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October 7, 2006

Survival Tip: Coping With a Surprise Snowstorm

Category: Hiking, Nonfiction, Survival, Tracks, Trees – Admin – 4:04 am

Nineteen years ago I set out for a camping trip in leaf season and woke to find a snow-laden bough hanging dangerously over my tent.

New York’s Hudson Valley typically does not get a foot of snow in early October. I had the supplies I needed to get back home safely, but that adventure motivated me to learn more about survival. What if I had been caught in a winter storm and unable to get out?

In a situation like this, protecting yourself from wind and moisture is critical. Here are a few tips:

  • Take stock of your surroundings and seek a barrier to wind and moisture, like a rock or upturned tree.
  • Inventory your supplies. A tarp or large garbage bag is an effective roof or ground cloth.
  • Look around for a large evergreen tree, like spruce or fir.
    Living trees give off heat, creating a natural snow shelter. Branches overhead will serve as a roof. If the snow is not deep, you can pile up snow around the perimeter of the tree.
  • Once the storm passes, you can make “snowshoes” by cutting two sturdy three-foot long branches from the evergreen. Tie one branch to each foot with the narrow end a few inches in front of the toe and the feathered branches behind the heel. Thread string or rope through the grommets or shoelace holes on your boot, so the toe is secure and the heel is free to move. You’re ready to start walking.

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