How to Stop Surviving and Start Living Well Outdoors

[wayno]

Stop reading, watching, and clicking on so-called “survival” content. That word has, for too long, been used to market bad, impractical, largely useless advice to a public all too ready to fantasize about overcoming deadly challenges rather than simply learning how to enjoy the outdoors in more significant and effective ways. Labeling content with “survival” has become the outdoor media’s equivalent of slapping a busty, scantily clad chick on a product and selling it to an audience they're willingly condescending to.

http://www.outsideonline.com/2072801/ho ... l-outdoors

[ribuck]

I couldn't agree more about "survival content", most of which is really just "adventure porn".

As for living well outdoors, it boils down to this:

1. Clothing and equipment that will keep you dry and warm,
2. Water to drink, and some food to eat,
3. Being in a nice setting with friends, and (most important)...
4. Having a campfire for warmth, light, cooking, drying things, boiling water, and providing a social focal point.

[lee737]

A good read, thanks for the link.
Reading it reminds me of some good advice an army instructor barked at us once, as we stood around a rifle range in the cold and rain..... "Any fool can get wet. Go and put your raincoats on!"

[north-north-west]

I couldn't agree more about "survival content", most of which is really just "adventure porn".

As for living well outdoors, it boils down to this:

1. Clothing and equipment that will keep you dry and warm,
2. Water to drink, and some food to eat,
3. Being in a nice setting with friends,

Right, you lost me there.

and (most important)... 4. Having a campfire for warmth, light, cooking, drying things, boiling water, and providing a social focal point.

Don't bother coming to Tasmania, OK?

[ribuck]

NNW, I didn't say that's the ONLY formula for living well in the bush. I do also live well in the bush when I go solo, which is most of my trips.

As for Tassie, I haven't been there since 1965. Is there no bush left where fires are not prohibited? How sad. Fire is part of the heritage of all humans.

[Lindsay]

Great read wayno. I often wondered when watching Bear Grylls and co. exactly how someone ends up in such remote wilderness with absolutely nothing in the way of equipment.

[wayno]

Great read wayno. I often wondered when watching Bear Grylls and co. exactly how someone ends up in such remote wilderness with absolutely nothing in the way of equipment.

hired by a TV channel to be dropped off by a helicopter..

[highercountry]

Fire is part of the heritage of all humans.

... and loses any appeal when it burns in a wildfire up to the back door step, or worse, takes your home and all lifeforms with it.
I can't stand the smell of burning eucalypt these days. I used to love it.
No more campfires for me since 2003.

[north-north-west]

Fire is part of the heritage of all humans.

No more campfires for me since 2003.

I started seriously going off fires in '67.

Is there no bush left where fires are not prohibited?

Not in National Parks, except a very few designated constructed fireplaces in a few official campsites.

[GPSGuided]

Survive vs living well? Short of dying, isn't it all in the mind?

[Hallu]

I agree. The outdoors are inviting, they shouldn't be perceived as something scary to conquer in order to become a man or something. Like the article says, planning is all it takes, and experience.

Sometimes though the most inviting is the most dangerous. I've been to Death Valley, many dry places in Australia, seen bears, deadly snakes, but to me the most dangerous place to hike is the Alps. A slippery snowfield in spring right on the track, numerous side paths that'll get you lost, avalanches triggered by cross country skiers, unmaintained tracks that get eroded by the rain and become too close to the cliffs... I'll take camping with bears in the US, thank you. Most "wilderness" countries have single tracks in their national parks and the junctions are signed/maintainted, it's impossible to get lost in good weather. But on the local news in the French Alps I keep seeing death. Winter 2015 was plagued by avalanche deaths, this spring saw many mountaineers dying (I think 5 so far), regular hikers getting severely injured... When I lived in Australia a hiker getting lost and recovered was big news, and there was maybe one accidental death or two a year. I think in France only we get about twenty times that, and we definitely don't have 20 times the number of hikers. Poor planning and poor track maintenance cause that.

[kitty]

Excellent article Wayno. Thanks!

[highercountry]

The outdoors are inviting, they shouldn't be perceived as something scary to conquer in order to become a man or something.

This perfectly echoes my thoughts.
For me, I try to approach the outdoors and natural environment with a blended sense of curiosity, respect, awe, quiet appreciation, humility, and all that sort of stuff.
So many people go crashing in to the bush; guns blazing, engines roaring, trees falling, mud forming, and wreak havoc. Conquest, destruction and noise.
I prefer the tread gently approach and leave no trace.

[kneighbour]

4. Having a campfire for warmth, light, cooking, drying things, boiling water, and providing a social focal point.

Are you allowed to have a fire anywhere in Australia? You certainly cannot in Queensland. I am not a big fan of fires myself - never even have a fire when in a car camping ground with designated fire pits. But out in the bush...it is generally not allowed.

[ribuck]

There are still back-country areas in NSW where you can have a campfire. Parts of Kanangra, parts of the Budawangs, etc. Is it really true that there are no such places in QLD?

[kneighbour]

There are still back-country areas in NSW where you can have a campfire. Parts of Kanangra, parts of the Budawangs, etc. Is it really true that there are no such places in QLD?

Not in National Parks, I believe. There are other areas though. A few areas around water catchment areas are run by the Water Department (whatever it is called), and they might allow it.

[dagsands]

There are still back-country areas in NSW where you can have a campfire. Parts of Kanangra, parts of the Budawangs, etc. Is it really true that there are no such places in QLD?

Not in National Parks, I believe. There are other areas though. A few areas around water catchment areas are run by the Water Department (whatever it is called), and they might allow it.

There are lots of parks in Qld including national parks where camp fires are permitted. The caveats are that you bring your own firewood for your camp fires, rather than sourcing it from the national park, and that you plan to use fuel or gas stoves for cooking.
Details here http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/list.php?facility=5

[newhue]

Start living well hey...National Parks may say no fires, but nothing about candles. I like staring into a flame, something majestic and relaxing about it. Maybe I'm old school and a dinosaur but I haven't had any complaints yet. Just a tuner tin, with rolled up cardboard, and melted candles. Burns for about 4 hours and can be snuffed out and reused again the next night. Weighs 120g.

candle.JPG (98.55 KiB) Viewed 13278 times

[kneighbour]

Start living well hey...National Parks may say no fires, but nothing about candles. I like staring into a flame, something majestic and relaxing about it. Maybe I'm old school and a dinosaur but I haven't had any complaints yet. Just a tuner tin, with rolled up cardboard, and melted candles. Burns for about 4 hours and can be snuffed out and reused again the next night. Weighs 120g.

Now here is an idea I can get behind! Brilliant.

[ribuck]

If each person in the party brought one of those candles, they would make quite a centrepiece! Or they could be distributed onto the various ledges of a camping cave for an impressive effect.