[pct-l] Survival gear

[cvano at tmail.com]

OK, here's what worked for us and what didn't.

Sleeping bags.  3 down and one synthetic rated between 0 and 20.  The 
down all got wet notwithstanding our best attempts to keep them dry.  4 
of us survived under 1 synthetic bag opened up.

Tent.  Tarptent was not made for 5 feet of snow.  It withstood the load 
but snow and water came in through the mesh.  3 pole bivy, could not 
even pee in it, nor share body warmth.  Sierra Designs 2 man tent slept 
4 of us in survival conditions with 5 pads.  Our feet were in the 
vestibule a lot of the time.  We hung a wet down bag across the door to 
stop the wind.  I don't know what it weighs but it was split between 2 
people.  No foot print was used for any of these.

Stoves.  We actually set fire to a portion of the no-see-em netting in 
the Sierra Designs tent using MSR stoves.  Not fire proof.  We used my 
alcohol stove exclusively after that.  From match light, it was actually 
quicker to boil 2 cups of water made from snow.  We also used it hourly 
or so during the nights for heat.  Cooked 7 meals, made probably 2 
gallons of water from snow, heated the tent 10 or 15 minutes each hour 
for probably close to 40 hours.  Used 1/2 of a fifth Capt Morgan plastic 
bottle of fuel.  That's about 2 cups?

Frog Toggs.  After wearing, traveling X-country, and sleeping in them 3 
nights, they have one small rip and are fuzzy.  Still servicable but 
they do take up a bit of pack room.

Polypro.  Stinks but did the job.

Midweight fleece.  Packs large, worked.

Cargo pants.  Yes

Jacket.  REI Primaloft.  Excellant.  Inside pocket kept things dry.

Gloves.  Liners and insulated shell.  Wet but OK.

Trekking poles.  Black Diamond w/snow baskets.  Balance, setting up 
tarptent, probing for logs under 5' of snow on one river crossing where 
we had to use a log jam, clearing snow from said logs.

Ice axe.  Black diamond (cheap one) used for catholes, staking tent, 
chopping wood, anchor.  Did not have to self arrest.

Socks.  4 pairs wool and liners.  Do NOT use waterproof socks below 
freezing for extended periods.

Gaiters.  No differance in foot wetness with or without.

Shoes.  REI Vasque Goretex low hikers.  Still wet inside and out 2 days 
later but did not wear them today.

Goretex and similar.  Works when new and clean.  Dirt cloggs pores.  Age 
makes pores smaller due to fuzzing.  Freezing temps freeze water on the 
outside and vapor coming out, clogging pores.  Useless!

GPS.  3  Yes

Cell phone.  3  Yes  Conserve battery!

Map and compass.  Know how to navigate!  Take a course in celestial and 
near coastal navigation for fun.  Tringulation is a no-brainer after 
that.

Whistle.  Get a marine whistle.  There is no pea, its light though big, 
and blows very loud even when wet.

Education.  A little gets a lot of return.

Experience.  Push your limits with a group first.  'Don't dream your 
life, live your dream.'  'The differance between an ordeal and an 
adventure is attitude.'  Both from Bob Bitchin

First aid kit.  Duct tape and a safety pin.  Extra RX's and vitiman I, 
one use hand/foot warmers are nice.

Food.  One Mountain house meal will feed 4 stranded hikers for a day in 
survival conditions.  It supplies only 150 caleries per person in those 
conditions when you are using thousands!  Gummy bears!  Chocolate!  
Normal stuff.  Lots of snacks and junk food - candy, crackers.  Olive 
oil.  Avacados, quite possibly natures most perfect food.  High in fat 
and yummy.  Hot water made from snow is excellant, even without coffee, 
tea, of flavoring!  Hot cidar and Gatoraide are also very good.

Cigarettes.  Sealed packs get wet and are useless.  I went 3 days on 2 
smokes!  Not pleasant.  Get a pipe for emergency backup.

Lighters.  Bic, must be warm, carry in inside pocket and must be dry.  
Carry two, one in a plastic bag.  It one gets wet, use the other to 
light it and dry it out.

Fire.  Impossible with green wet wood.  Carry an alcohol stove.

TV weather forecast.  Useless!  NOAA, not much better on land or sea.

911.  Had our position in seconds.  They were 10 meters off!

Sleeping pads.  All worked equily well in snow.  Some foam, some self 
inflatables.  The orange side of the Thermorests is a good helicopter 
attention getter.  Flip it up and down, not sideways.

Good decisions come from experience.  Experience comes from bad 
decisions.  Somebody famous said that, but I don't know who or when.

Parachute cord.  We used it pull a car out of a ditch on the way in to 
the trailhead.  Many uses.

Platypus.  Drinking tube froze in the first hour.

Canteen.  Gatoraide bottles.  Save one empty special one to pee in at 
night.

Hat.  Baleclavalavamama.  Yes!

Sun glasses.  Yes, or RX photogrey.

Snowshoes.  I will never go without them in the fall, winter, spring, or 
alpine environments again.

Packs.  To each his own.  All are fine, depends what you like.

Pack cover.  None of us had one but we all had everything in tied 
plastic bags.  Everything still got wet when in use.

I think that's about it.  Happy to answer any questions.
Beyond this point
There be dragons...

Chris ~ S/V Drifter
Anacortes, WA. ~~~_/) ~~~