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February, 2025

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Things you wish you had in your pack during a rescue situation

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erica
Posts: 3457 - Karma: 24,098
A buddy of mine was skiing in a group last week in the Tetons when his buddy got caught in a slide (he's alive, just has some pretty serious injuries). Anyway, he was talking about things he wished he had in his pack while waiting 2+ hours for search and rescue.

As someone who has skied a lot of Backcountry that's lift-accessible, it's easy to check off beacon, shovel, probe and head out there with the bare essentials plus maybe some water and a snickers bar. It was a good lesson for me that we should always be prepared for the worst, and the types of things that are really useful to have when we're out there for several hours, or even overnight.

In light of that, I'm curious what you've either been really glad to have/ wish you'd had in either a long day out there or a rescue situation.


Some starters:
Food, First Aid Kit, Hand Warmers
8 years ago
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treebeard
Posts: 3724 - Karma: 2,722
for the group:
food
coffee/hot tea
headlamp

for the victim (assuming they were rescued):
emergency blanket/bivy
rope, or something else to bind/support a broken limb
8 years ago
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cydwhit
Posts: 5077 - Karma: 43,062
Duct tape, Paracord, fire starting materials, a good knife, zip ties, super glue, gauze.

I'll post more when I'm back from skiing haha.
8 years ago
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OregonDead
Posts: 6993 - Karma: 25,643
2 lighters + Extra break supplies to keep spirits up for safety.
8 years ago
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skistupid
Posts: 304 - Karma: 1,199
This is my everyday essentials, along with the mandatory safety equipment.

-Emergency Bivvy w/ thermal blanket.
-First aid kit.
-Dynafit touring repair kit w/ Multitool.
-Headtorche.
-Down jacket.
-Balaclava.
-Hand warmers.
-Cliff Bars and energy gels.
-2 litres water.
8 years ago
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-WZ-
Posts: 3600 - Karma: 6,582
emergency bivy
extra down jacket
extra gloves
lots of ski straps/splint for broken limbs
paracord
jetboil or fire starter
headlamp
8 years ago
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cozyco
Posts: 360 - Karma: 825
hand warmers
2-3l water
down vest
first aid kit
repair tools
good knife
2nd pair of socks/ t shirt
pb&j sandwich/pancakes/cookies

I think an emergency blanket would be a great addition but I cant find them in stores. maybe I should ask at a local hospital...
8 years ago
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OregonDead
Posts: 6993 - Karma: 25,643
_faaaI think an emergency blanket would be a great addition but I cant find them in stores. maybe I should ask at a local hospital...


Space blanket! Seriously those things actually work. It'd be nice to have something to sit on so your pants don't soak through.
Something else that is super handy is a piece of that thin foam sleeping pad. When I was a kid my friends dad used to have a bunch and make us carry one when we went out xc skiing in deep snow, each piece was about 1/3rd of a sleeping pad. Nice because you can sit on it and not sink down too much in deep snow. Also handy if you fall because you can put your weight on in to get back up on your skis. We would end up using them all the time when I was out on those trips.
8 years ago
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cozyco
Posts: 360 - Karma: 825
OregonDeadSpace blanket! Seriously those things actually work. It'd be nice to have something to sit on so your pants don't soak through.
Something else that is super handy is a piece of that thin foam sleeping pad. When I was a kid my friends dad used to have a bunch and make us carry one when we went out xc skiing in deep snow, each piece was about 1/3rd of a sleeping pad. Nice because you can sit on it and not sink down too much in deep snow. Also handy if you fall because you can put your weight on in to get back up on your skis. We would end up using them all the time when I was out on those trips.


thanks bud! thats a great idea. It s something I always forget to carry around. Something to sit on when you re doing a break. Sitting in the snow sucks after 5 minutes and having a soaking wet ass.
8 years ago
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treebeard
Posts: 3724 - Karma: 2,722
_faaathanks bud! thats a great idea. It s something I always forget to carry around. Something to sit on when you re doing a break. Sitting in the snow sucks after 5 minutes and having a soaking wet ass.


you need a better pair of pants
8 years ago
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37899 - Karma: 127,036
threads. I have nothing to share but this is a good reference for newbies like myself.

how much stuff could you fit into a 32l pack?
8 years ago
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loopie
Posts: 142 - Karma: 152
A few things I always carry with me that could help when you have to spend some unforeseen time in the mountains:
- Oxycontin in my first aid kit. Could be the difference between "making it or breaking it" if you break a bone or something in the BC and need to limp back to your car.
- Fire starter tools. I carry water proof matches, pitch, paper, lighters, ect in a water proof plastic bag that is further separated down into separate bags just incase things get wet.
- Extra socks / warm gloves. I have my "oh shit" bag which is a dry bag filled with extra layers for when the going get's really cold.
-Becoming educated. Last one is kinda lame but knowing how to use what surrounds you to keep you comfortable in the wild is invaluable and will really help you understand what tools to bring with you when you leave on a tour.

