Critique my Alaska/Canada survival kit

Katamarino

Katamarino

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Katamarino
One of the things I'm working on as my Alaska trip draws near is the survival gear. I've checked the regulations for both areas, and also looked at a few websites offering their own advice. So far I have come up with the following:

Garmin InReach Explorer+
ACR Resqlink+ 406MHz PLB (in addition to aircraft 406 MHz ELT)
Tent, Sleeping Bags
Camping stove, cooking kit
Appropriate clothing
Waterproof matches, lighter
Water purification gear
1 week food in bear-proof containers
Survival knife and hatchet
First aid kit
Fishing kit (I know nothing about fishing but it's in the regs)
Mosquito mesh hat, repellent
Compass
Flashlight/spare batteries
Bear spray
Signal mirror
100ft paracord

I'm open to suggestions about anything I've forgotten! My route will be fairly remote, see the attached link.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1GLTjXMrgyNHECOYwi_N6tHj6Xv8FKpBh&usp=sharing

I'll be flying a 182R with O-470-50 engine and 110 gallons fuel.
 
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Katamarino said:
One of the things I'm working on as my Alaska trip draws near is the survival gear. I've checked the regulations for both areas, and also looked at a few websites offering their own advice. So far I have come up with the following:

Garmin InReach Explorer+
ACR Resqlink+ 406MHz PLB (in addition to aircraft 406 MHz ELT)
Tent, Sleeping Bags, Camping stove, appropriate clothing
Waterproof matches, lighter
Water purification gear
1 week food in bear-proof containers
Survival knife and hatchet
First aid kit
Fishing kit (I know nothing about fishing but it's in the regs)
Mosquito mesh hat, repellent
Compass
Flashlight/spare batteries
Bear spray
Signal mirror

I'm open to suggestions about anything I've forgotten! My route will be fairly remote, see the attached link.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1GLTjXMrgyNHECOYwi_N6tHj6Xv8FKpBh&usp=sharing

I'll be flying a 182R with O-470-50 engine and 110 gallons fuel.
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I would add 50 ft nylon rope, duct tape, some ponchos, a long gun and ammo, poly tarps, flares,

You got a stove and food, what do you have to heat in?
 
I'm British, no Green Card, you guys won't let me buy a gun.
 
I've got 100ft of paracord that I forgot to add. Good point on listing the cooking kit too.
 
You won't need a gun. Common sense is a much better weapon.

Priorities. Water, shelter, food. Dehydration and hypothermia are the enemy. Once you're hypothermic? You're in big trouble. Don't get behind the hydration and calorie intake curve.

Water purifier and a container to collect, carry, and boil water. Fire starter like Wet Fire and a Blast Match. Sewing/suture kit. Quick Clot for bleeding. Benedryl lotion. Advil. Parachute cord and a sil tarp. Extra tent stakes. Easy to consume calories like Gu or other endurance sports nutrition packs. Spam, Nature Valley granola bars, and Justin's Almond Butter in single serving pouches are my standard survival foods but I keep several Gu packs for in between meals. Rain gear.

Your need for "survival" gear will be covered mostly by camping gear. When the weather turns bad you need to be comfortable in camp for a day or three so you don't get impatient and launch into conditions that are better watched from the ground.
 
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Shelter and water is the big priority. You can go a long time without food. Most quote a max of around 100hrs without water.
 
Yelling and clapping your hands will scare off most bears. Arms over your head to make you look big. Don't turn your back and don't run. Road flares are great deterrents. Noisy, smelly, bright. Bears hate 'em. They're great for when bears decide to explore your camp in the middle of the night. But you won't have much darkness. The one thing you can't prepare well enough for? Mosquitoes. You're going to experience bugs like you can't imagine. DEET won't slow them down. Thermacells are useless. You'll need to brush off your head net regularly just to be able to see. They're relentless.
 
Consider inflatable floation/survival vests for all occupants. You will be flying over a lot of water if you go up the coastal route. Make sure that any vest is manual inflate only, not water activated.

I will be flying the coast route in a couple of months myself and will have floatation devices on board. Until you get west of Cape Spencer there are very, very few beaches to land on. Out of Yakutat there is around 25 miles of open water to cross (I lived in Yakutat for a while) and it can be daunting.

Second on the DEET, have a head net and try to keep the airplane door closed. You will also want a can of anti-bug spray for the ones that get inside anyway.
 
Stewartb said:
Don't turn your back and don't run. Road flares are great deterrents. Noisy, smelly, bright. Bears hate 'em.
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That is what I have always carried. I have never had to use one, but the few people I have talked to that did set one off told me the bears instantly changed their mind and left the area very quickly.

My survival bag in north and northwest Alaska weighed 93 pounds, and I would occasionally use it for W&B purposes. I preferred to keep It in the back of the plane. The nose baggage compartment would be the first to collapse in a crash and then it would be mostly impossible to get to it.


