When Governments Fall … Survivors Rise

For the inexperienced, surviving in the mountains is a killer. Add snow and cold temperatures and
you have a sure recipe for disaster. Like the American mountain man from past centuries, learn
what it takes to live and survive in a snow-capped mountain range.
Before you tackle the next extreme such as snow survival, you’d better think this one through
before you just simply hit the trail. Crossing a mountain range in the middle of winter is a trek that
will kill the unprepared.
Bad weather can appear in many mountain ranges seemingly at any time, impassable cliffs mean
there’s no way forward, and the lack of the proper gear can mean you die where you slept that first
night out, when the late night cold takes its toll. Ice and snow can give way beneath your feet (if
you’re not paying attention); and even if there’s wildlife around, you may never find it, not without
some knowledge of the land before hand.You’re embarking on a modern day quest. It’s a task that’s
best to spend extra time and effort on in preparation. You need the right gear, the right maps, and
you need some practice.
The fact is, depending on the size of the mountain range, and the prevalence of winter storms, it
may take weeks, not just days to make a successful passage.
Warning: Avalanche may be a constant threat. Make it a priority to understand avalanche
conditions and how to choose the safest route through a mountain range. If you’re crossing over
glaciers, these can also present several dangerous hazards, and you should learn what these hazards
are, and how to avoid them.
Crossing Through The Mountains
There are a couple reasons you may find yourself surviving in the mountains. Number one is you’re
simply lost, or your car or truck has crashed off an embankment, and somehow you survived, but
you’re down at the bottom of a snowy cliff. Now you just need to survive through the night until
you can find a route back up to the road a few hundred feed above.Or then there’s this …
You’re alive following a collapse of modern day America, a time we’ve talked about a lot on this
site in recent months. Because the threat of a collapse happening in our lifetimes is very real. In this
scenario, the U.S. government has collapsed and many communities are no longer safe to live in.
Perhaps you’ve had to flee in the direction of the mountains, to escape an area of the country that
has suffered a nuclear, chemical, or biological attack; or worse, an actual invasion.
It could happen.
If the roads are out, and disaster is so widespread that you have no choice but to flee over the
nearest mountain range, you’re going to have a hard road ahead of you.
Especially if you make the crossing during the winter, when the mountains are covered in snow. For
the unprepared, the mountains in winter can quickly cost you your life, just a day or two into your
escape.
For the semi-prepared, the mountains can be cold and difficult, sometimes extremely difficult.
For trekkers properly prepared, the mountains are just an obstacle, but they are passable. Trekkers
properly prepared are ready for the elements. They have a game plan for dealing with the ice, snow,
and other dangers that often show up when frigid conditions meet rock formations. They have a
plan for food, water, and shelter.
The Adventure Begins
Now which mountain range you end up in can dictate some of your trekking game plan, and there
are certainly many snowy and cold mountain ranges one might need to traverse outside of North
America. Thus, let’s get global for a second.
Tips For Traveling Over Snow: Your Footing Is Important
What you have for equipment will depend on how you get into the mountains. But here’s the thing:
You don’t want to end up in the mountains with only a pair of sneakers, know what I mean? Thus,
one way to traverse ice and hard snow is with crampons.
Crampons
Crampons are a device with 10-12 spikes on it. They are attached to the bottom of a trekker’s boots
to help with traction. Thus, when you have to move up and down treacherous hills, they work well.
Of course, much like turf shoes for football players, the type of crampon one uses may change with
the specific kind of frigid tundra they’re being used on.

Crampons won’t help much when the snow is softer and deeper. For such flooring, one might
choose to use snowshoes or even skis, for cross country skiing. Even more specifically, if you’re
not looking to climb mountains — if that can be in fact be avoided as you’re journeying through
such terrain — then snowshoes will likely be a good choice for lesser slopes. That said, they can be
used for more severe hills provided that the walker is practiced with them and is able to ski adeptly.
Ice Axe
An ice axe might also be required under such circumstances for traction and pull. But if one does
not have training here, well, it’s not likely to go very well.

Finally, pickets, ice screws, and rope should be utilized when

climbing particularly difficult mountain areas (ice axe is also
helpful).
