Emergency Shelters

 
By Peter Kummerfeldt
 
Based on what we read there should always be a convenient hollow tree, rocky overhang or cave a person in trouble could use for shelter. It’s strange how when you are not in trouble any number of suitable shelters can be found but when you really need one – they are in short supply. Murphy’s Law I guess!
 
I have always believed that if you are going to need a shelter you had better have the materials with you to build it! I also believe that it is impossible for the typical survivor to build a waterproof, wind proof shelter from natural materials!

To read the rest of the post go here.

GPS Set-up - Using the Right Coordinates



A good friend has given you the coordinates to his favorite fishing spot at Elk Lake. He was genuinely excited and pleased to give you this treasured location. Now you can enter this information into you GPS and you will be all set.

Well maybe not.

 

A GPS is a very versatile backcountry computer and satellite receiver.  Today’s receiver can be taken anywhere around the world and when setup properly will provide accurate position information.  Coordinate information can be uploaded/downloaded to a PC and edited.  It is the setup process that our fisherman needs to be aware of.

To read the complete post go here.

Signalling Your Rescuers

When you are lost in the backcountry it is essential that the hiker be able to signal to the searchers.  There are many ways to do this.  Consider a signal mirror.  They are compact and their flash (reflection) can be seen from a long distance.

Check out Peter Kummerfeldt's short video on signalling with a mirror here.

The Myths Surrounding Search and Rescue

This is such a timely piece about Search and Rescue that I thought it time to post it again.  The site listed below is top notch and full of wonderful posts/articles.

This is a fine article from http://seattlebackpackersmagazine.com/ about the myths associated with Search and Rescue teams.

by Erika Klimecky

 So now you know who they are. They are the people that the news stations refer to when “a search is underway”. They are the teams that roll out of bed at all hours and go out into the back-country to find missing or lost people. They find evidence, follow tracks and bring people out of the wilderness and back to safety. But there is still a lot of confusion and questions about how Search and Rescue operates. So let’s straighten that out a bit.

Let’s debunk some myths about search and rescue.

To read the rest of the post go to here.

Your Escape Route

When hiking in the backcountry do you plan an escape route?  It could be invaluable.

I wrote this post in the fall of 2012 during a particularly nasty forest fire.  

It was a time of extreme dry weather and the forest was a tinderbox waiting to ignite.

This fire was first observed about 6:30 AM by residents of a small town near the actual fire.  Sadly, this information was not relayed to the agency responsible for fighting the fire.  By around 11:00AM teams were being dispatched to the scene and assets were being organized.

There were several groups in the backcountry.  Going back to their originating trail head was not an option, they needed to escape.

 
For the last several days I have been working with my Search and Rescue (SAR) team on a forest fire in the Pacific Northwest. The team has helped to coordinate the potential evacuation of a small community and has worked with Forest Service staff to assist stranded hikers. Getting these hikers out safely has been a priority.

To read the rest of the post go here.


REI's Early Sale

REI is now selling the Garmin 62S for $199.  Great price.  The 62S was $350 when I bought mine last summer.

This is a fine GPS.

View the REI's web page here.

Customizing Your GPS

The following post is by my friend and fellow SAR team member Dan about setting up your GPS.

Like most consumer electronics nowadays, GPS Receivers (commonly just referred to as “GPS”) come out of the box with many more features than the average (or even “above-average”) user will ever need/want/use. The good news is that with a bit of patience, most GPS units can be customized to simplify the display of information, make the interface more user-friendly and optimize the use of your device. In this post, we’ll explore how to accomplish these goals and discuss what this means for your experience when in the field.

The Garmin eTrex series (10, 20, and 30) is one of the most popular GPS units for backcountry navigation due to its (relatively) low price, small size and reliable performance. The examples in this post are all from a Garmin eTrex 30, so for those of you non-eTrex users (or non-Garmin users), you may be wondering if you should bother to read on…the answer is “YES!” Although the screen captures and instructions here will only cover eTrex options, almost all GPS units allow for some kind of user customization. So even though your display, menus, etc. may not be exactly the same as what’s presented here, most of the ideas and concepts should be transferable to your GPS. Additionally, this will be a great way for you to familiarize yourself with your GPS interface and the various options supported by your device’s software.

To view Dan's complete post go here.