Activity for ShemSegerâ€
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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A: How safe is it with Grizzly bears when hiking in the Rockies near Calgary, Alberta? As safe as you make it. Don't fool yourself, bears are there, and they will attack you if they feel they are being threatened. The Canadian Rockies are wild and full of large predators, it's not not a zoo or game preserve, the danger is real. You must understand that you are in their territory, the ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: What are the best practices to ensure survival of catch and release fish? In certain BC rivers, fishing is catch and release only, it's illegal to fish with anything but a single barbless hook. I have a whole tackle box full of spoons that have been hacked to death by a pair of side cutters in order to make them legal for catch and release. When you hook a fish, reel the... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How can I know if a rope is certified? I found a hidden tag It is never advisable to use any safety gear that you do not know the history of. Doesn't matter if it is legit, what matters is the history of the rope. If it's a club rope for climbing then there should be a record of usage and falls. If no record exists, then it is unknown whether the rope has ta... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: What are the basic considerations for hammock camping? There are really only two main considerations for hammock camping: the first is hanging the hammock (trees); the second is whether or not it will be warm enough to sleep in a hammock (temperature). Hammocks are great at keeping you cool, so they are best suited for sleeping in hot humid environment... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Does hiking with a dog in bear country increase or decrease your risk of a bear encounter? It depends on the dog. Dogs have far superior senses to humans, which is why dogs became man's best friend, it was mutually beneficial for us to coexist. Early man gave docile wolves their scraps from their kills, and in return, the domesticated wolves provided man with an early warning system again... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Why do seagulls circle around at high altitudes? For the same reason carrion birds circle over fresh kills: They're waiting for an opportunity to swoop in and get some food. All the gulls see is a large gathering of humans, which typically means dropped chips, bits of hotdog buns, discarded scraps, leftovers on tables, people throwing bits for the ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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When should you remove old pitons? We were up above the treeline below the final climb to a scarcely visited cave and discovered an old rusty piton with a length of weathered webbing tied to it. It was obviously there as a safety for a belay, but it easily came out of the rock when I tested it. At what point should you remove old pit... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Running in bear country It's when you're moving quickly and quietly along the trail that you're most likely to encounter a bear in the Rockies, and that's because they're easier to sneak up on that way. I run into more bears when I'm on my mountain bike than when I'm hiking. Large predators use trails as often as people ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How many clothes should I bring to Philmont, or any long backpacking trip? At least one of everything, an extra pair of undies, and as many socks as you want. You're going out into the backcountry, not staying at a Hilton. If you're going to be out on a long trip, bring a bag and some soap to wash your clothes if they get too soiled. The last thing you want on a long trip ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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Can you wash ticks out with shampoo? I was out caving yesterday and apparently picked up a passenger on the trail either on the way up or back down the mountain. I discovered it in my hair on the back of my head while showering. It was a tick, but it wasn't stuck to my scalp and it appeared to be dead. I put it on the counter while... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How to hike without constantly looking down The trick to be able memorize the immediate trail ahead of you and pick your footfalls several steps before you get to them. It's the same as offroad driving. You can't see over your hood, and hanging out your window only lets you see one side of your vehicle. You have to memorize the features on th... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Back country solution to itchy insect bites First of all don't scratch. blood sucking insects inject anti-coagulant under your skin to prevent your blood from clotting and forming a scab so they don't get their mouthes stuck inside you while sucking. If you scratch, you only manage to spread the anti-coagulant around under your skin, which int... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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How to use an avalanche shovel as a snow anchor for a belay? Avalanche shovels come equipped with holes in the blades for use as rescue sleds and making anchors. I've got plenty of my own ideas, but I'm looking for any documentation provided by manufacturers about how to properly set up an avalanche shovel as a snow fluke. I've got a couple of BCA extendable s... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Waterproof shoes for men for +10°..+15°C and full-day use HI-TEC You may or may not have seen the viral video that circulated a few years ago about Hi-Tec's water repellent shoes. If not, then you have to watch it: Liquid Mountaineering. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe3St1GgoHQ Hi-Tec has a whole line of water repellent shoes, including walking sh... