Well this morning brings winter upon us once again. Although if you where to look at the ole temperature gauge and then just head out the door, you would be in for a little shock. The wind is howling and you can feel the change in the air. Are you ready?
We often take our lives into our hand without even realizing we are this time of year. A simple trip across town, or into a even slightly remote area this time of year can have deadly results. Doing the research I do for the radio show each week and receiving the new wire updates and new release I do, I hear all to often of the trip gone bad. An innocent outing that "unexpectedly" goes wrong.
I think the first thing that happens wrong often is "unexpected". Should we ever take the chance that many often do to seek the experience in the outdoors we love and crave so much? My opinion, heck yes! I am not a person to just throw caution to the wind and go off half cocked, but I am also not apt to just sit on the couch and let the World roll by. I feel there are many thing we can do to take much of the "unexpected", out of our outdoor adventures.
There are many sensible and prudent precautions we can take before taking on back country adventure.
I think first and foremost, prepare for the unexpected!
- I NEVER leave my home without some type of medical/survival kit packed somewhere among my gear. Even if I am going out for a little exercise in my home town. I simple kit packed in a fanny pack or light weight hydration pack is a MUST!
Pack enough to make it through one night, with a NOT MATTER WHAT COULD HAPPEN mentality being your motivator when building this kit. (I will be following up this post with some resources, links to article and making additional posts in the future with tips and techniques I use so stick around!)
Pack this kit adequately. If you are around town or in your car, speaking of your car.. which should have it's own kit packed and stored in your vehicle as a permanent addition just like your spare tire, we have all heard the horror stories of a person on a local drive ending up in an extreme situation of survival. If you are heading out for a day trip into the back country, pack for the trip. Make sure you have the essentials to SURVIVE THE UNEXPECTED! A simple fall or slip on a slippery rock can change your entire "expected" plans. PACK FOR IT!
- Build your confidence that you will survive the unexpected by maintaining the mental state that, YOU NEED TO REMAIN CALM AND YOU WILL SURVIVE! Preparing mentally by doing simple things like preparing a survival situation kit, will prepare you to think about the possibility the the unexpected may happen.
Make sure you have a plan before you go. This means mentally prepare, let other people know about your plans, even if it is just a friend or family member, make sure someone is in contact with you, or checking up on you occasionally. No one wants someone looking over their shoulder and always asking "where you going?", but think about it... Heading out for an adventure and not letting SOMEONE know when you should be back, where you are going, and letting them know if your plans change, could make the difference between maybe hours or days before some looks for you if the unexpected survival situation HAPPENS!
More coming soon!
Resources to get you started:
Seven Primitive Survival Shelters That Could Save Your Life
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