Further, if you have a group traveling with you then connecting
and learning true mountain climbing skills will be more than
beneficial as crevasses, particularly in glacial areas, can be hard
to see and require professional understanding.Thus, the first
method to true survival when traveling a frigid mountain area is
to plan ahead. Learn how to mountain climb, how to use an ice
axe, and how to use snowshoes in advance of an emergency.
Speaking of snowshoes…
How To Build Snowshoes From Scratch
If you’re inexperienced and need to cross snowy mountains, you
won’t want to climb too much. Further, you’ll need some
snowshoes, particularly if it’s high and/ or soft snow.But what if
for some reason you don’t have any snowshoes? You can build
emergency snowshoes out of sturdy brush growing in the area or
even better, breaking off some evergreen boughs that are
growing on a tree. Taken fresh off a tree they are still “green”
and less likely to break than dead branches you may find on the
ground.
At this point, you need something to tie with; that could be
anything from military spec paracord to strong fishing line to
even an extra shirt cut into strips. It could also be material from
seats inside your vehicle cut into strips.
Now, with your evergreen boughs, or brush, what you need to do
is envision the size of a snowshoe, and then bend it in the shape
of a snowshoe, and tie the ends together so it maintains that
shape. For additional support, use several thin branches,
stripped of any brush, and tie them also around the exterior of
each snowshoe you’re building.
With slightly bigger branches, cut to about 12 inches across, or
the width of each snowshoe, tie these on as cross-braces, that
will help support your weight and go under the forward front of
your shoe and toward the rear of your shoe. That’s at least two
cross-braces, if you’re counting. Sure, it doesn’t hurt to add a
couple more.
Next, arrange the snowshoes so that the points of the brush or
pine needles or limbs all point behind you. That way, as you pick
up your feet, they don’t catch on the snow, and slow you down,
or even break apart.
Now tie your actual shoes or boots to the center of each
snowshoe you’ve built; you may need to do several ties in fact,
for these branches to stay on for any real distance. Here’s one
example. Here’s another example.
Avalanche Danger In The Mountains
Every year in the Alps alone, 120-150 people die in small
avalanches. Thus, avalanche is a very real danger. Further, they
oftentimes happen on the same kinds of slopes that skiers
prefer. Other popular mountain ranges prone to avalanche
danger are the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest as
well as the Rocky Mountains stretching north / south through
Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah.Here are some of the
different kinds of avalanches to look out for.
Slab avalanche: Happens when a plate of snow breaks off of a
mountain and starts sliding down. Unfortunately, if you see this
kind of avalanche coming at you it means real trouble.
Hard slab avalanche: When hard-packed snow breaks off and
begins hurtling downward in a cohesive slab. Because it is hard-
packed, it may break off in several hard and large pieces as it
falls downward.
Soft slab avalanche: Same as hard slab, but the slab breaks up
more readily.
Loose snow avalanche: This type of avalanche is triggered by a
small amount of moving snow that accumulates into a big slide.
It is also known as a “wet slide or point release” avalanche.
How To Avoid An Avalanche
First, it would seem once again important to note that that
avalanches usually happen on slopes preferred by skiers. So
when traversing a long, wide open 30-45 degree slope with few
trees or barriers in the way, people should be cautious. Second,
of course, it’s important to note that extra weight-people, for
example — can cause an avalanche. So if you see anything
worrisome, including the terrain, consider taking a different
route.
Finally, it would seem important to note that solar radiation can
trigger an avalanche. So notice how the sun is beating down on
the terrain and if slush/ slabs might be available to come loose in
the area.Beyond the aforementioned, trekkers are advised to
have an avalanche beacon (light), probe, and shovel handy with
them. A shovel will help if you’re traveling with someone else
and they get covered in an avalanche. Beyond that, one should
get avalanche training.
In the same breath, skiers with avalanche training make up a
large percentage of avalanche fatalities. Thus, this speaks to
not taking too many chances (these people are probably too
confident).
Reinforcing this, it’s important to note that there is a one-in-five
chance of dying if caught in an avalanche even if you have the
proper equipment and training.
So avoid, avoid, avoid!
Setting Up Camp In A:
Snow cave: If you have at least four feet of strong snow, you
can dig yourself a snow cave to stay in. The problem? It will
probably be freezing in there. The benefit? Freezing
temperatures will actually be warm compared to outside of the
snow cave.Digging a snow cave, of course, requires a shovel.
Thus, a shovel can help would-be frigid mountain trekkers in
more than one way.
