After seeing seasoned hikers get lost and die in Joshua Tree and people following their GPS up mountain passes in winter in Oregon to only get stuck and die. I decided to buy a Garmin Inreach mini 2 last year. It has a SOS feature.
I’m not a big back country hiker, mostly exploring forest service roads. As I’ve gotten older I realize some of the close call mechanical issues I’ve had with my Jeep, could have been a bad situation for me. Just a week before Rona closed everything down I did get my Cherokee stuck on the side of a mountain road. It was starting to get snow covered and I was looking for a place to turn around when I slid into a ditch. If it wasn’t for the 1 random winter camper I passed a mile back, it was a 11 mile hike back into town in a no cell coverage area even in town. I wasn’t dressed for winter as it wasn’t snow lower down.
I probably would have tried to hike at dusk into town first before using the SOS feature but it would have been nice to have it incase I had trouble getting back into town. I didn’t have it then so who knows how that would have turned out. Anyways I’m more cautious now.
It probably wouldn’t hurt for you to start carrying an emergency bag around in your trunk on outings like this. It doesn’t take up much room and could safe your life. Some food and water and something warm (clothes, sleeping bag, or both) could really go along way, esp if rescue can’t come immediately and it’s really cold out there, or you need to hoof it out.
I keep one in my car all the time, and these days I don’t get out into the woods all that often.
But sometimes having a bag with some snacks, water bottles, a nice knife, compass, small first aid, and warm clothes is just handy.
Last winter my car battery completely died after a failed stop off at a gas station that turned out to be closed. and I was able to stay warm in the car by just putting on the extra sweater and eating a cliff bar while I waited 2 hours for my wife to get a new battery to me.
I also eat the snacks and drink the waters more often than probably necessary, just because of long trips to see family out in the sticks.
The compass also came in handy when my phone died halfway through Iowa and I had to navigate with a paper map to the nearest town to buy a charger. Knowing which way is north on a cloudy day in the cornfields is handy.
Having a basic emergency kit in your vehicle that’s good for more than just jumping your car or changing a flat is very useful. I’ve needed a warm sweater or rain coat way more often than a Jack or jumper cables.
Great suggestions. Sounds like you have experienced some close calls too. I use to carry a change of clothes, first aid kit, rain poncho, shoes, gloves in my trunk, along with a lithium battery jump pack.
I also have a AAA membership as my vehicles are older now and I don’t want to be stuck due to a breakdown. I had a Jeep blow a rad hose south of reno one year and that 97 mile tow to parts sure came in handy.
After watching the video on the couple that became stranded on a mountain in Oregon I built a more elaborate bug out bag that was much more than a change of clothes for my trip down into the south west this part winter.
It’s much closer to what you have described with an emergency blanket, radio, battery pack, fire starter, umbrella, and warmer clothes. There’s enough food in the bag to last a week in the woods if needed.
After being stuck on the side of that mountain exploring I lost some of my invincibility edge which seems to help keep me out of stickier situations of my youth. Despite growing up in a remote logging camp I’m kind of fond of only visiting that life from time to time now.
After seeing seasoned hikers get lost and die in Joshua Tree and people following their GPS up mountain passes in winter in Oregon to only get stuck and die. I decided to buy a Garmin Inreach mini 2 last year. It has a SOS feature.
I’m not a big back country hiker, mostly exploring forest service roads. As I’ve gotten older I realize some of the close call mechanical issues I’ve had with my Jeep, could have been a bad situation for me. Just a week before Rona closed everything down I did get my Cherokee stuck on the side of a mountain road. It was starting to get snow covered and I was looking for a place to turn around when I slid into a ditch. If it wasn’t for the 1 random winter camper I passed a mile back, it was a 11 mile hike back into town in a no cell coverage area even in town. I wasn’t dressed for winter as it wasn’t snow lower down.
I probably would have tried to hike at dusk into town first before using the SOS feature but it would have been nice to have it incase I had trouble getting back into town. I didn’t have it then so who knows how that would have turned out. Anyways I’m more cautious now.
It probably wouldn’t hurt for you to start carrying an emergency bag around in your trunk on outings like this. It doesn’t take up much room and could safe your life. Some food and water and something warm (clothes, sleeping bag, or both) could really go along way, esp if rescue can’t come immediately and it’s really cold out there, or you need to hoof it out.
I keep one in my car all the time, and these days I don’t get out into the woods all that often.
But sometimes having a bag with some snacks, water bottles, a nice knife, compass, small first aid, and warm clothes is just handy.
Last winter my car battery completely died after a failed stop off at a gas station that turned out to be closed. and I was able to stay warm in the car by just putting on the extra sweater and eating a cliff bar while I waited 2 hours for my wife to get a new battery to me.
I also eat the snacks and drink the waters more often than probably necessary, just because of long trips to see family out in the sticks.
The compass also came in handy when my phone died halfway through Iowa and I had to navigate with a paper map to the nearest town to buy a charger. Knowing which way is north on a cloudy day in the cornfields is handy.
Having a basic emergency kit in your vehicle that’s good for more than just jumping your car or changing a flat is very useful. I’ve needed a warm sweater or rain coat way more often than a Jack or jumper cables.
Great suggestions. Sounds like you have experienced some close calls too. I use to carry a change of clothes, first aid kit, rain poncho, shoes, gloves in my trunk, along with a lithium battery jump pack.
I also have a AAA membership as my vehicles are older now and I don’t want to be stuck due to a breakdown. I had a Jeep blow a rad hose south of reno one year and that 97 mile tow to parts sure came in handy.
After watching the video on the couple that became stranded on a mountain in Oregon I built a more elaborate bug out bag that was much more than a change of clothes for my trip down into the south west this part winter.
It’s much closer to what you have described with an emergency blanket, radio, battery pack, fire starter, umbrella, and warmer clothes. There’s enough food in the bag to last a week in the woods if needed.
After being stuck on the side of that mountain exploring I lost some of my invincibility edge which seems to help keep me out of stickier situations of my youth. Despite growing up in a remote logging camp I’m kind of fond of only visiting that life from time to time now.