Historically accurate Mtn. Man "survival kit"??

[JimG]

On another forum I frequent, there are always references made to the mountain men and the fact that "if they could do it then so can I". My question is this-

What did the REAL mountain men/explorers of the 1800's really take with them to survive? What sort of clothing, what sort of equipment? How did it differ from horseback to just on foot? I know they came back to 'civilization' from time to time to restock, but what 'tools' did they use daily to live? This is not a subject I am well versed on. This might wake up some of 'me too' crowd on this other forum (not a muzzleloading forum BTW). Thanks.

 

[shmrck1]

Why not just join in on the present
thread on the same subject rather than start a new
one
snake-eyes :hmm:

 

You might want to do a search on the Trekking section under threads of "what do you carry" or "what's in your kit". We have done several of those over the years.

Russel's work on Traps and Tools of the Mountain Men is good for historic reference and Mark Baker's Pilgrim's Journey series is filled with "wish lists" of gear and how to haul it. You might also check the inventory list of issue items for members of the Lewis and Clark Expidition.

I personally spent two months living with primitive gear with a basic load of: small knife, one pint tin cup, spoon, one blanket, fire kit, the clothes on my back and one extra pair of moccs, canteen and 10 lb food per week. A sewing kit and first aid kit were the only "nonessentials" I carried. The weather was warm so I needed little else.

Most of the people here that have done this for a while will tell you the most important gear you carry is between your ears.

 

[JimG]

Ghost- thanks. Snake-eyes, what thread are you refering to? The PC first aid kit thread? Would be nice to give directions to the thread before you jump all over me. We're not all perfect.

 

[bnail]

Hey Jimg you witnessed a rare event, it seems Ghost does most of the "Jumping around here" you must've caught him on one of his off days! :rotf:
AS Snake-eyes stated, there's plenty of topics covering basically what you were referring to on the other sections, but I don't think I've quite heard it worded quite the same as you did, so. . . I say your topic does warrent its own thread.
For my part, I try to double up on the important things, such as having a flint and steel in each of my bags. rope and twing readily afailable. a couple knives, usually a belt knife and a neck knife. I like to have a haversack with the basics handy, I call it my "grab-n-go" bag. Though I'm not expecting hostile indians, if I'm off alone in the bush, then I'd like to know that there's at least one bag I can gram and skeedadle with that has the essentials in it, and this bag stays packed so it's always ready.
I really doubt the early Mt. Men had a "survival" kit since all they did was survive while out.
I hope I'm not rambling too much, but I think Ghost said it quite succintly, that the best survival kit the old ones had was between their ears.
MTC humbly submitted. :hatsoff:

 

[faw3]

Snake eyes must be haveing a bad day, or forgets that us poor people on AOL cant go back more than 30 days (if its put up today yu cant get it 30 days from now) and I've decided as good as the old stuff is (and belive me a year ago was better than now) Im not going to change my kids server or add one. Ghost has come up with a good one, as has Skagan has, I dont do it anymore haveing been in a wheelchair for4 12 years most the time, but can add you'll find anything on these PCs and really while in the hospital so much people hre have sent me some great books, you cant go wrong reading up on it. Fred :hatsoff:

 

[Claude Mathis]

What did the REAL mountain men/explorers of the 1800's really take with them to survive?

Just their everyday stuff.

I really doubt the early Mt. Men had a "survival" kit since all they did was survive while out.

I agree. Years ago I used to teach "backpacking". Not much to teach, but people paid for classes where I worked, so I taught it.

Anyway, when it came time to discuss the "Survival Kit", I used to tell the students that what we city folks refer to as "survival", was nothing more than everyday life for many people; making shelter, staying warm, finding food, etc. The only reason we called it survival was because we aren't used to it.

As Ghost said, "the most important gear you carry is between your ears". Learning the basic "skills" is the first step. Beyond that, a modern first-aid kit is helpful, unless you want to reenact injuries with little or no treatment. :winking:

 

After Hugh Glass got chomped on by the she griz and woke up to find all his possibles and his gun gone, he found a knife and said he felt right pert. Now, that's comfort in the "wilderness".

 

[JimG]

Hmmm...just a good knife or possibly two, a flint/steel, tinder, rifle, real woodsman knowledge and I guess some items that may be individual specific and they thought that they would be fine. Or so it seems so far. Seems that maybe we as modern humans are relying too heavily on doodads and gadgets then because the 'possibles bags' that they (individuals on this other forum) put togther have everything but the kitchen sink. I've always wondered how it was possible for Joe Mtn Man to exist in either a small party or by himself with literly just the basics yet modern man has to have a backpack overloaded with stuff to make it a few weeks. Some people have reported the weight of their gear to be as much as 105-110 pounds. They obviously don't intend to hike far even though that's what they are set up to do. Interesting, thanks.

 

[bnail]

That's a good point, The scouts have a weight ratio, I've forgotten what it is, but it says you should never hump more than a certain percentage og your total weight.
there's also the old grunt phrase, "Travel light, freeze at night."

 

[Harddog]

I believe the Scout standard is to never carry more than 25% of your total body weight.

Randy Hedden

 

[Black Hand]

I believe the Scout standard is to never carry more than 25% of your total body weight.

Randy Hedden

For the younger scouts, it is down to 20% of body weight.

 

[crockett]

When you say REAL mountain men, do you mean the actual guys 150 years ago? They had a super human ability to survive pain and they got by on nothing! How'bout that, your survival kit is nothing. They usually slept on bare ground without a tent, slept in puddles of rain water, endured unbeliveable cold, walked when their horses got stolen. In the desert they would draw blood out of their mules for a "drink" if there was no water and they ate the stomach contents of killed animals as a "salad" since they had no vegetables. One walked 600 miles from the Rocky Mountains to Omaha NE, others hobbled across mountains with broken legs. Jim Bridger went around with a arrowhead stuck in his back for three years and when he finally ran across a Doc, he had the Doc cut it out while he calmly sat still. Jeddediah Smith had his scalp torn off by a Grizz and sat still while Clyman sewed it and an ear back on his head.
What's going kill guys like that!
Their survival kit, the ability to suffer pain and their brains to use anything nature provided to survivve.

 

[JimG]

Yes, I meant the real mtn men. Outside of the interesting stories of yore, many 'regular' men did it with far less than what apparently is needed now. I'm just trying to get a handle on what it was the mtn men actually took with them.

 

[Ridge]

A sewing kit and first aid kit were the only "nonessentials" I carried.

I was told once that clothes will keep you warmer in times without a fire than a fire will in times without clothes.

I consider a sewing kit essential.

 

[crockett]

As far as day to day gear. Well this list may be short an item.
1. Rifle, Horn, hunting pouch, in pouch a bag of lead balls, lead bar, bullet mold, maybe a spare flint, some patch material- maybe of animal skin(not sure), small tools for the gun. Flint and firesteel, tinder box. An awl, some sinew thread.
2. Belt with butcher knife in rawhide sheath.
3. Small hatchet hung on saddle.
4. saddlebags with six traps, trap setter, a spare cotton or wool fannel shirt, extra pair of mocasins, tin plate, tin cup. Maybe a blanket on the back of the horse although they often used saddle blankets.
5. A bait bottle hung on a belt or strap.
6. Some carried a pair of pistols.
As far as cooking pots, axes, shovels, etc- most mountain men were a member of a trapping party with one or two "camp keepers" who handled tents, pots, axes, etc.

Clothes: Mocassins, mostly pucker toe, often with toe covered with red cloth. Buck skin britches with fringe ( cloth drop front trousers if available), a red wool pull over shirt and then a buckskin shirt or wool capote, a wool felt hat, usually white or black.

 

[JimG]

Interesting how they could drink the water without purifiying it 15 different ways first. I'm sure some did get sick from time to time though.

 

[bnail]

Interesting how they could drink the water without purifiying it 15 different ways first. I'm sure some did get sick from time to time though.

Beaver fever was as much of a concern then as it is now. One thing that we, in our modern arogance seem to overlook is drinkable sites. with the introduction of filtration, we no longer feel the need to scout drinking water. I have a friend who still drinks from natural sources "Seaps" and is alive and well (at least physically :youcrazy: )
he's a forester who has no interest in period correctness, but has an immense love of the outdoors. I've taken inspiration from him and will seak out the springs and seaps for my filter whenever possible.
fave it, the mountain wern't invincible, we just don't hear about the ones who went off into the mountains and succumed.

 

[Claude Mathis]

When you say REAL mountain men, do you mean the actual guys 150 years ago? They had a super human ability to survive pain and they got by on nothing! How'bout that, your survival kit is nothing. They usually slept on bare ground without a tent, slept in puddles of rain water, endured unbeliveable cold, walked when their horses got stolen. In the desert they would draw blood out of their mules for a "drink" if there was no water and they ate the stomach contents of killed animals as a "salad" since they had no vegetables. One walked 600 miles from the Rocky Mountains to Omaha NE, others hobbled across mountains with broken legs. Jim Bridger went around with a arrowhead stuck in his back for three years and when he finally ran across a Doc, he had the Doc cut it out while he calmly sat still. Jeddediah Smith had his scalp torn off by a Grizz and sat still while Clyman sewed it and an ear back on his head.
What's going kill guys like that!
Their survival kit, the ability to suffer pain and their brains to use anything nature provided to survivve.

Then there were the hundreds that didn't "make it", but we never knew their names. :winking:

 

...we just don't hear about the ones who went off into the mountains and succumed.

I agree. Some were smarted than others and some got lucky. Some lived and some died. We'll never know the countless numbers that croaked their first season in the mountains.

We only read about the one's who did something "extra" ordinary and those are the few that we build our legends around and want to model ourselves after. They were just guys trappin' beaver just like the Indians were doing before the trappers ever showed up. The Indians had the survival kits before the white man ever heard of beaver.