While looking through the news this week, we came across the heroic story of a Slovakian man trapped inside his car by an avalanche.
Richard Kral, who was going on vacation, tried to dig his way out but found the exercise futile. Ever resourceful, he turned to the 60 half-liter bottles of beer in his car.
Kral proceeded to drink all 60 bottles so that his urine could melt a tunnel to the surface. He was found staggering down a mountain path by local rescue workers days later.
He told his rescuers, "I was scooping the snow from above me and packing it down below the window, and then I peed on it to melt it. It was hard and now my kidneys and liver hurt. But I'm glad the beer I took on holiday turned out to be useful and I managed to get out of there."
Don't believe us? You can check out the story yourself at: http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1261997.html?menu.
Kral's amazing initiative has inspired us to compile our own list of winter survival tactics. Since the BOC does not endorse traveling with beer, we have a few alternatives to get you out of the next avalanche, or whatever else winter throws your way.
Eat lots of chocolate. No winter camping trip is complete without a stash of Hershey bars. You need the fat to stay warm. (Amelia recommends a thermos of hot chocolate with butter in it. Mmmmm!)
Try interpretive dance to get your blood moving.
Build a snow cave. If you do find yourself stuck somewhere for a long period of time, you need to protect yourself from the elements. Just like the snow forts you built as a kid!
Don't eat the yellow snow. The old adage is true: there is plenty of fresh snow out there available for melting into drinking water.
Avalanches are a real threat. Always check snow conditions before heading out and be aware of your surroundings at all times.