• Because gravity is a constant and will cause water to flow down, concentrate your search on lower areas like canyons or depressions. Think of areas where rainwater could collect, such as the bottom of rock formations, riverbeds, dry washes, or even a cave, should you be fortunate enough to locate one.
• Some deserts have subterranean water reservoirs lying just below the surface. Plants seemingly growing out of nowhere are tapping into underground water supplies. The roots of most desert plants will point you in the direction to dig, which is usually not very deep below the surface. You can also dig for water at the outside bends of riverbeds, but choose sites for these exploratory searches wisely, as you must conserve your energy.
• If you are in a desert with cacti, find them, because they surely have stored moisture. However, some cacti, like the barrel cactus found in the southwestern region of the United States, require effort to cut into the plant, with only a minimal return of water. Make sure you exert this physical effort to cut into a cactus only in the cool of the evening.
Example of using the Rule of Three for finding water:
1. I see green vegetation but it is at least ten miles away.
2. There are several cacti in my immediate area.
3. There is what appears to be a dry creek down the hill a mile, but the sun is still up and I would have to leave my shelter to reach it.
Solution: Work on the cacti in the immediate area. Once the sun goes down, reevaluate, with the dry creek being a priority.
Building a solar still
Another option for gathering water is the construction of a solar still. If you think you may be in the same area for some time, it is best to build this first, due to the duration of time it takes to produce water.
1. Dig a hole about three feet in diameter and approximately two feet deep.
2. In the middle of the hole place a container. Then cover the entire hole with plastic. If you have pieces of cactus, place them around the container.
3. Form an airtight seal around the entire hole by using rocks and sand to hold down the edges of the plastic, and in the middle of the plastic place a small rock to create a slight depression.
4. The temperature in this hole will increase due to the packed soil and the direct rays of the sun, thus causing vapors to rise and condense on the inside of the plastic sheet. Water droplets will form at the depressed part of the plastic tarp and drip into the container positioned directly below.
3. FIND SHELTER
Whether you have decided to stay put and wait for rescue or you need to be on the move, you must have shelter, which will save you from the heat of the day and the cold of the night. A cave or other natural formation is best because it will require none of your energy to utilize it. If you are not so lucky, then you have to make a shelter. Two shelter options follow below.
With both of these shelters, be alert for snakes and scorpions, which are also interested in getting out of the heat of the day. Additionally, if you decide to remove your boots or clothes, or crawl into a sleeping bag, make sure you first shake out the sleeping bag before you get into it, and shake out your boots or clothes before you get back into them. Your situation is difficult enough without adding a sting or bite to the mix.
Open Shelter
1. First, ensure the site you have chosen for your shelter is not near an insect nest or in an area of heavy defecation from desert animals, especially rodents.
2. Dig a trench approximately eighteen inches deep that is long and wide enough to lie in.
3. Cover the trench with some type of material, like a poncho or sheet. Try to raise this covering approximately two feet above the surface of the ground and secure it at each corner. This will offer decreased temperature in the shelter by providing shade while allowing air to circulate through the open sides.
4. If you have enough material, place a second layer approximately twelve inches above the first covering. By having a second layer, you will create airspace between the two layers and further decrease the temperature within your shelter and offer moderate protection from colder night temperatures.
Underground Shelter
1. Again, ensure the site of your shelter is insect- and rodent-free.
2. Dig a trench approximately twenty-four inches deep that is long and wide enough to lie in.
3. Place your covering material across the top of the trench at ground level, and secure it with rocks and sand on three sides so the edges are completely covered. One of the narrower sides should be open; this is where you will get in and out.
4. If you have enough material, place a second layer approximately twelve inches above the first layer. Build up a pile or make a sand wall to achieve the second level of elevation and cover the same three sides with piled sand. The air trapped in this space will provide additional insulation from the heat and likewise minimize colder temperatures at night.
Walking Out
If you believe help is not on the way, and it’s up to you to get out of the desert on your own, then you need to know a few things about movement and navigation in the desert.
• Selecting your route is important. Obviously, your goal is to head toward someone or something that will get you out of this situation. It may be as simple as moving in a direction you know is populated. You could follow a streambed or trail that will ultimately get you out, as most will lead, eventually, to larger bodies of water in addition to giving you sustenance.
• Move at night and attempt to include in your route areas that can offer shelter and possibly provide water along the way.
• A compass would be an excellent tool in this situation, but if you aren’t lucky enough to have one, pick a distinctive terrain feature or landmark in the distance and walk toward it. Stars can also be a great way to maintain a bearing at night, so that you don’t end up walking in circles.
• Don’t overestimate the distance you think you can travel. There is a very fine line that you are straddling between trying to get to safety and overexertion. Remember—long haul. You will eventually reach civilization or help if you follow these rules of desert survival.
