Must Have Emergency gear for Snowmachining Solo

[AlaskaCub]

Having been snowmachining with friends many times but not spent much time solo riding in the backcountry, I am curious to hear what you die hard solo guys carry with you for emergency gear. Stuff like, fire starters, spare clothes, sleeping bag, shovel, saw, white gas stove, food, the things that will get you through a bad situation on the trail alone. I think this is something that we should all do/carry and am suprised after asking friends what they carry , that they carry very little.

 

[sayak]

I don't ride solo much anymore...

I don't ride solo much anymore...

... but when I did I carried a basic survival kit ON ME in a fanny pack (in case I went through ice), a small cruiser axe, and small emergency snowshoes. On the machine were 20' of rope, wire, and odds and ends of extra parts including extra plugs, nuts and bolts and black tape. I usually bolstered the stock tool kit with better screw drivers and pliers, a small vice grips, and a cresent wrench. When I hunted alone for ptarmigan in thick alders I always carried a small come-along to pull myself out of jams.

If I rode like I used to out in southwest Alaska, I would carry a VHF and a GPS as well.

Today I just ride on trails and lakes and usually with someone else, so no worries.

 

[Mr. Pid]

My wife and I have several machines. Every one is equipped with space blanket bag, granola bars, water, rope, baling wire, an Esbit stove, saw, knife, hatchet, blast match, extra gloves and hat, and a daily ration of food like a PBJ sandwich. My tool kits are much more equipped than stock. I always have some vessel to melt snow to make water. I always have a helmet headlight and a battery headlamp. And I always have what's required to pull the other guy back. If the mission deserves snowshoes or camp gear I'll take it. If I'm hauling freight I also carry a come-along and some ice screws. And extra straps. Nothing beats the knowledge of how to survive. I've been in situations where the other guys didn't have that knowledge.

I always carry a sat phone.

 

[kenairmk]

Permanent fixtures on my sled are...very extensive tool kit, come-along, bow saw, hatchet, leatherman, 50 ft. rope, two spare belts, space blanket, shovel, aerial flares, marine flares, orange smoke, baling wire, black tape, laser flare, gps, compass, first aid kit, spare gloves, mittens, waterproof/windproof lighter, helmet light, two flashlights, snowshoes, and probably a few more things I am forgetting. As time goes on, I actually use most of my stuff because most of the guys I ride with usually carry nothing. One has to get very creative on where to carry all this stuff on a standard rmk.

 

[AKDoug]

Like Sayak, I carry my stuff ON me. In my case I use a Dakine backpack made to carry an avalanche shovel. I don't ride in the mountains much anymore, but I still carry the shovel on any backcountry ride. Everybody used to laugh at me for carrying my shovel in my pack until a group of us got smucked by a small avalanche. All three sleds had their cowlings buried in snow...where everyone else kept their shovels. I had mine in my pack and everyone was glad for it. Good thing nobody was buried. Recovery time is cut greatly if your probes and shovel are on your back..not in you buried sled.

Now, I spend most of my times in flatlands backcountry or in the foothills. I still carry the shovel in my pack. In the pack is a ziplock bag full of power bars or granola bars, a few bic lighters, a magnesium fire starting kit, 2 quarts of water, a Gerber saw, a wool hat, spare gloves and two flashlights (one is a headlamp). In the trunk I carry a tool kit made of quality tools and a big pair of vice grips, a bottle of Isopropol heet, and a change of fleece clothes that I vacumm seal to make them small. On my back rack is a 100' section of 1/2" rescue rope and a bag with pullies and caribiners. I will carry snow shoes if the snow conditions or terrain I am heading into dictate their need.

 

[smallmonzter]

New to snowmachining and hunting

New to snowmachining and hunting

Hey folks I have a question. I am VERY new to snowmachining (quite a bit of history surviving alone in the woods though) and I have a snowmachine question. I have noticed that most of you say an "extensive" tool kit is a must have on hand while alone (or in a group most likely!) in the backcountry. I have a modest mechanics tool set of reputable brand. It contains deep well sockets in 1/2 and 1/4 drive, in both metric and SAE, standard depth sockets, open/box end wrenches in Metric and SAE. I carry a pair of large, small and needle nose pliers and likewise with vise grips; a couple small and large flat and philips head screw drivers also. Are there any other life savers not discussed in this thread (tools, parts or otherwise) out there I should have before heading out on my first solo snowmachine hunting trip? Thanks.

