The first snow of the year hit the high country in Lake County last weekend as Snow and Hull mountains in the Mendocino National Forest received about six inches of snow. With the Christmas holiday season just around the corner, many families will be traveling to these areas to see the snow and even do some sledding and skiing.
While that sounds like a lot of fun, this is where many people can get into serious trouble if they”re not equipped to take care of themselves in an emergency. Most of the time people get into trouble because their vehicle either gets stuck in the mud and snow or breaks down.
A few years ago I was deer hunting near Hull Mountain during the middle of the week. It had snowed earlier and the roads were muddy. I was on a secondary road when I came across a stalled truck with two elderly gentlemen from Ukiah. I stopped and they told me that the battery was dead on their truck and it wouldn”t start. They said they had spent two cold nights in the truck and that I was the first person to come by in all that time. I gave them a jump and followed them down to Lake Pillsbury.
The national forest is laced with backroads, which are often muddy at this time of year. Sometimes they are even blocked with snow drifts. The temperature in some of the areas such as the Snow Mountain Wilderness Area can often dip down into the low teens. If your vehicle breaks down or gets stuck it can be a long and cold wait if you haven”t taken the proper precautions prior to making the trip.
Being prepared for the worst weather can save you life. The most important thing is to leave a detailed schedule on where you are going and when you plan on returning with a loved one or friend. Include the make, color and year of your vehicle. Don”t deviate from your schedule. For example, if you plan on going to the Snow Mountain Wilderness Area, don”t change your mind once you get there and divert to Covelo without telling someone. That way if you fail to return on time, the search and rescue teams will be able to locate you. A lot of the rescue teams spend time looking for someone who said they were going to one place and then changed their mind at the last minute and went somewhere else.
When traveling in the national forest during the winter months stay on the main roads and keep off little-used backroads because there is a lesser chance you”ll be found if you become lost.
Carry extra clothes and be sure and have a workable jack for your vehicle as well as a shovel and even an ax. Also carry a small saw and some basic tools such as a pair of pliers and a screwdriver. Carry at least two flashlights. Be sure to bring several boxes of matches in case you have to start a fire to keep warm, In fact, one of the best fire starters is the common road flare. A large candle is also excellent for starting a fire. It goes without saying that your gear should include either a warm sleeping bag or a heavy blanket.
If you have a cell phone, take it. Be sure to include a vehicular charger for the phone. Most of the cell phones are now equipped with a GPS feature that allows a police dispatcher to get a bearing on you. The problem is that in many areas the cell phone won”t transmit to the nearest cell tower.
Have a detailed map of the area you plan on visiting. The U.S. Forest Service has excellent maps showing even the most remote roads.
Don”t wander away from your vehicle and be prepared to spend the night in the wilderness. For example, say your vehicle breaks down on a remote road and there is only about an hour of daylight left. The temperature is 20 degrees and getting colder. The question is will you be able to survive the night until help arrives? First, stay with your vehicle. If you can locate some dry wood start a small fire for warmth. Here is where your candle or flare comes in handy. Keep yourself a dry as possible to prevent hypothermia. The vehicle itself will normally offer enough protection to survive the night.
Both Lake and Mendocino counties have excellent search and rescue teams and they will find you, but it could take considerable time.
Being raised in Northern Minnesota and having spent a number of nights in the woods during the winter, I can say with certainty that it will be a cold experience. But you can survive with a little common sense. As an old-timer once told me, “The woods are a beautiful and wonderful place but it”s also a monster waiting to eat you if you make a mistake.”
How right he was.
