One of the most important aspects of a knife is the steel in the blade. But at what point does a designer or super steel blade become overkill and an added, unnecessary expense?
Do you need a super steel knife blade? Five things to think about Read More »
There are a few items that you should carry with you at all times. Here’s a quick EDC list of things I suggest.
You’re reading EDC: Top 7 things you should carry every day, originally posted at Graywolf Survival – Emergency preparedness from a Counterintelligence Agent by Graywolf.
EDC: Top 7 things you should carry every day Read More »
More winter storms and blizzards are on the way. Do you need to shovel the snow on your roof?
Should you remove the snow off your roof? Read More »
Here are the links for my SANS @Night OSINT talk in Washington DC (December 2018):
SANS @Night Talk Links Read More »
Security overload leads to apathy. How often do you hear a car alarm go off and roll your eyes hoping the owner would disable the blasted thing before the incoming headache comes a knocking? The primary objection I have to such systems is they work too well. Every week I hear an alarm being triggered […]
This is just the start of the post Security Information Overload: From Panic to Apathy & the Remedy. Continue reading and be sure to let us know what you think in the comments!
Security Information Overload: From Panic to Apathy & the Remedy, written by Thomas Xavier, was created exclusively for readers of the survival blog More Than Just Surviving.
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Survive the harsh winter with our comprehensive list of winter survival tips to thrive in the cold.
RELATED: Total Whiteout | A Compilation Of Winter Storm Survival Tips
In this article:
Why do many people fail with winter survival skills? When we think of “survival,” we immediately imagine activities perfect for warm weather.
These can include camping, fishing, hiking — the list goes on because most of us are more comfortable in warmer weather, of course. So, it’s not surprising we tend to practice or hone our survival skills during the summer.
This practice can be a dangerous and even deadly mistake when emergencies happen during winter. You may not have the right winter survival techniques and proper winter camping gear.
Want to learn more? Click here to download our complete guide to winter survival.
We cannot overstate the importance of winter camping kit and survival tips. Even the most basic of survival tasks can be more challenging when there’s cold temperature, snow, ice, and strong winds.
For this reason, we’ve put together your ultimate winter survival kit. It can help prepare yourself during the harsh, cold months.
Since your survival needs will change depending on the season, it’s a good idea to pack a separate bug out bag for winter. This bag includes the essentials fit for the cold:
Click here for more winter bug out essentials.
In any survival situation — no matter the season — the most crucial step is to stay calm. This will enable you to think clearly.
You can make rational decisions to keep you alive. No matter how grim the outlook may be, try your best not to panic.
Once you have the time to organize your thoughts, here are the winter survival priorities:
Despite popular belief, your first priority in a stressful situation is not food or water. It should be the best survival tent or shelter.
This is especially true in the winter months. Exposure to the elements even for a few minutes can be dangerous.
You can develop hypothermia. Before you do anything else, make sure you have adequate winter survival tents and shelters.
You should also have a fire to maintain your body’s much-needed warmth. After these, you can start looking for food, water, and other survival essentials.
After shelter, water is the most pressing need. A person can survive a month or more without food. You can only go for three days without water (remember the survival rule of threes).
Keep in mind, drinking cold water or eating snow in winter will cause your body to burn a lot of calories, which your body desperately needs to stay alive. In a winter survival situation, always heat up the water before drinking it.
It is important to exert all efforts to get the attention of your rescuers, especially in the first three days. You can learn how to signal for help in the wilderness.
Know, too, the different emergency communications using light, fire, and smoke.
Of course, your bug out bag should have MREs (meals, ready to eat) and other winter survival food items. Even so, make an effort to get food from other means.
Familiarize yourself with edible plants in the area. Learn to make traps and snares to obtain animals for food.
Again, your bug out bag must come with a few basic survival tools. In addition, you should know how to make your own tools from the materials readily available to you.
Having a well-stocked bug out bag is crucial, especially in the winter. The harsh elements can make it even harder to survive, let alone stay comfortable.