LOST IN THE FROZEN MOUNTAINS
Unlike the barren desert, which has difficulty sustaining even its own vegetation, mountains readily offer everything you need to survive for months, if necessary—even during the most severe winter storms. You just need knowledge of this type of terrain, SEAL survival tools, and the will to live. As with all perilous scenarios, implementing priorities in sequential order is the key to surviving a cold-weather environment. Here, the cold is the X you must get off. You must retain your core body temperature. In this ice-and-snow-covered landscape, you can at least be thankful that you are surrounded by an abundance of water, an essential for survival, so that’s one factor you have in your favor. However, exposure and hypothermia here can kill you faster than will thirst in the desert.
How you got lost and how you’ll get out are issues you will deal with later. But if you suddenly get caught in a blizzard or snowstorm, you don’t need to take much time doing a threat assessment—because the threat is coming down right before your eyes in the form of a lot of white stuff. Don’t panic, but get immediately into action.
In the U.S., there are more than one hundred million acres of designated wilderness areas. It’s estimated that nearly 40 percent of all day hikers end up getting lost for at least part of their time in national parks and wilderness areas. More than ten thousand people require search-and-rescue efforts each year.
Survival Priorities
1. Shelter
2. Fire
3. Clothing
4. Water
5. Food
6. Moving and navigation
1. FIND SHELTER
Your first priority is to get out of the cold, especially if your clothing is wet. In this environment, you have several shelter options, which I list below, providing techniques from the most basic and expedient to more advanced shelters, which could accommodate longer-
term use if necessary. In each case, the first thing to do in any shelter is to prepare the floor; you must create a layer of insulation between you and the snowy ground. This will immediately forestall losing more body heat. Use materials abundant in the terrain, such as pine boughs, to create a padding barrier.
Natural hollows
For immediate cover, seek natural hollows, sometimes referred to as tree wells, which are ready-made shelters found at the base of snow-covered pine trees. These will offer only limited protection from the elements, but it could be just enough for you to warm up while you decide on your next step. Be careful when entering and exiting not to dislodge the snow from the overhanging branches.
Lean-to
This is a fairly simple shelter to construct. Use a series of strong branches that can serve as poles and place them diagonally and as close together as possible, which will create a space below for shelter. Try to use an existing rock formation or several trees as the vertical wall to lean the branches against. Once you have created the diagonal section, you can cover it with additional branches for greater protection below. After this slanted “roof” is fashioned, snow can be used to cover the branches for increased insulation.
Quinze (pronounced “kwinzee”)
This shelter is built by piling up snow into a dome shape, then hollowing out the inside.
1. If you have backpacks or other equipment, place these together and start piling snow around and on top of them. This will reduce the amount of snow you need to dig out later. Continue piling on snow until you have a good-sized mound that covers your gear and then some, then pack it down.
2. After waiting thirty minutes for the initial layer to freeze, pile on more snow until the second layer is about three feet thick. Pack down the snow in the form of a dome and wait for it to freeze (about another hour).
3. While the dome is freezing, gather several two-foot-long sticks and push them nearly entirely into the dome at various points, aiming toward its center. These will serve as depth guides, which you’ll need later.
4. At the base of the pile, begin to dig out the snow from one side, working toward the center. Carefully pull your backpacks and equipment out. Keep digging and hollowing out the center of the dome. You’ll be able to see the inside and know when to stop excavating when you see the ends of the guide sticks.
5. You have just formed a quickly made igloo-shaped shelter!
Once inside, check the exterior periodically to make sure excessive amounts of heavy snow are not accumulating on the top of your shelter, which could cause it to collapse. This type of snow-mound construction could be enlarged by adding connecting dome “rooms,” if you need to be sheltered for longer periods.
In 2001, a fellow SEAL and I decided to attempt a winter summit climb of Mount Rainier as a training climb for Mount McKinley, and then ultimately Everest. Things were going great until we got caught in a whiteout at eleven thousand feet. We spent the next few days in a snow cave. We had sufficient survival gear, and a small candle was enough to keep the cave’s temperature at a steady 40 degrees. On top of that, we even toasted the New Year with the airline bottle of Jack Daniel’s I had brought along. Talk about being prepared for the worst!
2. BUILD A FIRE
You are in a shelter but not out of danger. The chances are great that you are at least mildly hypothermic, especially if your clothes are wet. You need to get your body temperature back up and your clothes dry. Although this snow-and-ice-filled climate makes it more challenging to start a fire, it is still very doable. Just make sure you don’t sacrifice the effort and energy you put toward making your shelter by ruining it with a fire that is too close in proximity. Fire and ice don’t mix.
1. Find dry wood by breaking dead branches from nearby trees. (Branches found on the ground will be too wet.) Also, strips of bark will be relatively dry and make a good form of kindling. Gather as many branches and as much kindling as you can on your trip from the shelter to reduce exposure.
