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Thread: Stuck in snow storm at Redfern - Need urgent help

  1. #91
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
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    Sunshine Coast
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    2,833

    Re: Stuck in snow storm at Redfern - Need urgent help

    So good that they made it out, 6" of Aug. wet snow and popular tree's full of leaf's is a bad mix. A number of years a go I was hunting off of the Hart Heritage hwy. south of Tumbler Ridge and they had a snow storm around labour day weekend about 12", cut lines that we liked to hunt were totally impassable, like trying to walk through a game of pick sticks. I can't imagine being 10-15km off road and having to pick my way though that.

  2. #92
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    78

    Re: Stuck in snow storm at Redfern - Need urgent help

    Plenty of wisdom to be garnered through this. First ensure that your wife does not use the words "urgent help needed" on this site when all you want to know is an answer to a simple question. That question was this: how far down redfern lake trail is the outfitter camp located and if it actually exists.

    Now I am the husband (champs) who was stuck, cold and wet on the trail. But I can assure you all an SOS was not required.

    Here's the story for any of you that care. Critique how you may like, I'm ok with learning.

    We entered redfern knowing heavy precip was forecasted, along with 1-3 cm of snow. We experienced closer to 30cm of snow. We spent 36 hours in the tent waiting out the storm, a known potential problem for those of us in the back country. We decided to leave after the storm finished. For those unfamiliar with redfern it is basically a quad trail, many km through alders. We were in 20 km. As people have said already snowfall before leaves fall brings down many trees and basically make roads impassable. We had what I figured would be 8km of work before the road would be at a slightly lower elevation (thus less snow), and wider thus less impacted by alders laying down. The number of downed trees was much greater than I expected. After running out of gas, 5 hours into the job, I had covered almost 4km. I then switched to my axe and hand saw with which I was slower (shocker). At that point I wondered hmmm, where is that outfitter camp?
    Of course I missed the fact that the camp would have to be further down the trail from where I was which was obviously as impassable as what I was dealing with (haha .... Fool). And that's when you all saw the "urgent need for help". Sorry for the drama. It was not an SOS scenario or an unprepared fool (well not totally I think). At all times I had food, tent, sleeping bag and clothes in waterproof bags available for use. At any time I could have built a fire and hunkered down and been dry. I just didn't want to after the 36 hour tent stay already.

    As far as hiking out 15 km, it's not an unusual thing for my son and I to do. Last year we hiked into redfern... This year we chose the sxs. In the end another hunter was traveling up the trail clearing from below what I had given up on clearing from above. My son and I hiked 1.5 km down the trail, met them coming up and then of course returned to our sxs and continued down. In addition, there were other parties dealing with exiting redfern from much deeper than I was who passed my stationary sxs as I hiked. I knew other parties had to be around dealing with the same issues. It was a long day reaching the truck around 10 pm.
    Anyhow that's the story.

    As for seeing game, I did call in a black bear, only for it to show up once I had given up and decided to take care of the morning constitutional. 15 yards apart the bear was safe as I held the TP.
    Last edited by champs; 08-21-2019 at 11:43 PM.

  3. #93
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
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    Re: Stuck in snow storm at Redfern - Need urgent help

    Lesson learn't, never have you're gun more than a arms length away when you're hunting, even when you're in the middle of the morning constitutional. Just for a case in point, a friend of my fathers shot the biggest mulie buck that he ever shot in the middle of his morning constitutional and then he finished his morning business. So glad that the out come was positive.

  4. #94
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    49.2 kms from 10U 687884E 5617178N
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    8,757

    Re: Stuck in snow storm at Redfern - Need urgent help

    Quote Originally Posted by champs View Post
    Plenty of wisdom to be garnered through this. First ensure that your wife does not use the words "urgent help needed" on this site when all you want to know is an answer to a simple question. That question was this: how far down redfern lake trail is the outfitter camp located and if it actually exists.

    Now I am the husband (champs) who was stuck, cold and wet on the trail. But I can assure you all an SOS was not required.

    Here's the story for any of you that care. Critique how you may like, I'm ok with learning.

    We entered redfern knowing heavy precip was forecasted, along with 1-3 cm of snow. We experienced closer to 30cm of snow. We spent 36 hours in the tent waiting out the storm, a known potential problem for those of us in the back country. We decided to leave after the storm finished. For those unfamiliar with redfern it is basically a quad trail, many km through alders. We were in 20 km. As people have said already snowfall before leaves fall brings down many trees and basically make roads impassable. We had what I figured would be 8km of work before the road would be at a slightly lower elevation (thus less snow), and wider thus less impacted by alders laying down. The number of downed trees was much greater than I expected. After running out of gas, 5 hours into the job, I had covered almost 4km. I then switched to my axe and hand saw with which I was slower (shocker). At that point I wondered hmmm, where is that outfitter camp?
    Of course I missed the fact that the camp would have to be further down the trail from where I was which was obviously as impassable as what I was dealing with (haha .... Fool). And that's when you all saw the "urgent need for help". Sorry for the drama. It was not an SOS scenario or an unprepared fool (well not totally I think). At all times I had food, tent, sleeping bag and clothes in waterproof bags available for use. At any time I could have built a fire and hunkered down and been dry. I just didn't want to after the 36 hour tent stay already.

