12 Real Survival Tragedies You Have To Know!
Here are ’12 real survival tragedies you have to know’ so you can AVOID them in the first place and better plan your next outdoor adventure. OK, let’s get started.
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- Colorado Survival Tragedy
- Alaskan Survival Tragedy-He Was Clueless And Asking For It And He Got It
- Memorial Day Blizzard Tragedy
- Ice Cold Water Survival
- Impossible Of Impossible Water Survival
- Near Desert Survival Tragedy – Getting Cooked To Death
- Cold Water Diving Reflex
- 02 Very Experienced Hunters Froze To Death But They Were Literally Standing On Their Lifesaver
- Against All Odds Back From A Frozen Death, Real People Real Survival
- Hypothermic Death Sleep
- One In A Billion Frozen Death Survival
- Deadly Suffocating Snow Avalanches
NOTE: The names of the Colorado hikers are not given to show respect for their family & friends untimely losses and to protect their privacy.–
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Colorado Survival Tragedy: On 25 April 1998 (Saturday) – noon, a father, his son, and his son’s friend went on a simple hike on Tanner Trail approximately 05-miles south of Canon City, Colorado. The father-27, son-11, and his friend-10, ventured out on a pleasant Saturday. They were reported wearing shorts and t-shirts. Besides their clothing, they may have had a backpack and 01 extra sweatshirt. The temperatures were reported “warm” during their Saturday hike but dipped to freezing temperatures at night.
First Time I Ever Felt Humidity!: Let me pause here real quick. Colorado humidity is low compared to other regions of the United States. In other words the more humidity, the more you’ll really feel the temperatures (cold or hot). When I entered the Army (June 73), I eventually landed in Fort Polk, Louisiana where the humidity is high. I was getting off that air-conditioned airplane, when I stepped off the plane and for the 1st time in my life I actually felt high humidity. I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH ME! From that second and 02-months later, I wanted somebody to shoot me! I was sweating 24-hours a day and back then I was a scrawny 115 pounds! Those same temperatures in Colorado were nothing to me cause there was hardly any humidity. And during winter months at Fort Bragg, NC – the temperatures also hurt me more than I expected because there was more humidity in the air. That humidity added more EXPOSURE, MORE HURT, and more of a threat to my body! I wasn’t used to it. Heck, I never got used to it after 20-years in the service!
Here’s my point, those 03 hikers went out on a pleasant daytime hike and they planned their hike on that pleasantness! Their 1st mistake! Through my research, I FOUND ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE OF ANY SURVIVAL PREPAREDNESS – keep reading. OK, let’s get back to the Colorado Survival Tragedy.
That Saturday (25 April 1998), the man and 02 boys were only going on a short hike and return that same day because they had a baseball game to attend that Saturday night. A simple hike that should have lasted just a few hours. Two cross-country motorcyclists stated they saw the 03 hikers showing no distress at approximately 1430 hours (2:30pm) that afternoon near Old Glory Hole Mine shaft. At that time of the year it gets dark about 1951 hours (7:51pm).
And no doubt the temperatures would make a good drop by then to approximately 56 degrees Fahrenheit and continue to drop to almost freezing temperatures (mid 30s) that night.
Overcome With FEAR & PANIC!
According to reports, the father made a warming fire for the boys and went to look for help. The Tanner Peak and Tanner Trail are approximately 05-miles southwest of Canon City, Colorado. However, there is a road called Old Creek Grade Road that runs approximately north-south and is east of the entire Tanner Peak and Tanner Trail area. This would be a good Go To Sh!+ Plan in case one is lost. You can’t help but run into it. Then when you get on it, just go north to Canon City.
No, I’m not being harsh on those poor souls, just WANT YOU TO LEARN FROM THEIR DEADLY MISTAKES! Anyway, the father left the boys at the warming fire and instead of heading towards Canon City for help, he headed the opposite direction into the mountains. Now remember it gets dark at approximately 1951 hours. Nobody knows what time he took off but that doesn’t matter.
In my humble opinion, just from the reports, the father was already overcome with FEAR & PANIC (02 Greatest Enemies of Survival) because his thinking was illogical. His #1 concern was and is for the boys. But he chose to leave the youngsters at the warming fire and chose to venture into the wilderness with darkness approaching looking for help.
Folks, again I’m not being harsh on the father, but 10 & 11 year old boys are not mature enough nor experienced enough to be left on their own in the middle of the woods. If they were, they would have STOPPED the father from leaving them and better yet, had a better plan for their adventure. As an adult you DO NOT LEAVE youngsters in the woods alone to fend for themselves – NEVER! Heck, he started out great by building that warming fire (more on this later). Now if there were 02 adults – maybe – 01 could go for help & another “well-thinking” adult stays with the youngsters.
In my humble opinion, the adult took off after dark because he headed off in the wrong direction. If he took off prior to sunset (sun sets in the west) he would obviously know west from east and north from south. The cold may have affected his decision-making (leaving boys behind) but I doubt he would have still headed deeper into the wilderness.
27 April 1998 (Monday) – 0230 hours (2:30am), local police searched the park area off the Tanner Trail & Tanner Peak areas. Local law enforcement and rescue volunteers searched the rugged terrain. Upon getting to a higher elevation, the searchers ran into 01-foot of snow.
That afternoon, more searchers from the US Forest Service joined the search. Also, special mine personnel searched the Old Glory Hole Mine shaft where the 03 were seen on Saturday (25 April) at 1430 hours. At this time, approximately 24 were involved in the search.
The search was suspended because of darkness. Local police searched the car the 03 were travelling in, it was parked at the trailhead of Tanner trail. They found a coat, a lighter, and some cigarettes. Again, it was reported that the 03 were hiking wearing only shorts and t-shirts.
28 April 1998 (Tuesday), the search party increased to 100. The Department of Corrections horse teams, as well as the US Military from Fort Carson with their 02 Blackhawk helicopters complimented the search. They wanted to refocus on the Old Glory Hole Mine shaft, this time they had thermal imaging equipment that would pick-up their body heat. One authority knowing about their light clothing and the day & night temperatures stated “But if they were huddling together to keep each other warm, they could do just fine. One of them may have had a sweatshirt and they may have a day pack, so those are good signs.” Obviously, he hasn’t been outside in a t-shirt and shorts in almost freezing temperatures. Whether he was being nice about the situation or just plain ignorant – huddling together in t-shirts & shorts isn’t “fine”!
The searchers had a very difficult time picking up any clues of where the 03 were going or where they’ve been. Even the dogs had no luck picking up any scents. Even the military from Fort Carson in their Blackhawk helicopters picked-up no signs of the lost 03. One even had a private citizen aboard using thermal imaging to pick up their body heat. The search area was now spread over 21 square miles.
For a search party of 100, that’s a lot of territory even though it lacked thick forested vegetation – it had rugged, steep terrain.
29 April 1998 (Wednesday), the search party grew to 150. Authorities had high hopes to find the missing adult and 02 boys. Another Blackhawk helicopter joined the search making it 03. 02 Civil Air Patrol airplanes joined complimenting the search. The thorough search of the Old Glory Hole Mine shaft (28 April) using imaging equipment revealed they were not located there.
The special personnel that searched that empty mine, continued their efforts searching other mines in the area. The search area spread north of Tanner Peak into Grape Creek and Temple Canyon. Later that day, some searchers finally found their campsite approximately 03-miles south of Tanners Peak, but the 03 missing hikers were nowhere to be found. At least now they had an area to focus their search – a specific area instead of 200 square miles.
30 April 1998 (Thursday), the search party now had some tangible clues-a specific are to focus on. Approximately 1600 hours (4pm) searchers with dogs found the 02 boys. There were 700 yards northeast from their campsite in thick vegetation, laying aside each other about 02-feet apart. Earlier reports had them wearing t-shirts and shorts. They were found wearing light jackets and pants with backpacks nearby (pants & light jackets in packs).
Initial reports stated the 02 boys died from exposure and hypothermia approximately the evening of 25 April (Saturday) or early 26 April (Sunday).