Also (humorously)...... as far as bears are concerned.....don't be the slowest runner in the group. If you are, take your walking staff and whack your buddy in the knee then run..!!!

Seriously though, don't run in the presence of a bear. Running will activate the bears chase instinct.
 
Flares are certainly multipurpose. I carry them in the kit and mostly think of them for fire starter and signaling. Interesting that a flare can signal a bear to go away. :)
 
The Canadians won’t like any bear or pepper spray, then you have the issue of safely carrying it in a light plane. I’d just buy some in AK if you plan to hike a bunch. Shoot it off or give it away when you leave.

I didn’t see your route? I’d skirt the Northern U.S. border then cross into Canada North of MT. After that drift towards the Al-Can Hwy before things get to remote. You can cut some corners but it’s nice to keep the Hwy within a reasonable distance.

I’d take a small tent & sleeping bag, self sufficiency reasons. O.K., I see tent on your list.
 
Assortment of hand tools, depending on how handy you are and how far from civilization you are going. Some folks do certain airplane parts in a box in the back that they feel they know how to replace, if they’re really headed into the middle of nowhere.
 
Sucks about you not being able to bring/buy a 12 gauge, though I guess looking back at the last time we had a bunch of armed English here it got a little...well ;)

That said, DO NOT store the bear spray in the cabin with you, in the float world we keep it in one of the floats, maybe you could put it behind a inspection panel in the wing or something? Or strap it to the strut or landing gear leg?
 
I usually have a few (4) cylume sticks onboard and some string. A SAR guy once mentioned it. If you hear a airplane or chopper you can quickly crack the cylume stick to start it generating light and then swirl around above you head in circles and supposedly it makes for a pretty good sized light seen from the air. Call it a backup to dead batteries and not being able to start a fire in time.

I always throw in a few large trash bags. Useful for lots of stuff. I've seen stories where spearfishermen get lost or left behind on the ocean. One guy kept one in his BCD pocket. Filled with air (breathing should be enough), held it shut and makes for a larger object to see from the air. He uses the orange Halloween ones. Call it backup to the GPS gadgets not working or maybe with a bright light inside is more visible from above.

Maybe a small handsaw to compliment the hatchet, could even be a hacksaw (bring a extra blade) which could also cut thin metal

Assorted zip ties, one roll of duct tape and maybe a small wire cutters in case you need to steal stuff from the plane like the battery and lights.

Power brick (for usb gadgets).

Cheapo pulse oximeter ($40/small) if you're gonna be flying above 10K quite a bit. And maybe 2-4 of those little oxygen cans - my instructor uses them for short hops at altitude and I guess they work great. They don't weigh anything. Disregard the O2 cans if you have oxygen on board.

If you are going over a lot of water, that water is way to cold to survive in very long without a raft or dry/survival suit.

Small electronic CO monitor (if you don't already have one).

Sure looks like a fun trip!

Agree with the others, too bad you can't bring a long gun like a compact 45-70.
 
Second the thought on leaving the bear spray at home. You don't want it in the airplane cabin because if it goes off or leaks accidentally, it'll incapacitate you. You could do something like strap (or tape) it to the wing strut or someplace on the exterior. Or just read up on techniques for living in bear country (don't cook/store food in the same place where you sleep, don't run, make noise, etc.)

I don't see a particular need for oxygen; the places you're going are not high-altitude at all. Yes, there's a lot of mountains *around*, but if you find that the only way out of something is to climb past 10,000ft, it probably falls under the "you've got bigger problems" category. At least, if you're VFR...

Your itinerary map has a lot of coastal destinations where the weather is terrible pretty often, so keep your schedule flexible. I'd also plan to stop for fuel whenever you can (Galena, Bethel, etc.), even if you think you won't need it, just so that there are always more turning-back options, especially once you're off the road system, heading into western Alaska. Or the far north. Or the southwest. Or the middle. :)

Please tell us what "Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport" and "Tribble Ranch" are like! Never heard of those places, but they sound awesome...
 
kath said:
Please tell us what "Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport" and "Tribble Ranch" are like! Never heard of those places, but they sound awesome...
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48U (the Spaceport) is windswept and barren...sorta like all of the countryside out there. Watch out for the Morrrgs, they never self announce in the pattern and their ships kick up a hell of a dust storm both arriving and departing.
 
kath said:
Second the thought on leaving the bear spray at home. You don't want it in the airplane cabin because if it goes off or leaks accidentally, it'll incapacitate you. You could do something like strap (or tape) it to the wing strut or someplace on the exterior. Or just read up on techniques for living in bear country (don't cook/store food in the same place where you sleep, don't run, make noise, etc.)

