Ricketyship‭

I'm planning on Annapurna base camp or Manaslu circuit trek in December (mostly the end of December). I know December is the winter season in Nepal and is expected to be quite cold at that time. Ha...

2 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Ricketyship‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭

What are the criteria used for grading a trek? One article that I came across provided the following set criteria for grading: Duration. Terrain (includes altitude). Exit routes. Weather/Climat...

4 answers  ·  posted 13y ago by Ricketyship‭  ·  last activity 3y ago by Charlie Brumbaugh‭

Space blankets are good insulators. They prevent your body heat from escaping due to radiation and convection. They however do not prevent conduction based heat loss. Given this, the best place to...

posted 8y ago by Ricketyship‭

We had a few white browed bulbuls visit us recently. One of them seemed to have a peculiar interest in the chillies that grew in one of our pots (I believe these are bird's eye chillies [no pun i...

2 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by Ricketyship‭  ·  last activity 7y ago by System‭

I've to agree with @Dakatine on this. What also matters is how you descend. The gait and the positioning of the foot matters a lot. I've changed my gait over a period of time to avoid the knee pain...

posted 8y ago by Ricketyship‭

Two scenarios are to be explored. Do you have mobile coverage? Yes? Then just find out your gps coordinates, send them to your rescuer. And stay put. In case your location changes, resend them ...

posted 11y ago by Ricketyship‭

The rucksacks that I own, have extra long straps as well. But the manufacturer has provided an elastic band of sorts on the straps to fold them and tuck them within the band (I'll try to post a pic...

posted 12y ago by Ricketyship‭

In many of the mountaineering expedition books that I've read, there are references to cutting of snow steps on slopes. What is the advantage of cutting snow steps? Why not use crampons and do a ...

2 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by Ricketyship‭  ·  last activity 12y ago by System‭

From my personal experience, this is what I can tell: Using a flat/softer material lace is better. This allows for the lace to hold on the knots. I have laces made of harder material (Nylon types...

posted 12y ago by Ricketyship‭

For night trekking, I use a headlamp. Couple of reasons: Keeps your hands free. (Useful when you are walking up steep slopes) No worry of dropping them flashlight (Had happened to me once where m...

posted 12y ago by Ricketyship‭  ·  last activity 12y ago by System‭

I wouldn't recommend gaining 3700+ meters in 2 days. It's not about fitness. It's just about how well your body adapts to altitude. I agree that 3700 meters is not too high to get severely sick due...

posted 13y ago by Ricketyship‭

When I participated in a couple of forest surveys in the Indian subcontinent, I was strongly advised by the forest officials to keep away from anything which would give off a strong scent (deodoran...

posted 13y ago by Ricketyship‭

Agree with both LBell and Rory Alsop. I come from the leech infested Western Ghats of the Indian subcontinent. I must have been bitten by these guys innumerable number of times. Most of the times,...

posted 13y ago by Ricketyship‭

Stepping on a rock during a hike is always riskier than that of stepping "Over" a rock/log. I must have lost my footing a gazillion times trying to step "On" a rock. Regarding startling a snake/cri...

posted 13y ago by Ricketyship‭

Never allow them to sleep. Even if hypothermia is not that severe. I'm talking from a personal experience where two fellow trekkers died due this. The reason is when you go the sleep, your breathi...

posted 13y ago by Ricketyship‭