But where was the father? They searchers found the 02 boys but had no sign of where the father was. The searchers concluded that the father was not in the immediate area. There was no evidence of any crime but an “All Points Bulletin” went nationwide in search of the father.
01 May 1998 (Friday), the search party was reduced to approximately 25, but the search for the father continued. The small search party included Department of Corrections trackers, Custer County Search teams and dogs, Air Force patrols, and Fremont County Search & Rescue.
02 May 1998 (Saturday), the search for the father was officially called off but a few volunteers continued.
25 May 1998 (Sunday), approximately 1430 hours (2:30pm), the body of the father was finally found. A lone searcher on horseback (ex Green Beret) found a pack with a wallet that identified the missing father. A short 10-minutes later, the horseback rider found a body. The body of the father was located approximately 02 miles east of where the boys were found. The fathers body was found in a creek at the head of a waterfall. It appeared the body was partly covered in snow.
It turns out the search party came within 02-hundred yards of the father’s body, but due to terrain, vegetation and snow (camouflage), they missed it.
The authorities figured the 03 hikers went on their hike on Tanner Trail traveling upward toward Tanners Peak when it started snowing. They stopped and made camp – warming fire. As a matter of fact 02 fires were found. They may have wandered quite a distance meaning they were wet with perspiration meaning that’s a GREAT INVITATION FOR HYPOTHERMIA!
They probably tried to beat the snow storm and tried to take a shortcut and got off the trail which had them wandering lost. All were found a good distance off the trail. That night the temperatures were estimated to be in the teens (way below freezing)! The father probably left the 02 boys to get help and wandered off in the wrong direction away from Canon City and deeper in the steep terrain that had a blanket of 01 foot of snow.
And that terrain, the cold temperatures, being sweaty, wet, and being lost caught up to him. It’s strange that he wandered off in the wrong direction. This tells me he left the boys AFTER the sun went down because if he left during daylight hours, EVERYBODY knows the sun sets in the west. This would give him a positive bearing. But like I’ve ALWAYS told you, NEVER, NEVER go wandering at night unless it’s a very well planned operation. Go static 02-hours before sunset!
Meanwhile both boys for some reason left the camp – warming fire and were found approximately 700 yards northeast in the woods. The father in-search of help ended up 02-miles east of the boys location. It turns out he was being trailed by a large bear but lucky for him the bear lost interest and veered off! Medical examiners concluded that the 02 boys and the father all died about the same time from exposure – hypothermia late Saturday (25 April 1998) or early Sunday (26 April 1998). The man on horseback called the father a hero cause he went to get help. Not taking away from this – I’m sure you’d rather be a LIVE hero instead of a dead hero.
Could This Tragedy Be Avoided?
Without a doubt. I know 100% for a fact that this Colorado Tragedy could be AVOIDED in the 1st place or easily be remedied by using that acronym I keep telling you about – PRSC (Planning, Recon, Security, and Control). Using PRSC alone, this tragedy could have been AVOIDED from the very beginning. And we have the other life-saver – The 8 Elements of Survival (Fire, Water, Shelter, First-Aid, Signal, Food, Weapons, and Navigation) alone could have AVOIDED this tragedy. That acronym WET (Weather, Enemy, and Terrain) alone could have AVOIDED this tragedy! Remember I talked about fulfilling your Priorities of Work with respect to your venture whatever it is.
But when your outdoor venture is threatened, that venture is out the window and you are now in a survival situation. That PRSC is ALWAYS used throughout your outdoor venture threats or no threats.
NEVER NEVER NEVER underestimate the unforgiving wrath of Mother Nature and all She possesses! The father, his son, and son’s friend did not deserve their fate, but like I keep telling you, the wrath Mother Nature and all She Possesses is absolutely unforgiving. She doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, black or white, democrat or republican, a clueless novice or an outdoor expert! But for every 100 ways Mother Nature is trying to KILL YOU DEAD, She’s also trying to help you out 1,000 different ways! Plus you throw-in PRSC, 8 Elements of Survival, WET, and the Priorities of Work, you multiply your successful survival by 1,000 fold!
Anyway, it’s SO EASY to find faults with this tragedy, but those faults could have been identified by using:
- PRSC (Planning, Recon, Security and Control)
- 8 Elements Of Survival (Fire, Water, Shelter, First-Aid, Signal, Food, Weapons, and Navigation)
- WET (Weather, Enemy, Terrain)
- Priorities of Work
- Go to Sh!+ Plan
- Go to Sh!+ Azimuth
MOST IMPORTANT NOTE: If the father was one of my Survival subscribers and especially completed my Survival Course – “Basic & Advanced Navigation Workbook And Videos” he would have:
- Already had emergency gear packed away
- Went static that night in a warm tent and sleeping bags and
- Easily navigated to safety the next morning.
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SEE “Basic & Advanced Navigation Workbook And Videos!”
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Alaskan Survival Tragedy ‑ He Was “Clueless” ‑ Asking For It And He Got It!: Folks this next survival tragedy you’re about to read is about a young man that was absolutely “clueless” when it came to surviving in the wilderness and far worse, he had NO RESPECT for Mother Nature and all She possesses in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness. I hope you learn from this tragedy as well as all the other tragedies I’ve given you so far so you can AVOID their sure death mistakes.
On 27 April 1992, a young man named Alex wrote a postcard to his friend in the United States. The postcard came from Fairbanks, Alaska located in the Interior Region (northeast of Mount McKinley). Alex wrote: Greetings from Fairbanks! This is the last you shall hear from me Wayne. Arrived here 2 days ago. It was very difficult to catch rides in the Yukon Territory. But I finally got here. Please return all mail I receive to the sender. It might be a very long time before I return south. If this adventure proves fatal and you don’t hear from me again I want you to know you’re a great man. I now walk into the wild. Alex
This postcard told me young Alex knew he might be biting off more than he could chew (“If this adventure proves fatal and you don’t hear from me again”) yet made no effort to “counter the threats.” To further prove this here’s his last contact with anyone while he was alive.
Approximately 04-miles north of Fairbanks, a trucker named Jim saw a young boy thumbing a ride. He pulled over to the side of the rode and picked a teenager about 18-years old by the name of Alex. As they drove northwest to the edge of Denali National Park (03-hour drive) Jim noticed Alex had a small .22 calbre rifle, a small calibre that was absolutely worthless against big game defense and killing but may kill only small game for meals.
His clothes were not the clothes designed to keep anyone warm in that climate especially at night and his footgear was not water-proof nor sturdy enough for the terrain. His small backpack weighed-in at 35-pounds max. Jim noticed the young boy talked about living off the land for several months without any outside support but all he knew was what berries to pick. The only food on him was a 10-pound bag of ice.
He had NO compass, NO detailed map of the area he was going to, NO tools for building shelters, NO snowshoes, NO insect repellent, NO supplies to sustain him, NO outside support element, he had no friends,…
Jim tried to explain to Alex that whatever he read about Alaska, its wilderness was not a land of plenty where food will come to you. He tried to explain to him about the swarms of mosquitos that will attack him from all sides at all hours of the day, the lack of food, the mighty rivers,… But Alex would hear nothing of it. He was determined to take-on Mother Nature and all She possesses.
LISTEN, do you know what Jim was just doing for Alex? He was doing part of that acronym – that formula I keep telling you about – PRSC (Planning, Recon, Security, and Control – see 1st Blog Post under Wilderness Survival). Jim was actually doing a Recon for him. He was telling Alex “what to expect” in the Alaskan wilderness but Alex didn’t listen.
That young man was not only “clueless” but he demonstrated by not listening to Jim that he had NO RESPECT for Mother Nature and all She possesses. Being “clueless” was his 1st mistake and his last mistake of his short life was having no respect for the Alaskan wilderness and Alex was about to take his Final Exam! A Final Exam he was not prepared to pass.
The Final Exam!
Hey there’s thing called suicide by cop where criminals get police to kill them. Well it sounds like this guy was doing a “suicide by Mother Nature.” Remember I told when you go outdoors: “Mother Nature and all She possesses is trying to kill you DEAD a hundred different ways, but She’s also trying to help you out 1,000 different ways.” Well it’s too bad he didn’t know either – he was absolutely “clueless!” Now let’s go over Alex’s Final Exam by Mother Nature and all She possesses.
