General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.
Filters (None)
I've done plenty of camping in my life, especially since it's part of my job, but one area where I've been particularly challenged is camping where sand is involved. It just gets everywhere and int...
Somewhat motivated by How to progress in rock climbing after grades v4 / 5.11+? I am curious if anyone has tried to document if there are particular grades that climbers plateau on and need more ti...
I would say I'm a fairly experienced hiker, and would love to begin climbing some more challenging mountains, i.e. mountains that require actual climbing, rather than just hiking. I have next to no...
First, its not a hypothetical situation, and secondly, with all due respect, I am aware of where the debates like 'Should you get into this trouble at first place?' end-up, so lets not get into tha...
I had a "discussion" with someone on Facebook recently. It came about over a photo shared in a group I'm a member of (I can't share the photo as it's not my property). The photo showed two people ...
Take a look at this knife: Notice that the edge start very far away from the edge of the blade, if that makes sense. The question I'm asking myself is whether, when sharpening this knife, do I ...
I mostly boulder and I don't like to jump down from the top of the route, because my ankles/knees/back feels weird when landing. However, when I climb down sometimes my arms feel even more tired th...
I've had a CamelBak backpack for years (a Rim Runner that I bought in 2005), and for Christmas treated myself to a new MilTac H.A.W.G. as one of the zips on the old Rim Runner was starting to break...
Last night I was walking the dog near area where I climb a lot. Above the quarry where most of the climbing happens there is a really nice natural short crag. Looking at this crag I thought there w...
Comments at a recent question How many tea light candles are needed to equal the heat output of a person? suggest that burning a candle can produce water vaper that masses twice as much as the cand...
My husband I have been backpacking in the Sierra and Rockies since 1972. We are bare granite freaks, and have always gone high. Alas, time is catching up with us (we are over 70), and we are now ...
Within the U.S. Grand Circle region (very roughly Las Vegas NV /Provo UT/Aspen CO/Santa Fe NM/Phoenix AZ), for what trails are the number of permits issued limited considering day use only? I am a...
A couple of friends and I have taken up hiking here in South Africa and they're pretty geared up with their ankle guards, and extreme hiking shoes and what not. They've got their hiking underwear a...
There are some questions regarding "minimalist shoes" on the site. By looking at those with the tag, it seems that the term relates to shoes that have thin soles without much spring to them, and s...
There is a current trend to carry babies in a pack on your front (Wikipedia does not show it but Google images has lots of hits 'front baby carrier') If you are hiking with a backpack, is includin...
I've been some months reading as much as possible about walking biomechanics, and unfortunately I haven't found too much information or usually contradictory information. Usually everything is focu...
In the last few years on rivers, the wooden skegs under my homemade houseboat have gotten chewed up. I will have to drydock and repair them this year. While it is out of the water, I thought I migh...
I understand the basics of trek / hiking meals which are primarily freeze-dried, lightweight and carbohydrate rich. For those of us with access to a base camp who wish to consume mainly protein ...
A recent answer said: In an emergency a tea light candle carefully set on/in a disposable pie tin can heat a 4 season tent enough to aid the drying process - just be sure to isolate, ventalate,...
A recent question made me wonder: A while ago, there was a nice route in the local bouldering gym with a rather high crux. The repeated jumping-off lead to minor knee pain for a few days. Now, ther...
I spent one really miserable night because I found out during the rainstorm that my bivy sack wasn't waterproof. Drying it out wasn't an option because of the rain and moving some where else also ...
There are two shafts from Easton. The "Axis" and its younger brother the "Axis Traditional". Both of them are full featured carbon arrows but the latter one has a wooden design. I've heard that...
During the winter I travel long distances over 25 miles into forest, lakes, rivers and mountains. I always worry that when it's time to leave I'll find myself trapped by tree laying over the road. ...
In European 3D archery we've (besides a few "uncommon" ratings) two basic rating systems: One kill The yellow, red and blue area is "the kill": First arrow - Kill: 20 First arrow - Body: 16 ...
How can I regulate my temperature in a -15°C down sleeping bag when it is cold but not quite -15°C? I have a down sleeping bag rated at -15°C. Used it at a previous hike where the temperature went...
I am camping this weekend and my new tent just arrived today. I want to put it up and waterproof it now with a spray-on silicone waterproofer and a seam sealer. It's evening right now and very bri...
I will be camping and commuting to work for some undetermined number of months. During this time, I plan to do a lot of working out as well, and I'm wondering what healthy camp-friendly mostly non-...
I am planning to hike for a week with two dogs. Each dog eats 4 cups of kibble a day, that's about 14 liters of kibble per week. The issue is the volume not the weight. What can I feed them so tha...
So I was backpacking up in Sequoia national park this past weekend and there is still a lot of snow. I following some ultralight gear lists, which were good, but I ran into problems with gear getti...
I recently read this answer about rope thickness, and it mentions a tragic incident where a rope was severed during a lead fall due to the rope being dragged across rock edge whilst under tension. ...
Living in the north-east part of America, my chances of encountering a grizzly bear are very low. I have greater chances of meeting a black bear. If I got the chance of meeting a grizzly, should I...
Do bears, as opposed to defending cubs, being startled by humans, or trying to get into food, ever decide to prey on humans? As in stalk, kill and then eat them?
For most big game species in the United States there is a minimum legal caliber where in order for a cartridge to be used for hunting it has to be of a certain size. For example, For all big a...
I'd like to tap into the collective wisdom of this community to get some car camping meals ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I have a group of 4 adults headed out for a week of car camping ...
What important features should I pay attention to when buying paracord for hiking (such as different types, load limit, etc)? I just use it for bear bags, tarp lines, etc.
In this question, it was asked whether bear-spray was effective against other animals, such as wolves. I know the old adage that "there has never been record of a healthy wolf attacking an adult" ...
If I'm out hiking, and I come around a corner and stumble upon a bear, what's the best course of action to take to minimize the chance the bear will act aggressively? Do different types of bear (...
I continue year of the bear with more trees. Can grizzly bears climb trees?
I am an animal lover and would only shoot at a bear as an absolute last resort Assume I have done everything possible to avoid contact with a bear, and after encountering one have followed the bes...
I am attending a conference in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and afterwards I am considering going for a 3-day hike somewhere around Turbine Canyon[1], 3-isle[2] or Aster Lake[3] in the Rockies. How sa...
My friends and I are traveling the North Country Trail in Michigan's Upper Peninsula this August. Even though odds are small, we could encounter a grizzly bear. This is something none of us have ex...
A friend travelled to Alaska last summer, and took several guided trips in areas with large brown bear populations. In each case, according to his report, the guides were armed only with bear spra...
I am considering a trek in August/September in the Mealy Mountains and English Mountains in Labrador (Canada's newest National Park; for info see 1, 2, 3). However, I am worried by the prospect of...
I recently talked with a young geologist, some of whose field work is in the Arctic. We mostly talked about the science, but the geologist mentioned being certified (not sure of this word) to act a...
For hiking in polar bear country, this answer cites a page that advices to avoid camping under the stars at all times. Yet people do go trekking on Svalbard, and I don't think the density of huts i...
I like to do long hikes in black bear country. I don't really go on multiday trekking trips, just day trips but often need to bring food along. I know that backpackers often keep their food in be...
Sometimes I camp with people who pass out drinking beer and don't bother to clean up their trash before they go to bed. Since we are in black bear country, I was wondering if empty beer bottles can...
Even if I was to follow the advice of letting bears know I am in the area, keeping my cooking and anything that smells at least 100m from my camp & downwind, etc, suppose a bear finds my tent a...
I know that they say to make as much noise as possible to try and show your dominance, but what happens if I am sleeping? If I wake up with a bear right outside my tent while i'm sleeping, and I ha...
A woman in a semi-rural Maryland neighborhood was injured by a black bear sow a day or two ago. See The Washington Post. She heard a dog barking, went out with her dog on a leash to investigate a...
