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Q&A

General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.

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When hiking up a steep hill without a trail, how do you determine the angle to switch back and forth?

On trails that go up steep hills, there are usually switchbacks where the trail goes first one way and then other, resulting in an overall less steep path. In the complete absence of a trail, how ...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by ArtOfCode‭

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When building a trail how is the length of the leg of a switchback decided?

I have done lots of hiking on trails with switchbacks and one thing I have noticed is that the length of the legs (how long you walk in one direction before switching back to the other) can vary w...

0 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  edited 3y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭

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How to do a prussik with end of cordellete only? [duplicate]

Doing a Prussik with a small cordellete that is tied together in a O is relatively easy. Now some maneuvers require to do a Prussik/blocking knot with only one side of a long cordelete... how do yo...

0 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Matifou‭  ·  closed as duplicate 3y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭

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How to cut and seal backpack straps?

My backpack has straps that are way too long and I would like to shorten them, both to save weight and to make it more organized. How can I cut the straps and then seal them so the ends don't come...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Sigma‭

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How much flotation does a canoe need?

Yesterday for the first time I turned my canoe over, then I tried to get back in it. I have been thinking about adding a sail to my canoe and now that I know a bit about sailing, I know I need to ...

4 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by James Jenkins‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭

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How do I protect necessary glasses while kayaking or rafting?

My team at work has occasional outings and one of the activities we've talked about for the future is kayaking or whitewater rafting. I've never done either and am also dependent on expensive pres...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by Monica Cellio‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by ArtOfCode‭

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What are some good ways to go outdoors in a city while safely social distancing?

I live in a downtown urban center. Normally I exercise by going to the gym or by taking long walks around the different neighborhoods or some local hiking trails in parks. Current social distancin...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by Sigma‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭

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Are bats harmed by fumes that gather in old mines?

Once in Nevada, I saw a sign on an old abandoned mine that said two things, Stay out, mines have noxious fumes. Stay out, bats live here. Both of those are good reasons to stay out, but it seem...

0 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  edited 3y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭

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Drinking water in the backcountry wilderness in Northern Great Plains (Grasslands National Park). How to deal with the salinity?

If the topographic map is to be believed, there are plenty of streams in Grasslands National Park, but apparently they are saline. Last and Ginn report that there is no other area in the world th...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by gerrit‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Are elk and deer colorblind to blaze orange/pink clothes?

During rifle season, hunters are required to wear blaze orange (some states also allow bright pink). I have heard that deer and elk are color blind to blaze orange, is there scientific evidence to...

4 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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When to acquire a glider over the course of paragliding lessons?

Thinking hypothetically, person A is taking a paragliding course over the course of a year in three stages. The first two are about mastering ground handling, taking off, basic landing, different a...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by miguelmorin‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Do Glacier National Park (USA) backcountry camps have bear poles / bear canisters?

In Glacier National Park (USA), there are 63 backcountry campgrounds. I looked at the backcountry campground website including the map and campsite information. Are there bear poles/boxes at back...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by gerrit‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Should I wash new child snow mittens before wearing?

I bought new mittens for my kid for the coming winter holiday. They should be waterproof or at least water-resistant. Normally when i buy clothing, i wash it before wearing. The fabric may not hav...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by Ivana‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Waxing G-1000 trousers - melting options

I really need to wax my G-1000 trousers - but I do not own a clothes iron and only a flimsy travel hairdryer. The instructions for the trousers/wax say, I should use either to melt the wax after ap...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Erik‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Why are American ski resorts so expensive?

While doing some research for my answer in are ski areas shutting down? I was a bit shocked by the American prices for lift tickets. Vail is at $220 and while this may be an exceptionally expensive...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Manziel‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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What is this lizard-like thing?

This just crawled out of a houseplant I purchased last weekend. Can anyone help me identify it? I also need to know what to feed it because it probably hasn't eaten in a long time. It's about 4 inc...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by Fo.‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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How can I secure the car key while surfing?

