How to Stay Alive: The Ultimate Survival Guide for Any Situation - PDFDrive.com by Bear Grylls

Author:Bear Grylls
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi, epub, pdf
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2018-08-23T00:00:00+00:00

CROSSING FROZEN LAKES AND RIVERS

If you need to cross a frozen lake or river, be extremely careful. If you are at high altitude and the temperature has been sub-zero for some time, the ice might well be strong enough to take your weight. But don’t be blasé. Many people die every year falling into frozen water. It can reduce your core temperature in minutes, and the water and semi-broken ice can be incredibly difficult to escape from. The freezing temperature rapidly robs you of the ability to operate your arms, hands or feet effectively, making any form of positive movement near impossible. Death is then all too common.

So, if you’re crossing a frozen lake or river:

• Look for signs that the ice is thick enough to sustain your weight.

There’s an old saying: Thick and blue, tried and true; thin and crispy, way too risky. Strong ice tends to be a clear blue, free of snow and without any visible air bubbles. If it’s white, opaque or grey it’s likely to be weak. You should definitely avoid it if you see: water near the edges; water moving underneath the ice; cracks or holes; undulations on the ice caused by water currents or wind.

• Once you are confident that the ice can be crossed, remove the waistband and one strap of your pack. That way, if you go in, you can remove it rapidly and use it for buoyancy. Strapped to your back, it can turn you face down and drown you.

• Take small steps and carefully probe the ice ahead with a ski pole or long branch.

• If you see cracks or thin ice, lie down: you need to spread your weight over as wide an area as possible.

• If you go in, you need to move quickly: your body and your brain and

physicality will begin to slow down in a matter of minutes, maybe less. Get your rucksack off and use it as a buoyancy aid. Turn back and aim to get out the same direction you went in. That is the only place where you know there is strong ice.

• If you have ski poles, hold them at the base and jab the sharp ends into the ice at the edge of the hole. Use them to drag yourself out, wriggling on your belly and kicking your legs to give yourself extra propulsion.

• Once you’re out of the water, get to shore and get out of the wet clothes and into dry ones as quickly as possible.

• If you have no spare clothing, consider rolling in the powder snow to absorb the water from your clothes. Wring out all your clothes and socks, and work fast.

• If you have spare clothing: strip down and roll in the snow naked to absorb the water from your skin before putting on your spare clothing.

• In either of the above scenarios, start a fire to dry your gear and warm yourself. If fire is impossible, get moving as soon as possible to regain body heat and circulation.

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