All about belaying – how to apply friction to a rope to arrest a stranded climber.

Belaying is a method of applying friction to the rope to control the amount of rope that is paid out or taken in. It is also used to arrest a climber that has fallen or to control the rate of descent of a load from a higher elevation to a lower elevation. The belay man…

Bowline on a Coil - how to secure a climber to a rope

Bowline on a coil The bowline on a coil is utilized to secure a climber to the end of the climbing rope. Utilize a minimum of three wraps parallel to each other and laying between the hip bone and lower set of ribs. All coils touch and are tight enough to ensure that a fist…

Rappel seat left hand brake The rappel seat is utilized to form a rope harness for rappelling and can be tied for use with the left or right hand. Leg straps do not cross and are centered on buttocks and tight. Leg straps form locking half-hitches on rope around waist. Square knot properly tied on…

Using the sky and clouds to forecast the weather – clouds as foretellers of weather.

About 200 years ago an Englishman classified clouds according to what they looked like to a person seeing them from the ground. He grouped them into three classes and gave them Latin names: cirrus, cumulus, and stratus. By being familiar with the different cloud formation and what weather they portend, you can take appropriate action…

Water Crossings – how to cross deadly water obstacles in a survival situation.

In a survival situation, you may have to cross a water obstacle. It may be in the form of a river, a stream, a lake, a bog, quicksand, quagmire, or muskeg. Even in the desert, flash floods occur, making streams an obstacle. Whatever the obstacle, you need to know how to cross it safely.

You must use special precautions if you expect to survive in these man-made hazards. If you are subjected to any of the effects of nuclear, chemical, or biological warfare, the survival procedures recommended here may save your life. Awareness of the hazards and application of common sense can keep you alive.

Survival Planning – an introduction to surviving in the wild

A survival plan is critical to your ability to survive. There are three components to a survival plan – planning, preparation, and practice. Planning is nothing more than understanding that a situation could arise that would require survival techniques in order to live and with that in mind, taking the necessary steps to increase your…

The threat from animals is less than from other parts of the environment. However, common sense tells you to avoid encounters with lions, bears, and other large or dangerous animals. Move carefully through their environment. Caution may prevent unexpected meetings.

Poisonous Plants – an overview of plant poisoning and how to avoid being poisoned

Successful use of plants in a survival situation depends on positive identification. Knowing poisonous plants is as important as knowing edible plants.

Survival fire principles (introduction to “firecraft”)

In survival situations, the ability to build and light a fire can make the difference between life and death. You can use fire to purify water, sterilize bandages, signal for rescue, drive animals from their homes, efficiently modify the landscape, smoke and preserve food, softening tar for adhesives, making charcoal for medicinal purposes, and provide…