THE MOUNTAIN SURVIVAL PROBLEM

Your charter flight form Seattle to Banff and Lake Louise (Alberta, Canada) has crashed-landed in the
North Cascades National Park area somewhere near the United States-Canada border, and then burst into
flames. It is approximately 12 noon in mid January. The twin-engine, 10-passanger plane, containing the
bodies of the pilot and one passenger, has completely burned. Only the air-frame remains. None of the
rest of you has been seriously injured.
The pilot was unable to notify anyone of your position before the plane crashed in a blinding snow-storm.
Just before the crash, you noted that the planes altimeter registered about 5000 feet. The crash site is in a
rugged and heavily wooded area just below the timberline. You are dressed in medium-weight clothing
and each of you has topcoat.
After the plane landed and before it caught fire, your group was able to salvage the 15 items listed below.
Your first task is to rank these items according to their importance to your survival. Write "1" next to the
most important item, "2" to the second important item, and so on to "15" to the last important item.

Items

Your ranking
(1)

Your team
ranking (2)

Expert
ranking (3)

1 3
(absolute
value)

2 3
(absolute
value)

14

11

12

14

11

10

12

13

13

10

Flashlight (4-battery size)

Jackknife

Sectional air map of the area

A large, gift-wrapped decorative candle

First aid kit

One rifle with ammunition

3 boxes of matches
2
One dozen packages of cocktail nuts

One pair of skis

One metal coffee pot

Four pair sunglasses

10

15

15

Two fifths of liquor (whisky)

1
Four wool blankets

1 cosmetic mirror

One clear plastic tarpaulin (9' 12')

120

69

Total
10
Min

Max

Prom