Winter Travel

The weather changes very quickly around here, and I've been caught in the snow at times when I certainly didn't expect to be. I once threw a snowball in Sun Valley, ID on the 6th of June! Planning to take a few extra items into the backcountry with you can make your trip safer, and more enjoyable, if winter weather unexpectedly delays your travels.

Before your next winter road trip, consider adding these items to the safety equipment that is already in your car: A 24-hour supply of food and water; MRE's are an easy and affordable way to do this, and they are now available in most sporting goods stores; Extra Clothing, including rain gear, hat and gloves, and a sweater or coat; Flashlight, with extra batteries and bulb; Or even better, one of the new flashlights that operate without batteries; Matches (or other fire starter) in a waterproof container; First Aid Kit, including any personal use items such as toilet paper, feminine products, or prescription medications; Signaling devices such as a mirror, and a whistle; Your road flares also make for good signaling devices; A Blanket or Sleeping Bag; A candle; And a small snow shovel.

If you are hiking into the backcountry, or even if you are out hunting for an afternoon just a mile or two from your truck, you’ll want to carry these items in addition to all of the equipment you added to your car above. A compass; a tarp, sleeping pad or bivouac sack; 1/8-inch nylon “parachute” cord; a pocket knife; a backpack to carry all this stuff in; and a way to communicate with the outside world. A “ham” radio is the best way, and the test to get your license is very easy since the Morse code requirement was dropped for entry-level operators. GMRS Radios are a popular alternative, but they are actually more expensive, and they don’t offer near the security of a good ham radio.

It's not enough to simply carry all this stuff; you also need to know how each one might be used to save your life if an unexpected survival situation should occur. Taking a survival class from your local Search & Rescue organization will teach how to use all of the survival tools that I've mentioned above, and they'll almost certainly have some other ideas for you about what else to carry, and what might be of the most use to you in your neck of the woods.