If you are lost in the woods, can you survive? Do you have the right wilderness survival training

When you think of people who lost their lives in a scenario where they were lost in the woods, why do you think they perished?  Was it due to starvation or dehydration?  Barring a horrific accident scenario, the truth is that most people perish due to lack of shelter from the elements.

A wilderness shelter is an often overlooked, yet crucial element of your ability to survive an overnight in the woods.  To be prepared for an emergency, one must be aware of the rule of threes.  You can survive for about three minutes without air, three hours without shelter, three days without water, and three weeks without food.

Why is a wilderness shelter such a crucial element?

If you have lost your way in the woods, you may need to spend the night – or even several nights – in the wilderness.  Spending time in the elements without shelter is not only miserable – it is also deadly. One of the biggest risks to a person lost in the wilderness is hypothermia – which can even occur on a summer night.

Exposure to the elements inhibits both your body and your mind, as it affects your dexterity and your decision-making ability.  Being exposed to the cold, dampness, wild animals or heat will most certainly reduce your chances of survival.  When these go to extremes – think blizzards, downpours or floods, attacks or heat waves – your chances of survival decrease down to almost zero.  These conditions can kill you within hours if you don’t know how to create a wilderness survival shelter to protect yourself from the elements.

Get your FREE Download for how to build wilderness survival shelter checklist today!

In a 2003 study of deaths occurring in lost dementia patients, the most common cause of death reported was exposure, which occurred in nearly 70% of the cases.  An unsheltered person can succumb to hypothermia in a very short period of time.  In hypothermia, your body loses more heat than it creates, which can happen even if it is not winter!  This will lead to a shutdown of the circulatory system and eventually results in death.

In addition to the protection from the elements a survival shelter can give you, it can also give you a sense of well-being and help you maintain your will to survive.  A safe shelter to sleep in will help you combat fatigue, helping you maintain a clear mind and a positive mindset for survival!

In Conclusion

Given how deadly exposure to the elements can be, you now know why having the skills to build a wilderness survival shelter are essential to your survival.  Whether you are planning an overnight hike in the forest or just want to be ready for an unexpected emergency, everyone should learn the bushcraft skill of gathering materials and building a wilderness survival shelter.

A good wilderness survival shelter will act as a microclimate, protecting you from sweltering sun, chilling winds and low temperatures, soaking rains, and predators.

For a great tutorial on how to build a wilderness survival shelter, click below for a great course on How to Build a Wilderness Survival Debris Hut Shelter!!

We recommend getting a system that can filter as many gallons as possible for your home:

Berkey System Collection

Earthwork Emergency Preparedness Plan: Water

People can only survive a few days without water. Do you have a plan for producing, storing, and accessing drinkable water in an emergency?

Staying hydrated is essential for peak mental and physical performance during a crisis, so follow these steps prepared by the experts at Earthworks to ensure you are prepared for any kind of emergency.

Step 1: Buy a water purification system

To make sure you and your family have water in a crisis, the first step to take is getting a water purification system. These devices not only filter water, but they can convert fresh water from streams, rivers, etc. into drinkable water.

Check out these water filtration systems; these are ones that we have used and recommend. Here’s a video you can watch re: how the Berkey water systems work.

We recommend getting a system that can filter as many gallons as possible for your home (click Shop Now below to see all the Berkey options):

Berkey System Collection

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The RapidPure Water Purifier utilizes cutting-edge technology to not only filter and clean water, but also remove 99.99% of viruses, bacteria, and parasites, including COVID-19. The water bottle below is incredibly convenient.

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Step 2: Purchase chlorine bleach tablets for disinfecting water

Emergency preparedness is all about having multiple solutions to a potential problem. You bought your water purification system, but what if you lose it in a fire? Another excellent way to produce clean water is to drop Potable Aqua tablets into a container of untreated water and it’s ready to be safely consumed. Other bleach products contain dangerous chemicals and should not be used.

