photo taken by B. Klengenberg (Facebook)
A while ago, a hunter from our community was stranded out in a tundra for a few days when there was a white out storm. He had been out hunting caribou by ATV when the white-out hit and he lost his sense of direction, about 80 miles out of town towards Gjoa Haven. Once he realized he was lost, he decided to dig out a shelter in the snow with his shovel, and settle in for the night. He had a SPOT satellite personal tracker, a little device that notifies rescuers of your GPS location and status when you push a button, but he decided to wait until it was day before signalling for help, because he didn't want people searching for him in the night. The next morning, he set off the signal around 10AM. A search party was organized and sent out by 1PM, and by 8PM they had found him. He was home safe by 7AM. Thanks to his sharp survival skills (he actually is part of the Search and Rescue team in Cambridge Bay), he survived and was rescued.
Once he was safe again, he did the community a service by posting photos on the community news page on Facebook with tips on how to survive in such conditions. Make sure you dig out a shelter that has enough room for you to move around a bit and stretch out. Pack an emergency blanket - you can snuggle in and feel warm, even in the middle of a storm. A list of things to pack in your survival backpack. I had a lovely chat with his wife one day who filled me in on more details. Carry a little portable stove with you to cook. Make sure you have tarp, which is key for blocking the wind. And if there's an animal nearby, remember that animals can sense fear. It was pretty impressive, to see how someone could survive in such harsh conditions with such little supplies.
photo taken by B. Klengenberg (Facebook)
