Cold Weather Bug-Out Survival Lessons

[moonwhimcaptain of 1,000]

Cold Weather Bug-Out Survival Lessons
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Brandon Smith
http://www.alt-market.com/articles/660- ... al-lessons

One of the fantastic advantages of living in what James Wesley, Rawles often refers to as the American Redoubt is the ample opportunity for full-spectrum training in some of the roughest terrain in the United States. In the Flathead Valley of Montana in particular, preppers and survivalists abound, with the organizational help of Stewart Rhodes and Oath Keepers, Chuck Baldwin and Liberty Fellowship, and my own Montana Safe Haven Project, liberty minded residents here are surrounded by an atmosphere of independence and self reliance. If you want to completely immerse yourself in the survivalist dynamic, this is one of the best places to do it.

Spring is now breaking through the winter snows, and soon even more training will be possible, but during the icy months I did get an opportunity to engage in some hands-on practice with a team of people in what I feel is probably the WORST possible scenario for the prepper; the cold weather bug-out.

The bug-out strategy in general is for all intents and purposes a last ditch effort at survival. It is used only when a collapse is at its apex, your homestead is under siege or at risk of being overrun, or when your secondary retreat location is compromised and unsafe. During wintertime, the danger is increased tenfold by multiple factors, including:

Limited Mobility: There are ways around it, but usually snow and ice make bugging out, especially on foot, a real headache.

Limited Food Sources: Is wild food still available? Yes. But nowhere near as easy to gather than in warmer seasons. Without intense preparation for a winter bug out, you will starve.

Warmth Dominates Time: In a rushed escape into back country during winter, the desire to stay warm will rule over almost every decision you make, and can eat up precious hours of the day better spent gathering food and planning a defense. It is a distraction you cannot afford.

Fire Building Frustrations: In the event that you are lucky enough to not have to worry about light discipline, snow covered forests can still make fire building an exhaustive affair. With wet or buried tinder, rock solid frozen ground, and difficult mobility, just putting together an adequate blaze could be maddening. After your fire is started, keeping it fed through the night can lead to limited rest and eventual sleep deprivation.

Condensation: This is the arch nemesis of the survivalist in the middle of a winter bug-out. Forget wolves, bears, and hungry hordes of the unprepared roaming the hills; the incessant collection of water condensation on clothing, gear, and stocked tinder, is a heat depriving force to be reckoned with.

At bottom, the methods for bug-out training we use often in the spring, summer, and fall, just don’t cut it during the winter. In places like the Redoubt, they can be shockingly ineffective. Remember, if you find yourself in the middle of a winter bug-out, you have likely hit absolute rock bottom, but the pain can be eased or even nullified with heavy planning over the course of the next six months. I recommend every prepper take advantage of the planting season not only to build their gardens but to also set aside the following provisions, just in case…

Bug-Out-Bag Upgrade

The following is a list of items that made our lives easier (or would have made our lives easier) in the rugged backwoods of snow laden Montana. If you don’t have these tools in your BOB, get them!

Best Tinder: Searching tree wells for dead wood and tinder is all fine and good, but even then, much of what you collect will have soaked up at least some condensation. You need to pack tinder that burns extra hot, or extra long, to compensate for this. The most effective tinder we used included cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly, small firestarter bricks (pieces can be shaved off as needed), strike-a-fire tinder (tinder sticks that light like matches), and magnesium shavings (collect shavings into rolling paper and add a chunk of firestarter). Water proof matches and flint are a must, obviously.

Hand Axe: A good hatchet with a steel handle that is melded perfectly into the blade is a timesaver, and a life saver. Hand saws and wire saws are mostly a waste of energy.

High Grade Camp Knife: A fixed blade camp knife with a full tang along with a small knife sharpener is an absolute necessity. You will use it constantly, especially in the cold when making tinder is an uphill battle.

Waterproof Tarp: In rain or snow, your makeshift shelter will eventually start springing leaks unless you have a heavy duty trash bag or tarp overhead. Folded up, this item does not take up very much weight or space in your pack, and makes life in the woods so much more bearable.

