Jan Baalsrud
Norwegian Commando
As Craig used to say frequently, the Norwegians don't have "cold weather training" ... they have WINTER!
Winter is coming! Be prepared for any emergency as you travel the backcountry.
One way to get yourself ready is to read
We Die Alone which describes what we believe is one of the most operationally challenging mountain rescues in history.
Should you find yourself in a desperate situation this winter, please remember that preserving your core body temperature is more critical than most anything else. That means getting out of the wind and insulating yourself from the ground. Finding or making shelter from wind and water is a top priority. This is much more difficult if you are injured, so prepare yourself mentally and equip yourself so that you can find and make
rudimentary shelter even if suffering from injury. Once hypothermia sets in, you will find it very difficult to recover as you quickly lose dexterity and mental acuity. So find and improve shelter BEFORE you start losing core body temperature!
We recommend making and carrying an emergency day pack with you in a throughout the winter -- whether in the backcountry or in an office. Jan Baalsrud would have been happy to have the following waterproofed gear with him:
Thick wool socks matched to emergency footwear to provide mobility or use as mittens.
Bandanas (dozens of uses)
Whistle for signaling if trapped in rubble
Flashlight and spare batteries (op-check batteries every quarter)
Solar battery pack and cable for cell phone
Bottle of water
Salty sweet snacks (trail mix)
Paper map of area (do not plan on having data access on your cell phone)
Hat, scarf, or head-over (plan for winter rains)
Pocket or sheath knife and other small tool
Rope (50 foot skein of � inch braided nylon line)
Lighter and tinderbox for fire starting
Trowel for digging