 

[AlaskaCub]

Heres a couple more I have in mine, HEET and a small pot which makes hot fire now, that you can also cook on. A small propane torch, more hot fire right now. Tools, saw, emerg blanket, 100 ft of rope, extra socks, gloves, hat, tools, Food (mostly eat it right now stuff) like granola bars,nutrigrain etc, headlamp + xtra batteries, lighters and matches in ziplocs, whistle, and am even considering a flare gun since I already oen one, thinking about ust throwing the gun and a few flares in there as opposed to the whole flare gun kit, and last but not least an Emergency first aid kit. And still adding more.

 

[LuJon]

Cub, I purchased a pen flare kit from Wal-Mart of all places this year for my sheep hunt. Neat little kit w/ 3 flares and it is very light and much smaller than a standard flare gun. I think it cost around 25 bucks.

 

[AlaskaCub]

Yeah I have a big flare gun kit with lots of flares leftover from my last boat I sold. Was thinking that just the gun and a few flares bagged up, would be a handy addition to the rest of the junk under my seat...grin, but would be nice to have if you need to get someones attention, and really doesn't take up much space.

 

[sledneck]

This year I'm also carrying a S.P.O.T. satellite messenger -- rode with a guy who had one lat year and went out and bought my own. It communicates via GPS satellites, so you don't have to rely on cell service. It's cheaper than a sat-phone but still about $150 bucks for the unit, plus an annual connection fee. It'll sure pay for itself if you have to use it.

 

[smallmonzter]

The SPOT

The SPOT

I have been looking at the SPOT messenger. It looks like a good piece of equipment, does anyone have any idea what the yearly charge for connection is?

 

[AlaskaCub]

I think its a $100 for the annual plan.

 

[smallmonzter]

Cool

Cool

Right on, sounds like it is well worth it.

 

[kenairmk]

Hey folks I have a question. I am VERY new to snowmachining (quite a bit of history surviving alone in the woods though) and I have a snowmachine question. I have noticed that most of you say an "extensive" tool kit is a must have on hand while alone (or in a group most likely!) in the backcountry. I have a modest mechanics tool set of reputable brand. It contains deep well sockets in 1/2 and 1/4 drive, in both metric and SAE, standard depth sockets, open/box end wrenches in Metric and SAE. I carry a pair of large, small and needle nose pliers and likewise with vise grips; a couple small and large flat and philips head screw drivers also. Are there any other life savers not discussed in this thread (tools, parts or otherwise) out there I should have before heading out on my first solo snowmachine hunting trip? Thanks.

One tool I carry worth it's weight in gold when you need it is a spring tool, used for removing the exhaust springs.

 

[AKmud]

+1 for carrying a backpack! I have a medium sized internal frame pack that I carry 90% of my survival gear in (the rest on the sled). If the machine goes underwater or off a cliff and all your gear is under the hood, you are in deep poo. My pack has a lace system on the outside that holds my LifeLink shovel very securely.

I keep thinking one of these trips, some buddies and I will make an overnight out of it (with our normal gear/food) just to see how we can handle it. I would like to find any deficiencies when it isn't an emergency situation!

A great survival site - Cold water survival with videos. Definitely check it out, this guy is intense.

 

[MacGyver]

I would like to find any deficiencies when it isn't an emergency situation!

If you show me yours, I will show you mine.

(((((((survival gear))))))

 

[sayak]

Curious

Curious

One tool I carry worth it's weight in gold when you need it is a spring tool, used for removing the exhaust springs.

In all my years of snow machining I have never needed a tool for exhaust springs. Is this a problem with high performance machines, or have I just been lucky?

 

[kenairmk]

In all my years of snow machining I have never needed a tool for exhaust springs. Is this a problem with high performance machines, or have I just been lucky?

I have replaced my recoil rope, opened up my chaincase, and helped others out before, all in the middle of nowhere. It is much easier with the exhaust out of the way. JMO

 

[smallmonzter]

Spring Tool

Spring Tool

I'm the new guy to snowmachining. I get the idea of what a spring tool is, can I get one at my local shop (Northern Power, Fun Center) and if so how much do they run? I'm going to be out on a Ski Doo Tundra, any issues with this machines capability? Also, someone had earlier mentioned the S.P.O.T. GPS tracking unit (a PLB for all intents and purposes). I think the quote for service was somewhere around $100 a year. If anyone is interested Wal-Mart has coupon at the Sporting Goods counter for 50% off yearly service with the purchase of a new unit. Just an FYI....

 

[AKmud]

For the exhaust springs, just go to NAPA or Shucks and get a cheap hook tool. It will work just fine and you can get it for a couple of bucks most of the time. Like the third from the left in this pic - Harbor freight