    As far as hiking out 15 km, it's not an unusual thing for my son and I to do. Last year we hiked into redfern... This year we chose the sxs. In the end another hunter was traveling up the trail clearing from below what I had given up on clearing from above. My son and I hiked 1.5 km down the trail, met them coming up and then of course returned to our sxs and continued down. In addition, there were other parties dealing with exiting redfern from much deeper than I was who passed my stationary sxs as I hiked. I knew other parties had to be around dealing with the same issues. It was a long day reaching the truck around 10 pm.
    Anyhow that's the story.

    As for seeing game, I did call in a black bear, only for it to show up once I had given up and decided to take care of the morning constitutional. 15 yards apart the bear was safe as I held the TP.
    A lot of melodrama for sure. Wives can be that way.
    A question if you will.
    Would a machete have been any use to you? I carry one on my quad at all times, along with a medium size axe, folding saw and a hatchet. I have a large atv box that stores lots except the kitchen sink.
    ".....It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of a Trudeau government than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their prime minister......​"

  5. #95
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Victoria
    Posts
    2,429

    Re: Stuck in snow storm at Redfern - Need urgent help

    Even better than a machete, is a fiskars brush axe. They're ideal for alder clearing.
    The only thing I like as much as trucks, is guns.

  6. #96
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    9,436

    Re: Stuck in snow storm at Redfern - Need urgent help

    Champs, thanks for the story.
    Drama? lol this is HBC you know!

    Glad your ok, don't be hard on your wife for using "urgent".... this is a forum, people flash off at anything and move on to the next. Chalk that up to another adventure in the outback!

  7. #97
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    In the bush near a lake
    Posts
    7,198

    Re: Stuck in snow storm at Redfern - Need urgent help

    Wives always overreact mine included

    Good to hear all worked out and now you have a new campfire story

  8. #98
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    598

    Re: Stuck in snow storm at Redfern - Need urgent help

    You would have to understand the magnitude of the broken branches and trees in a situation like this. Others will see it when they visit later in the fall.
    Machete works ok for a few branches, but not reasonable for 100’s.
    Quote Originally Posted by Jagermeister View Post
    A lot of melodrama for sure. Wives can be that way.
    A question if you will.
    Would a machete have been any use to you? I carry one on my quad at all times, along with a medium size axe, folding saw and a hatchet. I have a large atv box that stores lots except the kitchen sink.

  9. #99
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Squamish
    Posts
    6,082

    Re: Stuck in snow storm at Redfern - Need urgent help

    Champs,

    This thread has really bugged me since I first read it, not because your wife did anything wrong but because there was a lot more armchair quarterbacking and sh*tposting than actual help from the hunting community.

    I think your wife played her hand pretty well. It is arguable whether 'urgent help' was a good choice of words but everything else was well done:
    - she reached out to the hunting community to see if any help was nearby. I get good cell reception where I camp to access Redfern so I think there was a pretty fair chance someone in a position to help would have received the message.
    - when people started responding with 'Call SAR' she kept a cool head and communicated with you to determine whether or not that was necessary and she made the right call by not calling in the calvary.
    - when morons on here started saying stupid things about your level of preparation she didn't engage. My wife would have ended up in jail.

    I think your wife deserves some flowers and a nice dinner.

    I know the area pretty well and know what a summer snowstorm can do. I think you and your son handled the situation as well as you could have. Bushcraft isn't about always having the right tools and gear, it is about making the best of what you have.
    Is Justin Competent, or just incompetent?

  10. #100
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Victoria
    Posts
    14,123

    Re: Stuck in snow storm at Redfern - Need urgent help

    Quote Originally Posted by albravo2 View Post
    Champs,

    This thread has really bugged me since I first read it, not because your wife did anything wrong but because there was a lot more armchair quarterbacking and sh*tposting than actual help from the hunting community.

    I think your wife played her hand pretty well. It is arguable whether 'urgent help' was a good choice of words but everything else was well done:
    - she reached out to the hunting community to see if any help was nearby. I get good cell reception where I camp to access Redfern so I think there was a pretty fair chance someone in a position to help would have received the message.
    - when people started responding with 'Call SAR' she kept a cool head and communicated with you to determine whether or not that was necessary and she made the right call by not calling in the calvary.
    - when morons on here started saying stupid things about your level of preparation she didn't engage. My wife would have ended up in jail.

    I think your wife deserves some flowers and a nice dinner.

    I know the area pretty well and know what a summer snowstorm can do. I think you and your son handled the situation as well as you could have. Bushcraft isn't about always having the right tools and gear, it is about making the best of what you have.
    Well said buddy, thanks for posting what a lot of us are thinking..

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