Before dropping off Alex, Jim offered to drive Alex to Anchorage to buy him some gear, better gear than he had cause Jim knew Alex was asking for trouble, big trouble. But Alex denied his offer and said “I’ll be fine with what I got.” Yeah, he was fine alright.
28 April 1992, Jim dropped Alex off at the edge of Denali National Park. He was located at the intersection of Highway 03 and Stampede Trail. Stampede Trail was established back in the 1930s. Approximately 50-miles of Stampede Trail were improved but the thawing permafrost and flooding made the trail an abandoned effort. Alex hiked on this rarely used trail and off he went disappearing into the wilderness. Down the trail was an abandoned bus used by hunters.
06 September 1992, approximately halfway down the trail was an abandoned bus used by hunters. Three moose hunters were enroute to the bus in their trucks. They arrived at the bus to find two spooked hikers standing about 50-feet from the bus. The 03 hunters were curious. What’s wrong? One hunter bravely investigated and closed on the bus to be met by an awful smell. He looked into the bus and saw some .22 shells, a rifle, several paperback books, cooking utensils, backpack,…
In the back of the bus there was a sleeping bag on a makeshift bed and there was something in it. The hunter investigated further and found that there was a body inside the sleeping bag. Later another adventurer showed up and by chance an emergency medical technician. He advised that the body remain there and let the Alaskan State Troopers take care of it.
07 September 1992 – 0830 hours (8:30am), Alaskan State Troopers arrived by helicopter with a coroner. They made a real quick investigation then secured the body, and all equipment of the deceased. They also secured a note that was attached to the rear of the bus – an SOS note. The SOS note read: “S.O.S. I need your help. I am injured, near death, and too weak to hike out of here. I am alone, this is no joke. In the name of God, please remain to save me. I am out collecting berries close by and shall return this evening. Thank you, Chris ________. August?”
The body was taken to Anchorage to the Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory where an autopsy was performed. Chris’ (called himself Alex) body was badly decomposed. The coroner found no evidence of foul play. He did find that the body had no subcutaneous fat and the muscles withered significantly. The body weighed-in at only 67-pounds. The time of death was unknown.
The story of Chris’ death hit the news media. An article about his wilderness death was printed in Outside. This brought in a lot of mail. Many thought the boy was “mentally disturbed”. Here are some of those comments by Alaskan residents:
“Personally I see nothing positive at all about Chris _____ lifestyle or wilderness doctrine. Entering the wilderness purposely ill-prepared, and surviving a near-death experience does not make you a better human, it makes you damn lucky.”
“… was a kook, ______ has already gone over the edge and just happened to hit bottom in Alaska.”
“And while I feel for his parents, I have no sympathy for him. Such willful ignorance…amounts to disrespect for land, and paradoxically demonstrates the same sort of arrogance that resulted in the Exxon Valdez spill-just another case of underprepared, overconfident men bumbling around out there and screwing up because they lacked the requisite humility…”
As I stated in the title, that poor guy was ASKING FOR IT AND HE GOT IT. It wasn’t a sudden painful death with an angry critter, or a die in your sleep hypothermic death, or a struggling, choking, fighting for air drowning death, but it was a very slow starving weak death that he knew was coming. As the coroner stated Chris’ body had no subcutaneous fat and the muscles withered significantly. From Day 01 he knew he was in serious trouble.
Put Yourself In Chris’ Shoes!
Now put yourself in Chris’ shoes. Say you were ignorantly & foolishly planning the EXACT SAME THING till you got wise and got the survival program you have in front of you right now. WOULD YOU BE ALIVE OR DEAD?
You better use:
- PRSC (Planning, Recon, Security, and Control)
- WET (Weather, Enemy, and Terrain)
- 8 Elements of Survival (Fire, Water, Shelter, First-Aid, Signal, Food, Weapons, and Navigation)
- Priorities of Work (you just got on Stampede Trail, what is the 1st thing you want to do – what is your 1st objective, followed by several other objectives)
All these should tie into each other. And don’t forget your GO TO SH!+ PLAN when you gotta bail out! SEE the 1st Blog Post under Wilderness Survival.
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Memorial Day Blizzard Tragedy!
Memorial Day 1969 – Friday, the father James with his daughter Sharon-12, and son David-11, were setting out on a challenging hike -Washington’s State 14,410-foot Mount Rainier. The trio were headed to Camp Muir at 10,000-feet elevation. But today would be a challenge to save their lives. It was them against the wrath of Mother Nature – Mount Ranier and all it possesses (WET).
0800 hours (8am), the 03 adventurers started their way up the trail. The temperature was 38-degrees Fahrenheit with 10-feet of snow on the trail. That year (1968), Mount Ranier held the world record for snowfall in a single season – a record 93.5-feet.
Let me pause real quick. As I’ve told you before – mountainous regions have the potential to create their own weather without any warning! You know what’s about to happen don’t you?
The trio trekked their way up the trail. They warmed-up somewhat and discarded some of their outer garments. After an hour into their hike the trio took a brake eating hot soup and candy bars.
1200 hours, a 05-man group overtook the trio on the trail and warned them of a cloud cap (cloud build-up) over the top of the mountain. The trio decided to go forward to Camp Muir instead of returning to Paradise Inn where they started. The 05-man group veered off to a side trail. Despite the warning of the cloud cap, the weather was clear and pleasant at their location on the trail.
1400 hours (2pm), James spotted a thick cloud off another peak (Mount Adams). Just minutes later clouds hid the sun, winds came out of nowhere. James had Sharon & David donn their coats they removed earlier. They attempted to pick-up their pace for the trail markers were being covered by the snow kicked-up by the winds. At that time at Camp Muir, the temperature dropped to 22-degrees Fahrenheit with blinding blizzard winds. It was completely engulfed in a snow blizzard. They were under white-out conditions.
1530 hours (3:30pm), down the trail James, Sharon, and David were now engulfed in the same blizzard, the same white-out conditions. It was so bad the winds were estimated at hurricane force, the visibility was zero, they couldn’t move forward or back. James did the only thing they could do to survive the freezing blasts of snow – they started to dig in. They dug furiously. James and Sharon trampled down the snow, David dug with his mess kit. James was building wind blocks. They finally had a trench they could all fit into.
The problem was between the hiking and digging, they all sweated substantially especially the father James. James fought with the hurricane winds repeatedly to cover their snow shelter with a tarp. He was already suffering from hypothermia. His mental faculties and physical attributes were deteriorating. After finally covering the trench with his tarp, he had his children get in their sleeping bags but he was too deteriorated to get into his own sleeping bag. He just layed on top of it.
The trio fell asleep in their wet clothes (double BIG mistake). But by the mercy of God, they didn’t die in their sleep. In their sleep, James bravely shielded his children with his body. James sensing he might die, told his children “No matter what happens. Don’t leave this cave until the storm is over. The Rangers will come…”
Later they woke. Brave little Sharon knew her father was in bad shape (hypothermia) and volunteered to hike down the trail along with her brother David. Her father agreed but as they got to the surface the strong winds just blew them to the ground. The children returned to their sleeping bags.
31 May 1968 – Saturday, the trio were fighting for their lives. They were wet and exposed to 18-degree temperatures. The wife and mother of the trio was worried and didn’t hear from them so she drove to Paradise Inn. She asked the Rangers about her family. They had no knowledge of them.
1415 hours (2:15pm), Camp Muir finally checked-in by radio. Paradise Inn asked them if the trio were at Camp Muir. Camp Muir Rangers had no knowledge of their location. They had to be on the trail between Paradise Inn and Camp Muir. But due to the snow storm a rescue party could not be launched.
01 June 1968 – Sunday, the trio were literally frozen in place. Meanwhile at 0550 hours (5:50am), Tacoma Mountain Rescue Council launched a 6-man rescue team from Paradise Inn. Another 06-man rescue team was launched from Camp Muir. The search would be difficult because the snow was perfect camouflage. The rescuers were experienced and knew how to look for the most discreet sign of the survivors location.
