Winter Weather Survival – 10 Essentials You Should Never Leave Home Without!

As I sit down to write this short article, the outside temperature is 23 degrees in Austin, Texas, and an overnight low is forecast to hit a record 15 degrees; TV buzzes in the background with non-stop talk about the winter blast hitting the central and eastern United States, trapping hundreds of motorists in bleaching conditions, and there are reports of unusually cold weather around the world. So far, more than a dozen deaths have been attributed to the harsh cold of what will undoubtedly become one of the coldest winters in history. And we are only two weeks away from the official winter of 2010 …

As a mountaineer and outdoor enthusiast, I have learned over the years that while harsh winter weather is not something to be feared, it is definitely something to be respected. History has taught us that even the best weather forecasts are bound to be wrong, and that old ‘Mr. Murphy and his law that if something can go wrong, it will happen, is alive and well in the complex world of weather forecasting. It is for this reason that experienced climbers follow a simple rule: plan for the worst and hope for the best. In fact, if you study climbing accidents and fatalities (something I did for many years), you will almost invariably find that the climber in question did not follow this simple rule. Not properly respecting Mother Nature and her penchant for sudden outbursts of rage can get you into a whirlwind of trouble. Quite literal.

It is for this reason that mountaineers have drawn up their list of 10 essentials. Pick any book on mountaineering or take any course on climbing and the 10 basics will be quickly introduced to you. Years of experience and bad luck have taught climbers that there are 10 tools you should never leave home without; doing so will put you and your team at unnecessary risk. Likewise, if you always carry the 10 essentials with you, chances are you can survive even the worst conditions. If you are properly prepared, you can survive just about anything.

So how do we prepare for this harsh winter, especially if we are in it? Make sure you have the 10 essentials to survive! It doesn’t matter if you are a climber or not, the principle of preparation is universal and severe weather is everywhere. We all need to be familiar with the 10 essentials and take the necessary steps to ensure that both our homes and our vehicles are equipped to survive.

Below are the 10 winter weather survival essentials you should never leave home without (or stay home without), slightly modified for the non-climbers.

1) Clothes and coat. You should always have wool or fur socks, pants, shirts, jackets, and hats in your car. A fleece blanket, goose down jacket, and sleeping bag will ensure your comfort in case you are stranded for a period of time without electricity or assistance. Remember, climbers live for days in negative degrees of temperature in some of the worst conditions, in tents, simply because they have the right clothing.

2) Non-perishable food. You should have three days of food storage in your vehicle during the winter. Store MRE’s or other dehydrated foods and energy bars to avoid hunger in the event of an extended stay in your car.

3) Water and / or water filtration capacity. When you are surrounded by snow, you are surrounded by water, assuming you have a means of melting and purifying the water. Water purifiers and purification tablets are a must-have for the climber, and you must have both in your car’s emergency kit. Remember, the human body can go for weeks without food, but only a few days without water.

4) Knife, lighter, tape, utility tool, and string. The simplest tools are always the most lost in an emergency. Do you remember Cast Away with Tom Hanks? A simple knife and a lighter would have changed your circumstances considerably and you should have both in your car at all times. Also, duct tape in an emergency is a must, you can make any number of inventions with a little bit of duct tape.

5) Communication. Your cell phone is vital. Make sure you have the means to recharge your phone with a crank device in case you run out of battery. If you can’t communicate with the outside world, you really are alone.

6) Heat and stove. Your car’s emergency kit should include a camping stove and fuel for melting water and cooking food. A hot meal or drink calms the soul in a long winter emergency and will also provide an indirect source of heat. (Remember that a camp stove emits dangerous carbon monoxide, so you should only use one in a well-ventilated space. Open car windows or cook outside when using one.)

7) GPS. If you don’t know where you are … you are really lost. A good GPS unit will give you a sense of orientation, but more importantly, it will give you a position for rescue. A portable GPS unit is a great addition to your car emergency kit.

8) Light. You should always carry a hand crank light and / or a flashlight for those unforeseen emergencies. Flash lights are good, but they rely on draining batteries. Crank operated lights and snap lights for those long dark gentlemen are the best companion you can buy in a winter emergency.

9) Hygiene and first aid. Don’t forget to take care of yourself. A sanitary wipe for nature’s toilets and cleaning needs is a must, and there is nothing better than brushing with real toothpaste after a long day in nature. Basic cleaning soaps, gloves, lotion, essential medications (Benadryl, Tylenol, etc.), and basic first aid tools should be key ingredients in your safety kit.

10) Survival book. There are many out there and I recommend that you research them. Find your favorite and be sure to store it in your car’s emergency kit. You never know, you may one day need to make fire with sticks … without a practical guide, you may never see the glow or the heat of the fire.

I’m from Texas, so I don’t normally keep all of these essentials in my car. But if I know I’m heading to cold climates, I never leave home without them. The importance of the 10 essentials was made crystal clear to me one winter day 8 years ago when I was caught in the worst white snow storm I had ever experienced at Silverton Pass in Colorado. I was in my Dodge truck (equipped with the 10 essentials) when a rogue storm hit the pass. I was completely blinded by the storm and had to stop my vehicle for hours on the road as the snow piled up around me. While nervous, he knew without a doubt that he could weather the storm because he had all 10 essentials.

It’s about preparation. Remember, when the time to act has come, the time for preparation is over.

Be careful. Stay informed. To be prepared.

Kevin