Surviving a -36° Night - No Tent & No Sleeping Bag

This is the coldest outing I have been on to date. The temperature dropped all the way down to -36 degrees Celsius by the morning. All that was brought with me is what you see... 5 simple items. This was certainly a test of my abilities in the outdoors but enjoyable nonetheless. Thank you to everyone who watches! God bless.

Extra info/FAQ:

Location:
Northern Alberta, Canada

My Clothing:
Outer layer - Waxed cotton
Insulating layers- Wool & Cotton
Base layer - Cotton

I get criticized a lot because I choose to wear cotton in the outdoors. Argue about it all you want but if you keep it dry it insulates almost as good as wool. Keep your clothes dry and they'll keep you warm. Don't ever depend on wet clothing to keep you warm... even if it's wool. Keep. It. Dry.

Are there wild animals in this area?
Yes. There's a variety of big game (moose, deer, grizzly bears, black bears, cougars, wolves) in this area. They tend to avoid humans for the most part though and don't pose much of a threat. I do carry a form of protection just in case.

How did I manage to sleep in such cold temperatures?
Simply put: my fire. Having a large, hot fire is the reason I was able to stay comfortable throughout the night despite not having any bedding. The fire I made was as simple as it gets in terms of long fires. I probably should have built it differently to conserve the wood but it was still an effective fire that did it's job.

My gear:
Knife - Helle Sigmund
Kettle - 9 Cup Aluminum Percolator Kettle
Ferro Rod - Made by Uberleben
Axe - 2 1/2 lb german-made boys axe. Bought used then restored it.
Boots - Sorel Pac Boots
Fingerless Gloves - Fox River Ragg Glove

If you have any other questions or comments please let me know in the comments section down below.

[vettemaniac]

I understand this kind of hardship ... last night I woke up and one of my feet was out from under the comforter. My toes were chilly ... Luckily, I survived it.

[Wade-lkyo]

I can remember being forced into a similar situation unexpectedly by my own stupidity. My brother and I hiked 18 miles into the backcountry of southern Utah looking for a particular pictograph. We found it, but totally overestimated our abilities thinking we could make it there and back to the truck in one day. We could not... All we had was a water filter built into a bottle, a bunch of granola bars, and a spare set of socks since we knew we'd be crossing a creek a few times, and luckily, since he was a smoker, he had a bic lighter. It got dark and it became very difficult to tell which way to go on the return trip, with us being in a maze of canyons, and not on a well established trail. We decided to stop and try to get some sleep, but it was just too cold (November in Utah, not quite as cold as what you had here). We even tried huddling in a shelter under a large boulder, but it was just too much. We tried starting a fire with the lighter he luckily had, but the vegetation was all wet from rain the day before and we were unsuccessful. We then had the idea to burn one of the spare socks to get a fire started, and it worked! It got hot enough to start the wet wood all around us and we took turns keeping the fire going through the night while the other slept. In the morning we woke up and finished the hike to the truck, probably about 10 miles or so that day. I have never been so happy to see my truck, and to just sit down in the seat of that 25 year old pickup was one of the greatest feelings I have ever experienced. It was tough, but remains one of my favorite memories from my life. I've always remembered to be more prepared since then!

[AdamKlownzinger]

Thank you for not burying the actual sounds and the authentic feeling of the video in a bunch of music. It’s a small thing but I appreciate it. I feel like it shows respect for the viewers’ intelligence to not go out of your way to make sure every fleeting moment has flashing colors or wacky loud sounds.

[shutyofilfymouf]

a tip i learned from the outdoor boys channel: when making a shelter like this, start your fire right inside the dead tree's dirt pile and let it warm the dirt up as long as you can especially where youll be laying and then move the fire over to the spot this guy had for the night and everything around you will be nice and toasty 🥰 (obviously do this before making the shelter)

[KeenanMyers-gq]

This is the perfect kind of relaxing video to watch at 3am. This shows just how much work goes into surviving in the wilderness!.

[daveevangelist]

This is the perfect kind of relaxing video to watch at 3am

[Nate-fobi]

I haven’t made it to the middle of the video but I must say that I absolutely love that there is no music in the video. The absence of music creates this special atmosphere where you can feel the silence in the woods and how it is to be alone in the middle of nowhere

[wynnhorton]

I really appreciate how humble and soft-spoken you are.

[GeorgeF.]

This is one of the most simple, but best bushcraft videos I’ve ever seen. True survival. No frills.

[dantoth]

Enjoyed your video very much. I really can’t add anything to the comments already provided praising your effort, I am 70 years old now and have spent many a night in the forest in all kinds of weather and conditions. I use to sleep outside in the winter a lot in Manitoba in the winter at times -40 c to -50c or colder. I made a custom down filled sleeping bag out of down jackets and vests that I would buy at yard sales and second hand stores. I slept very comfortably in those temperatures. I’ve canoed and hiked all over western Canada and still have a desire to spend the occasional night out in the woods and cold as I know by other comments that it builds character and self esteem that you can not acquire anywhere else. Having full confidence that if need be I could put those skills to use if called upon. Don’t get me wrong I do enjoy the comfort of my warm bed in my home heated by my old wood cook stove that I have to get up 2 or 3 times in the night to feed. I’m living here now in Nova Scotia and loving it, I feel like I have gone back 30 or more years in time living here. It is a completely different way of life from out west one that I can only say that you have to live it to understand what I mean. People are by and large very trusting and helpful as neighbours something that has been lost out west. Enough rambling keep up the good work and to all you other folks, get out there and do it, you will be a better person for doing so.

[Beatrice_]

I truly admire folks who have the skill and knowledge to do stuff like this.

[BigYabai]

always love seeing outdoorsmen who are humble about their situation and the dangers rather than acting overconfident and thinking they're the master of the domain
on a bit of a tangent, nice thing about hard tack too is that if you've got enough of it, you can crush it up and cook it in water over the fire to make a simple porridge base

[DaveFerguson-vhfn]

I've unfortunately had my share of experience with being homeless due to my own poor choices and drug addiction. Let me tell you, you realize how much you've taken for granted very quickly. Most people don't realize how chilly even 60 degrees feels when you're sleeping on the ground with no sunlight for hours on Don't even get me started on the rain! Thankfully those days are behind me but even now I don't take things like a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in for granted 🙏🏻

[DDuck]

Shout out to the cameraman, no food no shelter and survived like a boss.

[jamestryon]

I have done and taught wilderness surivial in all kinds of weather including the temps in your video most of my 80 years. This video is one of the best and shows what a person can do. It is not what you take in with you as much as how you use what you have. Basic shelter can be everywhere and a hot fire and staying dry and hydradited is a must. Very well done and you have most likely saved someone's life down the road.

[CrueLoaf]

A simple blanket would make all the difference it’s amazing what a blanket can do. I think it’s a primitive thing. A bit of warmth but more than that, the feeling of security.

[kks-]

I'm a Siberian, and I remember the sound of frosty snow! It sounds like a broken glass. Now I'm living in Costa Rica, and I am

[wendykinsey-ox]

Incredible workmanship on the 'cabin' against the old log and dirt. And the tent, the bark and the fire system. Chow and spruce drink looked very good. Superb job. You excelled. Look forward to more. Thank YOU, Kusk Bushcraft.

[jimharrop]

Anyone else find this video and it's sounds very relaxing? Almost comforting with the crackle of the fire.

[kellymontgomery]

Perfect! You make it look so effortless. You can also build a sort of v-rack and place the logs to burn on a 45 degree angle, and they self feed all night so you needn't even bother until you get up. Thank you for a great vid. Wind is your only enemy