Snow Gaiters: Even with the best waterproof boots, trudging through the snow tends to draw moisture into your pants and socks, and there is nothing worse than being stuck with wet socks in the middle of a cold bug-out. Snow Gaiters wrap around the top of your boots and bottom of your pants, providing extra protection against moisture.

Extra Socks: Most preppers have at least a couple pairs of wool socks in their pack. I recommend a minimum three pairs just to be sure.

Snow Shoes: Before heading out into the mountains for our cold weather survival training, we held an indoor class on essential items and strategies attended by a large number of people within the Liberty Movement community here in the valley. One of our primary focuses was winter mobility. Depending on the amount of snow and how compact it was, skis could be a fantastic tool for a cold weather bug out. Most of us, though, used snow shoes, which work adequately even when snow is iced over and compacted. Without snow shoes, we would have gone nowhere fast, and they are a must for any survivalist who may have to traverse icy terrain.

Biomass Stove: A “biomass stove” is just a fancy name for a portable camp stove that burns wood. For those taking a jaunt into the woods for the weekend, a Jetboil with its limited fuel canisters is fine. But for those facing a bug-out situation, a Bushbuddy or similar stove which uses fuel readily available everywhere is the correct choice. Biomass stoves also greatly reduce light and heat signatures over the use of an open fire, in case this is a concern (which it might be).

Thermal Blanket: A thermal blankets adds mere ounces to your pack and if used correctly, can help to maintain warmth consistency within your shelter. I recommend wrapping it around the inner roof of your lean-to, A-frame, or even your 4 season tent, allowing it to bounce your body heat and campfire heat back at you.

High Grade Sleeping Bag: This is perhaps the single most important item you could possibly have in your bug-out bag. More important than your knife, your compass, or even your gun. Without a sleep system rated for at least ten degrees below zero, your life after bug-out will be unmitigated hell. Even where light discipline is not an issue, keeping a fire going all night long is not fun, and destroys healthy sleep patterns. Where light discipline IS an issue, a winter bug-out is impossible without a solid sleeping bag. The primary trouble with sleep systems is the weight they tend to add to one’s pack. Spend the extra money. Get a higher end synthetic sleeping bag with lighter weight technology (some weigh only a few pounds), and a compression pack which will strap onto your BOB. Seriously folks, find the cash, and make it happen.

Plan Ahead

Bugging out without a destination (or several destinations) set up in advance is rubber-room crazy. During the warmer months this year, make it your mission to have your bug-out retreat locations squared away. Find multiple sites and take the extra time to set up each with care, while simultaneously maintaining camouflage and concealment techniques. Here are just a few suggestions that can help…

Set Up Shelter Before Hand: Make-shift shelters can do the job in a pinch, but setting up more permanent dwellings, from a lean-to or hut with all the fixens’, to a low profile cabin, is really the ideal. Survival sleep pits can be dug out while the ground is unfrozen and then covered for later use. At the very least, you can find and memorize the locations of the largest and best tree wells that can be used for expedient shelter.

Find A Water Source: Our training class chose a location that had a natural spring nearby, which was an excellent source of water. Find a stream, a spring, a well, a pond, anything, but find it well in advance of any threat of a bug-out. Set up your shelters nearby, but not too close, for better security. Make sure to bring a filtration system with you so that you can collect water on the way to your destination.

You Must Cache: The bug-out survivalist slogan should be “Cache Or Die!” Caching is truly that important, in winter even more so. Wild edibles are scarce during winter. And, snaring, trapping, and hunting are a gamble at best, at least in the first couple weeks as the prepper gets situated at his new retreat. Without several caches of food, tools, tinder, ammo, and even an extra sleeping bag, your bug-out may be short lived (and not in a good way). Imagine all the items that would ease your survival that are impossible to take with you on a bug out trek. How about a full sized ax? An extra .22 caliber rifle? Large quantities of ammo? A week’s worth of freeze dried foods? All of this and more could be waiting for you at caching sites surrounding your pre-chosen retreat if you make the extra effort now.

