General Q&A about the great outdoors and outdoor pursuits.
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I have seen some posts that mention midges and midge spray. I am wild camping in Scotland in August. Should I be worried about them? Is there anything else a part from midge spray I can use to keep...
I am used to abseiling with a prusik cord, which gives me protection for the case I lose control of the descent speed. However, I have heard that in canyoning, in some situations, using the prusik...
I recently went backpacking above treeline in Colorado. It was in a National Wilderness and there were no designated camping areas. Finding a flat enough spot for 3 tents proved to be difficult at ...
I took my first lake swim recently and found my lake has a fair amount algae, which bothered me more than I expected it too. After some limited research, I found someone saying that it's Eurasian ...
I've only been climbing a few months. I bought a harness and have been using it. I know they don't last forever. How do I know when to stop using it and buy a new one? (How should I check climb...
Many (online) shops classify boots between hiking and hunting; for example, see hunting boots. The hunting boots look more like the kind of boots I like, than the hiking boots do. What are the di...
After 27 years of having indoor-outdoor cats, the last one died in May 2015. (We now have only an indoor cat.) During those 27 years, we never had a problem with mice. During Snowzilla (Jan 201...
My friend and I were on a tough sport climb and couldn't make it to the chains. Thus, we had one quickdraw still on a bolt and we didn't want to leave this behind, (a quickdraw on this same projec...
I understand, and practice, bear-safe rules like hanging (or canister-ing) during summer months, but what about in the winter when bears are (theoretically) hibernating, and the shorter / colder da...
I did the Grouse Grind in Vancouver, B.C., this past weekend and there were two markings on the trail. Ones that went in 1/40ths (more or less): 1/40, 3/40, ... 39/40 and larger signs every...
If one is out fishing and someone gets a fishhook stuck in them, what are the different techniques for removing it?
I'm trying to plan a five-day camping trip in Joshua Tree NP. We already have a campsite booked, so that's taken care of. The catch is that we're coming from the East Coast. What makes the most sen...
We are camping in the summer at the Mediterranean Sea. We camped there already sometimes and in the summers its quite hot. Now we are thinking about how to improve the cooling of a tent. Maybe mak...
I ask this question based on the fact that tensile strength tests show that putting a double fisherman's knot in kernmantle rope makes it more likely for the rope to snap than a rope tied with a si...
Does anyone know of an all natural way to get rid of stink bugs? I know they are harmless but, they seem to really like my house. I don't want to kill them, I just want them to go away.
I had to turn around on a long (5000ft) glacier route last week because one of my ankles had really begun to hurt. The ankle was so fatigued after 1000ft that I doubted my ability to safely finish ...
I found myself in a situation the other day that I've never been in before. I was paddling along in my canoe with my wife and kids, when suddenly a young black bear came scrambling down the slope, ...
Is it true worth someone's time to learn survival trapping in case of an emergency situation to get food, especially in the winter months? My gut feeling is that this is not worth my effort to lea...
This dry bag comes with a valve and compression straps. I understand the purpose of the compression bag, but what is the purpose of a valve?
This may be better asked as two questions; if so, I will edit. The question is prompted by a section in Neanderthal Man: In Search of Lost Genomes by Svante Pääbo, who was the first to sequence Ne...
I am very happy with my starm-proof spirit stove (similar to this model, but older. When others are struggling to find a place outside the wind, I can cook wherever I like — provided I can lighten ...
Among all of the cycling friendly trails in Michigan, do any of them offer the opportunity for rustic or dispersed camping? Preferably, every 20 to 40 miles or so.
I taking a bunch of scouts camping next week. While we are staying at a Scout campsite with facilities and some organised activities. We have decided we want to have a bit more of back to basics/s...
In the 70s, while learning sailing, I was taught to use a double half hitch, where the two hitches are tied in opposite directions. However, in the 90s, I took a USCG course, where in the same situ...
I am investigating the feasibility of a hike looping around Hofsjökull. Among the foreseen challenges are 17 crossings of named rivers (and many smaller ones). All rivers I need to cross have 4WD...
