Surviving the backcountry

In the Montana backcountry, things rarely go according to plan. Weather can turn, gear can malfunction and injuries happen. Earlier this month, a Kila, Mont., couple got stranded in Glacier National Park after a skiing day trip went downhill. Despite their extensive preparation, they found it out the hard way.

So did The University of Montana's Wilderness Skills Club on an outing late last fall. The group planned an overnight trip into the Rattlesnake, where members practiced the survival skills their club specializes in. When they tried to hike out, they became disoriented by falling snow and ended up on a logging road. Luckily, they were prepared and ran into some elk hunters who were able to give them a lift back to the trailhead, member Justin Urbantas said.

"We all had enough gear and food to last for a while, and I always carry a satellite phone," Urbantas said. "Everything was getting soaked, though, and we were worried about staying dry."

David Cronenwett runs the Wilderness Arts Institute and teaches courses on wilderness survival around Montana and said backcountry dynamics such as weather, trail conditions and terrain are highly variable. He said that's why it's important to be prepared before heading out into the wild, even for an easy day trip.

Generally, Cronenwett carries fire tools, a tarp, a cooking pot, parachute cord, cutting tools (like a good knife) and navigation tools (always a compass and never a GPS) whenever he enters the backcountry. In the winter, he said he often carries a sleeping bag because of the importance of staying warm.

However, the survival specialist said the tools one brings are less important than knowing how to use them. It's critical to know how to build shelters. Also, it's important to know not only how to build a fire, but how to use it for warmth and for signaling.

It's becoming the norm to have a satellite phone or other signaling device as part of a survival kit, but Cronenwett said it's dangerous to place too much importance on such gear.

"I'm not completely opposed to technology in the backcountry, but you shouldn't be reliant on it," he said. "Batteries can run out, devices can be out of range. If any of that goes wrong, you're toast."

Cronenwett also said improved navigation and satellite technology has led to something he calls "rescue-me syndrome." Backcountry travelers suffering from the condition become dependent on the technology they carry with them, rather than their own survival skills.

"Sheriff departments are getting called right and left by people who could have previously rescued themselves," he said. "Not only is it expensive, it's putting someone else's life at risk."

The Missoula County Sheriff's Department responds to anywhere between 10 and 24 calls a year with its volunteer search and rescue unit. Ben Ehlers, the volunteer chief for the unit, said there are always one or two instances where they get a call and it just turns out to be someone who is overdue.

"It all comes back to having a good game plan," Ehlers said. "Knowing where you're going, when you're getting back — you really have to give yourself a window."

Sharing that game plan is equally important, Cronenwett said. Giving a friend or relative details about an outing can easily save a trip gone bad.

"Let someone know where you're going," he said. "I can't overemphasize that point. If you don't (and something happens), you're either going to have to signal someone or walk out."

Cronenwett said that if backcountry travelers do get stranded, there are four simple things they can do to greatly increase their chances of survival. Keeping body temperature at 98.6 degrees, staying hydrated, getting sleep and waiting to be rescued all make a significant difference, he said.

"It doesn't sound sexy, but that list is simple to remember and the results are huge," he said.

While Cronenwett said he's never been unexpectedly stranded in the backcountry, a training trip on the Flathead that went wrong made him realize how easy it is for a situation to go wrong. In that instance, he said, several small details, like an incoming cold front and poor ice-traveling skills, added up to a life-threatening situation.

"Usually it's a series of innocuous-seeming events that can turn something into a survival situation," he said. "It can happen to anyone, experienced or not."    

WHAT TO TAKE WHEN YOU TAKE ON THE WILDERNESS

Get the gear: fire starter, a good knife or multi-tool, parachute cord, extra food and water, plenty of layers of clothing (go for synthetics or wool), a full stocked first-aid kit. Optional: a pot for boiling water, a tarp for shelter.

Get the skills: Aerie Backcountry Medicine offers Wilderness First-Aid, First Responder and EMT classes. Wilderness Arts Institute has programs in Natural History, Bushcraft and Wildnerness Survival.

emily.downing@umontana.edu