Alpine Living for SAR

Think Survival vs. Comfort. Remember, for SAR missions you might be forced to stay out over night !"# hours$. This is not a long backpacking trip. %nsulate yourself from the cold. &ou need to be able to purify 'ater and stay hydrated. Shelters protect you from the elements. &ou need a minimal shelter that helps trap heat. Think about a sleep system instead of (ust a sleeping bag to keep you 'arm enough overnight. Think about food appropriate for SAR missions. )ood is fuel, and food is heat. Can you build a fire in the sno'*

%nsulate yourself from contact 'ith cold.

&our foam pad is useful anytime you need to sit do'n in sno' or on cold ground. %t prevents heat+ loss due to conduction.

Traditional ,ater -urification

.e'er ,ater -urification

/oiling Considerations

Shelter0 -rotects you from the environment 12amples0 Tent /ivy Sack Tarp Sno' Cave Trench 'ith cover Clothing

Stoves

Considerations0 ease of use easy to light* type of fuel* efficiency in cold* efficiency at altitude* 'eight )or SAR, a stove that is for boiling 'ater is more than ade3uate. .o need to do baking on our missions.

stoves

Stoves
4ost SAR members have found that a simple stove such as the 5etboil, 4SR -ocket Rocket, and the ne' 4SR Reactor Stove are good for SAR missions. These stoves run on %S6 butane and %S6 propane cartridges !depending on the specific stove$. Such fuel cartridges need to be kept out of the cold as much as possible in order to run efficiently. Cold temps make the mi2ture begin to separate. After dark or in cold 'eather, put the cartridge in your (acket close to your base+layer of clothing until you need to use it. Also consider a piece of foam to go under the fuel cartridge to protect it from the sno'.

,hy be concerned about a Shelter*

-rotect yourself from the elements7 &ou may need to to protect the patient from the elements7 8umans have a narro' range of survival 'hile in cold, 'indy, and 'et environments.

/ad Shelters
Automobile + metal bo2 is a refrigerator7 9ulnerable locations + discussed later

Shelters
Shelter0 -rotects you from the environment 12amples0 &our clothing7 + %n an emergency your shell clothing is a bivy sack7 Tent /ivy Sack Tarp Trench 'ith Cover !tarp cover$ Sno' Cave or 4ound Shelter !not recommended for SAR$ %gloo !not recommended for SAR$

:eneral Shelter Considerations

Thermal Efficiency 4ake sure the shelter is (ust large enough for the person!s$ inside it. &our body has to 'arm the e2cess air. -revent heat loss by 'ind chill. Small e3uals efficient. %t is best to make the entrance lo'er than the sleeping area. ,arm air rises.

:eneral Shelter Considerations

Ventilation 4ake sure you are not completely enclosed. Carbon ;io2ide needs to escape. Avoid using stoves inside the shelter if possible. )or sno' caves, igloos, and mound shelters, remember to make ventilation holes in the ceiling. )or tarps, the entrance is sufficient for ventilation.

:eneral Shelter Considerations

Wind A shelter should be able to shed 'ind. %t should be strong enough not to collapse from the 'ind. The entrance should be do'n 'ind.

:eneral Shelter Considerations

Location 6n the side of a mountain * Avoid 9alley )loors !avalanche danger$ Avoid e2posed ridges due to ,ind ,ind moves do'n canyon at night, and up canyon during the day Access to a latrine .ot in an avalanche path .ot under a 'ido' maker !broken tree limb$ Access to drinking 'ater or clean sno' %f it rains, 'ill 'ater drain around your shelter or through it*

:eneral Shelter Considerations

Floor Coverings &our foam pad is the standard. /4C recommends closed cell foam pads like a Ridge Rest or <+Rest.
= /4C does not recommend inflatable foam pads such as a Thermarest because they can be compromised by puncture or tear. ! % kno', % slept on a leaky Thermarest in cold conditions for > nights on sno' and ice?..my body 'ent into survival mode.$

&our backpack has insulating foam as 'ell. 4aterials such as rope and 'ebbing can be used to insulate you from the sno'. .atural materials such as foliage also be used as insulation.

:eneral Shelter Considerations

Other
@eep your shovel inside the shelter. ;uring a sno' storm, you may need to dig yourself out7 Clip all gear together that is located outside of the shelter. This includes sno' shoes, crampons, a2e, helmet, 'hatever?this 'ay, if everything gets buried in sno', it 'ill be easy to find in the morning. %f on a slope or near any potential fall Aone, donBt use your a2e and crampons as anchors for your tarp. &ou may need these if you get up during the night and have to go to the latrine.

Shelter Comparisons
Shelter ,eight Tent + ,inter
mountaineering

Sno' Cave .othing in your pack .othing

Tarp Some tarps 'eigh as little as .D lb

Sno' Trench C tarp Same as tarp.

Esually F lbs or more 9ery /ulk Can take up half a pack :ood for long term use !base+camp$ ,ho 'ants to carry that bulk and 'eight* ;id you remember the poles*

/ulk

Can be as Same as small as a tarp. pair of socks 4ost versatile .eeds to be anchored 'ell during 'indy storms. Light'eight, 'arm, versatile @eep covered to be thermally efficient

Advantage

Strongest of these options Time, energy, and s'eat consuming7

;is+ advantage

Shelter Comparisons
Shelter Type Time Re3uired Sno' Tent %gloo 4ound Shelter G+# hours of 'ork +" 'aiting for sno' to settle %ntensive long output As 'arm as an igloo 1valuate thickness of 'alls 4ust compact sno'. Sno' Cave Covered Sno' Trench D min + hour depending on sno' depth 4inimal to 4oderate Less than igloo, better than tent -itching a tarp, minimal ".D feet or more of sno'.

