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Most of us have been following the news about the man who was recently found dead in the mountains.  I spent years teaching survival to the US Military and his death bothers me, as well, I'm sure many others.  No one will ever know what he was thinking as he started out on his trip, hoping to find help, but I'm sure the safey and health of his family was on his mind.  It would have been on mine.  I guess what bothers me the most is the fact kids were involved and that changes a person in a survival situation a great deal.  The survivor is no long concerned about just their own survival, but the survival of those they love and who depend on them for safety. 

All over the net I've read hints about how to survive in the cold and some are to be taken with a grain of salt.  I've had survival training as low as -20 and in the arctic, and for days as a time, so I know a bit about what I am talking about here.  Personally, I'd never run my car engine, due to the dangers of carbon monoxide, but with kids, who knows what I might do to try to make them more comfortable.  I do know a shelter in the trees, made of pine boughs, and covered with snow can keep you at a fairly comfortable temperature (but, no, it never gets really warm and hot is out of the question).  But, with a small child, well, the car might be the best.  Like many survival situations, you have to be the person having the experience to make the decision, but the wrong one and someone may die.  It's easy for us to think about what the man should have done, because we are in our warm homes now and not out fighting to stay alive.

 One aspect of survival I have been taught and I've taught for years, never leave the scene of a stalled vehicle or aircraft crash unless you are forced to do so (life threatening situations, i.e., forest fire, mud slide, flood, etc.).  Unless you have absolute NO doubt where you are, where you will be going, and how to get there.  It is very difficult to find a single person meandering in the woods, but much easier to spot a car or crashed plane.

Most causes of death of those who walk away from a winter survival situation are related to hypothermia.  Once the injury kicks in, well, the brain stops functioning as it normally would.  Most victims shed clothing, walk like they are very drunk, and eventually fall victim to the cold and freeze.  There are many more symptoms, but those are the main one.

 To the man's family, I'll say this, he was a very determined and brave man! He thought of his family before himself.

 Gary