Tent: A four season tent can be great. However, the wind can
sometimes make a tent a noisy place to be (constant flapping).
Thus, people may choose to build walls (out of snow or brush)
around it for added shelter.
Again, a shovel would help in this endeavor.
Bivy: Get in a sleeping bag and lay down for a good night!
Usually, people do this in cracks in rocks or in a dug trench. This
is about as basic as it gets, of course. In other words, only if you
have to.
X Factors: Remote Cabins
Some mountain ranges are dotted with remote cabins; you may
come across one or more that are unoccupied. In a time of
collapse, the owners may be trapped in a distant city or have
even perished in a disaster. For now, this cabin could be
considered a temporary shelter in an emergency. Temporary
because they may have survived and now be on their way to this
remote cabin you’ve stumbled upon. So it’s up to you whether or
not you want to move in for a period of time; but if they do show
up, do the right thing and give them their cabin. Go out of your
way to not eat their food, or water, or pillage any other supplies
you find. These people may have children and they may have
gone through a great deal of trouble to ensure their cabin was
properly equipped for an emergency. Give them what’s their’s
and move on if they ask you. Keep in mind, if you show nothing
but courtesy and respect, they may show you the same.
Recon: Do Your Homework
The route you choose through the mountains may include
following railroad tracks as well as intersecting forest service
roads. Be sure you have the latest maps — there may be one or
two newer forest service roads that aren’t on older maps from
just a few years ago.Get to know your local mountains. Talk to
experienced hunting guides and ask them where they think the
best hunting would be if a person ever had to live off the land. A
few might be glad to share some tips.
Talk to local forest rangers and / or national parks service. Ask
what mountains and specifically which slopes poise the greatest
risk of avalanche. Ask if they could recommend 2 or 3 different
routes for crossing through a specific section of mountains in
the dead of winter. Do any follow alongside rivers or creeks
known for deer or elk?
Which routes pass over or near glaciers? What are some ways to
detour and cross over a mountain pass without having to rope up
(mountaineering)?
So do your recon. Make some calls and take notes.
Additional Dangers In The Mountains
Beyond a true to life avalanche, here are some other things to be
concerned about:Falling rock: This one would seem obvious.
Falling ice: Look out for rock overhangs, the broken parts of
glaciers, and icicles. These are dangerous areas for falling ice.
Crevasses: Noted earlier, these are deep chasms or slits in the
ice (think glaciers). They are often difficult to see. Thus, testing
areas carefully before stepping or climbing is a good way to go.
It’s advised to avoid glacial travel all together, unless traveling
with a person trained in crevasse rescue.
Altitude sickness: Rapid ascent can lead to altitude sickness.
When this occurs, one should descend quickly. Further, when
about to go to sleep — if you’re on a mountain and not a valley —
one should descend some before settling in to sleep to avoid
this.
Wildlife: Most animals (mountain lions, bears, and even wolves
will hear you and choose to avoid you). If on the rare occasion
you end up surprised by a mountain lion or bear — grizzlies
poising the most danger, typically — items such as bear pepper
spray or even a good air-horn can work as deterrents. Bears
have sensitive hearing; hold down on the air-horn until it runs off.
Have a firearm ready as backup. A rifle such as a .30-30 is strong
enough usually to take out a bear. But do you have the presence
of mind to pull your weapon, aim, and fire in time if ever charged
by a bear? Be on the alert when in bear country.
When it comes to mountain lions, small children are most at risk,
when there is a threat. Keep them close to your side. Children
should never lag behind your group. A mountain lion may see an
easy meal.
Usually wolves leave people alone. On rare occasions a wolf or
even pack of wolves has been known to stalk people. With the
re-introduction of wolves into both the Rockies and Cascade
Mountains, wolves are poising more dangers and multiple
reports (like the one below) are shedding light that the
mountains in the Northwestern states are not as safe as they
once were for most hikers and hunters.
Finally, Let’s Talk Cold Mountain Food
Here are some things to look for in the mountains when you get
hungry. Of course, it all depends on what mountains you’re in
and at what altitude. Further, you’ll want to cook a lot of this and
that means fire (a hard thing to come by in the snow, unless you
can get into a wooded area… Learn how to make a primitive fire
here). Thus, getting in and out of snowy mountains is the best
idea.