2. Dig a small pit. This will help protect your fire from wind.
3. At the bottom of this pit create a base or platform by laying rocks or logs down side by side. This will keep the fire from melting the snow and extinguishing itself.
4. As with any fire, start with the small stuff (tinder and kindling) and create a teepee-style pile with thin pieces of wood. The key is to ignite the thinner pieces and slowly add larger and thicker branches.
5. Once the fire is going, you can enclose a section of it by building a small wall with stones or ice blocks to provide more protection from wind.
6. To help retain the warmth of the fire, you can build a fire reflector behind you with logs. This will actually bounce the heat back at you from behind.
3. DRY YOUR CLOTHING
In a cold-weather environment, if you’re wet, you’re dead! If your clothes are wet, they are removing body heat twice as fast as if you weren’t wearing any clothes at all. You need to get them off and get them dry. Place your wet clothing items a couple feet above your fire, but make sure they are not close enough to burn. You can use branches or run an improvised clothing line around and above the perimeter of your fire.
There are a number of essential items you to need bring with you when venturing into wilderness areas (see “Gear,” page 295), including fire-starting devices, but if you don’t have matches or a lighter, you can still start a fire. One item almost everyone takes with them is a camera. The camera lens can be used to magnify the sun. Disassemble the camera and remove the lens. When the snow stops and the sun returns, set up your tinder and teepee of twigs. Hold the lens steady on one spot until the magnified rays begin to make the tinder smolder. Gently blow on the pinpointed area while still holding the lens in place until flames ignite.
4. GET WATER
Given your situation, if there is anything to feel lucky about, it’s that you will have plenty of water to drink. But don’t just start eating snow. Not only will it take more energy from your body to melt the snow inside your mouth, it will also increase your chances of going into hypothermia. The best approach is to find clean snow and melt it before drinking, which can be done in several ways.
• A snow melter can be constructed using a large, flat stone placed at an angle above your fire. Place the snow at the upper end, and with stones, guide the water into a collector at the bottom end.
• A water maker is a framework of branches or a teepee-style construction from which a bag or cloth filled with snow is suspended. Place this near, never directly over, the fire. Under this bag, place a collector. As the snow melts, the water will collect below. If a shirt or cloth is used as your water maker, it will also help to filter the melted snow.
5. FIND FOOD
Animals are easy to track in a snowy environment. Start with the smaller ones first. Look for exit and entrance holes made by small animals in the snow. Use anything from wire to shoelaces to make a series of snares. This is done by tying a slipknot at one end of your material to form a loop-end slightly smaller than the diameter of the burrow hole.
Lay the snare so that the loop encircles the burrow hole. Then anchor the other end of the line. The animal will exit the hole, and the snare will tighten around its neck. Dinner!
LICHEN
The reason that larger animals such as deer, elk, and caribou have stronger antlers in winter than during summer is so that they can dig through the ice and snow to find food, especially a type of plant called lichen. These plants are found in most northern zones and even grow in the Arctic tundra. Lichen grows in mats on rocks or close to the ground and comes in colors ranging from dark green to gray. Without getting into a list of various mushrooms and plants that might be edible, or are just as likely to be poisonous and kill you with one bite, lichen is generally safe to eat. But never eat it raw! Gather as much as possible and let it soak in water for at least twenty-four hours. Discard the standing water and add new snow to boil the lichen for about twenty minutes. Eskimos consider roasted lichen a deli
cacy.
6. MOVE TO SAFETY
The decision has been made, and it’s time to move. Remember that you are going back out into this very dangerous, potentially deadly environment that may require you to start the list of survival priorities all over again from the beginning. That said, here are some things that will help you on your way.
Improvised snowshoes
Traveling through deep snow can be extremely difficult, with you sinking up to your chest in some cases with each exhausting step. You can make a set of snowshoes that will enable you to walk on top of the snow by gathering several pine boughs and making an X out of them. Then place your foot over the X and tie them to your feet using rope, shoestrings, etc.
Compass: Watch method
You need direction to know where you are going and not end up walking in circles. You can figure out which way is north by using your watch. Take it off and point the hour hand at the sun. Now imagine a line halfway between the hour hand and the twelve o’clock position. In the northern hemisphere that line is south, and opposite that direction is north.
Compass: Needle and water
If you have a needle, you can make a compass. Magnetize the needle by rubbing it on a piece of silk or other cloth, which will generate a static charge. Get a blade of grass or small piece of wood and float this in a container of water, or in a puddle that is not moving. Place the magnetized needle on the float, and it will orient itself so it points north and south. Also use the sun, since it sets in a westerly direction. The sun can help to mark your bearings and determine which of the needle ends is pointing north and which is pointing south.
Seal Survival Guide Page 21