I like the outdoors, hence the name “Ranger”. I like mountains, and . . . .
I like big BUTTS and I cannot lie,
you other brothers can’t deny
that when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist
and a round thing in your face
you get sprung.
Ummm sorry about that meaningless tangent, I got caught in the rhythm, the rhyme, the feeble attempts to make you laugh and earn a dime. Lyrics complements of Sir Mix-A-Lot.
Where was I? Yes, I like the outdoors, mountains, and SHTF subject matter. Add it all together and you get this post. Fall is in the air. Can you smell it? *sniff . . sniff* I knew you could. If you haven’t been hiking of late, maybe this fall is YOUR time to . . . . TAKE TO THE HILLS!
I see a number of reasons why backpacking is good for SHTF preparations:
- Exercise – Git fit! If you’re out of shape now, and the mushroom cloud goes up, you’ll wish you were. You might have to run for your life. You might have to fight for your life. Being in shape decreases the odds you’ll need medical attention. Shed the spare tire, climb to the top, and scope the view.
- Learning the Trails in Your Area – Attention! The Russians have landed! The Russians have landed! It’s Red Dawn style SHTF madness! Head to the hills! Grab the toilet paper! Find shelter! There are a lot of hiking trails and woods roads out there. Do you know where they are? Do you know where they go? Do you know where the lean-to shelters sit?
- Go Bag Gear – You got it? Yes? Put that equipment to use, don’t let it collect dust. Water purifier, camping stove, GPS, backpack, all of that. Hiking gear largely has a dual SHTF uses. Get familiar with the gear.
- Skill Building – Good with a map and compass? You should be. Learn it before you need it. Buy a topographical map, grab your pack, your compass, and get some fresh air. It’s bushwacking time!
This all assumes, of course, that you live near the mountains. If you don’t, improvise some way. There must be walking trails somewhere nearby . . . or maybe not. If you’re a hunter, you can use your backpacking/bushwacking adventure to scout terrain for game sign. That way you’re double skill building: tracking and navigation. Awww yeah – multi-tasking!
Spend a night or two or three out in the boonies with your homies and/or kids. Bring along all the gear you’d need for comfort, but instead try not using it, try building a fire without matches or a shelter with just a knife. Practice that action.
There are some survival safety tips you should be mindful of, however. Check it:
- Always tell someone where you’re going. Otherwise, the search and rescue teams won’t have a clue where to begin looking for you after you fall down a ravine after a few too many frrrrrosty cold beverages.
- Remember, wool clothes keep you warm even when wet – so pack some!
- Never hike without heat – matches and lighters that is.
- Don’t push yourself if you can’t handle it. Mountain climbing ain’t for the weak. Build your strength up incrementally . . . or just say screw and go balls to the walls and be sore for two weeks. That’s usually my approach to getting back into hiking.
- Don’t forget that map and that compass.
- Ranger Man
BTW: You can always try naked hiking – if that’s your sort of thing.
And check this action – a group wants action taken on asteroid threats.
Related posts:
- The Buckmaster – SHTF Survival Knife on Roids
- Go Bag, Bug Out Bag (BOB), Get Out Of Dodge (GOOD) Bag
- Survival Preparedness . . . for the Children
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I love hiking and camping for testing stuff out. Only 2 weeks ago i was out camping, i had with me a cheap wire saw ($5) and an expensive saw ($50). I broke the cheap one before it even managed to cut through a twig, but i chopped through several good thick branches with the second one :) . (i took the first one back and got my money back)
Additionally while i was out there i discovered i was missing a few things, namely a tin to boil water in!!! cant believe i didnt even have one. But that happens every time i go hiking/camping, i realise there is something else i should buy, find out something i brought was rubbish/or really good, and then can make plans to buy more of the really good, and less of the rubbish.
Occasionally i decide i am packing something i really never need to bring again (ie, hammer to drive in tent pegs, theres always something laying around, worse comes to worst i can use the back of my K-Bar, and its just weight that has no other use)
But yes, a big +1 on camping as SHTF practice.
Our oldest was in boy scouts for a year. He actually learned more in one time of camping with mom and dad (both experienced scouts) than he did that entire year…although seeing the Chinook Helicopter was cool!
A good Scout camping manual is the best place to start if you’ve never done it before. And, as always, be on the look out for the man eating turkey. LOL….sorry, we had our kids going for an entire week with that one.
Kipper – one method to avoid forgetting things is to make your first camp close to home (or in your backyard). The first night out will often reveal those little things you forgot to pack, and you can easily go back for them.
SurvivalTopics: oh no, when i mean i didnt have one, i mean, i didnt own one ;) (my gear untill then included supplies to carry water, but in a plastic bottle, and plastic bladder, not very good for boiling water in :) )
I have been camping plenty of times before, but always using my parents stuff, not mine untill now.
When i got back i went looking for billy, but could only find Tin and Aluminum ones at the camping stores, so i got 2 stainless cups and a stainless small saucepan (cheap from the $2 shop) that i plan to hack the handle off. (handle takes up too much room).
I used to backpack a whole lot but since I got into the Army and do that stuff for work no more. Still got the gear and the skills and keep in far better shape in other ways. If you don’t have to walk around with a heavy backpack and sleep on the ground for work then have at it for fun.
If you’re a hunter, you can use your backpacking/bushwacking adventure to scout terrain for game sign. That way you’re double skill building: tracking and navigation.
Briain: Double?? more like quadriple ;) (marksmanship, navigation, tracking and general outdoor survival skils (ie, firelighting, signalling, water purification, butchering etc etc).
With me, every camping trip is Training! Whether car camping or backpacking, setting up a basic camp efficiently and if I am staying a few days, then I start converting the basic into a base camp. I practice setting up a defensive perimeter, with a simple alarm system, scouting for animal trails for future food opportunities, building windbreaks, and natural materials shelters, etc, etc. I try to squeeze the most bang out of my camping bucks!!