Activity for ShemSeger
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
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A: How would I identify between MSR Wisperlite and Wisperlite International stoves? I happen to have both stoves that you're talking about. They look pretty much identical, but you're right that the wick is in the international stove, the whitegas-only stove does not have the wick. The international stove also has a brass sleeve over the coil of pipe that directs the liquid fuel thr... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Fixed line: Prusik vs mechanical ascender As Freedom of the Hills also states: "Mechanical ascenders are stronger, safer, faster, and less tiring." – Freedom of the Hills The key advantage in there being, "less tiring", yes you could save a couple hundred grams by not carrying ascenders and instead using some prusiks, but ... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Big Wall Rock Climbing - Harness Off Big wall climbers always leave their harnesses on, at most they will loosen or unstrap their leg loops while they're in their portaledge. There's really no reason to ever take off your waistbelt, as you can change your pants and shirt with it on (although maybe slightly loosened) and when you toilet ... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Should you avoid handling lambs? The only way you could do the lamb harm by picking it up (aside from dropping it, or otherwise injuring it by handling it wrong) is if for one reason or another it wasn't accepted back into its herd, or if your interaction gave it a reason to leave the herd. Some animals will reject their dependant... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: How to walk silently in the woods? When I was a boy I learned about a tribe of natives (Lipan Apache) that had an initiation into manhood which involved plucking a hair from the tail of a live deer. These people had developed a mode of stealth that allowed them to walk right up to deer–head on–without the deer sensing th... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: How to light a fire with wet firewood? I'm from British Columbia; lots of BC is technically a rain forest, which pretty much means you're always starting your fire with wet wood. The trick to getting wet wood to light is to generate a lot of heat when you first start your fire - that means using lots of extra kindling. Cut triple or qua... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Why is boiling water making my steel pot brown? When you boil water, the minerals and anything else dissolved in the water will remain and can build up as deposits. This is true for filtered water as well, filters don't really soften your water, they only help remove any particulates and organisms that may be in it. I imagine the brown mineral lay... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: What are the main differences between dehydrated foods and freeze-dried foods? The most significant difference between the two—aside from cost—is the composition of the food due to the different processes of removing moisture. Dehydration very simply uses heat to remove moisture without cooking the food. This leaves the food withered and hard, and takes a lot lon... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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What are the main differences between dehydrated foods and freeze-dried foods? What's the big difference between Dehydrated and Freeze-dried foods? What are the pros and cons to choosing one over the other for backpacking? (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Prevent athlete´s foot (re)infection in barefoot shoes? The trick to preventing chronic athletes foot in toe shoes is the same as with regular shoes, and that is to wear socks. Injinji toe socks are by far the most popular socks to wear with fivefingers shoes. They keep your shoes cleaner, and help prevent funguses from forming inside them. Just keep i... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: How to hide a trail turn? I can't speak for lands inside a city, but out in the woods the best way to hide a trail, is not to leave a trail. I grew up in the sticks where growing up everyone I knew had a secret fort somewhere in the dense forest, the thing to do with your buddies after school was to hang out at your secret fo... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Do leeches fall onto prey from trees? Leeches swim in still water, they don't live in trees, and they don't dwell on the ground. They attach themselves to bare skin, you won't even notice them do it. Last time I had a leech latch onto me I didn't find it until that night when I went to bed and found it mostly dried up attached to my toe ... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Continue a hike when legs start cramping Depends on what's causing the cramps. In your situation, high stepping is what was causing your quads to seize up. The best solution there would be to slow down and stretch frequently. If you start chugging fluids you can actually give yourself more cramps, the kind that you'd have to simply wait ou... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: What happens to rappel anchors? Yes, it does get left behind. Descending rings are meant to be used to facilitate the recovery of ropes, they save your rope from getting horribly dirty, damaged, or stuck, and leave much less of an impact than rappelling off of a tree or branch. Pulling you rope off of a tree will saw into the tr... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: What do I do if a black bear is right outside my tent? I've been up close with grizzly and black bears before, I've had them come sniffing through my camp and I've done nothing but lay quiet in my sleeping bag and wait for them to wander off, which they usually do. Most of the time I don't even know they were there, I just find their tracks the next morn... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: How to put on footwraps correctly? портянки (portyanki) The Russian army wore portyanki (footcloths) up until the ministry of defence abolished them in 2008. There's an interesting article about them here, the author of which apparently wore portyanki for 695 days in the army.1 How t... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Is climbing an ambidextrous sport? I'd say the answer to this question is yes. Being ambidextrous while climbing will make you a better climber, because there are certainly routes that have forced, right-handed or left-handed cruxes that simply can't be done the other way around. I've seen people really struggle on problems that fo... