| Camping and Survival Tips |
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One thing is certain when it comes to surviving in the
wild - it is best to know how to do it before you arrive
there, because after your car breaks down in the blizzard
or you are lost in the mountains you won't have any
more time to prepare.
Once it actually happens - well . . .
The two most dangerous things that can happen in such
a situation are those things which we bring with us -
panic, and its result, exhaustion. More than cold or
landslides, these are the things which kill, for they make
what nature has in store for us deadly instead of
uncomfortable.
So if you do find yourself lost, in snow or rain or
sunshine, know that the main thing you can do to
survive is to take it slow and careful, never hurry, and
never exhaust yourself. It is instinct that tells you to
keep pushing until dark, but it is also instinct that will
end up killing you.
If you decide to travel, as some times you must, start
looking for a good spot with shelter from the wind and
elements, and when you find such a spot call it a day.
Spend the daylight left, if there is any, surveying the
immediate area surrounding your new camp sight.
These pages will be going over many different scenarios
for survival, and will also delve into edible plants, how
to gather water, what makes a good survival kit and
many more specific techniques. If you have any secrets
or wisdom that you can share, we ask that you submit
them in the form below.
Many people on the Internet want to sell this
information - it is the purpose of the NC Naturalist to
provide all such information, or at least as much as we
can gather of it, free of charge and easy to find from one
site. To do this, we will need the help of the community,
and we unabashedly ask for that help.
Thanks for listening, and visiting, and come back soon -
new information will be added regularly, and compiled
in time into researchable FAQ sections.
wild - it is best to know how to do it before you arrive
there, because after your car breaks down in the blizzard
or you are lost in the mountains you won't have any
more time to prepare.
Once it actually happens - well . . .
The two most dangerous things that can happen in such
a situation are those things which we bring with us -
panic, and its result, exhaustion. More than cold or
landslides, these are the things which kill, for they make
what nature has in store for us deadly instead of
uncomfortable.
So if you do find yourself lost, in snow or rain or
sunshine, know that the main thing you can do to
survive is to take it slow and careful, never hurry, and
never exhaust yourself. It is instinct that tells you to
keep pushing until dark, but it is also instinct that will
end up killing you.
If you decide to travel, as some times you must, start
looking for a good spot with shelter from the wind and
elements, and when you find such a spot call it a day.
Spend the daylight left, if there is any, surveying the
immediate area surrounding your new camp sight.
These pages will be going over many different scenarios
for survival, and will also delve into edible plants, how
to gather water, what makes a good survival kit and
many more specific techniques. If you have any secrets
or wisdom that you can share, we ask that you submit
them in the form below.
Many people on the Internet want to sell this
information - it is the purpose of the NC Naturalist to
provide all such information, or at least as much as we
can gather of it, free of charge and easy to find from one
site. To do this, we will need the help of the community,
and we unabashedly ask for that help.
Thanks for listening, and visiting, and come back soon -
new information will be added regularly, and compiled
in time into researchable FAQ sections.
The first thing about surviving a dangerous situation is perhaps sometimes
the hardest to do, and also the easiest - to actually look around you with
enough detachment to realize when you are backing into a situation that
could be deadly. The most important thing you can put in your survival kit is
your own intelligence and awareness.
Like when you are going to get a Christmas tree in the mountains and it
starts snowing - you can decide to turn around till another day or press on.
Or when you think to yourself when on a road trip, 'I don't have to stop
here, I can make it to the next gas station', or any one of a dozen such
decisions.
Listed below you will find a list of physical items, but the most important
item in your survival pack will be your intelligence and alertness to your
surroundings, and the dynamic of those surroundings.
The emergency survival pack we will be concerned with here will be
designed to carry in the family vehicle; items will be listed in order of
importance, and if you have any suggestions about order or items, you are
more than welcome to comment in the Guestbook. This is something, if you
do the first thing we suggested diligently, you will almost certainly never
need. It is also something that you must do if you do practice the first part
of this article diligently.
Even if you buy only one or two items a month, sooner or later you will have
a good little pack. It should be small enough where it could fit into almost
any car with no problem or inconvenience, say a 12" square by 10" high box
of some sort. Even cardboard would be a good start.
Three bottles of water and 12 granola or protien/food bars
Wrist compass/pocket compass.
Candle.
Solar blanket.
Knife.
Fire starting equipment.
Lighter, metal match, waterproof matches, small hand lens.
First aid items.
Surgical blades. Butterfly sutures. Condoms for water storage.
Chap Stick. Needle and thread. Oxytetracycline tablets (diarrhea
or infection).
Water purification tablets or drops.
Such as quakekare – there are many commercially available over the net – usually,
1 tablet equals 1 liter of clean water, and if you have three or four litre bottles all
you have to do is fill them up, and it is the perfect measure for the standard tablet.
Signaling items.
Mirror, metal is best as it does not break. Also, at least five roadside flares. They
are useful as signaling devices but they can also start a fire in the worst
conditions. This is not recommended, but is conceivably necessary.
Food procurement items.
Fish and snare line, Snare wire (A spool of fine wire; it will have many uses from
snares to binding things together, from lean to’s to anchors or anything else. Thin
wire is surprisingly strong.
Fishhooks.
Shelter items.
Extra blanket, small waterproof tarp, twine, another small knife, snips.
the hardest to do, and also the easiest - to actually look around you with
enough detachment to realize when you are backing into a situation that
could be deadly. The most important thing you can put in your survival kit is
your own intelligence and awareness.
Like when you are going to get a Christmas tree in the mountains and it
starts snowing - you can decide to turn around till another day or press on.
Or when you think to yourself when on a road trip, 'I don't have to stop
here, I can make it to the next gas station', or any one of a dozen such
decisions.
Listed below you will find a list of physical items, but the most important
item in your survival pack will be your intelligence and alertness to your
surroundings, and the dynamic of those surroundings.
The emergency survival pack we will be concerned with here will be
designed to carry in the family vehicle; items will be listed in order of
importance, and if you have any suggestions about order or items, you are
more than welcome to comment in the Guestbook. This is something, if you
do the first thing we suggested diligently, you will almost certainly never
need. It is also something that you must do if you do practice the first part
of this article diligently.
Even if you buy only one or two items a month, sooner or later you will have
a good little pack. It should be small enough where it could fit into almost
any car with no problem or inconvenience, say a 12" square by 10" high box
of some sort. Even cardboard would be a good start.
Three bottles of water and 12 granola or protien/food bars
Wrist compass/pocket compass.
Candle.
Solar blanket.
Knife.
Fire starting equipment.
Lighter, metal match, waterproof matches, small hand lens.
First aid items.
Surgical blades. Butterfly sutures. Condoms for water storage.
Chap Stick. Needle and thread. Oxytetracycline tablets (diarrhea
or infection).
Water purification tablets or drops.
Such as quakekare – there are many commercially available over the net – usually,
1 tablet equals 1 liter of clean water, and if you have three or four litre bottles all
you have to do is fill them up, and it is the perfect measure for the standard tablet.
Signaling items.
Mirror, metal is best as it does not break. Also, at least five roadside flares. They
are useful as signaling devices but they can also start a fire in the worst
conditions. This is not recommended, but is conceivably necessary.
Food procurement items.
Fish and snare line, Snare wire (A spool of fine wire; it will have many uses from
snares to binding things together, from lean to’s to anchors or anything else. Thin
wire is surprisingly strong.
Fishhooks.
Shelter items.
Extra blanket, small waterproof tarp, twine, another small knife, snips.
| what to pack for an emergency |