In each issue of Make (I'm the editor-in-chief) we run the MakeShift challenge, which is, appropriately, conceived and written by Lee D. Zlotoff, the creator of the MacGyver TV series. It's a scenario in which an urgent problem must be solved, with only a limited number of items at hand.
Here's this issue's challenge. If you come up with a solution, Send a detailed description of your MakeShift solution with sketches and/or photos to makeshift@makezine.com by October 27, 2006.
The Scenario:
You set off on a solo backpacking jaunt one blissfully free weekend, in search of a legendary mountain hot spring that has remained pristine thanks to the 12-plus-hour climb it takes to reach it. A well-earned sweat topped off with nothing but silence, solitude, and hot water – what's not to like?Just as your topo map indicates that you're within minutes of the spring, you hear an agonized shouting from somewhere off the rocky trail. You quickly discover a large, cylindrical fissure in the ground, about 15 feet in diameter and about 20 feet deep, at the bottom of which lies a rather large example of humanity, with his leg bent at such an unnatural angle that there's no doubt it's badly broken. You yell down to the man – who is easily twice your weight – to say help has arrived. He acknowledges you with a wave, but he seems to be fading fast from shock, pain, or whatever. the walls of thet fissure are nearly vertical and full of jagged rocks, but your experience tells you they're scalable. Still, there's no way you'll be able to climb those rocks with this guy on your back. You'll have to come up with another way to get him out of this whole.
And then it hits you:
A noxious, sulfuric smell that says that this fissure is a vent for the same gases that make the hot springs so warm and bubbly. If you don't quickly find a way to get fresh air to this guy, he's not going to survive long enough for you to rescue him.The Challenge:
Devise a way to keep this guy breathing while you come up with and execute a plan to safely extract him from the fissure. Then get him stabilized long enough that you can either get him off the mountain yourself, or hike back out to summon more help.Here's what you've got:
A top-of-the-line backpack with a nested, detachable water container, a sleeping bag, inflatable air mattress, two-man backpacking tent, a large towel, cook set, butane stove, camping food, and a basic first aid kit. You also have 40 feet of nylon rope, an elaborate Swiss Army knife (or Leatherman tool), a 25-foot roll of duct tape, a small Maglite-type flashlight, your trusty, 6-foot bamboo walking stick, and the bandanna around your neck. Any questions? Good, 'cause humanity awaits.Send a detailed description of your MakeShift solution with sketches and/or photos to makeshift@makezine.com by October 27, 2006. If duplicate designs are submitted, the winner will be determined by the quality of the explanation and presentation. The most plausible and creative solutions will each win MAKE sweatshirt. Think positive and include your shirt size and contact information with your description. For rules and solutions to previous MakeShift challenges, visit makezine.com/makeshift.