The rescue party starting at Camp Muir spotted a dark color that didn’t match the surrounding area. It was one of the backpacks that held down the tarp that covered the trench. The rescuer went to the ground and peeked in the small aperture of the tarp. David looked up to him and said “We’ve been waiting two days for you to come.” Sharon and Dave gave their account of what happened to them. After a couple minutes they noticed their father James was not joining the conversation. James was dead. He used his body as a shield from the cold winds protecting his children.
James fell to killer hypothermia from the very beginning and deteriorated till his death. He sensed he was in serious trouble, yet he did what he could to save his 02 children.
Could This Tragedy Be Prevented?
First of all, you know what’s will kill you faster than cold temperatures? Cold WET temperatures. NEVER NEVER NEVER get in a sleeping bag wearing wet clothes – NEVER! Yes, I know what you’re thinking, it just isn’t right – they’re a family. They had at least 02 sleeping bags. Now back in them days, I doubt they had the high-tech bags they have today. They had three sleeping bags.
They should have used one (opened) for a ground cloth instead of laying on the bare snow. The children should have disrobed and got in one bag and the father (disrobed) in his sleeping bag. Yes, I know what you’re thinking – they’re family members! If they would have done this simple thing the father would have survived instead of being a dead hero! In a cold weather environment NEVER get in a sleeping bag wearing wet clothes – NEVER!
Don’t Believe Me?
Don’t believe me? Do this test. Get a large bowl and put a few dozen ice cubes in it. Put your hand in it for 30-seconds. Ah it’s cold – no big deal. Now add water to it till the ice cubes are swimming in the water. Wait a few minutes then put your hand in it for 30-seconds. It’s a lot colder isn’t it – it stings doesn’t it?
Cold will kill you but mix that cold with water and you’ll be dead a lot quicker! And it’s the same with humidity. Cold is a threat but a humid cold environment goes right through you and is a deadlier threat! Now let’s talk a bit on how we could AVOID this tragedy.
You already know about these formulas – PRSC, WET, 8 Elements of Survival, Priorities of Work. Using PRSC alone could have saved James’ life and likewise with WET, 8 Elements Of Survival, Priorities of Work, and Go To Sh!+ Plan.
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Ice Cold Water Survival!: On Sunday 26 November 1972 a family of 06 was returning to their Twin Falls Idaho home from a satisfying Thanksgiving Holiday. At approximately 2145 hours (9:45pm), the car with their sleeping occupants was closing in on their home. The mother driving down the 02-lane road crossed a small bridge over Shoshone Creek. The car hit “black ice” a very slick icy spot in the road and the car went into a skid. The husband immediately woke-up to the uncontrolled car. He grabbed the wheel and the car went off the road and headed down into the freezing cold Shoshone Creek.
The outside killer air temperature that night was 10-degrees below zero with a 45mph wind! The car with the 02 parents and 04 children from ages 08 years to 22-months took a nose dive towards the creek, it hit a rock and flipped over eventually sinking into the 34-foot deep creek. All 06 were now enveloped in killer cold water but it immediately began entering the car.
The husband was initially knocked-out cold when the car hit the rock before flipping. He awoke to the screams of the his wife and children. The water was rapidly rising and everyone screamed in panic. Half-dazed the husband began swallowing water – he accepted his cold death till the screaming of his children gave him the WILL TO LIVE and set him in action to save his childrens lives.
The husband went into action accounting for everyone and trying to get them to a small pocket of air even though the children complained of the bitterly cold water and it was pitch black in the car under 30-feet of water. He accounted for everybody but his wife – where was his wife?
The husband finally got the door to open and launched himself to the surface. At the surface he saw his wife on the bank. It turns out she escaped earlier and made repeated dives to free her family but failed. She wanted to get help till her husband called out to her.
Then the husband repeatedly went into the bitterly cold water and retrieved his 04 children and handed them off to his wife. They all survived their coffin underwater death but like I said in the last story (Missouri Survival Tragedy) mix cold temperatures with water and you got some serious trouble. The 06 family members were now suffering from hypothermia due to exposure and their conditions were deteriorating rapidly. They all started moving, any movement to keep from freezing. They clapped their hands, stomped their feet, anything to keep warm. The father had to get help.
The father again crossed the creek to climb the bank and stop any traffic on the bridge. He barely got to the bridge but saw no traffic. Waiting there, he saw headlights off at a distance and they closed on his position. He started jumping and waving his arms and hands as the small car closed. Closer it came and closer till it passed him and kept going. The husband’s condition was deteriorating – he started crying. He saw the red tail lights get smaller and smaller till it seemed to stop. Yes it stopped. It’s turning around, it’s coming back.
The Volkswagen station wagon returned with 02 concerned school teachers. The reason they passed the father was because they noticed the “black ice” and decided not to make a sudden stop. With the car stopped the husband tried to explain his situation but due to his hypothermic state, he sounded like he was drunk. With icicles hanging from his hair he returned to retrieve his family.
The barefooted husband returned down the bank cutting his feet and reentered the killer water to retrieve each family member. He crossed and re-crossed the river handing his children to the school teachers who couldn’t believe the horrible condition of the children. The husband made his last crossing for his wife who had the 22-month baby in her arms. His body could take no more. When he entered the river he just sank into the cold water which seemed warmer. Seeing this, his wife with her badly twisted ankle entered the water with her baby to help him out of the water.
The 02 school teachers also came to his aid. Pulling him out of the water, all returned to the station wagon and headed to town. They pulled into a motel where the 02 school teachers and the staff of the hotel immediately did all they could to reverse their hypothermic state. Turning up the heat in the hotel room, running warm baths and re-clothing them in warm dry clothes, everyone did what they could to aid the frozen family of 06. Medical help soon arrived and all were evacuated to the hospital.
Eventually the happy family was soon home and the husband sobbed out of happiness that they all survived their cold fate. The family beat the odds.
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Impossible Of Impossible Water Survival!: The following water survival would kill 999 out of 1,000 regular people. But the survivor I’m going to tell you about beat impossible odds! Why? You’re about to learn why and hopefully we can all learn from his true survival experience and at the same time gain a better respect for Mother Nature and all She possesses.
In June 1977, young 18-year old Chuck his younger brother Donny, and father Charles and mother Carol drove from their home in Bremerton, Washington to Olympic Park in Washington. The boys wanted to swim-slide down Staircase Rapids which was a mile uphill from the Ranger Station where they parked their family car. Travelling down Staircase Rapids gave the boys the combined thrills of body surfing and river rafting.
The trio hiked 01-mile through the woods to Staircase Rapids. A hot day, Chuck, the 1st to travel down the falls, smartly wore the protection of a wet suit, jacket (flotation), and gloves. Chuck eased himself into the cold water. After several minutes of acclimation Chuck wanted the thrill that Staircase Rapids offered.
At approximately 1215 hours (12:15pm just past high noon) Chuck was ready and he let himself float face-up and feet first. Whooping and screaming with anticipation, the current took him towards the edge of Staircase Rapids. His younger brother Donny went to a boulder that overlooked Staircase Rapids. He noticed exposed rocks at the bottom of the waterfall. Donny immediately yelled at his older brother Chuck “Stop it’s too dangerous.” Chuck made an attempt to stop his progress but his momentum had him head over heels in an uncontrolled decent over the waterfalls.
STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP
Did you pick up on what just happened? Sure you did. Donny made a RECON (PRSC – see 1st Blog Post under Wilderness Survival) but it was smart effort too too late. He looked over the Staircase Rapids to see it was safe and it wasn’t. He immediately alerted his older brother but it was too late for Chuck to stop and reverse his momentum. The POWERFUL current sent him over the waterfall. That RECON should have taken place at the Ranger Station.
They should have asked questions with respect to their adventure. When they got to the Staircase Rapids they should have made another RECON prior to anyone getting in the water. If these 02 RECONS were done, the whole water survival could have been AVOIDED in the first place. But remember, even though RECON alone could have prevented this water survival all together, the entire PRSC must be done. OK let’s get back to our true survival story.
