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John Morton
climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 13, 2017 - 03:47pm PT
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Here's a hypothetical: you've driven far up into remote mountain country, it starts to snow heavily, and you find yourself trapped in drifts, unable to move.
Sub-zero temperatures. You have forgotten your 10 essentials, so no matches. You're down on gas. There's probably enough to idle for an hour or two, but what then?
Now comes my question: how do you start a fire using just your car? You have gas and spark, but exactly how do you turn those into a campfire?
Once you have fire, if you are above timberline what parts of your car could you burn?
just wondering ...
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chainsaw
Trad climber
CA
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Jan 13, 2017 - 03:59pm PT
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Roll up windows and stay in car. What better shelter could you ask for. Can turn on heat when someone is dying. Listen to NPR on the hour for news. Remove a wheel from the trunk (spare) and use for signal fire. Always have a real spare, not a limited use.
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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Jan 13, 2017 - 04:01pm PT
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If you are poorly clad, probably better to just stay inside your car since that is your only shelter.
12V Battery and thin wire from various possible sources wrapped in an oily soaked piece of cloth (your own shirt if necessary) can make fire. Not much in most cars worth burning to sustain the fire. Spare tire can be burned if you get enough tinder to get it ablaze, but then you are stuck outside in the snow getting wet, so likely worse than shivering inside the car.
So if you are above timberline, not much point to make a fire. Probably best to stay inside and periodically blare the horn to attract attention. Save the gas to run the motor every couple hours to give yourself something to do and to keep the battery charged.
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chainsaw
Trad climber
CA
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Jan 13, 2017 - 04:02pm PT
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Can use battery to start fire if its good. Just short it and you got fire. But dont burn your shelter
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Jan 13, 2017 - 04:04pm PT
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I was riding cross country on a motorcycle and need a match to light a stove, ramen noodles suck uncooked. Pulled a spark plug, plugged it back onto the wire, pulled the other three plug wires off and got some gas on some paper. Cranked the bike over holding the paper next to the tip of the spark plug and quickly had my stove lit.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Jan 13, 2017 - 04:09pm PT
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This scenario reminds me of the James Kim family stranding in Oregon in 2006.
At one point he started a fire using the car tires (I'm not sure if it was a good idea, but they were getting desperate). Not sure how he started that fire.
Eventually they were located from cell phone ping history.
Primary mistake on his part was to keep driving forward on a snowy logging road.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Kim
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jan 13, 2017 - 04:21pm PT
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hey there say, ... oh my, clint...
sadly, i've seen a few other stories, from a wrong turn...
very very sad... :(
been lurking around, to check calif weather, and saw this...
got to run, now...
prayers for all, in this winter, no matter,
what state or counrty, :(
thanks for sharing...
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Juan Maderita
Trad climber
"OBcean" San Diego, CA
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Jan 13, 2017 - 04:29pm PT
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Starting with the obvious simple solution, does the hypothetical car have a cigarette lighter?
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thebravecowboy
climber
The Good Places
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Jan 13, 2017 - 04:40pm PT
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If the Kim story is one end of the spectrum of bad outcomes for the scenario, the D. Finley story, occurring in the same area, is the opposite end-member. To sit still like that (no real food from 11/14 to 1/19) truly would require absolute faith.
Not sure which one I'd pick if faced with the choice.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Jan 13, 2017 - 04:43pm PT
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This scenario reminds me of the James Kim family stranding in Oregon in 2006.
Yeah, was going to say - not so hypothetical...
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WBraun
climber
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Jan 13, 2017 - 04:56pm PT
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Soak rag in gas and ignite with spark from battery terminal.
Once rag is on fire run to your gathered firewood to be burned and start fire.
Americans are soooo helpless with all their technology they've lost all their Yankee know how red neck engineering ......
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Jan 13, 2017 - 05:03pm PT
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Yankee know how red neck engineering ......
sounds useful, is there an app for that?
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Jan 13, 2017 - 05:05pm PT
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Plenty on youtube...
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TradEddie
Trad climber
Philadelphia, PA
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Jan 13, 2017 - 05:53pm PT
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Anyone suggesting that you "have gas" just because there's gas in the tank has clearly not tried to siphon gas out of any modern car. I'm not sure dipping a rag would get gas on it anymore with the anti-siphon and anti-rollover devices. Far easier and safer to slap engine oil from the dipstick onto a rag and short out the battery with the same dipstick. No specialized tools required.
TE
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
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Jan 13, 2017 - 06:14pm PT
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Make fire with your car is easy if you're still driving a Pinto...
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jan 13, 2017 - 07:23pm PT
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RJ wins!
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ecdh
climber
the east
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Jan 13, 2017 - 07:34pm PT
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Curved mirrors can be focused to pin points of heat, bit like a magnifying glass. Ive done this. Even can use a stainless bowl. Needs good sun tho but you could potentially do inside the car with window open.
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Majid_S
Mountain climber
Karkoekstan
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Jan 13, 2017 - 07:37pm PT
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I am probably expert on this topic cause I started tons of fire on cars while I was car technician so best way to start a small fire is to leave rag on the exhaust manifold till smoke starts to show then you pick it up and build your fire from there.
Another way is to have the rag wet slightly with gas and pull one spark plug wire and do quick start and you got a fire.
Drive the car on e-brake for 3 miles and your both rear tires will be on fire or at least , the drum or disc brake is hot enough to get your fire going
use jumper wire and have the + and - hit each other away from the car while car is running and have thin paper near either clamps and you could get fire there.
put a rag on catalytic converter while engine is running for more than 30 min and that could start a fire
find a coat hanger ,undo the wire and recoil it round and round then use jumper wire - and + to light up the coat hanger and you got fire there
There are more ways to get a fire from car but i need to see your car
use cig lighter
And about Kim family situation, He did make a mistake by leaving the car but worse than that, the search managers (the Sheriff) failed to listen to people. One expert from phone company offer tracking using last ping point and I read somewhere that they refused to take his advice. Anyway the case was 700 page long and very interesting to read.
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Edge
Trad climber
Betwixt and Between Nederland & Boulder, CO
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Jan 13, 2017 - 07:42pm PT
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Pull your cell phone charger out of the cigarette lighter, find the actual lighter, and plug it in.
When it pops out glowing, throw some belly button lint mixed with Carmex on the coils.
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Jan 13, 2017 - 08:21pm PT
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Not a car, but your cell phone battery could be shorted and used to start a fire. Note 7 might be even easier. Another advantage of Android over Apple.
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