I had a near miss yesterday as I tried a strategy of a fellow surfer: I buried my mechanical car key in the sand, put my bag on top of it, and went surfing. A few dogs on the beach must have shifte...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by miguelmorin‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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How do you flavour your water on camping trips?

Always drinking pure water can be boring and tasteless, especially when you have to filtrate it or use sterilizer/purification tabs which might cause the water to taste really bad. What are easy (...

10 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Wills‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Jumping off of a cliff into water - survival tips

Another scary scenario: Let's say you're in a situation where you have to jump off of a cliff into the water to survive. The cliff is at least 100 feet high. What would be the best way to surviv...

8 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by mph85‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Climbing Mount Teide from sea-level

Is it possible to climb Mount Teide from sea-level in 2 days for a reasonably fit person? Essentially, I was thinking of walking up to the Altavista mountain refuge on the first day (can that be do...

9 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by cluons‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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What are the differences between expensive, mid-priced and cheap skis?

There are lots of ski models out there, ranging from $60 to $2000. But what difference does price actually have on the performance you get out of the skis? How does one know that it makes sense to ...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by JonathanReez‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Are ski areas in the United States shutting down?

Interesting video I ran across. The high point are quotes from sugarbush's president. All the rest information is less important, except for statistics. I'm not sure where they got their stats. NSA...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Paul Blair‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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How do I find a less crowded trail in the southeast United States on the 4th of July?

In addition to "longest walk possible" are there any good guidelines for finding trails/areas in the southeast that are typically less crowded on holidays such as the 4th of July? State parks here...

2 answers  ·  posted 10y ago by Russell Steen‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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How to improvise or make pot grip / pot handle

How do you deal with handling hot pots / cups without using a pot grip (see the picture for an example)? It's inexpensive and rather light-weight, but why add gear if you can use what you already h...

5 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Alexander‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Trail marking material that will last a few years

I'm currently trying to remark a trail that seems to be forgotten or had very little use in the past few years. The markers that remain (different types of ribbon) are fraying or crumbling dependin...

4 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by WaterMolecule‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Can putting nails in trees cause longterm health problems for the tree?

I asked a question about marking trails and one of the answers suggested nailing markers to the trees. Does this damage the trees? I'm mostly concerned about long-term infection or rot that will ev...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by WaterMolecule‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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+1 −0
When should I avoid geotagging?

I did not use to think of geotagging photos as a leave-no-trace issue. In fact, one slogan says leave only footprints, take only photos. Yet the Leave No Trace Social Media Guidance states: T...

8 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by gerrit‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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What conditions should lead an alpine team to abandon a mountain climb/expedition?

This is a very subjective question but the goal is to make a somewhat comprehensive Wiki-style list of, let's call it "mission abandon criteria", that should prompt a team to turn back. In a sieg...

4 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Yogesch‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Male swimming attire that can be worn under clothing

(Use case: A hike to heated waters--hiking with only swimwear for lower attire is not an option.) I find most swimwear is not exactly suitable for wearing under clothing, speedos would work but I...

3 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Loren Pechtel‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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How to isolate a strong magnet from things it could damage in a small backpack?

I have a pretty strong magnet for magnet fishing. The problem that I am running into when taking it places is that I need a way to isolate it from my wallet/phone/compass inside my backpack as othe...

4 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Resources for camping in Georgia (country)

Is there any resource provided by the Georgian government or by any other agencies about the camping in Georgia? I would like to know about the rules and safety aspects. Any resource on these woul...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by ALH‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Topo map server out there somewhere?

It's winter. I daydream of trips in various areas. Using Google/Apple/Bing maps is frustrating. Openstreet has trails if you are near civilization, but names are weak. None of them have coordin...

8 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Sherwood Botsford‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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What is the fastest style of sled?

Winter is here and, like every year, I am still thrilled when the extended family rounds up all the little kids and we go sledding. This year we compared our sleds and found that some were signific...

9 answers  ·  posted 10y ago by theJollySin‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Can you Rappel with an Old Climbing Rope?

I received an old climbing rope, whose history is unknown. I know this rope should not be used for any situations where a fall is possible since it may have already sustained one. However, can it ...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Jesse Yishai‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Statistics on types and survivability of anchor failures?