A fe' minutes

"+G hours !min$

+" hours

1nergy

4inimal needed

%ntensive long output ,arm if done right Takes practice, sno' sa' ;eep sno' 'ith good consistency

%ntensive long output Can be as 'arm as igloo 1valuate thickness of 'alls ;eep Sno'

%nside Temp Cold compared to others Skills Re3uired Special Considerat+ ions -itching a tent .one

4ound Shelter for

person.

Sno' 4ound Shelter

Simple Sno' Caves

sno'caveD

Comple2 Sno' Cave

Tree -it Cave

Tarp Shelter Considerations

4aterial and ,eight Sil .ylon is the popular light'eight material SiAe ! person or "$ ;esign + Rectangle, Shaped, or HtentI like -itch 9ersatility ;oes the tarp 'ork in a variety of configurations* ;o you need additional items to pitch and anchor the tarp*

A+frame style

Lean+to

-oncho Tarp + ;iamond Shape

%nside a ;iamond Shape Tarp

.ot bad, but it 'ould be 'armer 'ith a sno' trench. Sno' creates insulation and traps the body heat better than a tarp alone.

Trench 'ith Cover

&ou can cover a trench easily 'ith a tarp if siAed correctly. &ou can customiAe the siAe of the trench. A lo' profile can stand strong 'inds 'ell The sno' 'ill help insulate. A small trench 'ith tarp is very thermally efficient.

sno'trech

Snow Shelter Pictures from Princeton University OA Winter Activities Webpage

sno' trench"

Trench in sno' 'ith tarp cover

Trench covered 'ith tree limbs, tarp, and sno'.

Trench 'ithout cover

This can be as little as ".D feet deep. 5ust make sure you have enough room to cra'l in and out of the trench 'ithout touching your tarp.

Support the tarp. 4ake sure it can take sno' loading throughout the night. %t is recommended that you use one of your trekking poles inside the tarp to create more of a pyramid shape. 6ther'ise, use horiAontal braces under the tarp made from sticks, or trekking poles.

This may 'ork as a support for the tarp. %t is recommend that the pole be in the center of t'o people. ,ith a t'o person shelter, you have a more efficient design, and an e2tra body to generate heat.

6ther Tarp Roof Supports

Accessory Cord Sticks Trekking -oles laid flat across trench.

trench

This person used a fallen tree as one 'all of the shelter. %t is sort of a lean+to tarp 'ith sno' trench. &ou can use a (acket, a pack, or anything you have to block the entrance. This 'ill keep the shelter 'armer. % recommend taking your pack inside and using the foam as e2tra insulation under you 'hile sleeping.

Anchoring 4aterial for Tarps

Ese 'hat you have7 Tie outs0 + %tems like sno' shoes 'ork great to tie to. + .atural anchors such as tree or shrubs. + Rocks 8ave guy+out lines on your tarp. 8ave e2tra cord (ust in case. .atural anchors such as trees. ;eadman anchors + stuff sacks filled 'ith sno' + sticks you find + 'ads of string

Eseful @nots for Tarp :uy+lines

/o'line !attach cord to tarp$ Taut+line hitch !ad(ustable knot, good for tensioning$ TruckerBs hitch !ad(ustable knot, good for tensioning$ -o'ercinch !ad(ustable knot, good for tensioning$ Siberian hitch !3uick release knot around an anchor$ Clove hitch !'rap around an ob(ect like a stick$

Taut+line 8itch
:ood for tensioning Ad(ustable

Tensioning 8itch
:ood for tensioning Ad(ustable

-o'ercinch
Can 'rap around an anchor Ad(ustable

Trucker 8itch

Siberian 8itch

Clove 8itch

Tips )or Sleeping ,arm

1at and drink 'ell before you go to bed + calories are heat. @eep shelter small. The less air you have to 'arm up, the more your shelter insulates you. Ese a pee bottle. Try not to get up leave your shelter at night. 4ake sure you have on dry socks. ,ear a hat. ,arm 'ater bottle trick.

Sleep Systems
Tarp or Shelter on top /ivy Sack %nside /ivy Sack, you have sleeping bag and a puffy (acket for blanket. ,ear the rest of your clothes %nsulating ground pad underneath +&ou can use a GC# pad for your upper body, and the foam in your backpack for your lo'er body. 6ptional + 9apor /arrier in Sleeping /ag

Fire Building

)ire /uilding

,hy build a fire :eneral considerations Safety 4aterials ;esign layout

,hy /uild a )ire*

,armth Light Signal Cooking C /oiling -sychological Comfort %s it necessary for SAR* %s it necessary for Survival*

/uilding A )ire

-repare ground 'ith mineral soil or platform on sno'. Set up fire circle. Ese a reflective back drop if possible. :ather everything needed before igniting fire. Arrange so breeAe can fan fire. Arrange so 'ind does not put out fire. -ick ;esign. Start 'ith tender or fuel tablet. -rogress to @indling. Arrange so flames lick larger pierces of 'ood progressively. ;onBt smother fir. Let it breathe

)ire /uilding

,hy build a fire :eneral considerations Safety 4aterials ;esign layout