Donny shouted “Dad, Chuck went under and hasn’t come up yet.” Charles hearing the yelling left his wife and ran over to Donny where they could oversee the bottom of the waterfall from the boulder.
Charles positively thought to himself “He probably just stayed under longer than expected. He’ll turn up farther down the river.” But Chuck failed to surface, he was still missing. One of Chuck’s glove floated to the surface. Charles thought “He must be caught under a rock. How else would he lose his glove.” Charles immediate assessment of the situation, he turned to his son and ordered him: “Donny, run to the ranger station and get help.” And off Donny went at a full run downhill through the woods to the Ranger Station.
Charles decided to make a brave attempt to save his son. Heading down the 100-foot waterfall, he cautiously jumped from one rock to another. On the way down he positively thought to himself “How long could Chuck last? A minute? Two?” The farther down he travelled the deeper the water. Reaching the bottom of the waterfall he carefully traversed to the middle of the river where a huge boulder established itself – probably for hundreds, thousands of years. Charles probed the cold river for his son using a long stick. No hint of his son.
Charles continued his brave search in the cold deep water and all the time he was fighting the powerful current. A hiker gave Carol a rope who threw it down to her husband. Charles used it to tie-off to a log. The other end he tied to his hand. Charles then ventured into the very dangerous bubbling eddy to the left-side of the big boulder. POWERFUL eddy currents could suck a person down in a New York second and keep you down even with a flotation jacket.
Holding on to the rope for his own life, Charles bravely probed the deep sucking waters with his legs and feet for his son – nothing. Next Charles probed the right side of the boulder. Losing his footing he grabbed the rope with both hands. Even if Chuck was underneath him, Charles couldn’t do anything – he barely had the strength to save himself. Charles used all the strength he had to pull himself up the rope and out of the killer eddy.
At 1255 hours (12:55pm past high noon), the Olympic National Park Rangers arrived. It’s already been 40-minutes since Chuck was last seen. The Rangers took immediate action making a hasty search followed by a one park ranger – Cohen entering the water. He was hooked to 2 ropes in case he got into trouble which was likely in the cold powerful currents. The Rangers knew that the odds of securing Chuck alive was “slim to none.” Cohen crossed and crisscrossed the river covering every possible part of the river where Chuck’s body might be – nothing.
He even used sticks to probe underneath rocks. On the downriver side of the giant boulder in the center of the river he probed but couldn’t get out of the powerful sucking current. The other park rangers had to pull him out pulling on both ropes. Cohen was in the water for 45-minutes. Reaching the shore he collapsed. The cold powerful current drained him of all his strength.
It’s been more than 95-minutes since Chuck was last seen and the search continued for the lost swimmer but the odds of finding him alive were far beyond “slim to none.”
After a good rest, Cohen again entered the water. This time the search was more thorough. This time he was wearing a protective wet suit and a face mask. The head park ranger had volunteers stationed along the bank if Chuck’s body came to the surface. After more than 03-hours of fighting and searching the cold powerful waters, Cohen was pulled out of the water by another park ranger where Cohen rested on the bank. Cohen was wondering if another search was necessary especially for a body and not a live person.
Another park ranger noticed something downriver and pointed it out to Cohen. Cohen said “Oh no. That’s all we need – some overzealous bystander trying to help.” Cohen yelled out demanding “What are you doing out there?” Cohen looked again and matched the swimmer with a photo he was shown of Chuck the boy he was looking for. Coyen yelled with great excitement “It’s him it’s him!”
Without saying a word, both Cohen and the other park ranger next to him dove into the cold water at the same time sprinting to Chuck who was floating in the water. Both park rangers quickly reached Chuck. Cohen secured a rope to Chuck while the other park ranger climbed to the top of a boulder to haul Chuck out of the water. Cohen also an EMT asked Chuck “How do you feel?” Chuck answered “I’m hungry” and passed out.
Chuck survived more than 05-hours underwater! Found alive he broke all the odds, but now Chuck was in serious trouble. His skin was a bluish color (lack of oxygen), both eyes fixed and dilated (possible head injury), he had a weak pulse (low blood pressure – hypothermia), and his breathing was shallow. In other words his vital signs (see note below) were indicating Chuck was close to death.
A radio call was made to the Ranger Station “We found him…pause… and he’s alive!” The cabin erupted in cheers and everybody started to cry. The Ranger Station immediately called for an emergency medevac helicopter.
Back at the river, the park rangers carried unconscious Chuck to the bank. They hugged him to try to warm him. Chuck came to and went unconscious again. He came to and they tried to feed him hot coffee and chocolate to warm him internally but he vomited anything he drank. An emergency crew arrived with warm blankets and emergency equipment. Chuck was carried to the Ranger Station. Chuck, the park rangers, and emergency crew members were met by his family, more park rangers and others and all were crying for Chuck.
At 1805 hours (6:05pm) Chuck was rushed by helicopter to Naval Regional Medical Center at Bremerton, Washington. Chuck made a full recovery and was released in the afternoon the next day!
How Did Chuck Survive More Than 5 Hours Underwater?
Chuck went over Staircase Rapids out of control after hearing the late warning from his younger brother. Chuck was propelled down the waterfall and forced underwater where a current sent him into a churning eddy that trapped him underwater under a boulder at the foot of the waterfall. Conscious, Chuck was in black air pocket till his eyes adjusted where he could see his small surroundings. The air pocket Chuck was trapped in was only 03-feet wide and 06-feet long.
Chuck made an attempt to swim out but the POWERFUL eddy current repelled him back so forcefully that he painfully hit his head against the thick stone wall of his dark trap. Chuck went to the back of the air pocket where it was dark. His jacket helped keep him afloat and helped keep him warm. Chuck rested and “tried to think clearly.” He figured he had enough strength for one more try. He removed his flotation jacket figuring they’ll be less resistance. Shivering he went to the entrance and heaved into the eddy – it threw him back again. Chuck put on his flotation jacket. Grabbing a piece of log he draped it and fell asleep.
Chuck woke up. His underwater trap was all blackness. The water was just below his chin and he felt it hard to breathe. Chuck knew he could never swim out the way he was forced in so in the pitch black darkness he SMARTLY RECONNED the entire small trap. Near the back of the trap he used his feet to feel. He felt an indentation. He stuck his leg in it as far as it would go and he met no resistance! Chuck thought to himself “It could be a way out. Or I could get stuck in there. But I can’t hold out much longer here.”
In the pitch black darkness Chuck took a deep breath and forced himself through the unknown opening. The next thing he knew the powerful current propelled him through the unknown opening, freeing him into the wonderful river! He was FREE! Chuck remembered feeling so happy and smelling the sweet air and seeing the sunlight. He smartly grabbed the 1st rock he could grab and clung to it. That’s when one of the park rangers noticed the floating figure in the water.
Fact: If panic or fear was part of this survival situation, Chuck would have been DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD! Most people in his situation would have been overwhelmed with fear and panic and NEVER have thought clearly enough to look for another escape exit. Most would have screamed and screamed using all their precious oxygen resulting in an air pocket filled with carbon dioxide (respiration) which would have put them in a sleep that invited hypothermia that would have surely killed them much sooner.
I applaud the young Chuck for keeping his wits about him. 999 out of a 1,000 would have lost it in that underwater trap!
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Near Desert Survival Tragedy ‑ Getting Cooked To Death!
1st Day—June 1959, 2 healthy young boys ventured into one of the most dangerous places on Earth – the Mojave Desert. Gary 18-year old, a potential zoology major and his friend 16-year old Jim were told by a professor about a place in the California Mojave Desert called the Devil’s Playground on the edge of Razor Ranch – an abandoned derelict ranch. There they would find a ghost town settlements, rattlesnakes,…
The boys drove 400-miles from San Francisco to the California Mojave Desert. Following the directions of a professor, they drove down US 91. Turning-off US 91 where they saw a half-buried tire, they were in the middle of Mojave Desert. There at the half-buried tire they turned onto a dirt road which would lead to ghost towns and rattlesnakes.