Your winter bug out bag should contain plenty of food, water, and matches. It must also have at least two high-quality knives and tools.
You may also need materials to build survival shelters, such as cordage. It should also have some tool for purifying water and warm winter survival gear.
The bag must include items you can use to signal for help. Your bug out bag should also include a first aid kit with all the necessary supplies to treat common ailments or preexisting illness or injury you may have.
Building a fire is the single most important winter survival skill you can possess. Without it, you are unlikely to thrive longer than a few hours.
Here are the basic steps for building a fire in the winter:
Remember that wet wood won’t burn. It’s a waste of time to dig in the snow for wood buried underneath. Instead, look for fallen and downed branches and twigs on top of the snow.
Carve dry the wood by breaking it apart and gathering the inner splinters. Use these small pieces as kindling for your fire.
Once you have a flame, feed it with fuelwood. Dead limbs off standing trees work best, especially if they come from broad-leaf hardwood trees such as birch, dogwood, or maple.
The type of winter survival shelter you need will depend on your situation. If you find yourself inside a vehicle, it is almost always preferable to stay put in your vehicle until help arrives.
Hopefully, you also have a car winter survival kit. If you’re not in a vehicle, use whatever materials you can find to construct a winter survival tent to protect yourself from the elements.
Keep an eye out for caves or rock overhangs. These can make for great survival shelters.
You can also dig into a snowdrift to create a makeshift “snow cave.” These are a few ways to find or create shelter in the winter.
RELATED: 13 Winter Survival Methods To Keep You Warm
Aside from shelter, water is the most crucial thing to focus on in a survival situation. Fortunately, winter often means there is water readily available in the form of snow and ice.
After melting the snow or ice into water, heat it up before you drink it. Drinking cold water in the winter will make you colder.
It will cause your body to expend more calories. This is where a metal pot or cup comes in handy. You can heat it on an open flame safely.
You should also carry a water purification system. It can be LifeStraw or iodine tablets. They can help ensure your water is pure and free of bacteria.
The difficulty of finding a lost or stranded hiker can become even greater in the winter. The glare off the snow can cause decreased visibility.
The elements can make it challenging for others to get to you. If you plan on venturing out in the winter, always leave a detailed itinerary behind.
This way, rescuers will know where to look for you. It’s also important you stay put.
It may be tempting to strike out in search of help. Rescuers, though, are more likely to find you fast if you stay near your camp.
Use fire, smoke, reflective blankets, signal flares, and other methods to call attention to yourself.
Aside from the winter survival food in your bug out bag, your main source of food will be edible plants and animals. Learn more about the local plants.
Know the difference between edible and poisonous ones. In winter, look out for plants like aspen, birch, cattails, maple, pine, rose, and willows.
They have a variety of survival uses. In addition, develop your skills on how to hunt, build snare traps, and ice fish. These will help you acquire your much-needed animal protein.
A snare trap is the simplest, most effective way to hunt game in the winter. This loop of wire or cordage suspends an animal into the air or restrains it from movement.
Using a snare trap will save you time and energy that you would have spent hunting. Click here for our list of snare traps and how to make them.
Tools and weapons will be lifesavers in a winter survival situation. They will help you hunt, prepare food, and build a shelter.
You can craft them from natural materials such as wood and flint. You can also modify your already-existing weapons.
One of the best tips for winter survival is to always be aware of their surroundings. This season poses several unique threats. Here are a few things to consider when packing your winter survival gear:
Once you get cotton wet, it’s no longer able to keep you warm. Opt for a warmer fabric such as wool.
Wear proper clothing, stay dry, and wear a hat. Also, stay out of the wind, build a fire, stay active, and eat energy-rich food.
These are only a few ways you can do to prevent hypothermia.
Frostbite symptoms include cold and “tingly” ears, nose, fingers, and toes. You may also have numbness in the extremities.
The skin may be waxy or stiff and it can limit joint movement. For mild frostbite, warm the area with skin-to-skin contact for 15 minutes.
For superficial frostbite, splint and cover the affected area. You can then loosen clothing and seek medical attention.
