Activity for ShemSegerâ€
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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A: What would be the disadvantage of racking trad gear around the shoulders rather than the harness, if any? First of all, racking on your shoulders isn't meant to substitute racking on your belt. Supplementary shoulder racks are meant to provide you with additional racking points for climbs where you are carrying a lot of extra gear. You missed the most advantageous point to racking around your shoulders... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Why is there a cock vane/feather? It affects accuracy. There's something in archery known as the archers paradox. If you think about it, you never actually shoot an arrow straight in front of you, you have to shoot it around the bow. If you watch an arrow in slow motion, it bends one way just as it's loosed, the other way as it... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: What kind of baby carrier is best for use walking and climbing in the hills? All our kids have been coming on hikes with us since they were newborns. We have two types of baby carrying hiking packs, two more snuggly baby carriers, and a variety of baby wraps. The answer to your question is to carry the kid in the carrier suitable for their size and age. When your baby is bra... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Eye safety when starting a fire with a magnifying glass One option would be to use snow glasses. They've been used for centuries to prevent snow blindness, and work by limiting the amount of light that can enter your eyes. They are simple to make, and can be constructed out of any opaque material you can put an eye slit in. To control the amount of light ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Approximating the time remaining before sun is set and it starts getting dark You can quickly determine how much time you have until the sun goes over the horizon using your hands. Hold your hand out in front of you at arms length, parallel to the ground, palm towards you. Each hand span between the sun and where the sun sets on the horizon is approximately 1 hour. A finger s... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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How many animals have been found burned to death in the Kenow fire area? The Kenow fire burned 38,100 hectares of forest in BC and in Waterton Lakes National Park. There are rumours surfacing about the number of animals found dead in the park thus far. Ground crews have apparently found at least nine burnt grizzly bears, and they're finding cougars dead up in trees. Couga... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How to decore a retired climbing rope? Kernmantle ropes are constructed by braiding a mantle (sheath) around a dynamic kern (core). After the rope is constructed, the only way to get the core out without damaging the sheath is to pull it out as you've been doing. I have had some success pulling the kern out of longer lengths of rope... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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How do forest fires affect rock climbing? The Kenow fire ripped through the Rockies near where I live. Flames were reported to be hundreds of meters high coming off the tops of some trees. Some of those flames licked the crags I most frequently climb. Parks Canada is assessing the danger of re-entering the area, citing warnings of a large nu... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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How long after a forest fire can you safely re-enter a forest? The crazy 34,000 hectare Waterton wildfire (more than 84,000 acres) appears to be slowing down a little, but already much of the landscape is scorched, and the flames are out in a lot of places. It may be too soon to start thinking this while the fire is still being fought, and evacuation orders are ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Can I avoid dew by sleeping at higher elevations? Dew is likely wherever there is atmospheric moisture and an overnight drop in temperature. Dew forms when the ground or any other object radiates it's heat and becomes cooler than the air. The moisture in the air condenses on the cool object just as water condenses on a glass of ice water. This typic... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Hiking and climbing in smoky areas I'm literally in the thick of the smoke right now, fires are burning a half hour upwind of me, and ash has been falling from the sky like snow. Just this past couple weeks the government has been shutting down the backcountry to all access. The nearby National Park just issued a voluntary evacuation ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How high is too high for a spotter while spotting a climber? Depends entirely on the skill level of the climber and the spotter. Falling is a skill, and catching a fall is a skill. The more skilled the climbers are, the higher risks they can take. If either one is uncomfortable with how high a boulder is, then the problem shouldn't be attempted. Catching hi... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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Can you float-treat a rope? In Canyoning/Canyoneering, floating ropes are used to make rope management a lot easier. Unfortunately for those of us interested in canyoning who don't live in Europe, specialized canyoning gear isn't easy to come by. Is it possible to treat a regular static rope so that it will float? (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Lowering other members of a party on belay after rappelling Extending everyone's rappels and tying everyone into the rope before the first person descends is the proper, safest way to do things, unless you wanted all the followers to tie an autoblock as well. It's the quickest, simplest, safest thing to do. The alternative would be to set up a proper top-be... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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Can forest fires cause a drought? Everyone knows that fires are a big concern during droughts, but can they also cause a drought elsewhere? I currently live just on the East side of the Canadian Rockies. All summer long fires have been burning in British Columbia and in Montana, and we've been down wind catching all of the smoke. We ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: What are the arguments for and against allowing bicycles in wilderness areas in the US? I'm a cyclist on the side of people being allowed to ride on trails in National Parks. The arguments for are simple: allow bikes so cyclists can enjoy nature while doing a healthy activity they also enjoy. Bikes are faster than hiking, allowing you to explore more trail in a day, make the descents a ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: What happens to the bear after being pepper sprayed? The answer to this question depends a lot on the situation. If the bear runs away after being sprayed, then it gets away with a runny nose and burning eyes/lungs for a while and a reason not to approach people again. Problem solved. The people who sprayed the bear may or may not report it depending o... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Is it likely that decimation of its suburban forest habitat would cause a black bear to wander into a busy city if it wouldn't otherwise go there? Bears only have one reason to go anywhere, and that reason is food. Humans eat to live, but bears live to eat. They are always on the move to find more food, discovering new patches of berries, digging up hills full of delicious roots, turning over rocks to find sleeping moths and other bugs, ripping... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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What is this plant with fluffy white flowers in the Canadian Rockies? I was hiking in the Ptolemy Plateau in the Canadian Rockies yesterday. There were all these plants that looked like something right out of a Dr. Seuss book. What are they? (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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What are these clusters of tiny dark blue berries found in the Southern Canadian Rockies? I was hiking in the Southern Canadian Rockies yesterday and was paying special attention to all the plants I'm not familiar with, one was these bushes with these clusters of tiny blue berries. The berries are only about 4-5mm in diameter. What are they, and are they edible? (Nalgene for scale) (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: What is this tree with shiny leaves and a fuzzy seed pod? That's a magnolia tree. I first saw one in Delaware in the dead of winter encased in ice after an ice storm. All the other trees had dropped their leaves, but the magnolia doesn't shed its thick leaves seasonally, it sheds them like an evergreen throughout the year. It was odd to see a green-leafed ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Warning shot in bear encounter? Before bear spray was even a thing, people always carried shotguns. Most people in the wilder parts of the world still do carry shotguns, because an angry bear will charge right through bear spray, as recently happened to a man in Montana late last year. One guy I hiked with as a kid kept 5 shots in... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: What do you do when you're rappelling a halfed rope and you run out of rope on one side? One thing you can do if there isn't too much friction in your rope, is lock off the short side of the rope, and continue to descend on the long side. With the short end locked off, you can lower yourself on the other end as if you have yourself on top-rope. Do this until the short end is touching th... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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What do you do when you're rappelling a halfed rope and you run out of rope on one side? So this happened the other day; shouldn't have happened if I had been taking my time and paying attention to what I was doing, but it did: I was cleaning several ropes from the top of a short crag after a session of climbing with a small group. After cleaning the last top rope anchor, I quickly pul... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: How can I take keys with me while swimming? Lots of swim/board shorts come with key keepers in the pockets. Chances are you may even have one in the swimwear you own. It's simply a length of elastic cord stitched into your pocket. If you don't have one, it can easily be added. You attach your keys to the loop using a girth hitch: (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: Where should a person who can't hold a paddle sit in a tandem kayak? When paddling solo with a passenger, the passenger sits in the bow. Whoever is in control of the kayak should almost always sit in the rear (exceptions being when paddling into a current or into a strong headwind.) You may be interested to know that there are people without the use of their arms who... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: Can I expect to visit Camp 1 and beyond on an Everest base camp expedition? No one is allowed to just show up at base camp and expect to be able to advance to any of the other camps. First of all, there is a lot of paperwork that must be completed before you're even granted a permit to climb Everest, which includes a letter of recommendation from a national climbing associ... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: What is the ecological justification (if any) for bird feeders? The answers to this question may differ based on location, but I can tell you that in my part of the world there is legislation in place for controlling populations of certain birds (as well as other pesky critters). Bird feeders are for bird watchers who want to attract birds into their yards. I'm ... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: How can I protect a room from bugs without using mosquito-nets or visible barriers? Screens are the best solution, and the only solution guaranteed to keep your room 100% bug free (as long as people are careful not to let them in at the door). Other preventative methods include using mosquito deterrents or repellents like citronella candles, torches, lanterns, etc. There are brands... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: Are longer kayaks faster than shorter ones? Longer, narrower kayaks out perform shorter, wider kayaks in speed and long distance performance. One of the reasons being is that a longer kayak has more volume, ergo more buoyancy and floats higher. They glide over the surface of the water, cutting the wake in front of them like a knife. Shorter, l... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: How unsafe is this belay technique really? It's not unsafe; really. Gyms will enforce the most foolproof techniques they can, because they can't afford to have some idiot hurt themselves in their gym. Gyms see a lot of casual climbers, and fresh beginners, and they don't want them picking up any habits that could lead to complacency. Sure, ... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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How do you tie in to the centre of a rope? Suppose you're leading a short pitch (20-30m) and you have two followers, or you want to double rope the route, and want to simply half your rope and tie into the centre, pulling the two halves up behind you. What's the best way to tie the centre of the rope into your harness? EDIT: For clarificatio... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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Can you clean new bolt holes with water? When drilling new holes for expansion anchor bolts, you need to clean the dust out of the hole before you hammer in the bolt. People will accomplish this by either using a blow tube or a bellows and a wire brush. I've been wondering about how effective using water to clean out a bolt hole would be.... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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Can you safely use retired ropes for belaying children? Climbing ropes are UIAA rated for so many falls of an 80kg weight. After that number of falls–or a specific period of time based on amount of use–you are supposed to retire the rope. But what if the person you are belaying is only 15kg? When ropes pass their recommended retirement a... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: What should you do if your crampons start balling up? I usually dislodge snow by kicking something: a rock, tree, some ice, or by stomping on a patch of hard ground. Kicking toe first into the snow can dislodge it as well, but often it depends on the type of snow. Using your tool to smack your crampons may work, but it can do damage to both your tool an... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: What is this tent piece called? Tent pole "fitting" You can buy tent pole replacement fittings from sites like this one, but it's best to buy it from your tent manufacturer. Sometimes your only option is to buy a new complete pole set. The fitting pictured would be a four-way crown fitting. (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: Definition of tributaries above/below a landmark Above and below indicate upstream and downstream. When speaking in terms of watersheds, referring to tributaries above a land mark indicates that the tributary discharges into the body of water upstream from the landmark. The tributary in your illustration is a tributary below Miller Bridge. At no po... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: What type of jacket can I wear to prevent my back from getting sweaty while also wearing a backpack? A schoeller softshell would be best for breathability and wicking moisture. It doesn't seem to matter how much I sweat in my schoeller gear, it drys incredibly fast, but what you gain in breathability you often loose in weather protection. You may be interested in knowing that they do make backpacks ... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: How can I make sure there are no more ticks around? You can't. All you can do is throughly inspect yourself or have someone check you over to see if they can find any. But there's nothing you can do to ensure there aren't anymore around, you can only hope that you've found them all on your person. When I first got married, my wife and I went for a h... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: If I have extra space in a backpack, am I better packing it short and fat or tall and thin? Neither. It's important to pack your bag so that it is balanced. If you pack it too tall, you're going to be top heavy and using your core a lot to keep you balance. If you pack it low and fat, then you're going to be hunched over because your bag is going to be pulling you back. You want to pack you... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: What is this really tall grass-like plant? The "reeds" (or whatever they are) are very tall. Taller than phragmites... I find this statement a little hard to swallow, considering Phragmites australis subsp. australis can reach heights as high as 5m (16 ft). So my first question would be, "Are you sure what you're looking at isn't a Ph... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: Which option should you use for a multi-pitch climbing anchor after traverse? What you want to do is use a directional piece, but I would not recommend including this piece in your belay anchor. In option #2 up there you're going to switch from a 4 piece anchor to a 2 piece anchor as soon as the rope is weighted. Remove that piece, and place a bomber piece below your belay an... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: Backing up a abseil anchor with a human Sicherungsmann Before they invented the first climbing aids, human anchors were all alpinists had for protection. This sounds exactly like something I would do. In fact, I've done it. When I was a kid I would rappel off of anything with anything, including the handrail of my grandparents deck, an... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: What is the top-down (reverse) shoe lacing good for? I only do this on the top hooks myself. It helps lock off the laces and prevents them from popping off the hooks. If you leave it the other way around (bottom to top), and don't tie your boots tight enough, then your laces can come off the top hooks, or the knot could roll over the top of the tongue ... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: What should one do when climbing if someone above you yells ROCK? How you react will depend on the situation. If you're climbing and you hear someone yell "ROCK" then your default reaction should be to hug the rock, brace for impact, and hope the rock misses you, or glances off your helmet. If the call comes from above, you should repeat it in case your belayer d... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: Are there sound-based alternatives to whistle signals for group communication? Percussion Drums have been used historically to communicate over long distances in forested areas, so you could send messages simply by knocking on wood. Pick up a couple of hard sticks, and knock them against each other or something else that has some good acoustics. You could communicate with mors... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: Why doesn't it snow much at -30 °C? It's actually kind of the other way around, it's not that being too cold prevents snow from falling, it's that an absence of moisture in the air allows the atmosphere to cool. Low pressure systems bring with them (relatively) warm moist air which precipitates as snow. The clouds overhead act as a b... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: Ski setup for skijoring You and I would probably get a long very well. I ski downhill exclusively in the back country, and whenever I put my XC skis on I'm typically also wearing my skijor harness and getting pulled around by my dog. I have gone skjoring in deeper snow with m AT skis, but can't cover any great distances at ... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: What are the pros and cons of air pads vs foam pads for backpacking? Air Mattress Pros: Comfortable (Come in many varying thicknesses.) Warm (Some air mattresses are down-filled.) Compact (I have one air mattress that can pack down to fit inside a pop can.) Lighter (Not necessarily true for all air mattresses.) Cons: More Expensive More Maintenance (Can easily ... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: Salomon Cross-Country Ski Pole Straps Too Short The straps are supposed to be short, it helps give you more power on your pole stroke, and keep better control of you poles. When you properly fit your straps, you're supposed to adjust them short enough be able to draw your poles behind you and lift them off the ground with your hands open. This g... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |