Our snow survival preps - opinions?

[IGBT]

Hi all,

My wife and I just started snowmobiling last year. Our first trip out we had a rental unit breakdown about 25 miles from our truck but were able to double up on our Yamaha Rage and return. We then decided to get a second snowmobile (2011 Arctic Cat M8) and keep them well maintained.

This year as we wait for snow, we are getting together a kit that will allow us to survive 3 to 4 days stranded in the mountains, or hike out. We are 99% likely to only ride groomed trails, but I want to be very prepared and also get in practice for future trips. At first I was not going to get avy stuff, but reading more about it on here, I have just ordered two Backcountry Access Tracker 2 beacons and two Black Diamond Quickdraw 300 probes. We each carry a snow shovel already.

Here is our kit so far:

First aid kit: splint, ace bandanges, burn cream, antibiotic cream, butterfly bandage, assorted bandaids, assorted guaze pads, scissors, surgical clamp, pain killers, tape, antibiotic wipes, tweezers

Bivy tent with snow stakes

100 ft reflective cord

Bright orange ground tarp (8ft x 8ft)

Heavy duty foiled emergency blanket

Polartec polarweight base layers (sealed in bag)

Extra length wool socks (sealed in bag)

water purfication tablets

small kettle

esbit camp stove with six solid fuel tabs

three boxes waterproof matches

5 inch candle in glass jar (wrapped in bubblewrap and vacuum sealed)

two Bic lighters

six Cliff bars

three 3600 calorie Mainstay ration blocks (vacuum sealed)

four 20oz bottles water

two Maglite LED flashlights with four extra batteries

Garmin GPS

Cellphone with standalone GPS app. (oruxmap)

Compass

Paper topo map

two whistles

Duct tape

100 feet Amstel Blue 1/4" synthetic winch line (~8000 lb break strength, very low stretch)

12000 lb snatch block

two 6 foot tree saver 2 inch nylon straps

two SS shackles 4000 lb rated

FRS/GMRS radios

gas siphon bulb with hose

1.5 gallon extra fuel container

axe

knife

snowmobile tow straps

snowbungie

tool kit for both snowmobiles

extra belts and spark plugs

small can starting fluid

two snow shovels

two Backcountry Access Tracker 2 beacons

two Black Diamond Quickdraw 300 probes

edit: We also carry 2 pair of snowshoes

edit: Adding zip ties, toilet kit, electrical tape

Thinking about a ham radio, but haven't made up mind yet...

Well, that is about all I have put together so far. In addition we obviously wear full winter gear and helmets with bluetooth transcievers (hey, maybe these could also help in avalanche recovery!). If you notice anything glaring that I have forgotten, please post a reply. Thanks!

 

[thunder44]

I'm glad to hear you invested in Avy gear. Sometimes we get complacent and think we don't need all this stuff but you need to always be prepared.

Please think about taking your AST 1 course and pratice , practice with your beacons. Our group rides with the Tracker 2's and we pratice a lot with them. We find them very easy to use.

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

Wow, that is a very comprehensive list. How far out are you going that you need to plan for 4 days of survival? I would suggest adding a Spot or InReach unit to your list. That way you are capable of sending an SOS signal directly to search and rescue, or reach people back home if need be, even if you have not mobile service. If you are in a situation where you are stuck and in a survival situation, I would use this immediately, that way SAR should be able to get to you within a day, hopefully no longer than that. Nice to see people being prepared though.

 

[ferniesnow]

No offence implied nor intended but……….wow!

You are using a big toboggan to carry all of this stuff?

First question is why would you be out there stranded for 3-4 days? A SPOT for help should have you out the next day at the very most.

Unless you are riding the deep powder through the trees (off of the groomed trail a long ways), most of your gear is a little over kill, IMHO.

If you doo have to walk out and with two machines it is very unlikely, you could have some lightweight snowshoes. A little pruning saw is also a god send in most instances for making camp or a fire. Not that the axe isn't good as I have used mine on many occasions but a good saw (not the one in the shovel handle) is a blessing.

There are a lot of situations, medical situations, where an overnight may be necessary (broken legs, back, etc.) and a S&R team is required. People need to know where you are or where you were going and when you planned on being back. SPOT is wonderful. My cell phone is useless in most of our riding areas!

 

[CUSO]

Ya, that's a little overkill for survival gear.
Bivy tent? and a tarp. and a foil blanket? I have one of those small 4 x 6 tarps that is foil on one side and red on another, folds up to the size of a magazine.

 

[IGBT]

Ah yes, I forgot we also do have snowshoes...I will add that to our list.

I want to be able to self rescue in most situations. I don't want to be pressing the SPOT when all we have to do is walk 10 to 15 miles to the truck after camping overnight. That being said, a SPOT might be a decent thing to get....will think about it.

We have really compacted this stuff...it is no more than about 25 extra pounds, split up between the two machines. I have a rear rack mounted on the AC M8 and saddlebags mounted on the Yammy Rage. We do have a sled we can pull, but I only plan to use that when we want to snow camp with a big 4 season tent.

I know we are not likely to need 4 days survival gear here in WA state, but we are moving to Alaska in a few years and I want to practice survival as much as possible. It is also kind of fun being prepared for the worst even if it doesn't happen.

 

[knee deep in it]

a lot depends on where you plan to sled. Being newcomers to the sport, I would avoid remote backcountry trips. If you stay in the more popular areas, an overnight is pretty much a worse case scenario. A Spot would reduce a lot of your concerns as well.

If you are headed to the far back country, your supply list would be appropriate.

 

[barefooter]

Actually doesn't look that unreasonable. I would ditch tarp - just have an orange survival blanket apiece. As Ferniesnow says - ditch axe, and just a pruning saw is great. You won't be splitting wood on an overnight.

Winch line and snatch block., etc. are likely overkill. If you can't dig er out and use the snowbungie - you are usually hooped without help. I have tried a snowbungie with a snatch - and it is cumbersome.

That is a lot of electronics. Get a Rino GPS with radio and a Spot or a sat phone. Keep it warm and you are usually ok.

Ditch the knife and get a Leatherman tool for your pack.

 

[IGBT]

Actually doesn't look that unreasonable. I would ditch tarp - just have an orange survival blanket apiece. As Ferniesnow says - ditch axe, and just a pruning saw is great. You won't be splitting wood on an overnight.

Winch line and snatch block., etc. are likely overkill. If you can't dig er out and use the snowbungie - you are usually hooped without help. I have tried a snowbungie with a snatch - and it is cumbersome.

That is a lot of electronics. Get a Rino GPS with radio and a Spot or a sat phone. Keep it warm and you are usually ok.

Ditch the knife and get a Leatherman tool for your pack.

The knife was part of a leatherman tool

Good point on the axe. My snow shovel does have a pull out pruning saw as part of the handle...maybe would be enough and save a few pounds.

The winch line is new high tech stuff and is really light. My thinking was if a machine became disabled off the trail and we were unhurt, that it would be nice to be able to get it back on trail so we could tow it home. The snatch block allows the working snowmobile to pull from another direction, or if mounted to the disabled snowmobile, gives you 2x the pulling power. I figure also the winch line could be used in some other situation (say one of you goes over an edge and needs a secure line so they don't fall more...something like that).

I am looking at the Spot and seeing not great reviews on REI. What are the other options? Personal Locater Beacons and Sat phones?

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

What are the other options? Personal Locater Beacons and Sat phones?

InReach...

 

[~Rowdy~]

InReach...

I'm currently looking at the InReach. Worth it?!

 

[Wilk INStheWEST]

I'm currently looking at the InReach. Worth it?!

I'm looking at it as well. I was just putting it out there as another option from Spot. I think InReach will be on my Christmas list this year.

 

[~Rowdy~]

I'm looking at it as well. I was just putting it out there as another option from Spot. I think InReach will be on my Christmas list this year.

I'm just having a hard time with the cost and the monthly fee. But there is that $75 rebate at the moment. I can't put it on the xmas list did a $20 limit to make gifts creative...damn. lol

 

[Iron Horse Racing]

Here's what we carry, I do carry water for the day only, and carry a water filter in the summer and a pot and single burner pack packing stove in the winter, if we need more water....

Our survival gear and ration's stay's in our avalachne back pack, and the sled carries the days food and water along with things like tow straps, snatch block, saw and axe....

First aid kit Flares hand warmers space blankets small emergency tarp candle fire starter Tin foil Matches Toilet paper Flash light Crank type Compass chain saw in a can Duct and electrical tape Knife or Leatherman 2 – Carabineer’s rope Wire Whistle Lighter and safety matches Tie wraps Bags for feet Hose clamps Extra bungee cords Medicine sunglasses spare gloves spare socks Mini Vise Grips Signal Mirror Pot with back packing stove and fuel Can of sterno

Freeze Dried Food pack Power aid Crystals energy drink trail mix water(water tabs, water filter) Beef jerky Cup o soup power bars hot Choc Misc items for sledding and Quadding spare goggles batteries GPS Thermos’s Shovel Probe Fuel line/ Tow rope Ratchet straps 2 way radio 6’ siphon hose

 

[XP Braap]

i would also add duct tape and toilet paper, you never know but they do come in handy, especially the tp if you gotta go. A buddy of mine crashed his cat in the trees and the duct tape held the airbox and front end together to get it back to the truck. And also a few zip ties come in handy sometimes. For the cat we used it to McGyver the throttle which also broke in the trees

 

[IGBT]

Thanks for your extensive list Iron Horse, that will help and is nice to see some commonality.

We do carry Duct Tape (it was on the list under whistle) and also carry a toilet kit (just a shovel, TP, and some hand wipes). I really hate to do more than make yellow snow if a composting outhouse is nearby, but when you gotta go you gotta go.

Zip ties = good. I also am adding some electrical tape to the list (although Duct tape works here too).

 

[ferniesnow]

…... My snow shovel does have a pull out pruning saw as part of the handle...

IGBT, that saw in the handle of an avy shovel is a saw for cutting snow blocks for testing snow stability. It won't last very long cutting trees for firewood for an overnighter! That's the last thing you would want to break!

By a pruning saw, I mean a Gerber, Stihl, or one of those cheap Couglans that most sporting goods stores sell or even find them at the big box stores. I have gotten rid of the ones with the folding handles as they also seem to break when least expected or when you really need them.

 

[IGBT]

IGBT, that saw in the handle of an avy shovel is a saw for cutting snow blocks for testing snow stability. It won't last very long cutting trees for firewood for an overnighter! That's the last thing you would want to break!

By a pruning saw, I mean a Gerber, Stihl, or one of those cheap Couglans that most sporting goods stores sell or even find them at the big box stores. I have gotten rid of the ones with the folding handles as they also seem to break when least expected or when you really need them.

Ok, I am embarrassed. When I got the shovel I thought "Neat, a saw for cutting wood". LOL

 

[ferniesnow]

As Ferniesnow says - ditch axe,

I didn't say ditch the axe as I have found a lot of uses for that little beast. I did say a good pruning saw and stand by that.

The axe has helped with stubborn bolts, removing ice in the tunnel, cutting the ice in an avy debris pile to make a flat trail (sometimes those shovels won't cut it…..), to fight off rouge moose….just kidding on that one!

 

[BC Sno-Ghost]

Man, I thought I carried a lot of stuff...that's a huge list but good for you for being prepared! Too many riders out there aren't. I'd recommend a set of FRS radios. The wife and I carry them. We don't have them on all the time but we turn them on if I'm going ahead to check out an area that I'm not sure of or if we get separated. Range isn't always great but they certainly have helped us out quite a few times. Be sure to carry fire starter packets and a couple of lighters on you, not just in your sled. IMO fire is your #1 priority and not that easy to get going in the winter.