As they turned onto the dirt road it had already turned dark and the moon gave them plenty of moonlight. The boys ventured forward for a while. Gary noticed a sand drift over the road and gunned the engine of his old coupe. Another sand drift, then a 3rd and a 4th.
After passing over the 4th sand drift, the headlights showed only sand ahead and the coupe began spinning its wheels, it shuddered, and came to a stop. The boys got out of their car and drove off the dirt road by only 200 feet. For an hour they tried to move the car back to the dirt road but they didn’t get a single inch. As a matter of fact the rear wheels only dug in deeper.
The boys reconned the area and found old railroad ties. They used the ties to move the car back towards the dirt road. Throughout the night they jacked-up the car, placed the wheels on the RR ties and moved the car backwards till the wheels slipped off the ties. All that night they moved the car a total of 50-feet. The boys only had 02-pints of water with them. Drinking a portion of it they slept on the sand.
2nd Day—The sun came up and they were awaken by the cooking sun. But in only 30-minutes the sun was beginning to bake them to death! Even the sand was too hot to touch. They wisely decided to rest and work after sunset.
The boys took shelter in a rock face about 1/4-mile away from the car. The boys found 02 shady spots about 30-feet apart. The boys slept. But as they slept, the sun moved, the temperature increased and their shady hides were leaving them. By noon their lips began to crack. They drank the last 02 capfuls of water. For June 1959 – the official temperature reached a killer 121-degrees Fahrenheit. The boys tried to stay under the smallest sections of shade.
Finally, the sun set and the 02 boys retreated to the coupe where they ate hot chicken noodle soup which was heated by the hot air within the car, and they shared a small can of pineapple juice. The small meal rejuvenated the 02 boys and they were eager to get the car on the dirt road. Gary remembered a report of 02 men that died in the desert just 30-miles to the north. They too were stranded in their stalled car and died.
Their 2nd night in the desert, the boys still didn’t realize the dangerous predicament they were in. The boys were deteriorating fast. They didn’t get much work done this night. They repeatedly worked a little bit and rested a lot. They were severely fatigued. The blistering sun drained them. They fell asleep at about 4am. The car was moved only 15-feet.
3rd Day—The boys woke to the stinging pain on their skin. Even in the early morning hours, the sun was already baking them alive. Jim had deteriorated to the point that he had already given up. Gary made a brave effort and made an SOS signal made from rocks and twigs.
The boys then made their 1/4-mile death march to take cover at the rock face. Gary knew they were in serious trouble. As for Jim, he was already too far gone. At the rock face Jim hallucinated and Gary could hear nothing but the beat of his heart. Gary was in a daze – half conscious half sleep. Gary too hallucinated. He saw another car by their coupe. He saw other cars at a high speed going back and forth. Did he walk to US 91? The shadow that Gary took shelter diminished to a fraction of its morning size. A rattlesnake slithered by looking for shade of its own.
Cool Creosote Shelter Trick!
At high noon, Gary could no longer stand the blistering heat. He left the rock face and staggered in the direction of his car. He remembered that when he looked for lizards, he’d dig under green-leafed creosote bushes growing on small sand dunes. He’d dig under the bush finding moisture. Gary dug into the side of the dune till he got to the roots. There was no water but it was cool. He dug more in his dazed state till he could fit in it. He crawled inside his cool shelter and went to sleep!
Gary woke-up at sunset. Gary felt cool and rested. Jim staggered by Gary’s shelter. He sank to his knees, fell forward and went unconscious. Gary went to Jim and shook him, Jim moaned. Worried for his friend, Gary went to the car and found some after-shave lotion. He rubbed it on himself and it felt good. He then took it to Jim and rubbed the lotion on Jim. But he needed more, they both needed more. Gary returned to the car not knowing what he was looking for. DEHYDRATION DULLS THE MIND! Gary went to the car but for what? Rubbing the car it hit him! The radiator has water in it!
Gary found a saucepan and went underneath the front of the coupe to the radiator drainage tap. He turned it and out came brown water, rust and oil. Gary filled the saucepan and took several gulps of the brown water. Immediately Gary began to feel better. He then filled a canteen with the brown life-saving concoction and took it to Jim. He poured a water into Jim’s mouth – he came to life! Jim and Gary were rejuvenated but not even close to being 100%. They shared a can of chow mein and felt better but their conditions were still critical.
With the rejuvenating brown water concoction and chow mein, Gary came up with a new idea. They’d jack-up the car, place it on the RR ties and instead of slowly moving the car backwards towards the dirt road, he’d gunn the engine hoping once the car fell off the RR ties, the momentum would take the car over the sand and to the dirt road.
Gary and Jim began their work, but Jim wasn’t any help – he was too far gone. Gary worked throughout the night just to get the car on the railroad ties. He had to rest all the time just for a couple minutes of work. This was their last chance. Their condition was so deteriorated they wouldn’t be another opportunity.
4th Day—Gary woke with the hot sun baking his skin. They drank the last of the brown water concoction. Gary helped Jim into the car. Jim started the car, let it idle for a couple minutes. “This is it” he said.
He revved the engine, slammed the gear shift in reverse sending the car backward. The car gained momentum, fell off the railroad ties, and went backward into the sand. It slowed down, the tires spinning, then gripping it moved backward, slowed down when the tires spinning almost stopping then grabbing again moving backward, slowing down the tires spinning again – the motor almost dieing the tires gripped and the car moved backwards faster and faster finally reaching the dirt road. Gary screamed like a crazy man and Jim could barely smile. They travelled to US 91. It took them 04-hours. They had to stop frequently to let the waterless motor cool.
The boys came to a cafe where the owner recognized they were in bad shape. He gave them water and told them to sip the water real slow. Gary and Jim barely survived their desert near tragedy. They were in the desert for less than 03-days and it nearly killed them.
Could This Near Desert Tragedy Be Prevented?
You have to re-read the entire 1st Blog Post under Wilderness Survival.
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Cold Water Diving Reflex – They’re Still Alive!: Folks, one of the most unforgiving environments are frigid cold weather environments. Worse yet are killer cold water environments. The human body is not designed to hold-up in cold weather environments for any length of time or even short periods. Once the core temperature drops below 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit – problems arise and get worse real quick the lower the body temperature drops. Simple shivering is a sign of hypothermia.
As I said, killer cold water environments are the worst. But there may be a way to bring back the dead, it’s called cold water diving reflex. Let me go back in time and tell you a true story so you can better understand cold water diving reflex.
Several years ago during the cold winter months in Fargo, North Dakota, an 11-year old boy with his sled was having fun like any other boy with his sled. The boy and his sled were over frozen water when he fell through the ice. Fargo Rescue and other nearby departments were soon dispatched to the seen. Rescue workers deployed their boats into the water, breaking the ice and probing for the boy’s body with grappling poles.
As more and more minutes went by, one would think that there was no hope for the young boy. But the rescue workers knew something most people are unaware of – it’s called cold water diving reflex. Cold water diving reflex not only retards the metabolism but puts the body’s main organs in suspended animation to hold-off death! The multiple rescue workers were betting that if they found the boy real soon, cold water diving reflex would help them save the boy.
After 45 minutes under water, the boy was finally hooked – they found him. He was brought into the boat where they brought him to shore. His body temperature was only 77-degrees – he was dead dead! Immediate CPR was applied to the boy on the way to the hospital. The paramedics revived the boy! At the hospital, the young boy made a full recovery! He was under the frigid water for 45-minutes and survived! He survived because of cold water diving reflex!
Now I’m not sure if cold water diving reflex applies only to children only or if it also apples to adults. This subject RFIR. If you know any firemen, paramedics, doctors,… ask them and let me know what the say.
Now you understand why I keep telling you “NEVER give-up, their’s always a solution.”
Before I end this subject, I want to give you some data on hypothermia survival and ice support thickness.
