How to not die on first trip?

[GSPHUNTER]

Where did he post that he was camping at 9k feet of elevation?

Post #20

 

[jermlacey12]

What items should you keep in your truck outside of normal tools, spare tire? Wanting to make sure I’m prepared for my trip and have what I need for the backroads.

 

[BBob]

What items should you keep in your truck outside of normal tools, spare tire? Wanting to make sure I’m prepared for my trip and have what I need for the backroads.

I don’t know if these are on your normal tool list (they aren’t on some people’s list for some dumb reason). Battery booster or old fashioned jumper cables or both. If you have a booster make sure it’s charged before “going deep” for a week. I say that because a buddy left his parking lights on in a hurry to bust out for a week and his NOCO was dead because he didn’t check or charge it in ages and he didn’t have any jumper cables because he had the NOCO. Dumbass

 

[TaperPin]

The stereotypical sad story has the hunter/hiker getting disorientated/lost and unprepared to spend the night in damp and cold conditions and hypothermia gets him/her, or the person flips out and rather than staying put until morning they scramble over terrain that is impassable and get injured and have to spend multiple nights on a rocky hillside until found.

A great source of information is simply reading search and rescue reports - just don’t do what those people did. Google “10 survival essentials” - it’s been developed and fine tuned simply to keep people alive. A simple survival brochure/book is good reading if you’re new to the wilderness and can be comforting if things go bad.

One summer in mid July at 10,000’ in Colorado, we were 5ish miles from the trailhead when a good solid rain hit us for 30 minutes then turned to hail and sleet. We knew how to get back to the trailhead, but if someone was turned around it would have been a very damp and cold night to say the least. In our group, those with rain gear had an enjoyable hike, and those without were shivering cold if they stopped moving.

When storm clouds hit a dark canyon, they can turn nice evening walking light into pitch black - I highly recommend everyone try stumbling down a short section of steep rocky trail in pitch black just to remind yourself how dangerous and foolish it is.

As a kid, we were hunting coyotes in some high desert, dozens of miles from the nearest gravel road, no phone, and nobody knew where we were or when we’d return. We got the jeep stuck, it was hot and we forgot to bring water, other than a single can of soda. We were in a bad spot and had to screw our heads on to come up with a plan that did not make our situation worse. Always tell someone where you are and when you’ll return.

It’s a good skill to ask yourself, “If this doesn’t go as planned, then what?” If that backup idea doesn’t go as planned, then what?

Learn the ten essentials.

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/ten-essentials.html?srsltid=AfmBOoqtcbnPFpQLy0Aldvlx6uwXU4kloBdbJkyxvGMEUiID10ZxH74D

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/carson/learning/safety-ethics/?cid=stelprdb5296034

 

[AZ8]

You'll be fine. Sounds like you're prepared and have a good plan. I stopped hunting the August OTC. Just too hot and uncomfortable for me.

Like others have said, just stay hydrated, even in the high country. Sounds like you're coming from back east, so your body will want lots of water! Even tho it's monsoon season, it's still an arid landscape and will get hot and dry quickly.

Good luck! Keep us posted!