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Step 3: Store water for a (not so) rainy day

If you’re reading this article from the comfort of your home, you are surely surrounded by abundant, clean fresh water. So what are you waiting for? Go bottle some of it up!

The first thing to do is grab some containers with tight-fitting lids out of your recycling bin. Water, soda and juice bottles are great. Give them a soapy rinse, and fill them up.

Next, you’ll want to purchase some containers that are designed for water storage. You’ll want:

• Collapsible containers that are perfect for situations where space is at a premium (emergencies where you have to leave your home). The WaterStorageCube holds just over a gallon of water and folds up like a plastic bag when not in use:

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• 5 gallon containers which hold enough water for multiple days, but are small enough to be easily moved. This model made by Sceptre come with a large opening at the top for easy cleaning:

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• A 50+ gallon container to keep at your home. Fill it with rain water, which can later be treated with chlorine pellets or filtered through your water purification system. We like the WaterPrepared 55 gallon option because it’s stackable, easy to clean, and BPA free:

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We recommend having enough water saved up to last at least two weeks. People consume a minimum of one gallon per person a day, and that amount increases in a dry climate or if you are exerting yourself. It also helps to have extra for sanitation, hygiene and cooking.

Once you’ve filled up your containers, here’s what you need to do to clean and maintain them:

• Store containers in cool places out of direct and indirect sunlight.
• Water doesn’t expire, but it can get contaminated. Seal your containers tightly.
• Any clear container filled with water will eventually grow algae. Prevent this by using opaque bottles or painting the exterior of clear containers. If algae begins to grow in a container, mix bleach and water, rinse it out and you’re good to go.
• Avoid contamination by emptying and refreshing your water storage once per year.

Step 4: Learn some basics about your home and surroundings

Become prepared by learning a few key things about your home and what’s around it.

Make sure you know the closest fresh water supply, like a stream or pond, in case you need to leave your home.

Familiarize yourself with pre-existing water supplies inside your home, such as toilet tanks and have a plan for filling bathtubs and sinks if you suspect water may not be available in the near future.

Finally, if your home’s water supply becomes contaminated, make sure you know how to turn it off.

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When cold temperatures are sustained, bodies of water freeze. This creates a new environment for both humans and wildlife to adapt to. Travel is made easier, though precarious, on ice-covered lakes. Games are created, and the ice becomes a playground for ice-hockey and ice-skating. People still need to eat, and fish is still readily available, as long as you can create a hole in the ice for ice-fishing. Be safe–the ice can be unpredictable if you don’t know how to read it. So safety first: check out our blog for research and videos (the best I have seen).

(These videos may not be suitable for very young children…parents may want to view videos first.)

Surviving winter car emergencies: wwlp.com

Published: Thursday, February 03, 2011, 10:30 AM Updated: Wednesday, February 09, 2011, 9:32 AM

By Kathryn Roy

While they occurred more than two years ago, the ice storms of 2008 reverberate in the minds of Western Massachusetts residents whose lives were turned upside down due to the extreme weather.

Residents in the hilltowns and other areas across the Pioneer Valley were left without power for days.

The incident reminded Frank Grindrod of Williamsburg-based Earthwork Programs of the importance of knowing winter emergency skills, both inside and outside the home.

Earthwork offers emergency preparation talks, emergency survival and self-sufficiency workshops all over the region.

Grindrod, Earthwork’s founder and director, said the ice storms taught that being prepared for any weather-related emergency is essential if you live in New England.

If a weather forecast indicates a big winter storm is approaching, that’s the time to start preparing. Homeowners who have wells should gather bottled water for sanitation and cooking, in the event that their wells are inoperable due to a loss of power.

“We go through the house and talk about how to utilize your home if you don’t have power,” Grindrod said of his classes. “Some people have a generator, but a lot of people don’t realize your heater may not work on a generator, or you have to plug it into whatever unit you’re using.”

While most people have cordless phones these days, Grindrod said it’s important to have a corded phone as well.

