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There are two main schools of thought: the "fast and light" / "light is right" / "rope, rack, shirt on your back" camp and the "be prepared" / "safety first" crowd. When taken to extremes, blindly ...
The solution to this problem is waterproof paper. You can get it in notebooks, journals, legal sized for printing maps or documents etc. I have also seen at least one organization that had their in...
At the risk of stating the obvious... ... just not letting your paper get wet in the first place is by far the easiest and cheapest solution. How you might ask? These solutions worked well for me...
It might help in places, but you'd be taking them on and off regularly as the snow is mostly patchy, and it doesn't address the bigger problem of meltwater. The highest part of the Serra de Estrel...
Finnish Gap Fire Another option, besides the great answers already posted, is a Finnish gap fire, or Rakovalkea gap fire: You'll need a hand axe to carve notches into the logs to make them stab...
I have a mapcase made of clear plastic (PVC I think). It has a roll top held shut with velcro. Both sides of the velcro were attached by some sort of welding process but one of them has completel...
On backpacks intended for cycling (including some generic commuting/school bags) this is often described as helmet storage, even if those backpacks have no other cycling-specific features. Bike hel...
If you are caught out in the rain without any rainwear, raingear and nowhere to hide out, how can you minimalize the damage? I've seen things like: holding a bag over the head wearing a plastic ...
So, if you're caught off-guard, you won't have anything with you that offers direct protection, such as: raincoat, poncho, garbage bag, tarp, or any other portable shelter. It also means that you w...
GoreTex Gaiters are what I've always worn, and I've never had a problem with wet socks before. The GoreTex is nice and light, and breathes so you don't overheat or get very clammy underneath. You c...
My experience as a cyclist is that getting wet doesn't matter (because skin is waterproof): what matters is getting cold. So the goal is to stay warm enough. Your warmth is affected by your exerci...
I've been to all three, and am not surprised by your statistics. While the North Cascades are certainly pretty and have their own appeal, there just isn't anything well known and iconic there. Mt...
I guess I might be asking for too much but I'm trying to find a very breathable, light, packable waterproof jacket. I'd like to be able to hike in ~75F rain while remaining relatively comfortable f...
Months not days. Walking is a sport. Like any sport, you need to train your sport-specific muscles over months before you start getting really serious. If not, instead of getting progressively str...
There are many folklore tales of animals being used to predict weather. Just a few examples from the Old Farmers Almanac: When cats sneeze, it is a sign of rain. If the mole digs its hole 2½ fee...
Yes, it can happen. I took a trip to the Amazon during and after the time when the river rises and turns the rain forest into a lake. After the water reseeds, sea animals get stuck in pools in tree...
Ultralight and to sleep without feeling cold are inconsistent. Ultralight mean to be as light as possible with sacrificing comfort. If you want to be comfortable then go with the comfort rati...
While I don't have a definitive answer, I do have a few anecdotal / personal experience reasons to prefer the zipper across the back. In order to keep terminology consistent, the "back of the pack"...
@Wigwam's answer is a pretty good explanation, but I thought I would add to it a bit more "common" one. First lightning is extremely powerful, and it does not need to hit you to totally mess you ...
I've been in the early stages of hypothermia before, and I can tell you from experience that when you're in the early stages of hypothermia, you're convinced you're okay and that nothing is wrong; ...
It's reasonable to identify stages up to the start of shivering. But shortly after that judgement goes out the window. If you are traveling in a group, set up a buddy system. Each person has a ...
Friend and I had this discussion, and came to no conclusion: Hiking in the mountains. Crossing a range through a pass. Peaks on either side are a good thousand feet higher. Are you at serious r...
There are four common types of stove alcohol: methanol, ethanol, denatured alcohol, and isopropanol. You can usually find them in hardware stores and (but not always) in camping stores. You can al...
Background: About 8 years ago I bought a rather cheap tent (about 100 €) for up to 4 people. It's quite large, you can stand upright in it's centre and there's an awning almost as deep as the sleep...
I posted an answer for a recent question about a forest fire that started after your hike began, that said: Presumably you registered at the trailhead, and you have a friend who knows where you...