Don’t wait around, people. Start hunting:
1. Rabbit – 1) Look for tracks in the snow signifying rabbits; 2)
Set several traps in areas rabbits may be likely to pass by, using
brush and even building snow banks to “funnel” rabbits in the
direction of traps.
2. Deer – You may find the most chances of spotting deer (along
your route) may be near areas of running water, such as streams
or creeks; game animals often have routes that are either along
side drainage ways and drainage basins (streams and rivers), or
they follow game trails that lead to and from these streams to
areas where they feed and bed down.
Where do you hunt deer? Crossing through the mountains in the
winter, in the snow, you don’t have the option of easy cross
country travel. You’re also not likely to find much deer at higher
elevation, once winter sets in.
While you’re still in the lowlands, make it top priority to take
down a large deer or elk or other big game. Harvest your kill,
smoke and dry enough meat to last a few weeks, and you’ll now
be ready for your trip over the mountains. Of course, if you can,
wait until late spring and when the snow is gone from high
elevations. But if it’s essential you make this crossing during the
winter months — perhaps there are hostile forces in the
lowlands behind you or even in pursuit — then you can consider
a winter crossing.
Get as close to the mountains as you can, staying below the
snow line, and begin your hunting there. Look for meadows
(where deer often feed) and even the edges of farmland.
Keep your eyes out for game trails and even streams and creeks
where deer are likely to seek water. Remember, you’ll find deer
feeding most often near meadows before you’ll find them feeding
under the cover of a conifer forest, where pine needles litter the
ground, and little vegetation grows otherwise. (They do often
bed down under deep conifer cover as these overhead trees
prevent heavy snowfall from accumulating on the ground.)
That needs to be considered as you plan your route through the
mountains. Where are low elevation meadows? Where are thick
conifer forests? Also, where are open, south facing slopes (deer
are known to seek out sun on south facing slopes). Distinguish
between these areas on your maps. Now, look for streams that
run near these areas. Those will likely be places that deer go for
water. Now, plan your entry into the mountains, with a plan to
hunt in the lower regions, below the snow line.
Hunting Deer Or Other Big Game
Once you’re into your trek, look for low-lying banks along the
water’s edge. That is likely a natural drinking area for deer.
Remember, the lower the bank, the easier it is for a deer to
reach the water. Now, look around for signs that deer use this
area as a watering hole. Do you see deer scat? How about any
deer tracks in the soil? Do you see anything that looks like a
game trail leading away or alongside the creek or stream?
Set up a blind downwind of that location, so deer are less likely
to pick up your scent when they show up to drink; camouflage
the opening of your shelter with brush, leaving openings just big
enough allowing you to see out along with your rifle or bow; at
the same time, do everything you can to conceal your scent.
Now it’s time to wait; dawn and dusk are times that deer may be
most active. Keep your rifle or bow ready and keep your eyes on
that spot that a deer may be likely to drink from. (You can also
set up a blind near a nearby meadow.)
Sometimes you may want to hunt deer at night: – If you’re in an
area of the mountains with a lot of human activity, your best bet
for bagging a deer (even the biggest deer, say the experts), will
be to hunt at night. Human activity can cause deer to bed down
during daylight hours, and even stay bedded down during dawn
and dusk; these deer are said to have a higher than normal
survival instinct, causing them to be active at night under the
cover or darkness.
In this case, a specialized scope and / or night-vision goggles
can allow a hunter to hunt even in the darkness of night. You
may see some really big bucks, when hunting at night. (Just one
of those can feed your camp for the next several weeks.)
3. Fish: When it comes to flowing water, which there may be
very little to none of in the mountains in the snow, stand over a
shallow pool of water with a stick and press any fish you find
into the ground. Another method is to arrange large rocks in
shallow stream beds, so that fish are funneled into fish traps
(made of sticks or other big rocks).
4. Insects: Insects may be hard to come by in the snow; check
around stumps, logs, and under rocks near river banks; if there’s
too much snow on the ground, you may easily burn more calories
digging under snow than you’ll consume eating ants,
earthworms, termites, etc. Consider that before making the
effort to locate insects — if you can handle insects, that is; it’s
not for everyone.
5. Roots: Again, hard to come by in the snow. Further, you’ll
need to read up on this in great detail in advance to have any
ability to do this in the area you are trekking through.
Specific Gear For Winter In The Mountains

1) Be prepared to wear several layers of clothes; go to bed with

5 or 6 layers of clothes on, if temperatures are well below zero.
