A winter story: Always be prepared

[Nyerges is the author of “How to Survive Anywhere,” “Extreme Simplicity,” “Foraging California,” and other books. He has led field trips since 1974. For more information about his classes and books, go to www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com or write to Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041.]

For many years, I led Saturday hiking classes into various wild areas through the local college. One Saturday in December, I was leading a hiking class in the mountains of the Angeles National Forest. We had hiked several miles up a trail to the approximately 3000 foot level to our destination, Echo Mountain, the site of a tavern and hotel many decades earlier; it was now all ruins. We spent a little time wandering around the sprawling mountaintop ruins, and then created a small fire in front of an old still-standing fireplace. It was challenging to make even a small fire, because rain had been falling for the few previous days. The day was windy, and there was old snow on the ground.

We collected dried pine needles, and the dead leaves from some of the various conifers that had been planted there decades earlier. We even added bits of sandwich wrappers and other odd bits of paper in order to get the fire going and keep it going. Everyone huddled closely together to warm up on the cold day. Our fire was never that large, but it was enough to heat some soup and to warm the stone just enough to radiate heat for our group of a dozen or so who all huddled very close to the small fire.

Finally, after we’d all had some hot tea or soup, we packed up, and it was just in time. It had been very cold, and as we watched, the very light rain was freezing before it hit the ground – it was turning to snow. It steadily grew heavier, as we all donned our packs and headed towards the trail back home.

As we began walking, eager to get back down the trail and out of the snow, a woman and about 10 young girls appeared out of the light snowy mist, like an apparition. I wondered where they’d come from.

“Do you have any matches?” the woman asked, with great expectation apparent in her voice. She explained that it was their second day of a five day campout with her Girl Scouts, and that she’d used up all her book matches the previous day. “Really?” I said, incredulously. I didn’t say it aloud, but I thought to myself, “you came up here with all these girls in the snow for five days in the winter and all your brought were book matches?” It was hard to contain myself. I mean, it’s one thing to just leave home without the things you need, if you’re by yourself. But when you’re responsible for the welfare of others, you need to take extra precautions.

I told the woman that I did not carry book matches, since it’s too easy for the book matches to get wet or moist, and not work. I sometimes carry stick matches but I had none with me. I didn’t even have a Bic lighter, which I try to always carry. But I’d made our earlier soup fire with the magnesium fire starter that I always carry on my keychain. I figured, we’re on our way out, and these folks are in dire need. I took the fire-starter off my keychain and showed the Girl Scout leader how to use it.

I scraped some of the magnesium block into some scrap paper that we sheltered from the light snow, and then I scraped the ferrocerium insert so that a shower of sparks ignited the magnesium. Presto! A bright fire. The lady smiled and graciously accepted my fire-starter, and I told her to be sure and never leave home in the future without at least two ways – preferably three – to make a fire. Do you have a knife for using the fire starter, I asked her. Yes, she nodded, holding up her Swiss Army knife. The girl scouts all seemed cold, and they huddled about her like baby chicks who’d huddle around the mother hen. After a bit of small talk, she and her little children disappeared back into the fog and snow. I presume they made it out OK in the following days because I didn’t read about them in the local newspaper.
Carlos Hall is a big fan of the magnesium fire starter.

Needless to say, on our hike out, my hiking class had a lively discussion about the need to carry a fire-starter, and everyone speculated on how well the small Girl Scout group would do in the snow during the next few days.

ALWAYS BE PREPARED
This incident emphasized the need to be prepared with appropriate gear when going on wilderness expeditions. This means, not just the basic gear that you know you’ll need, but the gear that is appropriate for the season. And one of the very most basic of all gear is some way to make a fire!