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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How do you survive getting towed under a log jam? When I was a boy, my father and I were unexpectedly swept into a log jam (pile of logs the size of a house) on the banks of the Elk River while canoeing near our home. Somewhat similar looking jam, but think bigger pile of logs, and more rapid waters: My Dad, being an experienced voyageur from NW... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: How far would you need to fall for it to be fatal? 16ft (5m) When rock climbing, you're pretty much guranteed to be landing on rock if you fall. When I trained in CSPS and EMP III, the magic number was 16ft (5m). If someone fell from upright with their feet above that height or higher onto a solid surface, then they were an instant bag and drag, aka... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Climbing barefoot/in toe-shoes? I climb barefoot and in vibram five-fingers (KSO's), climbed in them for the first time in 2008 and loved them, where they excel is in roofs and overhanging problems because you can hook holds a lot easier with your toes, but for tougher wall climbing with small features (5.11+) I still use climbing ... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Is there any difference between a harness used for rock climbing vs for mountaineering? To add to Ben Crowell's answer, some additional differences between mountaineering and rock-climbing harnesses include comfort while hiking, and weight. Compare the two harnesses below; the first is for alpinism/mountaineering, it's simple, light, and very minimal in size and bulk. A harness like th... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: My head torch/lamp has a red mode, why? Red light preserves your night vision. Red lights are used in photography dark rooms, military bunkers, submarines, and anywhere you might find yourself working in the dark. It gives you light to see by, while at the same time keeping your eyes adjusted for the dark. I use my red light mostly whe... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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Are there any unguided via ferrata routes in the Canadian Rockies? I just learned about the via ferrata route in Banff on Norquay, but if you don't go with a guide then it's considered trespassing. Are there any via ferrata routes in the Canadian Rockies that are open access? (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Cleaning the sipper pipe of a hydration pack There are cleaning kits designed specifically for cleaning hydration packs like Camelbaks: Camelbak also provides cleaning instructions on their website: The best way to care for your reservoir is to clean and dry it after every use, especially if you fill the reservoir with anything other ... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Can fire starting liquid be used in a kerosene lamp? Kerosene is different from other carbon fuels in that is has a much higher flash point, meaning that it has to be warmer than other fuels before it will produce a vapour that can be ignited. Other fuels with a much lower flash point produce a lot more vapours at warmer temperatures, making them much ... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Train yourself to need less water You'd be better of strength training your muscles to carry the extra weight of the water you need to carry. How much water an individual needs to stay hydrated is not a standard measure. Different individuals need more or less water to keep their bodies properly hydrated. I don't think it's necessa... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Climbing gear: can the energy absorbers of a lanyard for via ferratas be used only once? There are such things as reusable energy-absorbers, they use rope and a braking plate to absorb the energy of a fall. Stiched webbing energy-absorbers are only intended to catch one fall, but that fall typically has to exert at least 2.5kN (250kg) on the device before it will start to tear. If the t... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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What's the best way to dispose of a body in the backcountry? Suppose you needed to dispose of a large carcass for one reason or another while in the backcountry... what would be the best way to dispose of it in the woods so that it wouldn't be discovered? You always hear stories of people burying bears that they've had to shoot, but I can't imagine digging a b... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Does a tent need special after-trip care when camping on and near ocean beaches? Salt, sand and moisture are a bad combo for anything and everything. The salty sea air will wreak havoc on all your gear over time. You won't have to worry about it too much just for occasional use, but I would recommend at least rinsing your tent with fresh water before storing it away. There are... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Carrying hardboiled eggs when hiking The pioneers of the old west used to trek across the prairies with jars of pickled hard boiled eggs. So pickling your eggs is one option of preserving them. How long they'll last plain depends a lot on the temperature and conditions of where you're going. Keeping them hot isn't going to preserve th... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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How do you build a campfire that leaves no trace? Say you're camping in the backcountry where there aren't any developed campsites or fire rings. What methods are there for building a camp fire that will leave absolutely no trace afterwards? (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: What are the principles of Leave no Trace? According to the Centre of Outdoor Ethics, which runs the most widely accepted ethics program used on private lands for outdoor recreation, there are seven principles to leaving no trace: Plan Ahead and Prepare Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces Dispose of Waste Properly Leave What You Find Minimi... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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What are the principles of Leave no Trace? What are the fundamental principles of leaving no trace in the backcountry? (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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Leave no Trace: Are campfires unethical? According to the Centre for Outdoor Ethics: "The use of campfires, once a necessity for cooking and warmth, is steeped in history and tradition [...] the natural appearance of many areas has been degraded by the overuse of fires and an increasing demand for firewood." 