February 1 2008
More Articles Related to BlogToday is a stormy, snowy day at Survival Topics. As usual I went into the local forested mountains for several hours just to see what I could see. During these forays I am never disappointed; adventure abounds wherever you may find yourself and all it takes to participate is to get out there and make something happen.
I know that some Survival Topics readers are relatively new to wilderness survival or do not live in a similar environment as I do. For these reasons I like to include what to some may seem to be very basic survival skills, observations, and strategies. I try not to take anything for granted as far as your wilderness survival knowledge and experience goes.
Some of the things we discuss may seem trivial to some readers, but are not trivial to the inexperienced until they learn for themselves. It is often far better that Survival Topics show them than have them find out through actual experience of potentially life threatening situations.
Using Animal Trails in Deep Snow
During a recent warm day where the temperature rose to above freezing (32° F / 0° C) enough of the surface snow melted so that when the temperatures dropped back down to normal a strong crust formed on top. In places this crust can just about hold my 210+ pound body, but when carrying a load of winter survival gear and camera equipment I weigh considerably more than that.
This means frequently breaking through the hard crust and falling into the soft snow below with a jarring jolt and much energy wasted. Worse, breaking through the crust at random intervals can lead to injury including biting your own tongue, sprains in the feet, legs or back, and even broken bones. In a wilderness survival situation any of these could be life threatening.
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Deer Trail in Snow This well packed deer trail in deep snow was easier to follow than trying to walk on the unstable crust on either side. |
In this picture you can see I am taking advantage of a trail already broken through the snow by deer. During the winter where snows are deep, deer tend to gather into herds in what are known as “deer yards”. These are areas in the forest, often patches of evergreens that give the deer at least a little extra cover.
Because deer have a difficult time trudging through deep snow they tend to follow paths they have broken out over the course of the season. These paths typically lead from deer yards to areas of more abundant food. You can utilize this knowledge in a number of ways.
For example, if you plan on hunting deer you can either choose to follow these paths back to the deer yards or ambush the deer as they use these paths.
I was not hunting but I did desire a trail to walk on where I would not frequently sink up to my waist in snow. The deer trail here is well used and packed hard, making walking relatively easy.
A downside to following animal trails is that they do not necessarily go where you want to go. Often they cut cross country between supplies of food, water and shelter. They may cross bodies of water or other obstacles such as fallen trees and thick brambles that a not so agile human cannot reasonably negotiate. And animals trails may peter out unexpectedly, forcing you to use an alternative route or method to travel through difficult country.
Crossing and Ice Covered Stream
In this picture you can see where the deer trail crosses a stream that is covered over with ice. Experience tells me there is a deep pool of water underneath the ice leading to a waterfall that is also iced over. In fact, you can see where the deer have fallen through the ice on several occasions as they crossed over. The holes in the ice then refroze over.
On a stream of this size it is unlikely a person would drown should they break through the ice. However becoming soaked with freezing water in winter conditions could be life threatening for a human, not to mention potential injuries from breaking through the hard layer of ice.
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Deer Broke Through Ice The deer trail crossed this iced over stream. You can see where the deer have fallen through the ice several times, and the ice covered log I used to cross over to the other side. |
Fortunately you can just make out a small log that has fallen into the water and become jammed at the head of the waterfall. As the water iced over it coalesced around the log and firmly sealed it in. By walking across on this small log my weight was distributed over the surface of the ice enough (working just like snowshoes) so that I did not break through even though I likely weighed considerably more than the deer.
At this point is important to point out that crossing any body of water, especially in winter survival conditions, can be a very dangerous undertaking. On a number of occasions I have abandoned my efforts at crossing streams, ponds, and lakes because I determined the risk was just not worth it. On smaller bodies of water I have fallen through the ice, often soaking one or both boots and at the very least causing a great deal of discomfort.
In cold temperatures even just getting your boots and socks wet could cause discomfort and severe frostbite. Use extreme caution and prepare for the worst; it could very well save your life.
Spruce Traps
Moving on I attempted to walk off the packed deer trail and encountered what is sometimes known as a “spruce trap”. This natural hazard is peculiar to cold regions of the world that receive plentiful snowfall.
Spruce traps form when thick, short growths of evergreens (including balsam fir as shown here, spruce, hemlock, or any other thick interlocking plant growth) become covered with snow. This creates a multitude of empty caverns in and among the overlapping braches. Should you attempt to step onto the snowy surface of a spruce trap you will fall though and become entangled in the multitude of branches.
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Spruce Trap When you try to walk on top of snow-covered evergreen trees, you can become spruce trapped. Extricating yourself from a spruce trap can be very difficult |
It can take a great amount of effort to extricate yourself from a spruce trap. In a survival situation this is often energy you can ill afford to expend. In addition, snow is likely to enter through exposed areas of clothing. Often your jacket and shirt is pushed upward as you sink into the trap and you receive a load of cold wet snow on bare skin.
Spruce traps can be entirely hidden from view by deep snow until you step on one. If you are wearing snowshoes you may become so entangled in the mess of branches and snow that you may need help in digging yourself free. Your feet and legs may be bent at odd angles for entire time you are stuck, perhaps leading to injury. I can easily see this predicament being life threatening in extreme circumstances.
The bottom line: awareness of your surroundings is a prime wilderness survival skill. Winter conditions make the margins for survival even thinner; just one small mistake can threaten your ability to survive.
Any advantage your knowledge and experience provides, the more chance you have to live another day.
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