2) Educate yourself on proper clothing material for trekking in
the snow; cotton can be deadly in the mountains; if you sweat or
get wet, cotton loses all insulating properties, clinging to your
skin, draining body heat. You can quickly die of hypothermia if in
the snow with just cotton. Wool, on the other hand, has long
been a material worn by people who live and survive in cold,
snowy terrain; today, synthetic materials exist that do just as
well or even better than wool.
3) Snowshoes. Cross-country skis. Pull-behind sleds for hauling
gear.
4) A small, stainless steel container can be used for melting
snow over fire to produce drinking water; it can also be used to
boil water taken from streams; a portable water filter is also
recommended, so that you don’t have to stop, build a fire, and
boil water any time you’re low on water. Lifestraw costs only
$22, is proven in the field, and can last one person several
months of use (it was also a Time Magazine invention of the
year).
5) Emergency space blanket. These are made of highly
reflective material that reflect heat, helping people stay warm in
cold temperatures. Some brands today are made of multiple
layers of material, making them a lot stronger than cheaply
constructed mylar space blankets in the past. As a survival tool,
they’re also cheaply priced, making one or more space blankets
an essential piece of survival gear for every cold winter
adventurer.
Space blankets and cold weather survival – Lay one on the
ground, reflective side up, underneath your body where you
sleep. Lay another one over the top of your blankets or sleeping
bag. To insulate your shelter, duct tape 2 or 3 of these together,
and use on the underside ceiling of your shelter; this can help
keep out the wind (if you’ve built a primitive branch shelter), and
it will also help maintain warmth inside your shelter.
Finally, you can create a pipe system that brings hot air inside
your shelter, from an outside fire pit, by rolling an emergency
space blanket in the shape of a pipe; you can even cut it into
smaller strips and create a much longer pipe (using duct tape),
or create a couple small pipes; position a pipe end near your fire
pit, and with the other end fitted into your shelter, watch as heat
suddenly is carried from the fire pit to inside your shelter.
There are numerous ways you can you can use good space
blankets to re-direct heat around your camp from a central fire
source or simply hot coals. For winter survival in the mountains,
these newer, sturdier space blankets could be one of the most
effective pieces of survival gear you include on your trek.
5) Scent concealer and snare traps. You’ll set snares for rabbits
and other small mammals in the area of where you camp at
night; you’ll use scent concealer (such as deer urine) to minimize
and even cloak the smells of your camp, as much as possible.
Remember, if you’ve done your homework and studied your
maps, you’ve chosen a route alongside a major or even minor
drainage route; when low on food, you can hunt alongside your
route through the mountains. By stalking common watering
holes, right from a snow shelter, after a few days of hunting, or
even just a few hours, you may land a fairly large buck. Just one
buck may be enough to feed your camp for the next several
weeks.
Conclusion
Surviving a trek across snowy mountains can be highly
dangerous. If the cold doesn’t kill you, an avalanche or fall into a
glacial crevasse can. Depending on the temperatures and
altitude, it may be hard to find food. Your strategy for crossing
through the mountains should revolve around having plenty of
food on hand before hand; meaning, you trap small animals down
in the lowlands; pack dried meat and survival food (if any is
available); and, last, have roots and insects as a last resort,
knowing beforehand which roots and which insects are edible in
the area you’re traveling through.
Study maps and pin point forest service roads as well as trails
that lead over mountain ranges (there are usually a few trails in
each mountain range that may offer passage … you might do
best to hike north or south several miles until you connect with
one of these trails than to simply try to blaze a trail over a
mountain range, not knowing what’s on the other side of every
mountain in your path). Study maps and look for criss-crossing
valleys … these valleys may provide a channel that can take you
deep into a mountain range and save you needless climbing or
simply minimize the amount of climbing and glacial crossings
you have to embark on.
Skills to learn in the meantime: How to snowshoe (not difficult
with the right snowshoes), cross-country skiing, how to read
avalanche dangers, trapping, and snow shelter building.
Additional point of advice: Unless you’re an experienced hunter
and trapper, and know your way around the area, get out of the
mountains as fast as you can.
Before you freeze, fall into a tree well you can’t climb out of, or
simply get swept away in an avalanche.
And finally, always check with a professional with expertise in
mountain traversing for the best way to cross such an area. No
article can make up for this.