag, insulation, shelter, etc)
*Space blanket (mylar blanket for staying warm and dry.. reflects a high percentage of heat. Also is great for signaling for help)
*Sleeping bag made of space blanket material (for those really shitty (rare) days when you have to spend the night in the cold away from your vehicle.)
*BDU pattern poncho (tons of uses: keep you dry, keep you warm in the cold or give you shade from the sun, rainwater collector, quick and easy shelter, camouflage for hiding)
*Compression bandage
*CELOX (clotting agent)
*SAM splint
*Informational sheet with winter car survival tips
*100 rds 9mm fmj
*4-32x 28 monocular
*8 12" long heavy duty zip ties
*LOUD hiking survival whistle
*60 lumen microlight on a lanyard
-Items not pictured and other things that I keep in my truck:
*Jumper cables
*Tire change kit
*Fire estinguisher
*2 MREs
*Several towels and blankets
*Maps and a big atlas book of all 50 states.
*Gerber 16" machete/saw (sharpened with my lansky sharpening kit... it's SHARP!)
*100rds of 9mm
*100rds of .223
*500rds of .22LR
*30ft 4 ton tow strap
*12x20 tarp
*work gloves (I use rappelling gloves. They have a breathable back, but the palm and fingers are nice tough leather. Across the palm, forefinger, and thumb is re-enforced)
*100 ft 550 cord
*16.9 oz bottle of Gatorade x2
*24 oz bottle of water x4
*400W Power inverter
*Phone charger
*GPS
-Items that I generally keep with me:
*Cell phone - currently it's an HTC Thunderbolt which is a real piece of garbage. Soon I'll be changing back to an iPhone
*Wallet - ID/DL, debit card, credit card, and some cash
*Leatherman Skeletool CX with serrated blade
*CCW Pistol
-Things that I am going to change/add soon:
*Electrolytic powder and water instead of Gatorade. Water is much more of a multi-tool than Gatorade
*Pool shock instead of bleach (stable, lasts forever, won't eat through plastic)
*Blow-out kit (for trauma wounds)
The "Get Home" bag is actually quite small and easily fits under the back seat of my truck, along with all the other stuff, and a bunch of crap like a subwoofer and a tire change kit:
http://i.imgur.com/XNBPI71l.jpg?1
All the contents: (The machete doesn't go in the bag, but its appearance is menacing! [Muaha])
http://i.imgur.com/1nPgzckl.jpg
Feel free to comment, leave constructive feedback, or tell me I'm doing it all wrong. [Beer]
After looking this over and making a few changes, It looks like I carry a TON of stuff with me all the time... Everything listed above fits under the bench in the back of my truck, where there is only about 8" of clearance, with room to spare.
Thanks for posting that HoneyBadger! I need to get mine out of the car and go through mine. Definitely study your list and compare to mine. I'll do the same take pics and list out the contents. I would do it tonight, but I woke up with a helluva muscle spasm in my neck, and pretty much has got me immobile... must have slept on it wrong.
Do you have kids? I can't remember. I despise the taste of iodined water. Vitamin c removes the iodine after its used for water treatment. Kids wont drink iodine water willingly. Add a packet of emergen C (1000 mg) 50 mg per iodine tab will remove the taste. Also good for fighting colds
Shades. Going snow blind isn't fun
Consider adding a packet of caffeine pills if you need to get home instead of sleep
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wulf202
I'm about to have a newborn with me, so a diaper bag (and a different sort of "blow out" kit [LOL]) will also be in the car at all times. I don't really know what I need to add to my bag for having a child in tow. Maybe something simple like cheerios. Maybe a sleep-aid of some sort? Hiking while carrying a newborn, along with the GHB and any other stuff could be exhausting.
If I'm not looking to "get home" and I just need to survive for a few days until help arrives, and there is snow on the ground and the weather is otherwise prohibitive, I would stay with my truck, where I naturally have shelter, possibly heat (or A/C), something reasonably comfortable to sleep on, and protection from wildlife. Also consider: it's easy to store lots of food, water and survival gear in your vehicle, and your vehicle itself is a wealth of survival resources. If you don't have to abandon your vehicle and you've put a little time and money into planning, it should be easy to survive for at least a week. (I generally recommend staying with your vehicle, unless societal conditions are bad enough that you need to get home and your vehicle doesn't matter anymore.)
I edited and updated my post above.