Activity for Ricketyship‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: How can I conserve water over long treks? We have tried a couple of things. I'm not entirely sure that all would agree up on these measures, but let me state them none the less. Hydrating before you start off the trek (Already stated) Trekking in regions with enough natural water supplies. (Already stated by others) Stashing water along th... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I fold in / tidy up the straps on my rucksack? 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 once I get back home). Another option that I have tried is to tuck these longer straps into the side po... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you keep the inside of your backpack organized? I have always viewed packing of backpack in terms of: Ease of access. Distribution of weight to prevent unwanted strain. Distribution of weight is a very important aspect that you have to consider while trekking for a longer duration. Ideally, the heavier things should be closer to your body and ... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Strengthening exercises for a backpacking trip? I cant speak for all, but here is what I do: Running. Improves your lung capacity, improves your stamina, strengthens your bones. Weighted Squats. Dynamically works the majority of your body, especially the core. Core strengthening exercise like crunches or bicycles. Push ups. Just to improve my ... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	Cutting snow steps on slopes 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 front pointing cramponing with additional support from the ice axe? (Side stepping also seems reasonably... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to pick a trekking/hiking shoelaces? 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). The knots on these tend to come off when they get wet. Mostly because they don't grip each other. Avo... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Effective measures to minimize the damage due to Snow-blindness? Snow blindness in simple terms is burning of the cornea and conjunctiva due to UV rays. At higher altitudes, the UV rays are more as less atmosphere is there to absorb these UV rays. Hence there is a higher chance of snow blindness at higher altitudes. Symptoms: Intense pain in the eyes. Huge amou... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Flashlight or headlamp for night hiking? 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 my flashlight rolled down the hill) Advantages of a flashlight over a headlamp: More powerful and dir... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	Climbing volcanic mountains I'm planning to climb a few volcanic mountains in Indonesia the coming year. Mostly Mt Kerinci and a few adjoining ones (I'm still making a list of those near by to Kerinci). I believe that most volcanic mountains are dangerous due to the sulfurous gas emitted by the mountains. Are there any other s... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	What shoes to wear while climbing monolithic granite rocks? There are a few monolithic granite rocks around my city. These are rocks with gradient of around 30 - 40 degrees. None of these offer a technical rock climbing opportunity. It's mostly about hiking up these monolithic structures in around 3-4 hours. Hence, what kind of footwear should one wear while... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	Does low blood pressure have an effect on Acute Mountain Sickness? This question in some ways is related to this question asked by JollySin. When I did my first Himalayan trek, my guide there had told me that those with a low blood pressure (BP) are more susceptible to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). The logic according to him was that low BP along with high altitud... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are headaches a bad sign at altitude? You are right, if you gain 3000+ meters within 6 hours, you are susceptible to AMS. A safe vertical height gain per day would be around 1000 meters. But since your question is more about what other symptoms to watch out for to identify AMS, here are a few that you can keep an eye on: Nausea. Dizzin... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	Walking up the slopes. To walk brisk or to walk slow? This question has been eating my head for quite some time now. I trek often and most of the treks involve climbing up to a peak or something similar. I usually carry heavy loads of around 13-15kgs on my back and I've always found that walking up the slopes of a hill/mountain at a brisker pace is eas... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Climbing Mount Teide from sea-level 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 to AMS, but then, it's not recommended to gain more than 1000 meters of vertical distance per day. Al... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Trekking solo in Western Ghats, India The quick answer to a question of credible sources for solo trekking trails is, "NO", there are no sources which can be completely relied on for this kind of information (at least for the western ghats part). The following set of attributes might help you in deciding upon heading out solo in the wes... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	Are nutrition bars/energy bars good for high altitude treks? In this question Suitable food for high altitude trekking Wedapashi asks about food for high altitude trekking. Also, in this question, there is a discussion about engergy bars. One of the answers given by whatsisname mentions that Jerky can be carried if "you have unlimited access to water". In wa... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are bears attracted by Lotions and Perfumes? 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 (deodorants, soaps included). The reason being, many animals are inquisitive and are attracted to strong smells. ... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	Can the sheer existence of snow lead to dehydration? When I went to Stok Kangri trek, while climbing down from the peak, on the snow-filled slopes, I felt terribly dehydrated. I was having ample amount of water throughout the climb and yet, I felt dehydrated on the snow-filled slopes. However, once I was out of the snowy slopes on to the solid land, th... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	Do leeches have a preference? So I did a hike in a forest infested with leeches. I ended up with quite a few leech bites (around 20). But, at the same time, another hiker got just one bite! We both were wearing similar shoes, socks and trek suits. Hence, in theory we were pretty similar. Also, we did clean up the shoes/socks of... