Archive:Intro to wilderness survival
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Old Trip |
This is the sign up and organization page for an old trip. It already happened. Please do not sign up for it. |
Contents
Date
November 21th - 22th, 2009
We will aim to cross the Lion’s Gate Bridge at 7:30 am, and meet at Tim Horton’s in Squamish to drive the rest of the way together.
Location
Near Squamish.
Pre-Trip Meeting
There will be MADATORY PRE-TRIP MEETING Wednesday November 18th at 6 pm at the club room. We will have our meeting in the hall or food court not to interfere with Line's meeting. Please see updates on the message board. Questions can be asked by email to Will Whitty (see member list).
General Information
This is a wilderness survival instructional trip that will take place the weekend of the November 21st, 2009.
The general idea is to drive into the backcountry and spend as much time as possible practicing skills, having discussions, and generally have a good time camping out. I would like to focus this trip on learning and practicing skills, so to maximize time there will not a self-propelled approach. This is not a competition or anything like the reality shows on TV. We will not be practicing the ridiculous stuff that Bear Grylls does. In fact we will probably make fun of him a lot.
The goal of this trip is to learn how to prepare for, avoid, and practice skills for short term wilderness survival. For example getting stuck out overnight on a day trip due to bad weather, injury or whatever.
Topics we will discuss:
- Difference between survival and primitive living
- Outdoor/backcountry ethics
- Typical situations and scenarios you are likely to face
- What can kill you?
- Expected complications (survival vs normal camping)
- How to prepare for, avoid and minimize the magnitude of life threatening situations
- Examples and analysis of real situations
- Dealing with life threatening situations
Skills:
- Shelter building
- Fire starting
- Signaling
- First aid (probably not much time to go into depth)
- Navigation (probably won’t be much time to go into depth)
This trip IS for you if:
- Want to learn about and discuss wilderness survival
- You want to learn campcraft skills
- Don’t mind the possibility of being wet and cold for the weekend
This trip is NOT for you if:
- You can’t spend a weekend outdoors without hiking, skiing, climbing or some other athletic activity
- Are only interested in primitive living skills (like starting fire by friction and what-not) or the survival crap that plays on TV
- You are a hippie
Additional Reading
What Do I Need?
Personal items are in regular font, shared items are in italic font
Essentials
- water bottle (at least 2L, unless you know yourself)
- headlamp and batteries
- sunscreen
- sun glasses and/or goggles
- map
- compass
- backpack
- pocket knife
- whistle
- lighter and/or waterproof matches
- first aid kit
- Toilet Paper
- tent
- insect repellent or bug net
Clothing / Equipment
- hiking boots
- warm jacket (fleece or down)
- long underwear (top and bottom)
- toque / hat
- mitts / gloves
- weatherproof jacket (goretex or coated nylon or softshell if weather is forecast to be sunny)
- weatherproof pants (goretex or coated nylon or softshell if weather is forecast to be sunny)
- hiking poles?
- gaiters
Food
- Lunch and snacks x2
- Breakfast x1
- Dinner x1
Sleeping
- sleeping bag
- sleeping pad
- ear plugs, because somebody will snore (optional)
Cooking and Eating
- bowl, spoon
- Stove with fuel. If using white gas, for each person bring 75 mL
- Pot and matching pot gripper
- Toothbrush
- water treatment{{#if:|
Climbing Gear
- Helmet}}
Other
Read through this Survival page to get an idea of other gear you can bring along to practice using. Don’t worry about buying some of the items you are not sure about. I will provide some basic stuff to practice with, and we will discuss gear selection on the course.
I will bring a roll of plastic sheeting, duct tape and cord to practice shelter building with. I will also bring along some knives and saws and tinder for fire starting.
Please bring $2-$5 to help cover the cost of the provided materials.
It is up to participants to organize tent groups and food/stove groups amongst themselves, ideally using the space provided below.
Sign-up
Instructors
Please speak to Will Whitty before signing up as an instructor.
- Will Whitty
- Celina Whitty
Students
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Signup Closed |
This is the sign up and organization page for an old trip. It already happened on 21-11-2009. Please do not sign up for it. |
Limit is 10 people.
- Ignacio Rozada
- Liam Harrap
- Ryan McKenzie
- Angela Phung
- Martin Kusak
- Jitka Hyrsovska
- Catherine Fontaine
- Andrew Maurer
- Ryan Stelzer
- Doris (Dunbar & 16th)
- Aaron Post (Pt. Grey near UBC, camping hammock and stove, no car )
Wait List
no shows at pre-trip meeting
- Greg StAubin
- Katie Gibson (where are you coming from?)
- Bruno Godin (Quebec and 14th, 2 person tent, stove, no car)
- Jennie Thunman (UBC)
- Omar Ab. (UBC, also confirmed on Andrew's alternative trip)
Hilary Saunders (signed up on Andrew's alternative trip)
Andrew McGechaen (leading alternative trip)
Justin Kong (UBC) confirmed on Andrew's trip
Vehicles
The drive is along a graded Forest Service Road (Elaho) which is easily drivable in a car if there is not snow. The last few hundred metres when we turn off the main road will be rough but doable in a car without snow, probably impossible in a car if there is snow. Since there is a good chance of snow drivers will need decent tires and chains and should have proper attachment points on their car (front and rear) so I can pull you out if you get stuck.
Drivers please post your names here along with your vehicle capacity and departure info.
Passengers, it is YOUR responsibility to notify the driver of the vehicle you sign up for. Car spots will be finialized at the pre-trip meeting on Wednesday. Please bring money to contribute for gas (~$10-$15).
- Will’s truck (5 spots) (leaving from UBC)
- Will (UBC)
- Celina (UBC)
- Doris (19th & Dunbar)
- Martin (Burrard Skytrain station)
- Jitka (Burrard Skytrain station)
- Liam (4 spots) From UBC
- Liam (UBC)
- Catherine Fontaine (UBC)
- Aaron
- Greg (totem)
- Ryan (5 spots/4WD/no chains) from 16th and Arbutus or near by
- Ryan
- Ignacio (Macdonald and Broadway)
- Ryan Stelzer (Richmond - can meet you at your place if that works)
- Andrew Maurer (14th at Wallace)
- Angela (East Van - south)
Tents
Tent owners who are willing to share their tents please post your name here with number of free spots so people can sign up. People without tents please contact the owner of the tent you sign up for.
- Liam’s tent (2 spots)
- Liam
- Ryan Stelzer
- Ignacio’s tent (2 spots)
- Ignacio
- Andrew
- Doris' tent (2 spots)
- Doris
- Angela
Stoves
This space is for people to organize food and stove groups.
- Doris’ stove (for ? people) + pot + fuel + Sidekicks for 1 (mmm)
- Doris