I don't see a particular need for oxygen; the places you're going are not high-altitude at all. Yes, there's a lot of mountains *around*, but if you find that the only way out of something is to climb past 10,000ft, it probably falls under the "you've got bigger problems" category. At least, if you're VFR...

Your itinerary map has a lot of coastal destinations where the weather is terrible pretty often, so keep your schedule flexible. I'd also plan to stop for fuel whenever you can (Galena, Bethel, etc.), even if you think you won't need it, just so that there are always more turning-back options, especially once you're off the road system, heading into western Alaska. Or the far north. Or the southwest. Or the middle. :)

Please tell us what "Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport" and "Tribble Ranch" are like! Never heard of those places, but they sound awesome...
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Yeah, this was the "expert" on living in bear country.

Personally during bear season I'm packing a 12G


At least the bear spray might make you a spicy enough meat ball to not be worth the trouble

Sounds not too hard to find somewhere in the wing, or somewhere external to strap the spray.

Whenever you can be the apex predator, be the apex predator.
 
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CC003A34-7F6A-4199-A151-A5FC8A74562B.png Last time I flew a light plane to Canada, about 3 years back, they asked the usual about weapons and ‘pepper spray’. I had kinda assumed ‘bear spray’ was prohibited, like mace and pepper spray. It seems Canada does have an allowance if it is listed on the label as an ‘animal deterrent’. Seems a bit strange since it is very similar, though usually larger, stronger, with a longer range.

Besides any individual border agent allowances, regular ‘bear spray’ may very well be legal to bring across the border.
 
sourdough44 said:
View attachment 63165 Last time I flew a light plane to Canada, about 3 years back, they asked the usual about weapons and ‘pepper spray’. I had kinda assumed ‘bear spray’ was prohibited, like mace and pepper spray. It seems Canada does have an allowance if it is listed on the label as an ‘animal deterrent’. Seems a bit strange since it is very similar, though usually larger, stronger, with a longer range.

Besides any individual border agent allowances, regular ‘bear spray’ may very well be legal to bring across the border.
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My ex chick dealt with that, they don't like small framed women to have keychain OC spray, but a fire extinguisher sized bear spray is cool....Canada lol
 
sourdough44 said:
The Canadians won’t like any bear or pepper spray, then you have the issue of safely carrying it in a light plane. I’d just buy some in AK if you plan to hike a bunch. Shoot it off or give it away when you leave.

I didn’t see your route? I’d skirt the Northern U.S. border then cross into Canada North of MT. After that drift towards the Al-Can Hwy before things get to remote. You can cut some corners but it’s nice to keep the Hwy within a reasonable distance.

I’d take a small tent & sleeping bag, self sufficiency reasons. O.K., I see tent on your list.
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There's no problem with a pilot crossing the border and heading into the north country having bear spray in their kit. Keep a list of everything in the kit/plane and have it ready for Canada customs - that will save a LOT of time.
 
The National Park Rangers are advising hikers in Glacier National Park and other Rocky Mountain parks to be alert for bears and take extra precautions to avoid an encounter; it should be applicable in AK as well.
They advise park visitors to wear little bells on their clothes so they make noise when hiking. The bell noise allows bears to hear them coming from a distance and not be startled by a hiker accidentally sneaking up on them. This might cause a bear to charge.
Visitors should also carry a pepper spray can just in case a bear is encountered. Spraying the pepper into the air will irritate the bear's sensitive nose and it will run away.
It is also a good idea to keep an eye out for fresh bear scat so you have an idea if bears are in the area. People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear scat.
Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.
 
Clip4 said:
If you are taking a hand cannon to Canada you won’t need the survival gear because you will be in jail. But a long gun would be recommended.
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What a crock, you need to learn Canadian gun laws. I've had my hand gun in Canada more time than I can count.
 
It’s a small thing, but I carry a small foldable solar cell...it’s about the size of a magazine and in full sun, puts almost 20 watts into a standard USB output. Charges my phone or my handheld radio in about four hours of good sun.
 
As I type this my survival gear pack sits next to my desk, waiting to go. Survival gear is bare bones. It's about survival, not comfort and convenience. Live another day until help arrives, and up here help may take a few days if the weather's bad. Water. Shelter. Calories. First aid. Bug protection. That's the whole deal right there. On the flip side? How cushy the camp gear is depends on your budget (the good stuff isn't even close to cheap) and what your accommodations plans are along the route. A heavily loaded 182 isn't a bush plane so I figure runways and motels are on the agenda. That requires a different strategy than in a Cub where the intent is to avoid people as much as possible. The route is aggressive. Probably too aggressive. That's some hostile and unforgiving country up there. Most city dwellers have no concept of how big and remote the north is, and how small and insignificant you are in it. And that's what we northerners like. Plan, pack, prepare, and have a great trip!
 
