Survival Training

Survival Training

“All set to attempt a Tyrolean traverse?” asked the person who held my safety rope.

I took a deep breath, looked out over a chasm between two rock outcroppings, and said;

“Yeah.” If I fell, it would be a forty-foot drop to the trail below.
“On belay.” I was telling the person holding the rope I was ready…
“Belay on,” said the person holding my rope. As I readied myself to slip off the rock, I said, “Climbing.”

“Climb on.”

Off the ledge I slid, and for a long millisecond I felt the rope stretch.

I was dangling between the two sides and started to pull myself hand over hand to the opposite side. It only took a few minutes.

I successfully reached the rocks across the gap and, finally, I stood up to the cheers of my fellow classmates.

All of those who tried that day made it. It was the culmination of a semester of preparation and skills building.

There were other activities and outings with our instructor, Mr. Sid Mountain, the very popular mountaineering instructor at California State University, Northridge.

On one field trip, our class set up camp on top of eight feet of snow. The next morning, we all took ice axe training. We actually fell off a trail, and stopped ourselves using only the axe.

On another weekend, we practiced desert survival skills. We learned to make a solar still and realized it was possible to generate drinking water in an arid environment.

Back then, I was self-reliant and felt I was capable of surviving in most any environment. Over the years, I took many trips into the backcountry.

Today, I am more God-reliant. The last time I went on a trip to the mountains, I took my Bible, the ultimate survival guide. It crosses all the gaps. Next time you go away, don’t leave home without it!

May God richly bless you and keep you,

Tell me what you think below, and Join me every day as we pray for wisdom by taking part in the Wisdom Prayer Challenge.

Dennis