1 Even in my lifetime, I... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Is there a safe way to light and tend a small fire on earthy/peaty ground? Lightweight stoves are preferred over campfires, but it is still important to know how to make a leave no trace campfire when the occasion calls for it (run out of fuel too soon, stove failure, etc.). I think a mound fire would be best in this situation. Lay a sheet on the ground and pile a mound of... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Lowering a climber from above using a belay device in autolocking mode Just to be clear, what you are describing here is top-roping while belaying from above. Aside from doing it for the fun of it, or for the sake of gaining the experience of belaying from above, the only advantage I can see to top-roping with the belay up above is if you're climbing a pitch where there... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Using a synthetic sleeping bag on/under it's limit I've used a cotton bag liner for winter camping for the past couple years, I love it. I'm usually a huge opponent to wearing cotton in winter, but that's because most people are pretty careless about moisture control these days. If you read my answer to, "Does Cotton Really Kill?", I point out that c... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Does sleeping with liner shoes make you feel colder? You're sleeping bag only works if you can get it warm. If you wear too many clothes in your sleeping bag, you're not going to fill the loft of your expensive down mummy with cozy warm body heat. This is what can happen if you're wearing your liners in bed, the bag around your feet doesn't warm up. ... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Camping with a tarp, what are risks about animals? It's not animals you really need to worry about, it's bugs. I pack a tent to keep out of the bugs more than I do to keep the critters out. The only time I can ever remember having issues with animals was in the Ptolemy Plateau, for some reason there were a lot of gophers, and they were all over our c... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: What is the term for/manufacturer of belay devices with a clip that holds the ATC onto the carabiner? Is this what you're referring to? This is a Petzl UNIREVERSO: (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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How to tandem rappel/abseil with a child? So my toddler just barely fits the smallest child's harness on the market, which of course means she's big enough to go climbing and rappelling with daddy ;) I've been playing around with different techniques of tandem rappelling with her (both walking and free rappel) and I'm wondering what establ... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: How to attach signs to trees considering tree growth? What you're asking to do is impossible to accomplish. The signs will never, "move outward with the tree as it grows". Trees don't grow like that. The reason trees have rings is because they grow layer-by-layer each season. If you tie a thread around a tree, the tree will not grow and break the threa... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: What's a realistic distance to expect boys aged 11-17 to sea kayak in a single day? If you don't know what your boys are capable of then it's unfair to have expectations. I'm a Venturer Scout adviser for Scouts Canada; I take boys in that age group on trips regularly. I don't know what your group is like, but if it's anything like mine, then the boys probably all have different lev... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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Which camp fuel type is the easiest on your stove? In reference to this question: Avoiding leaks from stove and fuel bottles? What fuel type is the easiest on your stove as far as cleaning and maintenance are concerned? If you have a stove that can burn more than one type of fuel, which type will have the least negative effect on your stove and on ... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: When is it OK to hike off trail? Leave No Trace I grew up in a place that was surrounded by open wilderness. There are no, "stay on the trail rules" there. After spending a lot of time in Parks, where there are a lot of rules, and comparing them to growing up in the lawless wilderness, I have to admit that the Parks are a lot prett... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: How to lock a trucker's hitch without losing any tension? I'm partial to the taut-line hitch, but you could also use a rolling hitch. I like using adjustable knots because they're easier to get tight, quick to re-tighten if they come loose for any reason, and easy to loose and untie. Simply tie the taut-line hitch back onto the same line after feeding it th... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: When is it not OK to leave feces behind? Leave no Trace The basic guideline is do not leave your feces anywhere that it can be discovered or uncovered in the future. As far as upsetting the ecosystem equilibrium, good luck with that, there are much bigger things than you in the woods are that are indiscriminately defecating on the ground ... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: How to avoid cracking your windshield while strapping down a kayak I've hauled pretty much everything you can imagine on the tops of my vehicles through hurricane force winds. Southern Alberta is one of two places on Earth where Chinook winds regularly occur. Winds in excess of 100km/h are a common thing here, I used to fight constantly with my 17' Canoe before I fi... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Donating blood at higher altitudes and Acclimatization To answer your first question,"If the situation asks for it, should a mountaineer be donating blood at higher altitude?" I'm assuming you're referring to a life and death situation on the mountain where someone desperately needs an emergency transfusion to survive an accident, and whether or not it i... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: How would I find a hot spring? It helps to know what is going on underground when looking for geological patters. Hot springs are of course geothermally heated by pockets of magma in the crust that are relatively close to the surface. Understanding the underlaying strata and ground water patters are essential to accurately predict... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |