Clothing/Shelter
Portable Shelter - Pack a couple of space blankets or an emergency sleeping bag and use them before hypothermia sets in. $6-$30, adventuremedicalkits.com.
Extra Clothes - You'll want to adjust what you carry with the seasons, but the list might include a rain suit, warm fleece pants and jacket, socks, gloves, and a couple of large bandanas.
Extras
Sanitation Items - Throw in a half-roll of toilet paper, a travel pack of baby wipes in a Ziploc bag, and a small container of waterless hand-cleaner.
Cash/Coins - Cash can fix an awful lot of problems, so Burke always packs about $5 in quarters and $25 in ones and fives.
Paper/Pen - A Sharpie felt tip marker, pencil, and small notebook always come in handy.
Morale Boosters - Burke packs his harmonica to pass the time. He also suggests carrying a picture of your family to motivate you when the going gets tough.
Bill Burke's Memoirs
"Many years ago I broke a rear axle and ring-and-pinion gear outside Moab, and even though I knew someone would come looking for me in three or four days, having that pack made it easier for me to just make the two-day hike out to get the parts I needed to fix the truck."
"People go out into the backcountry for a fun day and always expect that nothing's going to go wrong, but Murphy's Law was made for these kinds of situations."
"Survival is about more than your equipment: There's a psychological component-a mental toughness-to it. Just knowing that you have what you need to stay alive can give you the extra edge you need to hang on until help arrives."
Bill Burke, 970-858-3468, bb4wa@bb4wa.com