In 1974 A good friend (an old farm boy from Ohio) and I got stranded by a snow storm up in the White Mountains North of Fairbanks. We spent five days in a snow cave we built. When we saw the storm coming we tried to get back to our truck, but when the whiteout hit we decided to hunker down and sit it out. Temp did get down to -35. We had 25' of wire, 50ft of mason's cord, two pocket knives, two hunting knives, a small ax, a small shovel, a .44 mag pistol with 6 rounds, a .22 revolver with 200 rounds. We had one leather water bag 1qt, 4 cans of beer, 4 cans of Coke, and 6 candy bars. Two wool blankets and two sleeping bags. A small canvas tarp, and four candles. At the time we both smoked a pipe so we had plenty of matches. And one deck of cards. Ever since I hate Gin Rummy.
We ate Rabbit, squirrel, grouse, and Ptarmigan. We caught fish in the near by stream, by chopping a hole in the ice. We melted snow for water by cutting the tops off the beer and coke cans. After we drank the beer and coke, could not let those calories go to waste.
Five days later when the storm broke we dug the snow machines out and went on to the truck. We never fired a shot from either of the pistols. Still had the bag of water, and 4 candy bars. We ran out of pipe tobacco the third day.
Nither of our wives reported us missing. I now think both were hoping we would not come back.
I seriously doubt any of those folks on that TV show would have made it.
