North America Survival Stories
Most of us in our lifetime have been directly connected to someone who has experienced an outdoor survival moment. Being stranded in the woods can be scary. Not knowing how to survive the extreme elements of nature. We’re going to share with you a couple of stories that will send shivers down your spine. From the beginning of time survival in the woods is a basic necessity of our existence. The old adage goes something like this, “without food, water, and shelter man cannot survive in the woods.” But one item that is necessary for your outdoor survival is fire. The need to stay warm is a critical element to surviving the outdoors. The survival stories we have outlined are just a few of the many that exist. Sit back and enjoy.
Hunting Grizzly in Alaska
With the vast wilderness, weather changes, and wild animals in Alaska there is no room for making mistakes in the woods. This woods survival story lasted seven days in the desolate woods on a tiny island 35 miles from Ketchikan Alaska. Adrian Knopps and Garrett Hagan were about to find out that Alaska is not a hunting ground to take lightly. Hagan an Alaskan native will never make it back home after this seven day grizzly bear adventure ends. After shooting an 800 pound giant the two would eventually become separated, and their true Alaskan woods survival adventure begins. Transferring the meat to their main boat anchored a half mile away in a small skiff was the first challenge. With 800 pounds of grizzly needing to be hauled to the boat, Knopps decided to stay back on the island while Hagan transferred the skinned and quartered grizzly to his 50 foot boat. Hagan would never return to pick up Knopps and his body was found a week and a half later.
Back on the island Knopps realizing something had gone wrong when his hunting partner did not return. His survival instincts came into play immediately after realizing he may be stranded in the woods of Ketchikan. Dealing with the elements of southern Alaska in September can be hair raising. Most of the wild animals are preparing for winter searching for anything that resembles food. The weather in Ketchikan is also very wet in the fall months. High winds and constant rain for days, even had Knopps who is an experienced outdoorsman wondering if he would ever make it back to safety. With no food, phone or sleep, Knopps pressed on. Not knowing if he would survive Knopps scrawled a farewell note on his rifle for his family back in Michigan. On the seventh day of his ordeal a helicopter spotted Knopps, and he was immediately flown to a hospital in Ketchikan. He was treated for swollen joints, hypothermia and later released. Knopps survived the woods, but his hunting partner Hagan was found dead 4 days later.
Survival in Joshua Tree National Park
From the great Alaskan Frontier to the deserts of California is where our next survival story begins. In the Joshua Tree National Park there are not a lot of woods to survive in but the beauty of the rock formations, and Joshua trees are stunning. Survival preparation is a must on the trails of this wonderland. Out, 10 miles away from civilization Ed Rosenthal would soon realize that the elements surrounding his adventure would soon become a survival reality. Out on a 4900 foot elevation hike to Warren View to commemorate closing a few big real estate deals, at age 68 Rosenthal was about to stare death in the face. Rosenthal had traversed this hike several times in his life. The idea of getting lost in the beauty of Joshua Tree National Park never entered his mind. This hike would be different.
Missing a trail sign and wandering of the trail had never happened prior to this hiking adventure. That is exactly what happened in the moderate desert woods of the National Park, and his natural survival skills were about to kick in. Rosenthal didn’t take any extra water with him. Keep in mind, he could hike this trail with his eyes closed, so he thought. The minutes turn to hours, and before Rosenthal knew it, he was a victim of the Mohave Desert. He started his trail hike on a Friday without telling anyone of his whereabouts. His wife wouldn’t return home from her travels until the following Monday. Rosenthal’s week had ended with another profitable real estate victory. This thirty minute hike was about to turn into a six day survival nightmare.
The problems he faced were many. With no water to survive the extreme elements, and not knowing where to turn to get out, Rosenthal ended up under a lone pine tree to stay out of the brutal desert sun. Trying to squeeze water out the Yucca Fronds didn’t work. The only thing Ed could do is rest his body by sleeping, keep out of the sun, and avoid hypothermia. As the hours turn to days and no help in sight, Rosenthal parched, hungry, and cold needed a miracle. He wrote notes on his hat to his family not knowing if he was going to survive.
The first miracle came when it finally rained. All he could muster up for strength to gather water was to lay on the ground and wet his tongue from the drops that hit it. The next miracle came when on day six of his survival effort. Rosenthal’s sunburned eyelids were glued shut, but he could hear the whirring blades of a helicopter overhead. He was miraculously saved from a normal afternoon hike that he had successfully completed several times in the past. Rosenthal admitted even at his age, you can always learn life’s valuable survival lessons. Being prepared for survival on trails that you have been on is as important as those less traveled.
Thoughts for Survival
What goes through the mind of a person lost in the woods? Will they ever make it home? How about the families they could possibly leave behind? Preparing to survive in the woods requires survival planning prior to your adventure – you may look for some tips on winter woods survival here – http://grandupheaval.com/winter-forest-survival-tips/. Don’t think that being stranded in the woods is never going to happen to you. Being prepared even if you plan on a short stay in Mother Nature is better than no plan at all. We hope you enjoyed the short stories portrayed in this article.
written by: luckipenny
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