An evacuation plan is critical for emergencies. SHTF scenarios could hit when you’re hiking, foraging or just checking your stockpiles at home. For any reason, it’s wise to know how to get out and keep your family safe.
In your evacuation, you may travel a few miles down the road or end up on the opposite side of the country. As a survivalist, you must know how to live off the land and give your family the best chance of survival. From mountains to deserts, you never know where you’ll end up. Get yourself ready with this article on preparing for eight types of terrain in your evacuation plan.
1. Tundra
The first terrain you may navigate is a tundra. It’s the coldest of Earth’s biomes and has a climate similar to a desert. You’ll see the tundra in the upper half of Canada, Russia and Alaska. It may seem small, but the tundra biome accounts for about 10% of the Earth’s surface. This place’s climate makes it one of the most challenging places to live, but there are ways to navigate it.
First, you should know the different types of tundra. The two kinds you’re most likely to encounter are the alpine and arctic tundra. The alpine is slightly more habitable because it doesn’t have permafrost. You’ll find about 1,700 species of vascular plants but no trees. Some animals — like elk and mountain goats — inhabit the alpine tundra. The arctic tundra is the northernmost section of Earth. Most of it has permafrost, meaning plants can’t grow.
If you’re going to live in the tundra, it’s more likely to be the alpine tundra. You must protect yourself from the cold in this climate. Find as much insulation as possible in your clothes and your shelter. You’ll need items like ice picks, a waterproof fire starter kit and reliable snow boots. Food will be hard to come by, so you’ll need to rely on the little vegetation and hunt for game.
2. Desert
The next terrain you may encounter is similar to the tundra but in a much different way. Nearly one-fifth of the Earth’s surface is desert, so the landscape is more common than you think. About one billion people — or one-sixth of the world’s population — live in a desert. Your evacuation plan may send you there, so there are some things to be mindful of. However, you can make it work.
In a desert, your top priority should be finding a reliable water source. Deserts typically get about 10 inches of rain annually, making it hard to survive on precipitation. Instead, look for any vegetation or damp ground. Finding these clues can lead to underground water.
Something else you need to prepare for is the temperature — deserts can reach scorching hot temperatures of over 100° Fahrenheit. You should find shade wherever possible and limit your energy expenditure because of the intense heat. It may be hot during the day, but you must be ready for the temperature change. Desert temperatures drop dramatically at night because of the humidity and the air’s inability to hold the heat.
The climate of a desert is different than anything you’ve experienced if you’ve never been to one. The blazing sun can damage your skin in the short and long term, so wear long-sleeve shirts, pants and hats even though it’s hot. Also, the lack of humidity will affect your body. Get a humidifier so your shelter is more comfortable, especially if you have asthma.
3. Oasis
The desert brings one of the most challenging biomes to live in, but finding an oasis will make survival much more manageable. An oasis is a small section of fertile land in the desert. Here, communities revolve around a body of water or people get their water from a well or other underground means. Encountering an oasis in the desert can give you a lifeline, but there are some things to know about this terrain.
The most challenging part about living in an oasis is water management. There is a limited amount available, so oasis inhabitants must ensure they are using the supply effectively and preventing it from running dry. In oases, it’s wise to plant crops like dates, figs, citrus fruits, wheat and corn because they’ll thrive in the climate.
Hunting is an option, with small wildlife inhabiting oases. The animals you’ll find depend on what desert you occupy. In the Sonoran Desert, you’ll find more than 200 species of birds. For example, you may see Cooper’s hawks, green herons and black-crowned night herons.
4. Water
If deserts aren’t for you, your evacuation plan may take you to the opposite terrain — water. Living on the water is a challenge many people undertake because it allows them to travel to different countries and continents and it’s a terrific excuse to escape the world’s troubles and your own for a while.
The first aspect to consider about living on the water is the boat. You could rough it on a raft, but a boat makes more sense. For survival, you’ll want a vessel with adequate space for you and your passengers to sleep and walk around. You could get a cuddy cabin boat if you’re the only inhabitant. This small vessel provides storage space you can use as a sleeping quarter.
If you have more than one passenger, it may be wise to get a cabin cruiser. This boat has deep-v hulls that hold more than one bedroom for your fellow survivalists. Deep-v hulls are handy because they easily cut through the water and travel at high speeds.
Living on a boat solves the shelter part of the equation, but how will you manage the rest? The most accessible option for your food is to fish, whether in a lake, river or ocean. Canned foods and beverages will be crucial to survival because other nourishment will be inaccessible in the water. Drinking water straight from the sea is a bad idea, so you’ll need the tools for purifying and distilling. Your body needs water more than food, emphasizing the need for clean drinking water on a boat.
5. Forest
Compared to the other terrains, forests are one of the more accessible places to live. You’ll encounter two types of forests in the United States — temperate and boreal. The U.S. has one tropical forest in Puerto Rico.
