Survival 10: The Area Study: Evaluate Your Surrounding Region and Understand Terrain
This is basically studying the environment around you in more detail, but with an eye to what it would be like to traverse it (whether by car, foot, boat, etc) and survive in it.
Climate: Note variations from the norm and the months in which they occur. Note any extremes in climate.
Temperature: Know the extremes and norms. If you’ve lived somewhere for several years, you probably have a good feel for this. However, if you are new to an area, take some time to study up.
Rainfall and snow: This is a good news, bad news area. The good news is rainfall and snow provide water. The bad news is they can make shelter difficult. They can also lead to hypothermia.
Seasonal effect of weather: There are places where weather can change drastically in just a day. When we lived in Colorado there was a saying: If you don’t like the weather, just wait. It will be different in a couple of days. It’s not just seasonal, also consider altitude.
Elevation and Temperature
It’s a rule of thumb that on a sunny day every 1,000 feet gained in altitude averages a drop in temperature of 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit and on a cloudy day 3.3 degrees Fahrenheit.
Every year, several hikers die on Mount Washington in the summer because they start out in short and t-shirts with no cold weather gear and freeze to death before they reach the summit after getting caught in a storm that also reduces visibility to almost nothing and they lose the trail.
Terrain: Understand the terrain features in your AO, especially easily recognizable ones that can keep you oriented such as coast-lines and rivers and the general direction of mountain ranges or ridgelines. If you are traveling, have an idea of the terrain you are going through, especially if it is different from what you are used to.
What are the characteristics of valleys and plains. What directions do the valleys run? What is the general degree of slope. Considering your physical condition, and that of members of your team, what can you climb and descend?
Natural routes for and natural obstacles to cross-country movement. When we lived on Whidbey Island, it fascinated us how isolated the city of Seattle is by land. There are only a handful of roads into the Seattle area, particularly from the east through the Cascades. And even to the south, coming up from Oregon, your routes are limited. The same is true for Los Angeles and San Diego, where the San Andreas fault and the mountains are to the east and could easily isolate those areas by land. Look at where you live and check your area for your choke points.
Overall region: mountainous, prairie, mountains, coastal, swamp, etc: If you live in a forested area, have you ever tried moving cross-country in it? After doing survival training in the deep woods of Maine, one can easily understand why Stephen King writes horror. It is almost impossible to travel through some forests in Maine. A woman died after getting off the Appalachian Trail in Maine and was unable to find the trail again. The same is true of the Pacific Northwest. The first time you try moving through nature shouldn’t be the survival situation. Get off the path and see how tough the going is in the land around you.
Rivers and streams; Bridges, other crossing points; main rivers and direction of flow. What is downstream? What is upstream?
For rivers and streams, understand the water system. What is the natural water drainage system in your area? This can help in determining location and direction.
Rivers can be a route of transportation or an obstacle. During one mission my team had to cross a glacial river. We knew the water would be just above freezing so we carried a dry suit with us so the lead scout could swim a line across the river and we could build a rope bridge. When we got to the river we saw a large animal (bigger than us) swept away by the current. Change in plans. We ended up crossing the river by using the girders underneath the bridge at night with security on high ground employing night vision goggles to watch for traffic.
What rivers and streams are in your area? If you have to cross them, how will you? Remember, bridges are choke points. In extreme emergencies expect unsavory elements to use this to their advantage.
Characteristics of rivers and streams, including widths, currents, banks, depths, kinds of bottoms, and obstacles. Note seasonal variations, such as dry beds, flash floods. A creek can turn into a raging torrent in the spring when the snow pack melts. The Tennessee River drops in the winter as the TVA lowers the water level via dams to prevent flooding. While obvious in retrospect, I researched why and the answer is simple: in winter the vegetation does not absorb as much water as in summer, thus flooding can occur quicker.
If on a river, what is downstream? Upstream?
Lakes, ponds, swamps: What lakes, ponds and swamps are in your area? These kinds of areas can be difficult to move through. However, that also makes them a great area to hide in. Think of what Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox” was able to achieve during the Revolutionary War in the low country of South Carolina. What water is drinkable? Always assume all water in nature is not drinkable and needs to be purified, but for purposes of the Area Study, you should know the status of all water sources in your AO.
Coastline: Learn about tides and waves along with the effect of wind and current. We’ll cover this in more detail in special environments, but many people have lost their lives not understanding the local tides and the power of tidal surge during a storm.
Water is extraordinarily powerful. You cannot defeat it. Hurricane Sandy caused so much devastation because it was a combination of the storm and the tide. When I lived on the Intracoastal Waterway in South Carolina it was amazing to see the difference between a spring tide and a neap tide (explained later). When a storm hits in concert with high tide, that’s a worst-case scenario.
Water is powerful! During maritime operations training, we camped on a lighthouse island off the coast of Maine for several weeks as our base of operations. My team sergeant, experienced in water operations, had us swim landward into the mouth of a river, while the tide was going out, to teach us a lesson. No matter how hard we finned toward land, we were pushed seaward.
Primary Roads: What are the primary roads in your area? Assume these will be clogged in a moderate or extreme emergency.
Secondary Roads: Are there ways to get out of the area using backroads that people will be less likely to take?
Natural and man-made routes on foot: If you have to bug out on foot, what route will you take?
Evacuation routes: Do you know your hurricane evacuation route? Your tsunami evacuation route? More on this under those specific topics in Survival.
Rail lines: What rails lines are near you? What is being transported on those lines? Is toxic material being carried? If a train derails and that material is released, what should you do? Are there abandoned rail lines in your AO? Rail lines, whether in use or abandoned, can often be excellent on-foot escape routes. Knowing the rail lines can also help in navigation and orientation.
Underground: In urban environments, there is often an entire world underground. There are over 10,000 miles of tunnels underneath New York City and no one knows all of them.
Water sources: Note ground, surface, seasonal, and potable. Find the closest natural source of water to your home, work and ERP. Assume it needs to be purified. Does it flow year round?
Food sources: Seasonal or year-round. What is cultivated in your area? Include vegetables, grains, fruits, and nuts. What farms are in your area? What crops do they raise?
What natural food supplies are in your AO? Include berries, fruits, nuts, and herbs. What is edible in your environment?
In your Sustainment Library I recommend a couple of books (listed later) on edible plants and also those that can be used medicinally.
Domesticated animals in the area. Aka, a food source. What is around you?
Wildlife. Include animals, fish, and fowl. What do people hunt? What’s the fishing like? What are people fishing for?
This is excerpted from: The Green Beret Preparation and Survival Guide
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