In the case of deep frostbite, rescue and evacuation are the only cure.
Check out these simple winter survival tips from RoastedEngineers:
Winter survival needs a unique set of skills, situational awareness, and preparedness. These winter weather tips are only scratching the surface.
This article, though, can provide you with a good foundation to thrive during colder days.
Do you have cold weather survival tips? Share them in the comments section below!
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***Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer.***
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on December 2, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
Winter Survival Kit: The Prepper’s Guide To Winter Survival Read More »
Every year, about 170 people die in the US due to carbon monoxide poisoning associated with generators, furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, and other fuel-burning consumer products! That’s why every household …
The post Best Carbon Monoxide Detector of 2019 was written and published on 24/7 Home Security.
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It’s the first Nordic spa in Alberta with one more scheduled to open in Edmonton in 2020 near Fort Edmonton Park.
The Kananaskis Spa on a chilly June night
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Located behind the newly renovated Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge is the 50,000 square foot spa. It features both indoor and outdoor spaces including a three story lodge that boasts massage treatment rooms, locker rooms, a lounge and bistro.
We were there in the evening and only availed ourselves of the locker room and outdoor facilities.
Outside are a variety of saunas including barrel saunas that can seat four to six people, a Finnish sauna and the Banya Sauna. We tried all of them!
There’s also a steam room/aromatherapy room filled with the purifying scent of eucalyptus. Numerous pools across the property include a 12°C plunge pool – which we used four times. It’s very invigorating.
There are a couple of winterized hammocks – big enough for two people. Cozy up and have a nap after all your time in the pools.
At the end of your stay be sure to visit the exfoliation room. Use the scrubbing salts followed by a shower for a feeling that will leave you fresh and relaxed. In total we spent 90 minutes in the spa – and both left feeling rejuvenated and less stressed.
John testing the water temperature of one of the hot pools at the Kananaskis Nordic Spa
A serene Rocky Mountain setting for the the Kananaskis Nordic Spa
It was a good night to warm up by the fire
I spent a lot of time lounging in this hot pool
We finished our visit with an exfoliation stop and shower
I have been lucky to visit a couple of other Nordic type spas – the Nordik Spa – Nature in Chelsea, Quebec and Thermëa Spa in Winnipeg. Both were truly fantastic but…. you had to be quiet.
Sometimes being quiet is great – but at other times – for instance on a girlfriend’s getaway where you’re trying to catch up with friends, it’s a treat to be able to chat. I don’t want people shouting in pools anymore than the next person but I do like to be able to have a conversation without feeling guilty.
Guests must be 18 years of age and older.
The Kananaskis Nordic Spa gets particularly busy on weekends and holidays. Check their Twitter page for wait times. At peak times the wait can be anywhere from 2 – 5 hours.
Normally entrance to the spa is $85+ GST per person or $70 +GST if you’re staying at the hotel.
Opening hours are 9 AM – 9 PM Sunday to Thursday, 9 AM – 11 PM Friday and Saturday.
If you get hungry, no worries. The Two Trees Bistro – called the “social hub” of the spa serves small plates and sharing platters along with herbal teas, espresso drinks and even better – wine and craft beers.
Visit the Kananaskis Nordic Spa website for more information.
If you want to enjoy an overnight getaway with the Nordic Spa just minutes from your bedroom, book the Kananaskis Mountain Lodge. With new nicely renovated rooms, you’re in for a treat. And there is so much to do in this part of Alberta, no matter what the season.
Click on the photo to bookmark to your Pinterest boards.
The post A Relaxing Visit to the Kananaskis Nordic Spa, Alberta appeared first on Hike Bike Travel.
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The best EDC flashlight is the one you will actually carry everyday and will work when you need it. Here’s what you need to look for…
You’re reading 9 simple tips you need to buy the best EDC flashlight, originally posted at Graywolf Survival – Emergency preparedness from a Counterintelligence Agent by Graywolf.
9 simple tips you need to buy the best EDC flashlight Read More »