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	What are the first aid precautions to be taken in case of a snake bite? I'll be trekking through a dense monsoon forest which has a sizable population of king cobras and vipers. I'll be at least 5 hours away by walk to the nearest human settlement and another 1-2 hours by vehicle to the nearest medical center. In such a case, what are the first aid steps that I need to... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is a mother bear more defensive during early summer compared to late summer and autumn? The protectiveness of sow bears towards its cubs is generic across all the types of bears. There might be a difference in the aggressiveness of a type of bear but this is purely based on how comfortable a bear is with a human and how threatened it feels. eg. a black bear has a smaller circle of fear ... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: A Hat or a Cap? A hat. Or a cap with a sun shield. It covers the back part of your neck and ears from harmful sun rays. Also, make sure that the cap is UV protective. A simple hat might not do the trick of blocking out the UV (It might protect you from direct sun though). One disadvantage of a hat is that it block... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Suitable Food for moderate to High altitude trekking For me, as a thumb rule, when on high altitude treks, I do not go for any food which is digestion intensive. i.e, any food which required a lot of oxygen to get digested is not favorable. You can always have chocolate bars/energy bars at higher altitudes. Herbal tea is something that keeps you hydr... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to realize/judge/assume if one has now fully acclimatized? Personally I do not know of any deterministic way judging acclimatization. Right now, the actions to be taken are more "Reactive". i.e, in case one feels the symptoms of AMS, then one can take a call of going down or camping at the current altitude to get acclimatized. As a thumb rule, if you climb... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Venomous/Semi-Venoumous Snakes at Higher Altitudes The key to survival of any species in any part of the world is having a sustainable source of food. This applies to snakes as well. For snakes, humans are not food. For them, rats, lizards, scorpions, frogs etc act as food. When you specifically talk of snow covered areas, it is impossible for a sna... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	How to grade a trek? 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/Climate. Is there is an official way of grading, or an agreed set of attributes within the trekking communit... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is caffeine helpful or hurtful when backpacking? Well in my personal experience, I've never faced any issue with caffeine while on a trek. As mentioned by Rory, if coffee is a part of your morning ritual, it will not make much of a difference. Too much of caffeine is not good while on treks as it does dehydrate your body. A better substitute would ... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I boost morale on long backpacking trips? When on long backpacking trips, what I do is to take a day at a time. I have seen many lose morale when they start to think about the number of days left in front of them. For me, taking a day at a time keeps it simple and easy to manage. Sometimes even a day gets pretty sapping(has happened to me a... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How dangerous is a band of coyotes to a lone, unarmed human? A few points to add here: Coyotes are not know to be aggressive towards humans. But always remember that coyote is a wild animal. It is not domesticated and hence it's very difficult say with certainty about the behavior. Coyotes are know to attack dogs, sheep and other livestock. So yes, they can ... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Splitting up weight hiking as a couple/mixed gender group Dividing loads between your trek-mates is a good idea. A better one would be to pack light. In case you want to collectively gain by individually reducing the weight, then my suggestion would be to go by the comfort level of the individuals involved. A strong person might be able to haul more load. B... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	Trek-able peaks in the himalayan range Recently climbed a summit name Stok Kangri(6153m) in Leh, India. I wanted to know if there are similar high altitude peaks which can be climbed without much of mountaineering expertise required in the Himalayan range. (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How should I remove a leech? 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, just pulling them would suffice. Leeches use both a local anaesthesia and an anti coagulant. Hence, jus... (more)	—	about 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Logs & Rocks - Step on or over? 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/critter, most of the times, stepping on a rock "does not" guarantee that you are not going to startle the c... (more)	—	about 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is this knee pain when going downhill? It's a problem with the momentum that your body builds up. While going uphill, you exert force to climb. And the gravity tries to pull you down. While going downhill though, the gravity still pulls you down. Now your body builds up a higher momentum and the default action of your brain is to arrest t... (more)	—	about 11 years ago
Question	—	Covering up ears at higher altitudes Recently I went on a trek to a placed named "Har ki Doon". The trek took us around an altitude of 3500 meters(15000 ft). When we were there, our guide advised us not to cover up our ears. According to him, covering up the ears would increase the time required to acclimatize. At the same time, coverin... (more)	—	about 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it ever safe to let a hypothermic person sleep? 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 breathing slows down due to low heart rate. Our body is meant to behave so. This means the blood flow slows dow... (more)	—	about 11 years ago
Question	—	Trekking in the himalayan region Which are the better trekking routes in the himalayan region? Also, how safe are the routes? If any of you guys have been around in the region, I would like to know your personal experiences as well! Cheers! (more)	—	about 11 years ago

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