by Leon Pantenburg.

Can you slam dunk a basketball?

Leon Pantenburg at Smith Rock State Park

Me neither. But I’ve seen the guys in the NBA do it on TV.  A slam dunk always brings the crowd to its feet, and you’ll remember how dramatic it looked. But, wouldn’t it  be ridiculous for me to try a slam dunk in the final seconds of an NBA game? (That’s also assuming I could ever play in a NBA game!)

But far too many people abandon their common sense when they end up in a wilderness emergency. They assume, without trying it, that some survival technique, or piece of equipment they saw on TV or read about in a magazine will work for them. Then, they end up in the big game, (defined in this case,  as a wilderness emergency). The typical pattern is that the adrenaline starts flowing, they may panic and can’t think, and the only thought that comes to mind is a flashy technique some TV guy did! All they can remember is a skill that would be impossible for most people under ideal circumstances!

A survival situation can happen anywhere and any place. Virtually no area is without the risk of some sort of natural disaster such as tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis etc.  And what about something like getting lost in the woods, or having your car slide off an icy road into a ditch?

Would you survive?

The concept of common sense survival came about in late 2006. In November 2006 Veteran snowmobiler Roger Rouse, 53, of Bend, died of hypothermia in Deschutes National Forest, about 10 miles west of Bend. He and his son had intended to only be out for a morning ride when a fierce snowstorm overwhelmed them. In December 2006, Californian James Kim, 35, died in the Rogue River Wilderness after leaving his wife and children to get help. The family car was stuck in snow on a remote road. His family was found alive with their car a few days later.

Shortly after the Kim and Rouse tragedies, John Costa, Editor of the Bulletin in Bend, Or., asked me to write a winter survival guide for the Central Oregon area, to be published in October 2007.

I see myself as someone who continues to learn, and don’t claim to be a wilderness survival expert. But with more than 30 years experience in the news and associated professions, I am an expert interviewer and investigative reporter. I have written many stories where a misquote or inaccurate paragraph could have gotten me sued.

The winter survival guide was to be approached like any investigative assignment, Costa said, and nothing was to be taken for granted or assumed. All sources and facts had to be verified before using. All “experts” had to be checked out. Any recommended equipment or technique had to be tried and proven.

My research for The Bulletin showed that there is a tremendous amount of dangerous mis-information and just plain BS out there. Many so-called “experts” aren’t, and they recommend dangerous or useless techniques to unsuspecting newcomers. And far too many outdoor novices view wilderness survival from the slam dunk approach.

So this site is all about what techniques, equipment and skills have been proven to work – in other words: Common Sense. I hope it goes with you into the backcountry!  Contact Leon at: survivalsenselp@gmail.com