As we head into winter, keeping safe includes equipment and knowledge specific to our climate. Due to the changing climate, we thought it would be important to discuss winter safety and preparedness tips and tricks.
We are lucky to live in an area with such a diverse landscape, including Cedar Mountain. However, in the winter we need to be aware of what a change in elevation can mean as far as weather conditions.
We want you to be able to continue to enjoy the beautiful area we live in throughout the winter. In order to allow for this, we have compiled a quick guide on how to keep safe this winter, wherever your adventures take you.
Know When to Stay Home
Before getting into this, I want to place a disclaimer. If you look up weather conditions, and you feel uncomfortable in any way going out in those conditions, please do not go. Exercise caution as no trip up the mountain, or anywhere else, is worth your life. Winter safety and preparedness also includes knowing your limitations. Please keep in mind that these tips are not exclusive to going up Cedar Mountain. There are other areas, such as certain areas on I-15, that can become quite treacherous during the winter. Be careful, and be prepared. But rest assured, if you need us, we will always come to you. Okay, let’s get into it.
**We are not affiliated, associated, or in any way officially connected with the brands or items listed in this article. They are just some examples of products that can be purchased and used for the purposes described**
Be Aware of Weather Conditions and Elevation Changes In the Area You Are Traveling To
Elevation brings a drop in temperature, and most likely a dramatic change in weather in the winter months. While it can be sunny and 62 degrees in Cedar City, areas around Brian Head can be below freezing and have a foot of snow on the ground. Winds also tend to increase as the elevation increases. This can cause harsher conditions, particularly when snow is involved.
Please check trails before you go riding. There are trails that look short and easy, but include large elevation changes throughout that you may not be expecting. There are a couple of ways to go about researching this, including map apps like what we use, Caltopo (there is a free version). This app has the ability to show the elevation change over a trail, as shown below. A large part of winter safety and preparedness is knowing what you are getting yourself into. Be sure to check this before heading off.
As seen in the picture, while the trail may look fairly short and sweet at only 19.9 miles long, the elevation changes are a beast with a rise of almost 4,000 feet. We have had more than one rescue in this area due to people riding it being unprepared for the change.
What Should I Keep in My Car?
Winter safety and preparedness includes keeping certain items easily accessible in your car in case you, or someone else on the road, need help. A shovel, flashlights, batteries, food, water, blankets, an extra set of clothing and boots, gloves, some form of tire traction, a battery box/jumper cables, a heat source, lighter, duct tape, first aid kit, necessary regular medications, kitty litter, and something bright/reflective like a cheap emergency blanket are all items we would absolutely recommend be in your car during the winter months. Additional suggestions include games or books for entertainment so you can conserve your phone’s battery, and candy to keep kids happy.
Most of these are self explanatory. However, I want to dive into a couple of them that may not be as obvious at first.
- Blankets
Blankets and a cheap emergency blanket are separate for a reason. You need both! The small, cheap, all reflective material blankets are not very effective for keeping you warm, other than as an extra layer under your coat. They are too small to use as a viable option for adults. However, they work well as something you can lay out to be visible to aircrafts. If weather permits, we will try to use drones and/or helicopters to help find you. The hard part is, when snow covers your car, it is very difficult to see you from the sky. Laying out the reflective material will help us to locate you more easily.
Please also keep a regular blanket/more heavy duty emergency blanket in your vehicle as well. We typically recommend 1-2 per person. A blanket like this one or this one are more heavy duty than the traditional all reflective blankets, and are larger to accommodate an adult.
- Tire Traction
Tire chains are a fairly common thing to pack in your car or truck to help your car gain some traction in a slippery situation. The question is, have you ever actually put tire chains on your vehicle? The time to try it for the first time is not when you are already in a pickle. Winter safety and preparedness includes knowing how to use every tool in your car so you don’t have to learn on the fly. Depending on where you are stuck, you-tubing how to videos may not be an option. Instead, choose a nice day, go outside, and put your chains on so you have a feel for and an idea of how to do it. Another option instead of tire chains, is essentially these oversized zip ties that are much easier to install, and work well for smaller vehicles. There are so many options for these online, so do your research and find what will work best for you.
