Glaciers, with their majestic and magnificent beauty, are always a dream destination for adventurous souls. However, hidden behind that beauty are unpredictable dangers. Anyone lost in this vast expanse of ice and snow will face a harsh survival challenge. Understanding glacier survival skills is not just knowledge, but also the golden key to help you overcome dangerous situations, preserve your life, and return safely.
This article, from the experts at “Du lịch khắp thế gian” (Travel the Globe), will equip you with essential survival tips if you unfortunately get lost on a glacier. From thorough preparation before the journey, keeping warm in harsh environments, finding water and food sources, to how to navigate and signal for help, everything will be presented in detail and easy to apply. Let’s explore these important skills to confidently conquer icy lands and turn each trip into a safe and memorable experience.
Prepare Thoroughly Before Your Trip – The First Step to Survival
Prevention is better than cure, this proverb is especially true when you are preparing to explore a glacier. Thorough preparation not only makes your trip smoother but is also a prerequisite for survival if something goes wrong.
Before setting foot on a glacier, make sure you are fully equipped with the necessary knowledge and equipment. Learn about the glacier area you plan to explore: terrain, weather, and potential hazards. Create a detailed itinerary for your trip, including routes, stops, estimated travel time, and share this plan with relatives or local rescue teams.
Regarding equipment, prioritize specialized gear for icy environments. Warm, multi-layered, waterproof, and breathable clothing is essential. Gloves, woolen hats, scarves, and sunglasses to protect your eyes from the bright sunlight on the snow are also necessary. Specialized hiking boots with good grip, waterproofness, and warmth are also crucial to protect your feet from the cold and slipping.
In addition to clothing, don’t forget to bring essential survival items. A sturdy backpack, large enough to hold necessary items such as:
- Personal first aid kit: Bandages, antiseptic, pain relievers, personal medication (if any).
- Compass and map: Help you orient yourself and determine your location.
- Multi-tool knife: A useful tool for various situations.
- Waterproof matches or lighter: To make a fire for warmth and cooking.
- Flashlight or headlamp: Illuminate the path in low light conditions.
- Emergency food: Dry, high-energy foods like chocolate, energy bars, nuts.
- Drinking water or water bottle: Ensure adequate hydration.
- Rescue whistle: Signal for help in emergencies.
- Insulation pad: Prevent direct contact with the ice when resting.
- Sunscreen and lip balm: Protect skin and lips from the effects of sunlight and cold wind.
Researcher working on Totten Glacier in Antarctica, highlighting the extreme cold environment.
Researcher on the Totten Glacier, Antarctica, illustrating the harsh working environment on a glacier.
Stay Warm – A Vital Factor for Survival on a Glacier
Temperatures on glaciers are often very low, especially at night or in bad weather. Heat loss is one of the biggest dangers when lost on a glacier. Hypothermia can occur very quickly and lead to serious consequences, even death. Therefore, staying warm is the top survival factor.
As soon as you realize you are lost, find ways to keep warm immediately. Put on more layers of clothing if possible, wear a hat, gloves, and scarf. Cover areas prone to heat loss such as your head, neck, hands, and feet. If you have an insulation pad, use it to sit or lie on, avoiding direct contact with the ice.
In case of bad weather, strong winds, or snowfall, seek shelter. A rock crevice, an ice cave, or even a sheltered spot can help you minimize the impact of the weather and stay warmer. If possible, try to build a temporary shelter from ice and snow or materials you carry.
Gentle exercise is also a way to help your body generate heat. However, avoid overexertion that makes you sweat, as sweat will quickly make you colder. Focus on gentle exercises to warm your body up gradually.
If you have matches or a lighter, try to start a fire. Fire not only helps you warm up but can also be used for cooking, boiling water, and signaling for help. However, starting a fire on a glacier can be difficult due to strong winds and lack of fuel. Look for flammable materials such as dry twigs (if available), paper, or scraps of fabric. Light a fire in a sheltered place and ensure safety, avoiding fire spreading.
Find Water and Food Sources – Maintain Energy for Your Body
The human body needs water and food to maintain activity. When lost on a glacier, finding water and food sources is very important to prolong survival time.
The easiest source of water to find on a glacier is ice and snow. However, you should not eat ice and snow directly as it can lower your body temperature and cause dehydration. Instead, melt ice and snow to get drinking water. If you don’t have cooking utensils, you can put ice and snow in a dark-colored bottle or plastic bag, place it in the sunlight to melt slowly.
