It was overcast but a fairly mild day to hold our initial basic winter survival training. Learning which trees are useful and which to ignore, the best way to saw, chop or use two trees as a lever to collect wood, constructing a lean-to tent and where to place the fires. We all found using the branches from hemlock trees make a soft area for sitting off of the snow while tending the fire. We tested the use of laundry lint compared to birch bark for a fire starter, tested different types of flints, a rocket stove, and building a protected fire to boil water. We had tea and made bannock on a stick…not quite survival, but a nice way to finish a training session in the snow.