“When the power goes out, those cordless phones stop working,” Grindrod pointed out. “Even though you still may have a line to your house, you want to get an emergency land line phone so you still have use of your phone in the event of a power outage.”

Grindrod recommends that in the event of a power outage or other emergency, residents need to become aware of their surroundings and to be able to accurately assess the situation.

“With that land line, you can call the electric company to report the outage and get an estimate on when it will be turned back on,” he said. “You may have someone down the road from you who doesn’t have power, even if you haven’t lost yours or if yours has been restored.”

Grindrod said with the 2008 ice storms, there were elderly and disabled people who weren’t able to take care of themselves and needed help, but no one knew of their situation.

“Some of them died; some of them used the stove in their house like a camp stove and got carbon monoxide poisoning,” he said.

Grindrod also recommends being prepared for emergencies when traveling. Cars should be stocked with water, non-perishable snacks, blankets, decent gloves, a flashlight and flares.

“If your car goes off the side of the road, one thing you have to think about is, ‘Do I stay in my car or do I leave my car?'” he said. “If a plow is coming through, you might have to leave your car if you’re in a place where you might get hit.”

Those who stay in their car should only run the engine as the car is cooling off. They should also get out and clear any snow out of, and around, the exhaust pipe.

“If you’re going to run your car, you want to make sure you crack your windows and always have blankets,” Grindrod said.

When traveling in wintry weather, or going out in the woods to hike or hunt, it’s a good idea to give friends or family an estimated time of arrival and a phone number.

“If you have a situation where someone is lost, the quicker you’re able to alert search and rescue or EMS, the quicker they’re going to be found,” he said.

In his classes, Grindrod talks about how to be prepared to survive three days in the wilderness. At home, the preparedness is different.

“Our focus is about having some basic skills to be confident and to be comfortable; it’s about knowing what to do and being able to take care of your kids at the same time,” he said. “You could try to play games with your kids, to see if you can do without power for three hours or so at home.”

To learn more about Grindrod’s talks and workshops, visit www.earthworkprograms.com or call (413) 522-0338.

Earthwork Programs will also travel throughout the Pioneer Valley to offer workshops for larger groups.

via Winter survival focus of talk | masslive.com.

By Barbara Thomke
EasternSlopes.com

– February 6, 2011

After I spent the morning of Saturday, January 8th exploring the new world of Nordic Skating at the Lake Morey Skate-A-Thon, I was intrigued by an afternoon class offered in the Winter Skills Day series at the Hulbert Outdoor Center in Fairlee, Vermont called Emergency Survival and Self-Sufficiency Skills. I didn’t go to prepare myself for overnight treks in the winter wilderness, sleeping in hand crafted snow huts at 10 degrees! But I do sometimes venture into the backcountry for day-long treks on skis, so I thought it might be useful to expand my knowledge on this topic beyond what I gleaned from my Girl Scout days of yesteryore. What I learned: how to stay warm if I got lost, or what the best emergency items are best to carry along in a pack might just save me from trouble . . .

Carrying a pack of emergency supplies and checking your equipment function may be the two most important actions you can take prior to an outing. (Barbara Thomke photo)

Frank Grindrod, our instructor, a kind and gentle man, set the scene for his class of seven by showing us a video of a woman who cross-country skied alone with her dog in unknown territory, got lost, then broke through ice and fell in a river and shivered with the pooch until they were found hours later. Scary! But by the time our class was over we had a new awareness of how to take care of ourselves at home or in the woods, and had learned about the most important thing of all – being prepared. From the dozens of tips we learned, here are the top ones that I personally took with me from our class:

Outdoors – Always take with you a small kit of essentials, no matter how near or far you plan to roam, Here’s what Frank recommended:

* A signal mirror, large plastic bag as a rain protector or container for water, a magnesium striker for starting a fire and a space blanket. Why? Hypothermia (low body temperature) is the #1 winter killer.