The most recent (2013) edition of Climbing Anchors, by Long and Gaines, makes some interesting statements in the preface about catastrophic failures of anchors. Long first says that: when belay anc...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Ben Crowell‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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How do multi radius skis work in practice

Some skis nowadays have a different sidecut radius at the front, center and back of the ski. With the different radius they claim to be suitable for both long and short turns. (So far the theory) ...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by Manziel‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Have a couple basic Q's on climbing-line (1 on safely descending/rappelling, another on using multiple lines and/or hardware to achieve "1+1=2"?)

Hoping to ask a couple basic Q's before my order arrives, I suspect I may've gotten insufficient gear.. 1 - Is doubling-up ropes, or hardware, ever acceptable in climbing? IE, my 8mm prusik cord ...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by WantToClimb‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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How to take care of climbing hands?

Being a climber one aim is to toughen up your hands (related: How to toughen up hands?). Building up callused skin is important but how do you keep it? Having dry hands especially from the climbing...

4 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Wills‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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What are these grayish plants with little white "hair" in Joshua Tree National Park?

While hiking Ryan Mountain (elevation 5457 feet) in Joshua Tree National Park last month, I saw several of these grayish plants near the top of the mountain. I did not see any at lower elevations. ...

2 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by pacoverflow‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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If you are kayaking on a lake when whitecaps start happening, what is the best direction to get off the lake?

I am stealing Charlie Brumbaugh's question about canoeing on an open lake, because for kayaking you would get different anwers, and it's important to distinguish those. If you are kayaking on a...

3 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Permission from military when hiking in Israel

When hiking in Israel I've seen some trails that had information on them to contact IDF first for permission before going on them. How I'm supposed to get the permission? How much in advance you h...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by pbm‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Keeping your butt dry in a kayak

I have started looking at sit on top kayaks. Several have looked promising. Though I just realized, in most of them the lowest point in the boat is where your butt goes. I normally travel in a cano...

4 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by James Jenkins‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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What kind of Rope for a Bosun's Chair

I'm going to make a bosun's chair to lift me 40 ft in the air to a tree platform (with at least a 6' clearance, so closer to 50'). Of course I would like the right type of rope with the right tensi...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by Jesse Yishai‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Is there a more accurate way to gauge the fuel level on my ski boat?

I own a 1988 Malibu Skier, and one of the things I've been thinking about upgrading on it is the fuel gauge. Specifically, I want to be able to have some kind of digital reading of how much fuel I ...

1 answer  ·  posted 3y ago by kingderzelas‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Should wax for G-1000 be continuously applied?

I got a Fjällräven Barents Trousers for Christmas! Hell yeah! It's made of the "G-1000" material. 65% polyester, 35% cotton. G-1000 Original is the original fabric in Fjällräven’s comfortabl...

1 answer  ·  posted 7y ago by OddDeer‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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Fly casting in heavy cover/growth

I recently began learning to fly fish. However most of the streams I frequent are small creeks in the Southern Appalachians that have a lot of growth on the banks and overhead making casting rathe...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Anycorn‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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How far away can one be when tight line nymphing?

I've been experimenting with tight line nymphing and have had good success in murky/choppy water that allows me to get close to the trout without spooking them. However I'm reluctant to use these t...

0 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by tjjjohnson‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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What should I replace guylines with?

I need to replace some guylines on one of my tents. I normally use some paracord lying around but they have been getting tripped over more and more. I found some glow in the dark paracord, but be...

5 answers  ·  posted 11y ago by MaskedPlant‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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How to split 3-5 people into rope teams for glacier travel?

I'm starting to go through the book "freedom of the hills". Somewhere in the initial pages, it states that a climbing party must consist of a minimum of three members. A bit later it states that du...

4 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Yogesch‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by System‭

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In-helmet communication for ski

I am often skiing with some friends, and would love to have some way of communicating. I've seen quite a lot of bluetooth based systems for motorcycles, but not as many for skiing. The ideal syste...

0 answers  ·  posted 3y ago by Paul92‭

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