Surviving a Wilderness Emergency: Practical advice on what to do when you find yourself in trouble in the backcountry

By Peter Kummerfeldt

Learn the skills need to survive an unplanned night out: Surviving a Wilderness Emergency provides you with a wealth of field tested techniques and procedures to use when you are faced with protecting... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0977645908
• ISBN13: 9780977645909
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: OutdoorSafe Press
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 0.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.4" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Solid information on survival

Surviving a Wilderness Emergency by Peter Kummerfeldt delivers very practical advice for surviving an unplanned night in the wilderness. Kummerfeldt does not hold back his opinion that there are many "survival books" on the market providing outdated or ineffective survival methods which are not relevant today. I really appreciated this level of honesty. Surviving a Wilderness Emergency is not a rehash of information obtained, repeated and often impractical in many of the survival books available today. There is a heavy emphasis on prior planning and being properly prepared for a potential crisis even if just going for a short hike. Complacency leads to problems. It is critical to dress appropriately (no cotton) to maintain your body temperature and have an emergency kit/backpack with proper supplies. If something does go wrong you have planned for such a situation and have appropriate items with you to survive and endure until rescued. The information provided is about practical survival skills not primitive survival skills. There is a chapter on survival myths and misconceptions covering topics such as fire, shelter and signaling. Many times in a survival situation you may be injured or ill and many survival books fail to take this into account and how it can negatively impact your ability to perform essential tasks. Good luck rubbing two sticks together with an injured or broken arm. The chapters on emergency shelters and fire building really provided practical information. The author was not afraid to state that some of the commonly utilized products available are really not effective and efficient for survival. After reading these chapters you may re-evaluate some of the products in your kit. My one criticism of this book is that at times I felt that not enough detail was provided on certain topics and I was left wanting more information. Then again how often do you find everything you need in one resource! I really appreciate Kummerfeldt's point of view on survival and his open and honest opinion on different products and techniques. Overall, a good book that I recommend.

Single best book on modern survival today by a true master of his craft

Peter Kummerfeldt's book is, without a doubt, the best text out today on the subject of what it takes to survive a mishap in the backcountry. This book sticks to the basics without overwhelming the reader with tons of statistics or absurd skills ("you can rub two sticks together to make fire if you get lost in the woods."). The photos are crisp (no recycled line drawings as in other books) and illustrate pertinent survival gear that dayhikers should carry as well as medical and environmental concerns, something most manuals overlook. As someone who teaches survival skills for a living and has assembled a large collection of books on the subject over the years, I can honestly say that it's Peter's book that gets the most kudos from my students and one that I recommend to everyone in my classes. Peter is also one of the great masters of bushcraft whose experience spans many continents and years of study. Someone who has lived his life in the outdoors and knows well his subject. Pick up a copy, outfit yourself with the gear he discusses, and you will be prepared for an emergency in the wilds should it befall you. Tony Nester Ancient Pathways, LLC Flagstaff, AZ