Activity for Ricketyshipâ€
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edit | Post #40767 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #40557 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #40538 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #39740 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #39727 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
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A: Best way to use “space” blanket to boost heat when bivy camping 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 use a space blanket would be around your body. This would mean that the heat radiated from your body is... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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A: I am lost, I found a trail, which way do I go? There is no fixed answer to this question. The solution depends on what type of a geography we are referring to. Most answers say that going downhill is a good solution. But the reality is, in a forested area, if you blindly go downhill on a trail, you might not reach anywhere. For all you know, it ... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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What rockfall protection equipment are there other than helmets? We went climbing on a glacier recently. There was one issue which I couldn't find a solution to. While belaying from below (on the first pitch), it was pretty much impossible to protect self from rockfall. The rocks falling to the left or right side of me would still bounce off the ground and there... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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At what angle should an ice screw be screwed into the ice? Recently we were climbing up a glacier with the ice at an angle of around 80°. We were placing the ice screws angling slightly upwards with respect to the slope of the ice wall. However, one from our team, who stays in Norway said that the screws should always be angled downwards such that the... (more) |
— | about 6 years ago |
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A: Is there any measurable effect on acclimatization rate for people living in middle mountains? When one talks of adapting to an altitude, what also matters is how fast one is ascending. The critical part to note is that having a higher haemoglobin level does not mean one is better equipped at alititude. Typically it's safe to climb around 300m per day. Coming to the question of living at al... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: What are the benefits of saving bats? To add to the excellent answers already posted: Bats act as prey for larger birds like hawks, falcons, snakes et al. Bats (the larger ones known as flying foxes) help in seed dispersal as they eat fruits. (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Is altitude tent helpful in preparation for climbing 7000-8000m mountains? Disclaimer - The answer is purely based on research. I've personally only been up to 6400m and have never used an altitude tent to acclimatise. Background of altitude acclimatisation: With increase in altitude, the barometric pressure decreases. This means, there's less amount of air. However, the ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How do mallard mother ducks tell their ducklings from others? Most of the birds identify their young by calls. This is a survival trait in birds which allows them to locate their young when they are out of sight. Same applies for ducks as well. As far as I know, the imprinting mechanism (can lead to some hilarious behaviour) that works for the ducklings doesn't... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How are trail surface firmness and surface stability defined? Usually firmness of a surface is measured in terms of the work that needs to be done to move across the surface (in other terms, the displacement of your body that occurs due to the force applied). Stability is the amount of soil/ground displacement that occurs due to the force applied. This is one o... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Should I close a cathole (toilet-hole) at night? I follow the idea of leaving as less a trace as possible. So what I do is to reuse the cathole. The problem with multiple catholes is how much damage it does to the landscape (especially if the ground is covered with grass). And anyway, it goes without saying that once you are done with your busine... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How do I avoid leeches? I know this is a bit late, but having had a lot of experience with leeches makes me believe I can add some value here. Salt works for both avoiding and for removing leeches. The method to apply is take a good amount of salt onto your palm, add a few drops of water to just make it a bit of a paste, ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Can I use ear plugs while ascending or descending a mountain? Ear popping is due to the difference in the pressure between the outer and the middle ear. Popping of ear occurs at high altitude to allow for the two pressures to equalize. Now, there's no correlation between ear popping and altitude sickness in the first place. So, in case you are worried about A... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Could Les Stroud have used guitar strings for rabbit snares? There's absolutely no reason why a guitar string can't be used for rabbit snares. In fact, I've seen rabbit snares which match the same thickness and quality as the guitar strings (these were illegal poacher traps that we dismantled). All you need to catch a rabbit is a snare that the rabbit can ge... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Can microspikes replace crampons when crossing ice in summer? Depends on how steep your ice patch is. Crampons are really good when you have steep slopes and you need to do some real front pointing. Crampons are good for mixed climbing as well. They are also heavier than microspikes. Microspikes make a good choice when the slopes are less steep. And when yo... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Is it possible for birds to develop mental problems? As a general rule, all evolved beings (the ones with a brain) can end up with mental health issues. There are multiple resources which document these. Pet birds are known to get depressed and pluck their feathers. Birds are known to show aggressive behaviors as well. In case of the reasons for why ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Gymming v.s Outdoor sports, which is better? Outdoor sports vs Gym training is not actually a one against the other. Many a times they are complementary to each other. Having said that, each has its own advantages which might be difficult to achieve in the other form. Advantages of outdoor sports: Most of the outdoor sports actively target t... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Can removing dead wood harm the ecosystem? I'll answer this from a perspective of what we follow in some of the areca nut and coconut farms that I've grown up in. The areca nut and coconut trees shed their branches often. These are similar to the dead wood that you are speaking of in the woods. These too are a nuisance when it comes to walki... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: What should I do if I face Elephant? Elephants are a major threat in two situations (not that they are not a threat in other situations): The herd has calves. The elephant is a single male tusker. In the first scenario, the protective instincts of the herd can cause the herd to be aggressive. In the second scenario, single males ar... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: What kind of bird is outside my window? The bird you are listening to is a northern mocking bird. I am not sure why it’s making the calls in the middle of the night. Mockingbirds in general are known for their intelligence and their ability to learn new calls. That’s why you’ll mostly hear it making a lot of differen... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Which gym workouts are beneficial for improving rock climbing skills? There a few muscle groups that are heavily used while climbing: Lats: The side muscles of your back. Also termed as wings. Biceps. Forearms (one of the first to tire out). Calves (for most of your tiny toe holds, these play a crucial role). Core (these are more like a link between the whole body). ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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What is the use of the saw blade on a swiss knife? I've been using the Victorinox Swiss knife for a long time now. One thing that has baffled me is the saw blade on most of their multi-tools. The saw is around 2-3 inches long (depending on the model). I've tried multiple times to saw a piece of wood (or even a thick piece of stick), and I've failed t... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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What is the minimum grade of the routes set in the IFSC world cups? I was recently watching the IFSC world cup held in Meiringen. One of the interesting observations that came across (made by the commentators) in the semis was that the routes were much easier for a shorter climber than the taller ones. And in the finals, the routes for the women turned out to be much... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Do I have to have a guide for the Milam Glacier trek in India? Milam glacier falls under the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve limits. In case you want to enter a national park limits, you will need a permit from the forest department. Additionally, since parts of NDBR fall under the protected areas act, you'll need a protected areas permit to enter the Milam glacier... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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Do birds eat chillies? Do they feel the chilli heat? 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 intended]. They are really hot). I wasn't able to see if it was actually eating up the chillies, but for ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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Is it possible to acclimatize to a cold weather in a short time? On some of my Himalayan treks I've seen people who wear shorts or wear single layer of clothing and shiver due to the cold weather (most of these people live in a tropical climate). When I've asked what they've been up to, the answer I've always received is that they are getting their bodies used to ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: As a tall female should I be looking at male or female backpacks? I've hiked a lot with a lot of female trekkers. And I've never seen women trekkers having any problem with any unisex/male backpacks. Most of the manufacturers keep the chest straps adjustable so that one can adjust the position of those. So I would say it makes no difference. Since a hiking backpac... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Are there any exercises that will strengthen my back to prepare for a day hike? Always remember that when you carry a backpack, it's the whole of your upper body that has to take the weight. If the weight is only on the shoulders, you will eventually end up with with a painful back or shoulders irrespective of how strong you are. For this, the first thing is to make sure you are... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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How to find water in thick tropical forests? A couple of years ago, we hiked up to a place in the western ghats during the month of December (end of it). Which is actually the end of winter in the Indian subcontinent. The biggest problem we faced (unanticipated) was the shortage of water. The streams there had already dried up. The forest guide... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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How to prevent metal eyelets from rusting? I have these hiking shoes that have metal hook type of eyelets. Since I frequently go to the leech infested areas of the western ghats in India, I'm forced to use salt on my shoes to prevent leeches from climbing onto me (and it works pretty well). But due to salt, the metal hooks seem to be rusting.... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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Is it easier for shorter people to walk the slopes of a mountain due to a lower center of gravity? Apart from the obvious advantages of longer strides and reach, does a higher center of gravity make it more difficult for taller people to walk the slopes of a mountain? Or in other terms, do shorter people find it easier due to a lower center of gravity? From what I can imagine, a shorter person wi... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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Effective breathing techniques for high inclination, tougher hikes I've come across a lot of articles talking of breathing techniques while running. However, I've not come across any which talks of breathing techniques for tough hikes (tough in terms of inclination and distance). Are there any breathing guidelines/methods that help during tougher, high inclination,... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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Should one buy a higher shoe size while buying hiking shoes? I've heard this multiple times from different people that while buying a hiking shoe, always go for one size larger than what fits you perfectly. The most recent one being a local store where I went to check out some shoes. The logic seems to be as follows: Hiking shoes might be worn with multiple ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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Possible resources to identify birds while outdoors (preferably in the Indian subcontinent)? I get to travel a lot in the richly biodiverse western ghats of India. While hiking, one of the most difficult tasks I face is to identify birds that I come across. I'm not a professional or even amateur bird watcher. However, my curiosity to know more about the birds that I come across makes me wond... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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Should one deliberately eat more and put on weight before going on long treks? Recently I saw a podcast of Alex Honnold with Rich Roll where Alex speaks about deliberately eating up and gaining weight before going on an Antarctic expedition (I'm assuming this is because of the climate as well as his lack of body fat as a climber). Made me wonder if this is a tactic used by trek... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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What are the possible risks of exercising at high altitudes? Are there any possible risks of exercising (body weight, calisthenics only) at high altitudes? I'm talking of altitudes above 4500m. The whole premise is not to lose muscle mass. Background: I'll be trekking in the Himalayan region for a couple of months this year. Most of the treks are in the range... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: Knee pain when descending a mountain 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. Now, I use more of my thigh and calf muscles. Apart from what Datatine wrote, here are a few more tips... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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Can overexertion cause AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness)? Recently I did a trek in the Himalayan region and one of the group members was affected by what we believed was AMS at around 4600m. We had to evacuate the person from there and get to around 4100m before she stabilized. On review of the situation we found the following: She did not have any hea... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Are cheap Packable Backpacks reliable enough for a long day strenuous hike? I hike a bit in the western ghats (southern India) where we do a lot of 6-8 hour hikes over weekends. I've tried the following three options each with a good degree of success. A small foldable backpack: Pros: This is fine as long as you do not plan to carry anything beyond 5kg. And since these ... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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Accessibility of hiking trails in Nepal during December 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. Has anyone done either of these trails? The details on the internet aren't that great. Would appreciate if... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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Eating ants/termites on outdoor expeditions Recently on one of the jungle trails we came across a colony of termites and we went ahead and tasted them (Bear Grylls style?). We did the same with the weaver ants which are quite common in the South Indian forests (these do taste good by the way!). I know ants and termites are a rich source of p... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Why bring a multitool on long treks? There's always a difference between required and excessive. A lot of these multi tools have specific purposes. Do I require a screwdriver on a trek? Mostly no. Will I use a knife, a pair of scissors or even a pair of tweezers? Mostly Yes. So do I recommend carrying a multi tool to a trek? Yes. But ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Optimal use of available GPS devices when stranded 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 (sounds lame but essential). Since you are asking about battery life, it's okay to switch off your GPS (... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Do leeches fall onto prey from trees? From my personal experience in the Western Ghats of India: I have found them in still water. They dwell on the ground hunting for prey. They can climb up trees barks and search for the heat signature of animals. They are found only in regions with considerable wetness. ADDITIONAL INFO: I do not t... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Tips for camping in the territory of elephants I've been through a couple of mammalian surveys in the south Indian forests known for elephants. Here are my few suggestions (Disclaimer: These were told to me by forest officials. I cannot vouch for the validity of these). Avoid anything that has a strong odor. (Deos, soaps et al). Avoid bright co... (more) |
— | about 10 years ago |
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A: What is the best mountaineering quote that you have ever read? My absolute favorite: “There are other Annapurnas in the lives of men" --Maurice Herzog (more) |
— | about 10 years ago |