If you have a disaster survival strategy that involves getting out of your area in case of emergency, then you are going to want to plan for seasonal adjustments. Your route, destination, and the gear you will want with you will greatly change from summer to winter. Now that winter is officially here and most areas are experiencing cold weather have you thought about what changes you might need to make to your bug out plan if you disaster strikes this time of year? Here are some things you should consider to adjust for the season in your bug out plan.
Route
You should always have a planned route to take to get out of your area, but things change seasonally and you should know in advance how to adjust for them. Mountain roads could be closed, snow fall could make foot trails that are easy in the summer difficult to travel by, and in most places rivers will be lower in the winter making it possible to cross them at points that you might have planned to avoid in the summer or spring when the water is higher and faster.
Destination
A place that offers everything you need in warm weather may be nothing but trouble in the winter. A small pond that offers water and fish in the summer could be almost completely frozen in the winter, streams that run in the summer might be fully dry, and a high elevation camp that is pleasant in the summer could offer little but hypothermia in winter months.
Gear
You should not be planning to bug out to the wilderness without a sleeping bag that is designed to handle the temperatures you can be expecting that time of year. You will want to add thick socks, gloves, and a hat to your gear. In areas with heavy snowfall, you might want to get snowshoes and other gear that will help you thrive in snowy conditions instead of freezing to death.
A good plan for the summer can easily lead to disaster in the winter. Check your planned route and destination in all season, and make sure that your gear reflects the conditions you can expect currently in your area.
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