I’ve pulled a Hummer H2 out of a ditch with my sports sedan on glazed packed snow. 
I love that car.
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Pretty much. I’m on Lake Erie and we got barely an inch. In this case the relatively warmer temperature of the lake acted as a buffer instead of the usual source of moisture for more snow.
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If you are on the lake then yeah you wont get much in the way of snow… now if you are inland and on higher ground be careful!
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That’s… exactly how I felt.
I’m scared of open flames in enclosed spaces but I may be missing something - my snow wisdom is nil and canadian mother is obviously not!
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Got the same advice from my (Canadian) family: candle, an empty tin to put it in, matches, chocolate, small shovel, and a blanket, sleeping bag, or old parka to keep warm.
It’s important to point out that both you and your candle need oxygen, so this may not be viable while buried, and a window needs to be open at least a crack.
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I was taught to stay with your vehicle and never ever try walking to get help. And if it gets too hot, escape the blistering heat by lying under your car. Hold on, this was advice I got in the Australian outback …
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Hah! That’s verbatim the same list my mom gave us all the time. It must be in the Canadian Handbook somewhere. I need to check my copy.
Yup, this. For anyone unfamiliar with this advice, the idea is that a candle, when held close in a relatively enclosed space, creates enough heat to ward off hypothermia. I’ve never actually looked in to whether this is true, so it’s possible this is just a thing moms say that doesn’t work very well, but at least you have matches to go with your candle so you can build a fire for heat and signaling if needed.
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Yup, this is why despite being notoriously snowy, Buffalo doesn’t get nearly as much as the towns in the hills south of it.
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That is totally what I would do. The other thing is totally what I would have done.
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…keep going.
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“He finally got through a few times and was geolocated, but not very well because of the spottiness of the reception,” Cawley said.
“According to these readings, he should be… ten feet above this snowbank.”
“Huh, I don’t see anything.”
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Yep. I got stuck overnight in a broke down car in freezing weather once before I had a cell. It was awful - but no frostbite- I was younger than him.
I keep a wool blanket, snowmobile suit, those heaters for feet and hands, first aid kit, flashlight, snacks, a folding shovel and old fashioned magnesium flares. That’s not happening again. I’ll be fine - or I’ll be able to help others out.
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Fella was a bit too wide to get through a car window, unfortunately.
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Yeah I think the “stay with your car” thing is based on survival statistics for people who were known to be lost and being searched for. People who were not known to be lost are outside the scope of that analysis.
Personally if I didn’t have an epirb and didn’t expect to be searched for, I would leave my car and go for help. But I would have an epirb.
a candle, when held close in a relatively enclosed space, creates enough heat to ward off hypothermia
Hmmm I have a 20 amp hour LiPo powerbank. I wonder how the energy from that would compare with a candle.
In front of your own house?
As I recall the advice is valid if you have or have not given someone details of your trip and eta, because your vehicle gives a larger target to spot from air or ground even if nobody is searching for you. Going for help only works if you know where you are, where the nearest help is to be found and you are equipped to get there.
Maybe the guy pissed off the snowplow driver, too? 
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