I took the oldest of my girlfriends son on a intro back pack/survival trip for a couple of days. Things we did :
-as we drove the logging road I explained were in the cuts and what sides of the cuts and mountain the animals bed and feed
-proper use of an ax to clear winter blow downs of the road -we were the first truck in this year
-to park the truck hidden off the beaten path-for less chance of vandals-and to stash the keys near the truck at the bottom of the mountain
-how to properly load and adjust pack straps on his new backpack -what to wear and have accessible for layering and hydration
-once up on the top in the alpine not to camp in the pretty spots that were warm at 5pm that would be brutally cold at 2am.Using the tree line as thermal cover and a very large fallen tree as a wind break.
-how to build a reflective fire and what the diff is from a normal fire ring-wood selection and how and why we use both hard and softwoods in starting/maintaining a fire -how to break the wood down with no ax or saw-to use sap and dry tinder from the under brush of dead trees-not to use rocks from a creek bed or lake rocks that could explode while being heated
-as we traveled a quick plant and basic uses talk-looking for sheds -melting the snow in water to get drinking water faster
-sleeping with a toque or as some of my clients in the southern states call it, a 'head sock' up to 80% of your heat loss is from your head
-he had the hot sunny day turn into a snow fall/ temp drop night of snow sliding down the tent all night. All shared with the new friends he brought in with him as he woke up several times to ticks crawling on him.
I have been studying my trapping course hand book, meeting with trapper friends and watching youtube videos in prepping for the up coming course
Just finished reloading 250 38 special light loads for my 6 inch smith and Wesson 686 357 magnum
I have yet to camp in the winter....you are teaching him some really good skills he is a lucky boy
Thanks lgsbrooks. I'm sure he took in more than I know! He is a city kid who like most city folk, like instant ,flashy easy things. But is really getting into the outdoors and doesn't seem to mind challenges. He has recently gotten most of his basics for backpacking so it's really great time to enter manhood, with his 18 bday last monday its perfect timing.
It's 1am and I just loaded another 200+ 38 special bullets, all ready for the ipsc pistol match on sat.
its time to watch yet another Doomsday Preppers before bed time
So hope everyone is getting out there and learning some new skills!
Cheers