Blogs and Videos Are Not Enough

The Dangerous Illusion of Preparedness

On the Great Plains, we know storms can roll in with little warning. We prepare for tornadoes, ice storms, and blizzards because experience has taught us that nature doesn’t wait for our convenience. But there’s another storm building quietly online—the false sense of security offered by survival blogs and YouTube channels when consumed without context or training.

A tragic case out of Colorado drove this point home. A mother, her teenage son, and her sister attempted to live off-grid at 10,000 feet of elevation in the Rockies. They relied on YouTube videos for their “training.” They were found several years later—dead from malnutrition, diarrhea, and hypothermia. Despite being only a few miles from safety, they never made it back. Their story is heartbreaking, but also instructive: information without application is a recipe for disaster.

That’s why this article isn’t about bashing YouTube or blogs--you’re reading one now! The point is sharper than that: blogs and videos are a place to start, not a place to end. If you stop at the screen, you’re building a house of cards. Real preparedness demands more—hands-on training, mentoring, and repeated practice until the skills are muscle memory.

Above is the YouTube video that inspired this article:  3 Die After Watching YouTube Videos on How to Survive, REI & More - Outdoor News - YouTube, posted by TheOutdoorGearReview.  The video covers several topics of interest, but the Colorado tragedy begins about 8:35 in.

The Colorado Tragedy: Lessons Written in Loss

The family’s fatal decision wasn’t just about poor gear or bad weather. At its root, it was about misplaced trust. They thought video tutorials could replace years of practice, mentorship, and common sense. It couldn’t. Even basic survival tasks—finding and purifying water, securing calories, staying warm at night—require far more than watching someone else do it.

Authorities reported that the teenage boy weighed less than 40 pounds when found. This wasn’t sudden tragedy; it was a slow, painful decline, magnified by lack of preparation and lack of community. They were within reach of safety yet never sought help. Why? Likely because they believed they could “figure it out.” By then, it was too late.

The lesson for Great Plains preppers is clear: don’t let misplaced confidence be your downfall. Watching survival videos can spark ideas, but they cannot replace training in your own environment with your own gear. Books and blogs—even this one—are only sparks. You still need to gather wood, strike the match, and tend the fire yourself.

Turning Knowledge into Skill

So how do we avoid repeating their mistakes? By taking every idea you encounter online and forcing it through real-world application. Ask yourself: have I actually done this skill under stress, in bad weather, or when tired? Could my family repeat it if I wasn’t there to coach them?

• Practice in context: Don’t just watch a knot-tying video—tie the knot with gloves on in the wind until you can do it blindfolded.
• Test your gear: That tarp shelter looks easy on YouTube until you try setting it up in 40 mph prairie gusts. Go outside and learn the limitations of your tools.
• Mentorship matters: Find a local Scout troop, wilderness instructor, or experienced outdoorsman. You’ll learn more in an afternoon alongside them than in 20 hours of online viewing.

Here on the Plains, we don’t have the luxury of trial-and-error when the weather turns deadly. Skill-building is what turns knowledge into capability.

Where Blogs and Videos Fit In

Let’s be clear: there is value in survival blogs and YouTube channels. They can inspire, educate, and introduce you to ideas you might never have considered. I often learn new perspectives from others online. But their role is to point you toward action, not to replace it.

If you read about a foraging technique, go find a mentor or class before you eat anything. If you see a video about fire-starting, test it in your backyard until you can light tinder in wet conditions. If you come across an article about shelter-building, go sleep under that shelter in your own field, yard, or campsite. Only then can you say you own the skill.

The Colorado family’s tragedy shows what happens when people confuse inspiration with instruction. Blogs and videos are not bad—but stopping at them can be fatal.

Conclusion: Build Beyond the Screen

On the Great Plains, where weather is unpredictable and help may be hours away, real survival depends on skill, strength, and community. Online content is a beginning, but it is not the end. Treat every video and blog as a springboard to action. Test it. Practice it. Share it with your family until it becomes second nature.

The next storm, power outage, or disaster won’t care how many videos you’ve watched. What matters is what you’ve practiced, tested, and proven when the stakes were low. Don’t let your family’s story become another cautionary tale. Learn, then do.