My two cents.
8 years ago
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loopie
Posts: 142 - Karma: 152
DeebieSkeebiesthreads. I have nothing to share but this is a good reference for newbies like myself.

how much stuff could you fit into a 32l pack?


You can fit a ton of stuff in a 32 L pack if you are organized and know what you are doing. Packing what you need and knowing how to pack really just takes practice. It sounds weird but it really is a skill that just takes time.

I can backpack for a few days with my hammock in a 30 L pack in addition to first aid kit, fire starter, water filter ect... I'm sure I'm not alone here.
8 years ago
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cydwhit
Posts: 5077 - Karma: 43,062
loopieA few things I always carry with me that could help when you have to spend some unforeseen time in the mountains:
- Oxycontin in my first aid kit. Could be the difference between "making it or breaking it" if you break a bone or something in the BC and need to limp back to your car.
- Fire starter tools. I carry water proof matches, pitch, paper, lighters, ect in a water proof plastic bag that is further separated down into separate bags just incase things get wet.
- Extra socks / warm gloves. I have my "oh shit" bag which is a dry bag filled with extra layers for when the going get's really cold.
-Becoming educated. Last one is kinda lame but knowing how to use what surrounds you to keep you comfortable in the wild is invaluable and will really help you understand what tools to bring with you when you leave on a tour.

My two cents.


Yeah, I know more than a few people who keep some sort of extra prescription painkiller in their bag. Seems like a generally good call, just make sure you remember if you end up flying with your ski bag, TSA gets obnoxious sometimes!

Fire starter is huge, I usually combine the things you listed with a couple of those fire starter sticks, and a bunch of TP. That way you have TP if you end up needing it, as well as fire starter.
8 years ago
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Hugh_Conway_jr
Posts: 746 - Karma: 467
loopie- Oxycontin in my first aid kit. Could be the difference between "making it or breaking it" if you break a bone or something in the BC and need to limp back to your car.



I carry a tab of LSD in my survival kit... on the advice of a seasoned old hippy from golden. World's tiniest sleeping bag will see you through the worst nights.
.. not that I would advise this for the halucinagencially naive, but I thought it was a great touch.
8 years ago
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Deepskier
Posts: 3267 - Karma: 4,832
WTF happend to ns, ten days with out a response on this forum? damn, anyway:
What should be everyone's rough and minimal list to carry, seems like a lotta stuff but its all pretty small and can easily fit into a 20L pack.

Beacon
Shovel
Probe
2L of water
Emergency blanket
Sierra saw
Fire starters
Lighter
Water proof Matches
First aid kit
Hand warmers
Paracord
Duct tape
hydrocodone (or some serious pain killers)
Snacks (3 Justin’s peanut butters, mega snickers, shot blocks, bars, sunflower seeds or gorp. Maybe a can with a lotta caffeine
Spare socks
Small hydroflask of Coffee/Hot tea
Screw driver w/ multi heads
Backpackers TP
Zip ties
Good knife
Super glue
Headlamp
Leave room for daymakers, and a mid layer/puffy to take on/off
Ava lung if ya got it.
Lil speaker for the vibes?

If you have the room or can handle more weight,
Jetboil
extra batteries
sat phone or communication method when out of service
Spare mittens and hat
Topo map of the area
Portable charger
Air pad

always more stuff that can make or break the day or save a life.
8 years ago
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JohnJonsz
Posts: 317 - Karma: 873
Hugh_Conway_jrI carry a tab of LSD in my survival kit... on the advice of a seasoned old hippy from golden. World's tiniest sleeping bag will see you through the worst nights.


LOL but really, when asked for psychedelics in the bc, it would be way cooler if you could share.

communication device. radio, cell, whistle, ipad, yodel... whatever device you have that works. headphones for yourself and so you can chat without pulling your phone out.

lighters, poncho, handwarmers, snacks, alcohol, dry layer, knife or leatherman, blister/bandaids, assorted pills, chapstick..
7 years ago
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theabortionator
Posts: 52303 - Karma: 170,404
I haven't been putting a space blanket in but plan to for this season. I always try and roll with extra handwarmers and lighters. I generally keep a headlamp in a coat pocket even when riding on resort but I throw it in the bag if not.

Some good tips here. Depending on where I move I'm looking to get out there more so going to try and get a good system down.
7 years ago
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sammy_JJ
Posts: 257 - Karma: 115
In addition to everything above. A half sized or even a full size thick inflatable thermarest that can fit in your pack so they can sit on the ground and not loose a tremendous about of heat through the ground.
7 years ago
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Zypher
Posts: 2337 - Karma: 2,268
Threads for future. Tons of good shit in here that I didn’t even think of packing when going on long or overnight tours. (Yup still a newbie). Good call on the pumped up painkillers and splints.
7 years ago
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dmski
Posts: 328 - Karma: 360
First Aid kit
Space Blanket
Shovel
Probe
Beacon
Skins
Beanie
Food
Water
Jetboil
Duct Tape
Zip Ties
Extra gloves
Extra light layer
And if you are really hosed bring fire starter, compass, map, etc
7 years ago
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