Tom-D said:
What a crock, you need to learn Canadian gun laws. I've had my hand gun in Canada more time than I can count.
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Depends on the hand gun, handguns are also a crap tool for said mission anyways, you're wanting a 870 marine magnum, or mossberg mariner, properly loaded and with a shooter properly trained and with a good sling
 
James331 said:
Depends on the hand gun, handguns are also a crap tool for said mission anyways, you're wanting a 870 marine magnum, or mossberg mariner, properly loaded and with a shooter properly trained.
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clip4 still needs to learn the Canadian rules on hand guns.
 
Tom-D said:
clip4 still needs to learn the Canadian rules on hand guns.
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Who cares, it's a garbage tool for said mission.

Outside of small black bears or crackheads or just plinking pistols don't have much use in the backcountry.
 
Bobanna said:
Black bear droppings are smaller and often contain berries, leaves, and possibly bits of fur. Grizzly bear droppings tend to contain small bells and smell of pepper.
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I used to tell that to tourist camping and hiking in Denali National Park.... you should have seen their faces....:eek2: :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

In Northwest Alaska I would warn pilots new to Alaska to never carry BBQ sauce and toothpicks together in the airplane because bears will be the first responders.....
 
Crap tool? Says a guy who doesn’t live in bear country! I love my 500 mag. I like my 44 mag. I retired my 357 mag. If the day’s activities allow I’ll carry my 45-70 guide gun, but handguns are the normal choice. Shotguns are for bird hunters.
 
Bears are tiny in NW Alaska! :) The AK Peninsula and Kodiak Archipeligo? Wowza!
There are some TANKS there! A buddy occasionally send pics of the polar bears in his work area. Uhhh, I’ll pass on them. Those critters have no fear of man. Someplace around here I have pics of what some Polars did to a couple of Supercubs that friends flew to Kaktovik. Not pretty!
 
I added a smoke and flare pistol kit to attract the rescue team when they get close.
 
Stewartb said:
Crap tool? Says a guy who doesn’t live in bear country! I love my 500 mag. I like my 44 mag. I retired my 357 mag. If the day’s activities allow I’ll carry my 45-70 guide gun, but handguns are the normal choice. Shotguns are for bird hunters.
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Not sure how much shooting you do, but a 870 marine magnum will put much more energy on target with a higher degree of a good hit compared to a non regular shooter with a hand cannon.

44mag is impressive until you see was a 12 gauge with 00 or a slug will do.

But hey, don't let me get between you and your inner Dirty Harry ;)


BillTIZ said:
I added a smoke and flare pistol kit to attract the rescue team when they get close.
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Hence the 12 gauge, it will also shoot flares.
 
I have an 870 Marine and a Mossberg 500 along with a bunch of other noise makers. I frequently shoot bears in my yard. Sometimes on my porch. I have a nice brown on my wall looking at me. I didn’t get my opinions from gleaning magazine articles and internet sites. Even in town bears in the yard are pretty uneventful. Except for the dog. They **** her off. When my daughter was 7 she got jumped by a black in the yard. My dog jumped that bear. Since then? See a bear, shoot a bear.
 
I have a Remington 870 slug gun loaded with 50 cal saboted slugs. has more energy. at 25 yards than any 50 cal pistol. and a whole lot easier to carry thru Canada.
 
Stewartb said:
I have an 870 Marine and a Mossberg 500 along with a bunch of other noise makers. I frequently shoot bears in my yard. Sometimes on my porch. I have a nice brown on my wall looking at me. I didn’t get my opinions from gleaning magazine articles and internet sites. Even in town bears in the yard are pretty uneventful. Except for the dog. They **** her off. When my daughter was 7 she got jumped by a black in the yard. My dog jumped that bear. Since then? See a bear, shoot a bear.
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Lol, I've been shooting for a good while, target, competition, hunting, etc, I've built firearms from blocks of 7000series aluminum, more over I have at least a 4th grade understanding of math and this know which number is bigger.

More energy transfer = more dead


44mag pistol

image.jpg



12G buck shot, with its much larger multi pellet spread which helps in shooter error

image.jpg





12G slug, still more likely to hit the target compared to a hand cannon, and check out that energy transfer!!
image.jpg



It's really just math, plus the average rookie is much more accurate and safe with a long gun vs a super heavy revolver.



And add to that a 12G can also shoot bird shot to take out a duck or goose or something for you to eat if you're bushwacked for a while


Aaaand add to that a 12G can shoot a marine flare to signal for help



....but you can't swagger around like John Wayne with a practical shotgun like you can with that 44mag revolver, so I guess it comes down to if you want to survive or do you want to live out some childhood cowboy or John Wayne fetish. To each their own
 
It ain’t math when it involves your kid, poser. How many bears have you shot? How many different guns? The stopping power of a hard cast lead bullet from a 500 mag handgun or 45-70 guide gun surpasses that of a 12ga Brenneke slug. Using the math. BTDT.
 
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