* A tin cup to heat water in or to melt snow into water

* Extra clothing such as gloves, scarf, socks, goggles, upper body layer

* Duct tape – the universal fix-it

* A pocket knife

From 12″ of toilet paper we learned to make a wick. Using a cat food can, the cordage, and cooking oil, a small heat and light source can be created. It burned for a half hour! (Barbara Thomke photo)

At home – Frank recommended stocking up a couple of days before a storm is forecast:

* Flashlight and/or headlamps plus extra batteries. Matches and candles – the ones that burn for 9 hours that you can purchase at a camping outfitter. To increase the light effect through reflection, place a mirror behind or underneath these light sources.

* Canned and dry foods, especially lentils. Soak overnight and allow to sprout for increased protein punch and green food. Soak rice and beans overnight for quicker cooking. Store in food-grade plastic containers along with powdered milk and honey.

* A small stove and fuel.

* A crank-operated radio and a crank lantern could be called essential gear.

* Store water in food-safe plastic containers, cooking pots, and your washing machine. Because your water source may not be treated when the electricity goes out, purify water by bringing it to a ‘dancing boil’.

* Create a ‘warm room’ by draping plastic over doors and openings to trap the heat of a woodstove or other heat source – though be sure it is ventilated.

In the car – carry these items:

* A wool army/navy blanket which can be used to sleep in, as a coat, to keep an injured person warm. Wool continues to keep a body warm even if wet.

* A metal cup, duct tape and Yaktrax for traction on your feet if you walk for help.

* Water in a metal container (could be heated), or in plastic. Fill only 3/4 full to allow space for freezing.

* A bunch of asphalt shingles to provide tire traction if your car is stuck in the snow or on ice.

Visit Frank’s website for lots more good advice on this topic of how to be prepared to deal with hypothermia and other winter emergencies as well as a listing of programs and classes he offers.

Personal Testimonial:

Two weeks after I took this course my husband and I were on a vigorous backcountry skiing tour near our home in northern Vermont. We were only 15 minutes into the initial uphill part when the snap attachment on the kicker climbing skin of Bob’s right ski broke apart. Then the whole skin peeled off the base of his ski and lay in the snow behind him. Luckily we were able to secure the skin again with the duct tape I now carried in my pack!

“Thank you, Frank!”, I thought many times as we continued the rest of our nine mile trek without a further glitch.

P.S. I carry the duct tape wound around a pencil. The pencil can be handy to write with or punch a hole, and it makes it easy to unwind the tape. Plus, you can carry a reasonable amount without the bulk of a duct tape roll.

Editor Note: Most old hands at backcountry skiing carry duct tape in their pack emergency kit as Barbara suggests, but also wrap 25 feet of it around a ski pole just below the grip. You never know it’s there until you need it . . .

via How To: A Primer On Winter Emergency Skills | EasternSlopes.com.

Maya and the Great Outdoors
A Daddy-and-Daughter’s Quest for Adventure, Knowledge and Fun in NATURE.

Winter is a magical time full of wonder! Animal tracks abound; coyotes and owls call, interrupting a profound silence; and the moon glistens off the snow. This is a time of slowing down and going deep into ourselves.

“I am Maya Grindrod and I’m nine years old. When my dad and I were out snowshoeing one day I asked, how do the animals live out here when it’s so cold? How did people live out here with all this snow? What if they got lost, what would they do?”

“Well Maya, remember those little tunnels we saw in the snow?” I asked.

“Yeah, I saw some earlier and the entrance was surrounded by ice.” replied Maya.

“That’s right! You have a keen eye; ice was only around the entrance not the tunnels itself. When we get back from our hike, let’s that’s look it up.”

We discovered that snow is one of the best insulators and that the ice at the entrance was formed from the body heat and breath of the animal inside the den.