Temperate forests are the most common in the country, occupying most of the eastern side. You can even see temperate forests as far west as Texas. The U.S. does have boreal forests in northern sections like Idaho, Washington, Alaska, Minnesota and Montana. You may know boreal as taiga forests, consisting of cold winters.
The key to living in the woods is proper equipment. If you don’t have a shelter ready, you’ll need to build one, so bring a hatchet or saw to cut down wood. A tarp will be handy for protecting you against the elements and you’ll be able to collect rainwater for other uses. Hunting is plentiful in the forests, so you should bring your firearms or a bow and arrow for tracking down your food.
One downfall of living in the forest is the various animals that can ruin your day. Bears, wolves and mountain lions can snoop around your shelter and ransack the place. They can also kill any animals you keep around the area, such as dogs or chickens. It’s wise to bring additional tools like a survival knife or a machete to fend against these animals.
6. Swamp
If you live in the southeast United States, your evacuation plan may land you in the swamps. You can find this terrain primarily in states like Georgia, Florida and Louisiana. Swamps are part of the wetlands family and have trees. They’re similar to marshes, except this terrain has few or no trees. Swamps can be challenging environments, but people have been making them work for centuries.
These biomes are notorious for how saturated they are with water. The rain often causes flooding, making it hard to grow plants here. You need shallow-rooted plants because the soil’s nutrients stay on the first layer. You’ll need to drain excess water to save your crops. However, swamps are excellent places to grow rice. Other valuable plants will be sugar cane, plantains and maize. Swamps also provide excellent hunting opportunities, even if they don’t seem like ideal areas.
Animals like deer are common in these wetlands. You’ll also find smaller game like raccoons and minks. States like Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and others permit alligator hunting if you have a license. Be mindful of the hunting laws because some jurisdictions only allow hunting with specific firearms. For example, Louisiana bans shooting alligators with shotguns. These rules will still apply if you’re homesteading, but all bets might be off in an SHTF scenario.
A primary challenge of swamp living is building a sustainable shelter. The first step is finding a dry spot. This task is easier said than done in the swamplands, but you’ll need a dry area. If there is no dry land, you can find a space in the water among four trees. Here, tree branches can create a temporary shelter above the ground that keeps you dry.
7. Mountains
There are three major mountain ranges in the United States — the Sierra Nevada, the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains. All three provide challenging terrain, but you can make an evacuation plan work. The mountains have some of the best views on any terrain, but they can be intimidating because of their size and climate.
Living in the mountains brings a change in elevation that takes time to get used to. Have you ever been to a city like Denver? The high altitude gives the Mile High City its nickname. The first time you’re in this environment, you’ll experience shortness of breath, fatigue and other symptoms. The thin air and reduced oxygen concentration make breathing harder for your body. In high-altitude areas, you can deter sickness by drinking more water and eating carbohydrates.
The mountains are among the most demanding terrain if you plan to build a shelter because the slopes will challenge even the craftiest builders. You’ll need to clear the land of trees, but making your foundation will be difficult because of the rocky soil. Then, you’ll have to consider the cold winters, adding an extra layer of adversity to your building and living situation.
Avalanches may be the most dangerous part of the terrain. Protect yourself from these destructive events by avoiding snow or ice with high sun exposure. All it takes is one area of snow or ice breaking off the mountain — it will pick up momentum and cause a devastating avalanche. Also, be vigilant of rockslides.
8. Cave
Caves are an unorthodox way for humans to live, but they can work in the right circumstances. This terrain is a void in the ground formed from weathering rock. Some caves can be deep, providing opportunities for danger. For example, the Veryovkina Cave in Abkhazia, Georgia, is over 7,200 feet deep and 11 miles long. Caves aren’t the first choice for survival, but your ancestors made the best of it thousands of years ago, so you can, too.
Food is hard to come by in a cave because there is hardly any sunlight once you go deep into it. You won’t see green plants, as they depend on photosynthesis. There will be twigs, leaves and debris, but that’s about it. You’ll primarily find insects like beetles and mites and those bugs become food for salamanders and crayfish. Occasionally, you’ll find larger animals like bears because they like to hibernate in these dark spaces.
The physical and mental challenge of living in a cave can be daunting. Limited sun exposure reduces your vitamin D intake and increases your risk for osteoporosis and other bone illnesses. Being in the dark 24 hours a day can lead to symptoms similar to those with seasonal affective disorder, so be sure you get some sun every now and then.
Surviving in Any Conditions
When emergencies arise, survival is your top priority. Providing food and shelter for yourself and your family is all that matters, no matter the location. Your evacuation plan could land you in various terrains. They could be hot, cold, humid or dry. For any situation, use this article to prepare for eight different types of terrain.
[Note: This was a guest post.]
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