I should have taken the ski poles and clothes before I took the newspaper and gun?
This test isn't fair without knowing the cold and the wind and the distance.
What "seems" to be a cabin might be worth waiting until dawn.
by Systematic• You have just crash-landed in the woods of northern Minnesota and southern Manitoba.
It is 11:32 A.M. in mid-January. The small plane in which you were traveling has been completely destroyed except for the frame. The pilot, co-pilot and everyone else has been killed, but you aren't seriously injured. The crash came suddenly before the pilot had time to radio for help or inform anyone of your position. Since your pilot was trying to avoid a storm, you know the plane was considerably off course.You are dressed in winter clothing appropriate for city. You notice what seems to be an abandoned cabin far up on a mountain and decide to scrounge the plane for supplies before leaving. While rummaging through the wreckage for survivors you come across a couple supplies. You can only carry 5 items with you, choose wisely.
Compress kit Ball of steel wool
Cigarette lighter without the fluid Loaded .45-caliber pistol
Newspaper
Two ski poles Knife
Sectional air map made of plastic 30 feet of rope
Family-sized chocolate bar Flashlight with batteries
Quart of 85-proof whiskey _ Extra shirt and pants
__ Can of shorteningI'll link the test and answers after a couple people submit. My grading scale is a bit harsher.
I've been caught and lost in a snowstorm once, hoping for someone to find me and my company. Keeping warm is the most important thing in the conditions described, so the clothes and gathering the stuff to make the best fire is crucial. Also, fire can be very useful for signaling too.
- extra clothes
- cigarette lighter
- ball of steel wool because it catches fire nicely
- can of shortening (insulation and fuel as Alter said)
- knife, especially if it's a big one, for protection against wildlife and if I get lucky maybe killing something for dinner. Hunger can become a real problem in those conditions, so any small disgusting animal (roasted a bit in the fire) can turn into a blessing after a while haha
Why can I only carry five items? That's dumb.
But anyway, the whiskey and the choccie bar. That comes first.
I could assume the cabin doesn't have much so I will bring the newspaper, the flashlight and the steel wool.
But I'll be damned if the cabin at least doesn't have a knife in it and some rope. So I count on that.
The pilot had to file a flight plan so someone's going to notice that you're missing. You should stay where you are to make it easier to find you and you'll probably be in shock and just get lost anyway. The first thing you want to do is stay warm. Second is find a way to get help. Third is find something to eat. Northern Minnesota isn't Outer Mongolia. A search plane will pass over you within a day or 2.
The empty lighter and steel wool can be used to make a fire. The chocolate bar will keep you going. The extra clothes can be used to keep you warm, for a fire, and other uses. The shortening can be smeared on skin to keep the cold off, it can be burned, eaten if starving, and the big one: the lid can be used to signal the search plane. I assume it's in a tin can.
I'm tempted to say that you could pour the alcohol on the plane's tires and set them on fire. The thick black smoke will be a wonderful signal. The tires might not light though.