What are some methods to obtain drinking water from a glacier or icefield, in the absence of snow or reachable meltwater? Collecting ice is much harder than collecting snow. Do I need to bring sp...
I was sitting and thinking last night... If you have gas and loose stool (diarrhea) and you are squatting over a cathole in the wilderness how do keep your pants and foot wear clean? Related ...
When in tick country, tick checks are critical. Easier with a buddy who can look where the sun doesn't shine, but even alone, diligent inspection (especially with a mirror of some sort) can go a lo...
I like the smell of sun-dried clothes/blankets/etc, and I got some line to make a clothesline. I've got a device that you pull the line through and it stays where you pulled it, which will be on th...
What are the best places in Mexico City to go for a hike. Ideally they should be safe, with amazing views, can go with my car with two or three other people, they are not so crowded, last for appro...
If someone from our group is caught in an avalanche, what can I do to rescue them?
While taking my usual stroll along Del Monte beach in Monterey yesterday, I found this sand dollar with a clump of barnacles attached: Is this rare at all? Any observations on why it would wash ...
Motivated by a comment thread in this question here. As far as I know the consensus basically boils down to: It is very hard rescuing someone who is drowning. It can be very dangerous rescuing a ...
Now certainly if you're British you likely just had a wave of nostalgia over the idea of Crabbing! I did when I thought this through certainly. Crabbing is not only a great way to spend the aftern...
When browsing Wikipedia's List of peaks by prominence, I was surprised to see that the parent peak of Mt Meru (in Tanzania) is Mount Kenya (350 km away) and not Kilimanjaro (50 km away). The col be...
I've generally seen two kinds of locks for adjustable trekking poles. Twist lock and clamp lock (Clamp lock is also called "lever lock" and "quick lock"). What are the comparative advantages and ...
I have gotten bit by 3 different bugs that have all given me itchy bites but they are oh so different. The most recent one is a tick bite, today is the first time I ever remember having a tick bit...
My late husband died 7 years ago & I still have his gear. I'm not comfortable leading (and I've lost half my shoulder tendons anyway), so I won't use it. I think the ropes, etriers, etc shoul...
How can detect, in the outdoors with minimal equipment, if I am dehydrated or need electrolytes? Update Some background: I get overheated very easily, possibly because I don't sweat as much as mo...
I just watched a documentary on PBS that featured many African mammals in the wild. One scene in the documentary showed a baby zebra that was described as "minutes old" walking next to its mother. ...
When I'm home running or on a day hike, I prefer to pierce the skin as soon as a blister forms and drain all fluid from a blister to reduce the pain and further irritation/inflammation. In this cas...
I have a short camping trip coming up. This week, from using a wooden tool, I got blisters on my hands at the base of some fingers. In the future, ideally, I would take precaution to not get bliste...
The comment on a previous question I posted here: I am not sure whether this biner was aluminum, but it could be, so a warning (please excuse me if the biner is steel): Aluminum biners are ...
In the past I saw climbers climb alone on multi-pitch routes only by themselves (but not free solo). What's a correct technique to do this? I know how to do it with two ropes, rope ascenders and o...
The following is a scene I have always been perplexed about. I’ve seen it many times. A mountain climber has no one above him as he descends and is trailing rope behind him that he is using to stab...
I want to go fishing for red drum (reds) on the Texas Gulf Coast and I would like to use live bait. What types of live bait should I use?
I am unfamiliar with saltwater shore fishing rigs I have seen some premade, but I am looking to make my own. Generally the most common ones I have seen online seem to have a large weight on the ...
My 15 y/o son has expressed an interest in fishing. He tried it recently using borrowed equipment and would like to get his own. I fished as a teenager and liked it well enough to do it again. T...
How do you smoke salmon in the wild without a smoker? I am going camping with a few friends and we would like to try smoking any salmon we catch during our time in the wild. How do we safely smok...
Some of the rivers in England and Wales are designated as having a "Right of Navigation". I understand that this is typically interpreted as meaning that you can travel along it in a boat or vessel...
