Here’s a guide from the expert Chicagoland roadside assistance and Chicago off-road recovery service team here at Towing Chicago as to the best things to do if you ever find your vehicle stuck in the backcountry this Winter.
Stay calm and analyze the situation
Panic often causes bad decisions to be made. try to relax and carefully analyze your situation. make sure that everyone in your group is safe and accounted for, and keep in mind the resources that you have like food, Communications devices, water, and extra clothing. check the general weather forecast, and figure out how much more Daylight remains. Understanding the various variabilities of your immediate circumstances will help you make more careful and prioritized actions.
remain with your vehicle
As long as you’re not in the middle of the highway, if your vehicle is stuck, it’s much safer to stay with it rather than venture out into the unknown. vehicles provide shelter from weather, and are much easier for Rescuers to locate in general. only leave your vehicle if you know that there is shelter nearby, someone who can help you nearby, and that weather conditions are safe for you to travel on foot.. periodically run the engine to help you conserve fuel while maintaining warmth inside your vehicle, making sure that you’re exhaust pipe is fully clear of snow in order to prevent deadly carbon monoxide build up. We recommend trying to signal for Help by tying bright colored fabric to the antenna of your vehicle, or placing a reflective object where it’s visible. try to conserve your physical energy by bundling up in something warm, and staying in a single location as movement in extreme cold can rapidly burn your calories.
Try to make yourself visible
Visibility is absolutely essential for a fast rescue. signal the location of your vehicle by putting out bright colored objects or reflective materials to help attract attention from passersby. If you can, build a small fire nearby. Smoke can be a visual cue for rescuers. We recommend using a mirror, flashlight, or another reflective object as signal passing aircraft research parties. If you know the morse code for SOS, this can be especially helpful. You can even draw large SOS letters in the snow in a nearby open area that’s visible from above.
Staying Warm and Hydrated
Getting too cold or getting dehydrated or major risks while you’re in the winter backcountry. layer any extra clothing or blankets that you have, and try to insulate yourself from the ground using car mats, branches, or even spare clothing to help you prevent losing your heat. If you need water, consider melting snow but warm it slightly before drinking it in order to help avoid lowering your general body temperature.
Emergency Kits
We recommend always having an emergency kit inside your vehicle equipped with high calorie snacks, a first aid kit, plenty of water, blankets, warm clothing, a flashlight with extra batteries, fire starting materials, a multi-tool or Swiss Army knife, and a fully charged portable phone charger. If you regularly go into the backcountry, we recommend purchasing a satellite phone or GPS locator for enhanced communication options and a general safety net.
Calling for Help
If you have access to cellular service or if you have a satellite communication device, call for help as soon as possible. Once you realize that you are stuck and cannot rescue yourself, it’s essential to call for help immediately. provide details of your location, your situation, and let Rescuers know what resources that you have on hand. we recommend staying on the line of possible until you’re instructed to hang up your phone.
Preventing Getting Stuck
Before heading out on any type of backcountry trip, check the weather conditions and any Avalanche reports. always share your travel plans with somebody that you trust, and carry a full emergency kit inside your Vehicle that includes warm clothing, a fire starting kit, blankets, food, and water. make sure that your vehicle has chains, winter tires, spare fuel, and that its gas is fully topped off. Whenever you can, we recommend traveling with a trusted companion in order to enhance general safety when you are going into any type of back country environment.