stand all of these. Make sure it fits well and is not too restrictive. You want
clothes that will keep you dry and warm but that also offer enough ventila
tion to prevent overheating (see “Clothing,” Chapter 12).
clothing should enable you to withstand extreme elementsstroud’s Tip
Think of your clothing as your first shelter. Properwithout building a shelter. So whether you’re surviving in the
bitter cold of the Arctic or in a torrential downpour in the jungle,
you should be able to stand still in only your clothing and survive.
While in the Canadian Arctic, I was outfitted with a caribou parka
and pants, traditional Inuit gear. In temperatures as low as –58 ̊F
(–50 ̊C), these enable the wearer to stand in a blizzard, impervious
to the cold. Now that’s a great shelter!Inform Others of Your Plans
TELLING PEOPLE WHEN AND WHERE YOU’RE GOING is a vital aspect of trip prepa
ration. Unfortunately, people sometimes get lazy in this regard. Don’t. If
you do, you may find yourself in the same situation as Jennifer and James
Stolpa, a young couple who, along with their fivemonthold son Clayton,
got lost in a blizzard in northern Nevada in the early 1990s.
While driving to a family funeral in Idaho, they found their planned
route closed by a snowstorm. They decided to take a detour but didn’t tell
anybody about the change. Their truck later became stuck in the snow, and
they found themselves stranded 40 miles (64 km) from civilization.
The Stolpas spent the first four days of their ordeal in their truck’s
campershell. When nobody came along to rescue them (nobody knew
where they were), they decided to attempt walking to safety, towing Clay
ton in a makeshift sled. When Jennifer could no longer walk, James found
a cave for her and Clayton to stay in, while he continued on in search of
help. Over the next 60 hours, James slogged almost 50 miles (80 km) in his
sneakers before stumbling, incoherent, into the view of a passing motorist,
who then helped rescue his wife and son.
Trip Planning and Preparation (^) | 13