Build A Team: At Alt-Market, we push for people in the Liberty Movement to build communities first. The ultimate survival strategy is one that involves back-up economies, back-up trade skills, and a large number of participants working together to insulate their town, county, or state, from financial and social collapse. However, within these communities, there should be teams formed to deal with the possibility of the very worst such a disaster has to offer. Going it alone, especially during a bug-out, is a nightmare proposition.

Train A Guard Dog: During our excursions into the Montana wilderness, a great source of comfort was a large guard dog which a member of our team brought for protection. In Montana, wolves and bears are not a rarity; they are commonplace, and having the dog walking the perimeter of the camp allowed us to sleep without worry. This made me realize the incredible protection that these animals provide, even against would-be human intruders.

The common argument against guard dogs is that they can make noise and draw attention. But, with the right training, they will only make noise when you need them to make noise; to alert you to danger, or to ward off those who were hoping to use the element of surprise against you. Train your dog now for watch duty, and bring him with you if disaster rains down in your neighborhood. You’ll be glad you did…

There Is No Calamity, Only Lack Of Preparation

There is no such thing as a national or local catastrophe that cannot be survived as long as the intelligent prepper makes the right choices ahead of time. Cold weather training allowed those within our community here in the Montana Safe Haven to get a taste of the worst case scenario, make some mistakes, and learn from them quickly. The result is a stronger and more informed knowledge base to draw from, and a sense that the man next to you knows exactly what he is doing. I look at such training and preparation as a surefire investment. The advantages and dividends will undoubtedly outweigh the costs. For those who see the above suggestions as “paranoia”, all I can say is, they have missed the point.

Survivalists learn so that they do not have to fear. True preppers live in a state of tangible and sustainable calm. The ignorant live in a similar state as well, but only as long as the system they blindly believe in and embrace continues to give the appearance of functionality. Under the thin veneer of the skeptic and his happy-go-lucky lifestyle there exists the unconscious echo of dread and dead panic, ready to be unleashed at the first sign of abnormality. In crisis, they will fold and wimper, while the prepper goes on with his day as always…


You can contact Brandon Smith at: brandon@alt-market.com

[DrJonescaptain of 1,000]

Thanks for that, Moonwhim. This at the same site is something we have discussed a bit here, worth considering further IMO:

http://www.alt-market.com/safehaven/235 ... relocation

[Fairmindedcaptain of 1,000]

I've got my gear, but I still need to try using it in cold weather to get a real feel for it.

[uglypitbullcaptain of 1,000]

Love these lessons....been doing this stuff for a while too. The beauty of actually sharing all this knowledge is that someone always figures out a better way to do something, and everyone benefits from it. When I was 14, I (and some other kids) did a week long trip, deep into the woods (not by choice)...it was the most humbling experience ever. We were separated from each other and had no idea our fathers were always within a mile of us (watching of course), only given a small select amount of goods (matches, rope, fishing hooks, Scout manual, survival knife) and made do for a week.
I cant express how grateful I was for the know how I got in Scouts.

Does anyone know of a survivalist school in Utah? One that would teach you which wild plants and bugs are edible? I know these things for AZ, but am moving soon and would like to find something like this up there.

[jonesdecaptain of 1,000]

This article is interesting but they didn't mention the single best resource for winter bug-out: foam clothing. One company in Utah that offers this clothing is:

http://www.workwarm.com/

Another company that is a bit more established is (they call their foam insulation "Vaetrex"):

http://www.northernoutfitters.com/vaetrex/

This article mentions condensation, which is mostly a problem if your shell isn't breathable enough which is why both of the groups above use Versatech for their shell material.

With good foam clothing all you need is a supplemental sleeping bag (one that uses very breathable material!), and you really don't have to have a fire... which is important when you are trying to avoid notice.

This article represents pretty common approaches with lots of emphasis on fire and shelter building. If you're going to be prepared, bring along some good clothing so that you don't need a fire and your shelter is always on you.