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Hypothermia Water Survival Table
Water Temp Exhaustion & Unconscious Time Max Survival Time
32.5 F 15-min 15‑45 min
32.5‑40F 15‑30min 30‑90 min
40‑50F 30‑60min 01‑03 hrs
50‑60F 01‑02hrs 01‑06 hrs
60‑70F 02‑0 7hrs 02‑40 hrs
70‑80F 03‑12hrs 03 hours+
NOTE: Other considerations are the survivor’s swimming abilities, predators, prior cold injuries, other injuries, available flotation equipment or floating debris, weather conditions, survivor’s attitude, and other survivors present and their status (above considerations).
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Ice Support Measurements!
You & Equipment Weigh ??? – Ice Should Be:
One survivor ‑ no equipment 02‑inches thick
Group of Survivors in a file 03‑inches thick
Car or snowmobile (02 tons) 07.5‑inches thick
Light truck (02.5 tons) 08‑inches thick
Medium truck (03.5 tons) 10‑inches thick
Heavy truck (09 tons) 12‑inches thick
10 tons of weight 15‑inches thick
25 tons of weight 20‑inches thick
NOTE: Before you venture on frozen ice (lakes, ponds…), insure you see the local Forest Ranger for best and up‑to‑date safe ice‑thickness measurements. If you’re in a survival environment, walk around the frozen water obstacle.
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Cold Water Diving Reflex For Cockroaches?
Did you read about those SUPERMAN cockroaches in your August 2000 AASN (Newsletter), page 5? Here’s a quote just to remind you how cold water – solid ice water can put even the cockroach in a state of cryogenics:
And one other thing about cockroaches, they can learn as proven by a scientist C.H. Turner with his 1912 electric shock experiments. That’s why they’re favored to outlast man! Here’s some amazing facts about cockroaches:
“Because of it’s unique anatomy, you can freeze em’ like ice cubes, thaw em’ out and they’ll recover!!”
Hope this blog post gives you more respect for cold weather and especially cold water environments and shows you in certain conditions that cold water could help you save a life!
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02 Very Experienced Hunters Froze To Death But They Were Literally Standing On Their Lifesaver!: This next true survival story is taken from memory from an article in Readers Digest. I was taken back by this survival tragedy cause like so many other survival tragedies it could have been prevented all together or at least remedied.
Two very experienced hunters ventured out in familiar mountains which was complimented with deer. Deer they needed for food for themselves and especially their families. These hunters knew what they were doing when it came to hunting deer with their rifles but were “clueless” when Mother Nature and all She possesses gave them their final exam.
This morning was a beautiful, not a hint of danger, not a hint of Mother Nature’s anger. Partly cloudy, light winds and comfortable chili temperatures that barely gave one goose bumps but nothing more. The rising easterly sun tried to shed its light and warmth on the chilled land but was shielded by tall mountain peaks.
Two confident hunters set out that early morning to put food on the table. Parking their truck just off the trail, they ventured into the valley below them to find an overwatch position for wandering bucks. The bigger the buck the better. Settling in they quietly waited for any deer to come within their sector for easy pickens with their high calibre weapons. Hours later the sun was arching towards high noon, the winds picked up and the cloud cover began to roll in. Finally a deer wandered within their overwatch. “POW” and down went the buck. Applauding their success, both hunters went to celebrate over their bounty.
What they did next is puzzling. Both men began to drag their deer to their truck (may be dressing a deer on the spot was illegal). Even a small buck had to weigh a couple hundred pounds. Compounded by uphill jagged terrain, it had to be a heck of a workout dragging that deer and that’s exactly what it was – a very sweaty workout.
As the two hunters dragged their deer to their truck, the weather turned bad very quickly. The winds picked-up, the temperatures dropped and it began snowing. The hunters carried-on and the falling snow transitioned into a full-blown blizzard.
How could such a beautiful morning turn into a killer blizzard without any warning? How? Cause mountains have the ability to create their own weather and weather in mountainous terrain changes real quick. Both men now began to succumb to hypothermia. They knew they were in trouble and wisely stopped dragging the deer but it was already too late. Both men now focused on getting to their truck.
Hypothermia not only deteriorates the body’s ability to be mobile, it affects the mind too. Both men deteriorated deeper into hypothermia. Why? They were literally soaking wet with sweat from dragging that deer. Exhausted, lost, and confused, in the blinding blizzard both men sat down to rest – WRONG MOVE.
Attempting to start a life-saving fire, they failed. One hunter could no longer go any farther. The other hunter stood up and walked a very short distance away, sat down, lit his last cigarette and died. Both men were found later not far from each other. Both died from overexposure – died from hypothermia.
The men couldn’t start a fire to literally save their lives yet they were standing on their life-saver – their footgear. Most footgear is made with some form of petroleum product(s) like the soles and heels. As you saw in Advanced Fire-Starting Video Part III, a small sliver of rubber (from my shoe) will burn real good real fast. And what about all those coniferous trees all around them? They’re great for protective wind breaks and fuel for a warming/signal fire.
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Against All Odds ‑ Back From A Frozen Death! Real People Real Survival!: On 31 January 1976 at Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada – 16-year old Edward “Ted” Milligan, 03 other students and a teacher from Saint John’s Cathedral Boys’ School were out practicing for the school’s annual snowshoe race. With a cold temperature just above freezing, they set-out on a 25-mile circular route that would bring them back to their start point.
Taking off at 1345 hours (1:45pm), the 5-man group expected to be home for vittles by 1930 hours (7:30pm) that evening. Trekking along, by 1600 hours (4pm) the group covered only 09-miles. Just 30 minutes later at 1630 hours (4:30pm), 16-year old Edward began to feel cold. Besides the temperature dropped about 07-degrees and the wind picked-up.
It was now below freezing and unknown to Edward and his 04 comrades, he was going hypothermic. Edward unexpectedly kept falling down, but he stubbornly kept going not knowing his body was going deeper into a killer hypothermia. An hour later at 1730 hours (5:30pm), Edward felt drowsy and no longer felt cold – BAD NEWS! Staggering along with 6-miles to the finish point, Edward fell to the snow and passed out temporarily.
Getting up, Edward staggered another 03 1/2-miles. With 02 1/2-miles to go Edward fell to the ground and didn’t get up. He was literally out “cold!” Why he nor the other 04 in the trekking party didn’t figure he was going hypothermic is a result of very poor preparation (survival prevention – keep reading). His buddies attempted to revive him but he wouldn’t wake-up. Edward was in SERIOUS TROUBLE in the unforgiving freezing environment.
Two comrades carried Edward’s 138-pound lifeless body till they couldn’t go anymore. Two comrades stayed with Edward holding him in their arms while the other 02 went forward at the their best possible speed to get help. Rescuers on a snowmobile arrived to retrieve Edward. At 2145 hours (9:45pm), rescuers arrived at the school infirmary and placed Edward in the hands of a nurse. Edward was in bad shape with a skin color of grayish green, no breathing, and no pulse.
Cutting off his frozen clothing, she found his sweaty wet clothing. A 100% SURE INVITATION TO KILLER HYPOTHERMIA. The nurse started mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while an aid placed hot water bottles along Edward’s lifeless body. For 30-minutes, the dedicated nurse continued with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation but Edward remained lifeless. No sign of breathing, no heart beat – nothing! Continuing with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, the nurse knew if the brain went without oxygen for 03 – 04 minutes, it meant irreversible brain damage.
An ambulance arrived at the school infirmary and Edward was carried away while CPR was done on his lifeless body. Arriving at the hospital, Edward was hooked-up to IV (intravenous) lines, oxygen, and other machines. One machine showed a flat line – no life in the heart. A rectal thermometer showed a body temperature of 87-degrees Fahrenheit. Edward was DOA – Dead On Arrival!
The doctor estimated that Edward’s heart stopped 45-minutes earlier. The doctor knew academically that Edward was no doubt dead. However, he knew Edward might have a chance due to his overexposure with bitterly cold temperatures.
