Being lost and stranded in the wilderness is an intense situation at any time of year, but during the winter it can take on even more urgency. Bitter cold, muffling snows, crackling ice, scarcity of food--these are some of the extreme conditions you may face in such an emergency. Of utmost importance are advance preparation and basic outdoor-safety knowledge.
Fire-making
Hypothermia is a chief danger, whether in the winter or any other time of year, since damp and breeze can make it a killer even in the height of summer. Possessing the tools and ability to start a fire becomes absolutely critical if you're lost in winter wilderness. As author and outdoorsman Len McDougall states in "The Outdoors Almanac," "If you can start and maintain a fire, you'll never freeze to death." Always carry a waterproof container with fire-starting implements, including candles, matches and a lighter. Begin with tinder, which could be anything from moss, birch bark, pine needles or crinkled paper, and blow gently and steadily into the tiny new flames to encourage a sustainable blaze. Feed this with kindling--large twigs and small branches--and then with larger logs. In addition to providing immediate heat, such blazes can dry clothing, cook food and purify water--not to mention provide no small measure of psychological comfort.
Staying Warm
Take shelter from cold and gale. If you have a tent, tarp or bivouac sac, use it. You can also find refuge in natural hideaways like caves, alcoves and overturned root-stocks. Build more advanced improvised shelters with branches, tree boughs and snow itself. The proper construction of a snow cave, for example, can make the difference between life and death on a high mountain socked in by blizzard. Familiarize yourself with wilderness first aid so you know the symptoms and treatment of hypothermia and frostbite.
Food and Water
Pack extra emergency rations on every hike, just in case. Food is a less pressing need than water, but it is crucial in the winter wilderness: You must keep your energy up, after all. If you are seeking wild foods, remain cautious about ingesting anything without knowing its true identity. While edible plant matter may seem truly scarce in many northern areas during the winter, keep your eyes peeled and know your plants: Watercress, for example, is a delicious aquatic green that often persists in streams throughout the winter. To obtain water, either go to rivers or lakes, chopping out ice if it's frozen, or melt snow by stove or fire; don't eat the white stuff directly, as the metabolic energy required to convert snow to water is too taxing on your body in survival situations. Remember to filter and purify any water before drinking it.
Dangers
Stay aware of unique snow-country dangers, such as avalanches. Such devastating slides of snow and debris generally occur in areas of deep snow and steep slopes, so any survivor in mountain wilderness should be on guard. Do not travel on frozen waterways unless you can be sure of the supporting thickness of the ice.
References
- "Wilderness First Aid"; Tod Schimelpfenig, Linda Lindsey; 2000 (pgs. 132-159)
- "The Outdoors Almanac"; Len McDougall; 1999 (pgs. 114-115, 134-136)
- "The Backpacker's Field Manual"; Rick Curtis; 2005 (p. 102)
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