- Battery Box/Jumper Cables
Jumper cables are something that should be in your car regardless of the weather. Now available to purchase are battery boxes which, when charged, can be used to provide yourself with a jump if no other vehicles are around. The awesome thing about these is they can also be used to charge your phone in a pinch if you have a phone cord. Some, like the one linked above, also work as a light source. We would recommend a battery box if you are able to get one. They are versatile. You may not ever need it, or it may help you out majorly one day.
- Heat Source
You may have looked at this and thought there was no way we were recommending you have some source of fire in your vehicle because that would be crazy right? …..
Well, sort of. A small heat source, like an emergency candle, can provide you with heat in your car. Please exercise caution if you need to use one of these, and make sure to crack your windows so condensation doesn’t build up.
- Kitty Litter
I thought this was a weird one when it was suggested to me as well, but hear me out. Kitty litter can be used in a pinch to help your tires gain traction in slippery conditions. It may be a quick fix that could get you out of trouble before you need rescue services. Simply sprinkle liberally around your tires to provide traction to get back on the road. Kitty litter also works to help absorb some water and provide grit to get you out safely in wet conditions.
What Do I Do if I Get Stranded?
- Keep your exhaust clear! Let’s start with the most important. Use your shovel to keep the exhaust clear of snow. This is so important because if you don’t, carbon monoxide can build up in your vehicle, causing a life threatening situation. Pack your shovel, and keep the exhaust clear.
- Stay where you are! If you leave your vehicle, there is a large chance your tracks will be covered by the time we find your vehicle, and we will have little to no way of finding you, although we will try. Please, please, stay in your vehicle. It is the safest place for you right now.
- Call for help. The sooner you call, the sooner we can get to you. The longer you delay, the longer it will take us to get to you and the more resources you will go through. Winter safety and preparedness includes acknowledging your limitations, and knowing when to call. Call for help as soon as it becomes apparent you need it so we can be dispatched and to you as soon as possible.
- Keep your flashers on. Flashing lights, particularly at night, are extremely visible to Search and Rescue. We can see them over hills in the mountains at night and they will help us get to you much quicker.
- Only run your car intermittently. You should try to conserve gas as much as possible as you don’t know how long you will be stuck. Go as long as you can between turning on the car. Keep in mind, if the engine is cold, your heater will not blow hot air. You will need to press on the gas to get your RPMs up in order to get heat to blow. Simply idling will do you little to no good.
- Make the area you are trying to keep warm smaller. You can use your emergency blankets to make the space of your vehicle smaller. This will help to keep the vehicle warmer, and help your heat source to work more effectively. Point the reflective material towards the inside of the car so it reflects your body heat back to you. Use your duct tape to hold the blankets up, and shrink the available space as much as possible to retain heat.
- Light your heat source, but don’t forget to crack the windows. This will help stretch the time between needing the heater of the car on. Crack the windows to prevent condensation build up because if condensation builds too much it can cause your doors to freeze shut.
- Become visible to arial rescue personnel. Put your emergency blanket, reflective side up, on the roof of your car, or another visible area nearby. Secure as best as you are able to so arial rescue services such as drones or helicopters can locate you more easily.
- Conserve your phone battery as much as possible. Don’t sit on your phone for entertainment and drain your battery, as this may be our most valuable resource in locating you quickly.
If We Text You, Please Respond
We mentioned an app we use above named Caltopo. One feature we use in this app is a locator. If you are in cell service, we will text you something identifying that we are with Search and Rescue, and please respond. This isn’t a scam. When you respond to this message, the app locates you and provides a location that is accurate within 3 meters. This is huge, especially when you are lost or off the road in the mountains. Mountain cell tower pings are unreliable and can be 10+ miles off. This creates a very large search area if you aren’t able to tell us where you are. If you respond to our text, we can find and get to you quickly, minimizing the amount of time you have to brave the elements.
We Will Always Come to You
Even with the best intentions, preparations, and correct information, you can still find yourself in a jam. The good news is Iron County Sheriff Search and Rescue will always come lend a helping hand if you ever do find yourself in an unfortunate position. We will always come to you. We want to make sure you and your family make it home so you can continue your adventures another day. Our organization is 100% volunteer, and we do rely on donations to keep up equipment, and buy things the team needs. If you are able to donate, please do so. Any amount helps and we appreciate your continued support.