Regarding food, glaciers are harsh environments, making it very difficult to find natural food. Therefore, the emergency food you carry will be the main source of energy. Divide your rations and use them sparingly to extend their use. Prioritize foods that are high in calories and easy to digest such as chocolate, energy bars, nuts, and dried fruits.
If you run out of emergency food, you can try to find natural food sources. However, this is very difficult and not guaranteed to succeed. Some animals may live in icy areas such as birds, fish (in ice lakes), but hunting them requires specialized skills and tools. Plants are almost non-existent on glaciers.
Navigate and Move on the Glacier – Find Your Way Back
When lost on a glacier, determining direction and finding your way back is extremely important. However, glaciers are complex terrains and easy to get lost in.
If you have a compass and map, use them to determine your location and direction of travel. The map will help you visualize the surrounding terrain, look for landmarks or paths that may lead you back. The compass will help you stay on course, avoiding getting lost deeper.
If you don’t have a compass and map, you can use the sun to orient yourself. The sun rises in the East and sets in the West. At noon, the sun will be in the South (in the Northern Hemisphere). However, this method is not absolutely accurate and may be affected by bad weather or fog.
When moving on a glacier, be careful of potential hazards such as crevasses, ice caves, or thin ice areas. Crevasses can be very deep and dangerous, if you are not careful you can fall in and get stuck. Ice caves can collapse at any time. Thin ice areas may not support your weight and break.
Move slowly and steadily, carefully observing the terrain ahead. Use trekking poles or probes to probe the path, avoiding dangerous areas. If traveling in a group, keep a safe distance and support each other.
Send Rescue Signals – Increase Your Chances of Being Rescued
In a situation where you are lost on a glacier, sending rescue signals is very important to increase your chances of being found and rescued.
If you have a mobile phone or satellite communication device, try to contact the rescue team or relatives to inform them of your situation and location. However, cell phone signals may be weak or non-existent in remote areas. Satellite communication devices may be more useful in this case.
In addition, you can use visual signals to attract the attention of the rescue team. Burning a fire to create smoke is an effective way to signal during the day. Black smoke is easily visible against the white snow. At night, firelight will be a clear signal.
If you have a rescue whistle, use it to emit an alarm sound. The whistle sound can travel far and attract attention over a wide range. Whistle in a rhythm of 3 long blasts, 3 short blasts, 3 long blasts (SOS signal) to signal an emergency.
You can also create signs on the ice and snow surface by stamping your feet or using contrasting materials such as colored cloth, branches to create large, easily recognizable shapes from the air. For example, you can create the letters “SOS” or an arrow pointing in the direction you are moving.
Alaskan villagers near frozen lake, illustrating dependence and survival challenges in icy environments.
Alaskan people living near a frozen lake, showing the dependence on the ice and snow environment and survival challenges.
Recognize Danger Signs – Prevent Risks on a Glacier
Glaciers contain many potential hazards. Recognizing and avoiding these dangers is very important to ensure safety and increase survival chances.
One of the biggest dangers on a glacier is crevasses. Crevasses can be covered by a thin layer of snow, making them very difficult to spot. Always follow established trails or use probes to probe ahead. Avoid traveling alone and always keep a safe distance from the person in front of you.
Bad weather is also a dangerous factor on glaciers. Snowstorms, strong winds, fog can reduce visibility, cause disorientation, and increase the risk of hypothermia. Monitor weather forecasts before going and be prepared for possible bad weather situations. If bad weather suddenly strikes, seek shelter immediately and wait for the weather to improve.
Avalanches are also a serious hazard in high mountain and glacier areas. Avalanches can occur suddenly and sweep away everything in their path. Avoid going into areas with high avalanche risk, especially after heavy snowfall or warming weather.
In addition, pay attention to other signs of danger such as strange noises (ice cracking, avalanche sounds), sudden terrain changes, or signs of wildlife. Always be vigilant and ready to respond to any unexpected situation.
Conclusion
Getting lost on a glacier is a dangerous situation, but not hopeless. With thorough preparation, knowledge, and appropriate survival skills, you can completely overcome the challenge and return safely.
Always remember that prevention is better than cure. Prepare thoroughly before each trip, equip yourself with sufficient knowledge and necessary equipment, adhere to safety principles, and always maintain an optimistic and calm spirit. These are the most important survival tips on a glacier, and also valuable companions for all your exploration journeys. “Du lịch khắp thế gian” (Travel the Globe) wishes you safe and meaningful trips.