Survivor : Fuzzy Edition

Last weekend I went on an "outdoor survival" trip with friends to Sequoia National Forest. The trip was organized by Dr. Wright (true mountain man) but could not help us out if we needed help, purely a spectator in our adventure.

We started off early Friday morning at the Walker Pass Campground with nothing but the clothes we were wearing and two trash bags. Because of the major hike in and out we opted not to take heavy or thick clothing : Hiking shoes, wool socks, Zip-off pants, shirt, and a fleece sweater. Other items were a knife, string/cord, two trash bags, and a hat. Oh yea, one uncooked potatoe that still had dirt on it. We were handed a topo map and a compass to navigate our ways to a particular area designated by Dr. Wright. To conserve energy and sweating (warm during the day , freezing at nights) I planned a route on the dry creek around three passes which added an extra two hours to my hike. A total of five hours of navigating around steep hills and dry creeks.

Along the way I was lucky enough to identify Pinyon Pine nuts on the floor. As I hiked on my path I became a hunter-gatherer. Pocket full of nuts for the evening. Found a couple of bear scat on the ground but looked to be old. Deer scat was also scattered about. No trace of critters anywhere. Setting up a snare or trap would be useless when I settle.

Arriving at the designated rendeavor area we were greeted with "great" news. We could not start a fire due to the wildfires and Santa Ana winds that had picked up. That means we could not boil our water, keep warm, roast my nuts (haha). The night was going to be cold, in the mid 30s. So I immediately built a solar still to gather water droplets from the ground moisture. Also started to build my debris shelter out of branches and fallen pine needles. The creek in which we settled by was totally dry so I surveyed the area and found a small trubitary to the creek. Scrambling up a steep grade full of granite boulders I found a sign of a freshwater spring. Digging deeper in the mud I hit GOLD, fresh water sprung up and I quenched my thirst. Marked the area so I can tap into it again for the weekend.

Because we were in a canyon it got cold and windy really quickly. With sunset at 6:00 (no watches, but could calculate with arm extension technique) it got dark really quickly so my debris shelter was less than optimal because of the ban on fire. I crawled in my shelter and went to sleep. Don't know how long I had dosed off but woke up freezing I couldnt feel my feet. Did not sleep after that and it seemed like eternity before sunrise.

The solar still did not work out as planned so I took the plastic bag to retrofit my shelter for the second night. Worked on the "bear den" for a good half day. Piling on as much layers of pine needles as possible to make a decent insulation. Ate half my potatoe for lunch and headed back up to my spring for more water. Crushed my nuts (haha) in a granite mortar and added some water to make a "soup", needed some flavor so I added some sage that I found on the way in, but still good.

As the sun creeped behind the canyon wall the winds started to pick-up again. From the experience I had the night before I made some needed adjustments to my den. Built the door on the other side and made the hut in a lower profile to hide from the wind behind a boulder. I had to literally crawl on my stomach into the den and get in a fetal position which was my doom for the night. Not being able to sit-up or stretch out I started to cramp up at nite. Being so cold and windy outside I stayed in the den and was getting in and out of sleep the whole time.

Light, the rays of life that warms up a body and gives hope! Eating my last piece of raw potatoe and breaking my den down to natural state we were ready to head out back. Chose to walk by the dry creek at first to see where my energy level was and it was moderately low. Decided to do a pass that had an elevation gain of 600 ft, it was a good idea to cut down the time but came across a camp that was totally littered with trash and cans. With one of my bags I filled it up with all the trash, tied it to a big stick....walked out with it over my shoulder. Its a duty.

I've been in similar conditions in the past but those were not planned ( getting lost on Mt. Langley or stuck on Mt. Whitney for one night with my friends broken leg) but overall it was a great experience. Lost 6 pounds in 3 days, grew a full beard, and had 35 different kinds of insect species on me. It was more rewarding on the mind and soul. Time did not exist, only the rise and fall of the sun was the tell. The calm and solitude is soothing. Bare minimum of food and water, no excess amount in a fridge or a corner street fast food joint. Being productive to live is more rewarding than being productive in a job to make money where you go and buy the needs. I dont know how long I'll survive out there but I could feel myself adapt and become stronger as the days past. The body will adapt to the surrounding conditions, the senses will become keen, and the mind will become acute. Afterall we are animals.