The doctor had every right to stop emergency medical aid and formally declare Edward dead, but the doctor wanted to give Edward one more chance. The doctor, other doctors, nurses, and others rallied together to bring Edward back to life. Here is a list of the following procedures they did to try to bring Edward’s lifeless body back to life:
- a) CPR
- b) Forced oxygen into lungs
- c) Adrenal drug in injected into jugular artery next to heart
- d) Hot, wet towels placed on Edwards body every 03 minutes
- e) Hot water bottles placed along main arteries throughout the body
- f) Room thermostat placed on high – room temperature was 100+ degrees Fahrenheit
- g) Warm water enemas
- h) Warm water irrigated through the nose
Still Stone Cold Dead!
After 01 1/2-hours, Edward was still TOTALLY UNRESPONSIVE – no sign of life but they still didn’t give-up! His lifeless body temperature increased by a precious 02 – 03 degrees. The principal doctor requested that another doctor open Edward’s chest and pour warm water directly on his heart. As preparation for this was being done, the principal doctor had a gut feeling and ordered another shot of adrenalin. The adrenalin was administered and the crowded room went silent – everyone fixed on the heart monitor!
It’s Alive!
The last shot of adrenal worked – Edward was alive – his heart was beating wildly – probably making up for a long 02-hour sleep! To get a normal heart beat, they placed 02 paddles on his chest and shocked him – that did the trick. In only 20-minutes, Edward’s body temperature was a normal 98.6-degrees Fahrenheit! To improve Edward’s circulation, they injected dopamine. Edward was still in critical condition. Doctors were worried about brain damage. Edward remained unconscious into the night and most of the next day (the body’s way of diagnosing and healing itself).
Edward’s body temperature was normal and he breathed on his own. With parents arriving at the hospital, friends, family, and the caring hospital staff could do nothing but wait. Late that afternoon, Edward’s face twitched, he thrashed about, his eyes fluttered and his eyes opened up! Looking around the hospital room Edward asked “Where the heck am I? This looks like a hospital!”
I guess that answers the question about being brain dead uh! But the MOST IMPORTANT aspect about this true survival story is the body has the AMAZING ABILITY to survive the impossible. Fortunately, the doctors and nurses didn’t give-up on Edward. I believe (like the doctors), the cold temperature attributed to Edward’s survival.
Now let me ask you this: do doctors give-up too quick to revive their patients – especially those exposed to cold temperatures? Is there a prescribed period of time that doctors BY LAW must attempt to revive their patients – or is it an arbitrary decision by each doctor based on “situation dictates”?
Near Tragedy Prevention!
Could this near tragedy be prevented? Heck yeah! I can rip this true survival story apart and so can you! Yes I know it’s after the fact but you already know how to use those formulas I keep telling you about to AVOID survival threats in the first place: PRSC, WET, 8 Elements of Survival (Fire, Water, Shelter, First-Aid, Signal, Food, Weapons, and Navigation), Priorities of Work, and Go To Sh!+ Plan. Re-read the 1st Blog Post under Wilderness Survival.
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Hypothermic Death Sleep: In a cold weather environment when the survivor(s) is going hypothermic, meaning the body temperature is steadily dropping below its required 98.6-degrees Fahrenheit, the survivor(s) may slowly fall into a sleep which is sure death. To keep survivors from going to sleep, one of the survivor’s has got to get mean and start whacking the remaining survivor with a stick. Whack em’ where the continuous strikes hurt to get them aroused and fighting mad. This will surely wake them to an excited state.
The next best act is to build a bonfire, build a shelter, and gather food (plants, insects, small & big game,…). If a fire can’t be built, MAKE A SHELTER! BEING EXPOSED TO THE UNMERCIFUL FRIGID ELEMENTS IS SURE DEATH.
And never sleep on the bare ground. As I stated many times before, a survivor can lose up to 60% of their body heat to the bare ground – that’s bad joo joo in an already cold environment. Even laying on a bed of insulating snow is better than laying on the bare ground. Yes yes, use the snow and build a wind break upwind of your shelter.
Going back to whacking survivors to keep them from falling asleep, WWII POWs have used this same exact technique to put the fight back into dying POWs. American and allied POWs bedridden in infirmaries were given a daily whacking by fellow POWs. This “tough love” put the fight back in POWs so they would live to see another day instead of dyeing from despair and depression.
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One In A Billion Frozen Death Survival: Here’s another True story you just have to know about – so you’ll never give-up on a fallen frozen comrade.
On 20 December 1980, 19-year old Jean Hilliard was driving home from her parent’s house near Lengby, Minnesota. It was late in the evening, near midnight when her car slid on the ice and off the road and became stuck at the edge of White Earth Indian Reservation.
Instead of waiting in the car for help she decided to walk the remaining distance to Wally Nelson’s home approximately 02-miles from her car.
That night the area had not seen killer frigid temperatures in years. That evening and in the morning hours of 21 December 1980, the temperature was recorded at 22-degrees below zero (Fahrenheit).
Miss Hilliard was wearing cold weather gear orientated towards above freezing temperatures and not a temperature of 22-degrees below zero (Fahrenheit). She was noted as wearing her western boots, a regular coat, mittens,… She almost made it but collapsed only 15-feet from Wally Nelson’s door.
At approximately 0700 hours (7 am), Mr. Nelson leaving his home found Miss Hilliard on the frozen snow-covered ground and she was stiff as a board. Mr. Nelson immediately took action and loaded her solid stiff body diagonally in the back seat of his car and drove straight to the hospital in Fosston, Minnesota.
When Miss Hilliard arrived, at the hospital and initially treated by Dr. George Sather. The medical staff were unable to give her an intravenous feeding because the needles couldn’t penetrate her solid frozen skin. Her pulse could barely be registered but read only 12 beats a minute. It didn’t look good for Miss Hilliard. If she lived, the medical staff feared multiple amputations and worst yet, brain damage.
Miss Hilliard was wrapped in an electric heating pad for several hours. In a 01 in a billion shot, after a few hours, Miss Hilliard began thawing out and started moving and became conscious. Dr. Sather is quoted as saying “I can’t explain why she’s alive. She was frozen stiff, literally. It’s a miracle. The body was cold, completely solid, just like a piece of meat out of the deep freeze ”
Dr. Sather may not be able to explain why Miss Jean Hilliard survived the impossible, but I think I can take a good guess.
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Deadly Suffocating Snow Avalanches!: You can’t outrun them, you can’t predict them and when you hear its thunderous roar speeding towards you – it’s already way too late. Unless you can fly straight up like superman – you’re screwed!
They’re called snow avalanches – also called white death because once you’re caught in a snow avalanche and smothered with snow all around you, the snow quickly crystallizes and hardens. Death is imminent if not found and rescued soon. Most avalanche victims die of suffocation not hypothermia.
Approximately 12 people are killed each year from snow avalanches. This unpredictable white death can only be beat by deliberate avalanches set off by charges by qualified personnel.
Colorado has the most avalanche fatalities than anywhere else in the US.
Survivors of avalanches have described the white death like cement hardening all around you. Most avalanche victims die of suffocation rather than hypothermia.
Victims that are able to breathe face the threat of dieing from hypothermia. Once your body temperature drops just 02 degrees below 98.6, the survivor will show signs of confusion and disorientation. When the body temperature drops even more, the body’s vital organs like the heart have trouble functioning. When the body temperature drops between 90 – 86 degrees, major organs will shut down and death is imminent. The survivor usually drifts off into a gentle sleep and dies.
The best way to AVOID an avalanche is to do a good PRSC (see 1st Blog Post under Wilderness Survival). Ask the forest rangers, ski patrol… where the safe areas are and the areas where avalanches are probable (stay out of these areas).
The cousin to white death is a snow slide. Snow slides can occur on the high ground of hills and ridges. All it takes is a slip. Once the survivor slips and creates a snow slide, he/she is caught-up and carried in the snow slide and may be buried in it. So even on high ground where you might think you’re safe – you’re not! So next time you plan on going out in the snow, do a good PRSC and do a WET (Weather Enemy Terrain) too so you’re ready Anytime Anywhere!
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MOST IMPORTANT NOTE: Now that you read & viewed ’12 real survival tragedies you have to know’ – You’re Ready Anytime Anywhere. However, before you go out on your next outdoor adventure, please re-read “How To Plan Your Outdoor Adventure!”
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