Emergency kit (wilderness survival)

[MachIVshooter]

if people laugh, just bring up the story of James Kim

Or countless other hikers, hunters, cross country skiers, snow mobilers and other outdoor enthusiasts who have become lost or caught in inclement weather. True anywhere, it's especially so in the Rockies, where it can literally go from sunshine & tee shirt weather to heavy snow very, very quickly. That, and often folks don't realize the day/night temperature differential at high altitude. Just because it's August & 75 degrees during the day at 10,000-12,000 ft. doesn't mean it can't drop down to hypothermia-inducing temperatures at night.

I was in a S&R group when I was younger, and the majority of searches turned up folks (both alive and dead) who were completely unprepared. It'll open your eyes and make you realize just how small & weak we are when at the mercy of mother nature. It'll also make you realize how quickly an easy hike can turn into a deadly situation with just a simple misstep that causes injury, especially if it's a foot/leg.

 

[MCgunner]

When I was hunting high country, I used my day pack to contain clothing as the day wore on and got hotter. It starts out below freezing and before you know it, you're sweating your butt off, especially in New Mexico. My survival stuff was in the belt so I could make room in the day pack for other mundane stuff like my coat and such. I always had a space blanket folded in one of the pouches on the belt. Can be a life saver if you're caught out after dark in bad weather. Also had a throw away rain poncho that was bright orange.

When I was hunting and hiking a lot in New Mexico and west Texas, GPS hadn't come out, yet. NOW days, a good portable weatherproof GPS would be in my back pack for sure. I'd mark the truck with it before leaving. A GPS could have saved me a lot of shoe leather in the past if nothing else. LOL