There are regions in North America where the snow pack is not deep enough to consider igloos, a more permanent shelter, and so the natives of the region developed a snow shelter that could be thrown up quickly as a temporary shelter. While on tracking and hunting expeditions, instead of bringing heavy gear like tents and lots of hides in order to make shelter, they created quinzees from snow which they could just leave when they were done with it. An experienced person can make quinzee in less than an hour or two.

So one day after getting some fresh powdered snow of about half a foot, Maya and I (her dad) went into the forest to build a quinzee. It was still snowing, and Maya agreed that building a quinzee would be more fun than shoveling the deck. Below are the steps we did to create our quinzee. We also video-taped our experience, which includes many important tips, more information that would not fit here. Visit www.earthworkprograms.com to view the video.

Step 1: With any shelter, it’s important to have the materials you need, so one of the most important steps is what, Maya? “Location, location, location.” We brought shovels and found in a shady spot. A sunny spot can work too, but the snow shelter will melt quicker. If we didn’t have shovels we could have used our snowshoes. When we found a location, we had to look for hazards, such as broken trees limbs and dead trees that could fall where we would be building.

Step 2: We created the size of our shelter by standing in the center of the area and drawing a circle with a walking stick.

Step 3: We threw up snow into a pile about a foot high and then packed it, and kept throwing and packing until we reached the height and dome shape we wanted. (We also ended up throwing snow at each other during the process; a fun way to keep your child shoveling.)

Step 4: We turned our quinzee into an animal. “This is the porcupine phase,” stated Maya. “It’s a local mammal covered in quills. We covered our snow dome in sticks.” Find straight pencil diameter sticks between 12 to 18 inches long and place them all over the shelter about one to two feet apart.

Step 5: Take a break and have some hot chocolate. It’s not an actual step but you do need to wait for about 30 minutes or more (depending on the snow conditions) for the snow to settle, a process called “sintering” where ice crystals begin to bond to each other. If you wait too long, ice will form and the quinzee will be more difficult to carve out.

Step 6: Next we carved out the inside of our quinzee! “So what are all the sticks for Daddy,” asked Maya referring to step 4. “Well Maya, as we are removing snow from the inside, how do we know how to judge the thickness of the walls of the quinzee?” Maya carves and hits the tip of stick. “Oh, I see the tip of the stick. and another one.” “As you’re moving snow and see the tip of a stick, don’t dig in any further; this guarantees that your walls will be as thick as the length of your sticks.”

Important tools for carving – you can use your gloves, a pot and even a grain scoop. The best thing to use is a compact shovel with a short handle. When Maya was inside she was using her whole body; her feet, her hands, and even her head. She was covered in snow!

Caution: When carving out a quinzee, keep in mind that this is a snow dome not a tunnel. Make sure to carve out the sides and top evenly. You don’t want a heavy top that might collapse in on you. And it’s always a good idea to have a buddy to pull you out if you need it.

Step 7: When we finished carving, we stepped back and admired our hard work. “Wow, we did it!” exclaimed Maya. “Can we bring a candle and a sleeping bag out here?” Maya and I went back to the house and came back out when the moon was up. We walked quietly through the woods to our quinzee. Maya got down on all fours and scrambled in. “Okay, give me the sleeping bag and the candle.” Maya made a little nest and we lit the candle, laying in the darkness. “Did you hear that? Daddy, that was an owl,” whispered Maya loudly.
My heart brimmed with pride and joy. Here we were having some quality daddy-daughter time; hanging out together in a quinzee we built and listening to the sounds around us. Life can be this good!

Frank Grindrod is founder and owner of Earthwork Programs, a local business since 1999. Earthwork Programs is dedicated to teaching people earth skills such as nature awareness, tracking, wilderness living skills, survival, and earth philosophy. Earthwork Programs is also recognized as a Nurtured Heart School. His daughter Maya is an adventurous nine year old who is the creator and star of the series, “Maya and the Great Outdoors”. Visit Frank and Maya and Earthwork Programs at www.earthworkprograms.com Immersed in Nature, we reconnect you with the earth.