Well, it's that time of year again (seems like its been a long time), but by reading all the posts, thanks to Fynn for getting things rolling in a BIG way, everyone is prepping sleds and gear for the upcoming season. Tim thought it might be a good idea to start brainstorming on some survival kit ideas and just general discussion on the topic. I think this works better when everybody puts in their .02 cents. I did start one last year in the General section and there were alot of folks that had some great ideas and really added to the post, but here goes for this riding season.
Backpack essentials: small compass, rope, lighter or water proof matches, extra socks and gloves, leatherman or knife, small mirror for signaling (if anyone is interested I will show you how to use it), Water, high energy bars or candy, small first aid kit, vaseline and cotton balls, tampons ( I know, but they work well for taking fuel from your tank to start a fire), space blanket, GPS/Radio, extra battery's, small folding saw (the ones in the shovel handle work ok but their kinda flimsy, right B/F?), Survival shovel, C/L to help forget your in a survival situaton, small poncho, whistle, knit cap. These are some things to start with, however everyone chime in on extra stuff. Next, how to survive the situation.
First of all keep your head, 95% of surviving is keeping your cool. Shelter is probably the next most important. Riding up in Chama there are lots of pine trees which are a great survival aid. The limbs make great shelters as well as keeping you dry. This is where the saw and rope come in handy. Find a tree with low hanging bows and cut them off. You'll want to use them to sit on as well as making a lean to, not to mention once you get a fire going if you put one or two on the fire they create a great deal of smoke that will help rescue teams find you. There's alway the sled to burn if you have to, creates lots of black smoke so people can find you. Just make sure it is insured, also gives you a good reason to go buy a new one. Another important thing to remember is stay dry. While building a shelter and fire your working up a sweat, remove some layers of clothing to cool off a bit. If weather is good, your just lost, try to get to a large open area. It is extremely hard to find someone, even from the air, if your down in the trees. Being here in New Mexico, we have the best trained search and rescue guys in the world at Kirtland AFB with some of the most sophisticated helicopters in the world as well. Trust me, if the weather is good, they will come looking for you. These are just a few ideas to get the thread going.