Science of Survival: Lost in the Snow

Overview

Jennifer and Jim Stolpa ended up lost in the snow miles from help. They survived for days alone and without help. Could YOU? In the coldest Colorado winter for a decade, survival expert Les Stroud shows what you can do to survive if you are trapped in a blizzard without any special gear. He strips his truck and turns a car seat into a makeshift pair of snow boots to battle his way through the Rocky Mountains. He shows you how to make a signal fire from an old tire and a car battery, then treks off through 80 mph winds and knee-deep powdery snow in temperatures of minus 86 degrees F wearing nothing more than an old overcoat and pants — just like the Stolpas had during their ordeal. Navigating his way eastward with only a watch, building a shelter from dead trees and starting a fire with baby supplies, Les shows how to get through a deadly winter night. Later in the program, he visits a military training lab to show you what happens when he exposes himself, unprotected, to extreme cold. Shivering in 41 degrees below zero — and worried about frostbite, Les experiences the ravages of hypothermia and watches as his ability to perform simple manual tasks deteriorates out of control.

Episode Information