[jonesdecaptain of 1,000]

There is a guy named Zak Baker who participates in this forum sometimes that sells gear and offers survival courses. His web site is at:

http://www.befoundalive.com/survival_school.html

Jim Phillips also offers frequent courses and seminars in Utah. His web site is here:

http://www.safeharboralliance.com/

[bobhenstracaptain of 1,000]

Love these lessons....been doing this stuff for a while too. The beauty of actually sharing all this knowledge is that someone always figures out a better way to do something, and everyone benefits from it. When I was 14, I (and some other kids) did a week long trip, deep into the woods (not by choice)...it was the most humbling experience ever. We were separated from each other and had no idea our fathers were always within a mile of us (watching of course), only given a small select amount of goods (matches, rope, fishing hooks, Scout manual, survival knife) and made do for a week.
I cant express how grateful I was for the know how I got in Scouts.

Does anyone know of a survivalist school in Utah? One that would teach you which wild plants and bugs are edible? I know these things for AZ, but am moving soon and would like to find something like this up there.

What a great experience for you to have, one whole week in the forest surviving! The forest does contain a lot of edible foods, many edible things like the sap from certain trees are very tasty, other trees, not so tasty! It was a lot of fun teaching my own kids survival techniques, it was also fun learning them from my own father, and a couple of 2 week survival courses I took while in the Air Force!

Were I of a much younger age I wouldn't mind teaching survival courses. But I discovered teaching "other peoples kids" was to big a challenge for me, they just didn't have the discipline my kids had. Adults were another matter, but few could take the time off necessary to learn well, they always had family concerns to worry about.

And while I do know a lot about survival, I also learned to not place myself in positions where I needed to use those techniques, that simple fact was the best lesson I learned, always be prepared, food, weapons, water, signaling devices etc. for the worst that may happen!

I often hunted or fished alone, other people simply did not have my drive when hunting or fishing, most actually ruined the experience, scaring the game being hunted. I was always more successful when alone. I did however hunt and fished with like minded people, people I knew, people I could count on knowing exactly where they were at, they always knew where I was at! Those kind of people are not hard to find, and are necessary to help find you if you run into trouble somewhere. I have found it best to hunt and fish the same general areas, getting to know the areas you wish to hunt, the streams or lakes you wish to fish. There's always more success when you have great knowledge of an area, that's why many guides are so successful.

The USAF Pilots survival manual is the very best book on outdoor survival you can buy, it's not expensive and can be found simply by googling. I suggest it!

Were I to pick the best type of area I would like to find myself in a survival situation, it would be a marsh. There's a lot more food and water in a marsh, than in the desert or the mountains. It just happens the cabin I live in is only three hundred yards away from a marsh, wonder how that happened???----But now I'm to stove up to even venture down there---Ah age, it's very overrated, getting old, I don't recommend it!

Bob

[Fairmindedcaptain of 1,000]

On the subject of surviving in a swamp, the 2nd season of "The Colony" featured a survival scenario within walking distance of the Bayou. Plenty of food right at their doorstep, but the Colonists were starving within a few weeks when their provided supply of food ran out, and a professional survivalist (I think a former Army Ranger) had to be sent in to help them.

It paints a somewhat troubling picture of what most people's situations would be in any sort of disaster.

[uglypitbullcaptain of 1,000]

Thanks for the info....both of you. I already know the wardrobe and some of my gear is going to have to change a bit

Bob,
I was 14...it was not an experience I cherished then, but certainly do now upon reflection. I have every intention of teaching my own children the same skills I have and hopefully they will endeavor to learn even more....and yes, fishing is almost always best done alone.

One thing I might mention is The Survival Handbook by DK Books. Its a Boy Scout manual on steroids and a good compilation of several survival methods in differing regions. I picked up a copy for everyone in my family when they had them at Costco for $11. An extra copy sits in the back of my truck just in case. Money well spent.

[bobhenstracaptain of 1,000]

Yeh Bud, but your going to need to memorize that book, and practice, practice, practice, even if it's over and over again in your mind, or on hikes with your kids! Otherwise it'll be like needing to read the first aid manual as the patient bleeds to death. When the time comes there won't be time----

Bob