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: What is a good tarp setup for very high winds above the tree line? If the wind is blowing from all directions, then you need to get as low as possible to the ground. Do your best to find a spot that is somewhat sheltered from the wind. The lee of a crest usually works, but if you have wind blowing from all directions then try to find a recess in the ground - a low s... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: What is the knee pain beneath and under the kneecap from hiking up and down inclines? If I had to fancy a guess I'd say it sounds like you're suffering from Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS). What is patellofemoral pain syndrome? Unfortunately, the only sure way to prevent it–in your situation–would be to avoid the hilly inclines. Aside from that you would likely nee... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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Dangers of excavating caves? There are a lot of caves around where I'm from in the Southern Canadian Rockies, including the largest cave, and the longest cave in Canada, as well as the Booming Ice Chasm. The caves around here were carved out by the flow waters off of the continental ice sheet during the last ice age, so they are... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Advice on wild swimming in Ontario, Canada I did a lot of swimming in NW Ontario when I was a kid, and I've spent more time swimming in lakes and rivers than I have in swimming pools. I find the phrasing of this question curious, because I've never heard any one use the words "wild swimming" nor have I ever considered swimming in a mountain l... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: What is the difference between "dry rope", "non-dry rope" and "dry core rope"? Wet ropes are heavier and provide less energy absorption, which is a big problem when you can't avoid wet conditions and you rely on your rope to protect you if you take a fall. Dry ropes have been impregnated with a fluoropolymer-based solution to prevent them from absorbing as much water as possi... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Drinking alcohol as the last choice in survival situation Alcohol is poisonous, it saturates your blood with sugars and will dehydrate you faster as your body sucks your own cells dry in need of water to dilute those sugars. If you're in a survival situation, and all that you have left is the heavy bottle of alcohol that you somehow forgot about and didn't ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How far away should I hang my food with dry bag? At least 60m away, and 5m high. I doubt that there is such a thing a bag that bears absolutely can't smell through. Bears and other animals with rhinariums (wet nose) not only smell better than humans, they smell in a different way, they can literally taste odours. A bears sense of smell is roughly ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Will aid climbing make you a better trad climber? Learning how to place gear is a lot different than actually using it. Trad climbers place their pro, but hope they never have to fall on it. They give it a few tugs, maybe weight it to make sure it'll hold, but for the most part it's there just in case of a fall. Aid climbers on the other hand, they ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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Will aid climbing make you a better trad climber? I was reflecting on how different disciplines of climbing help you become a stronger climber in other disciplines. Like how bouldering makes you a better sport climber, because it teaches you beta and helps you develop the strength you need to get you through the hard cruxes of a sport route. And how... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Are static dyneema/spectra ropes suited for use on glaciers? I would use a dyneema rope as a lightweight hauling rope, rap line, or rescue rope, but I would never use any kind of static rope to catch a fall, this would include a fall into a crevasse, or a slip on a slope. With static ropes there is nearly zero energy absorption, I imagine this is even more tr... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Can hunting dogs be trained to hunt multiple animals? You can't teach an old dog new tricks. Hunting dogs are trained from pups, you wouldn't necessarily confuse your dog, but you might discover that it doesn't do the best job of what you want it to do (rips your birds apart while retrieving them, isn't fast enough to catch rabbits and foxes, leads you... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Belaying two seconds? Double Rope You need two ropes (of obviously different colours so as not to confuse them). Tie into both ropes, one on each side of your belay loop, your seconds will each tie into the other end of one of the ropes. When you set up your belay after you've led the climb, put both ropes into your bela... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How can you safely set up a climbing anchor from above? Building anchors is an art more than it is a skill. In your situation, I think the easiest thing for you to do would be to buy an anchor that's easy and fast to set up, and does the job of equalizing for you. Rising in popularity is the Anchor chain. Just anchor each end then clip your rope into whi... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Is cold shock response a real danger, if someone is used to cold water? Canadian glacier lake swimmer here - You can train your body to overcome the cold shock response. It's a matter of mind over body, yes your body responds to the sudden shock of diving into cold water, but the trick to overcoming it is to relax, slow your brain down, and focus on controlling your brea... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Should compound bows be unstrung when not shooting? As far as I know, the only time you need to unstring your compound bow is when you're replacing the string, or doing some other repair. If you have an older compound bow that's made from laminated wood, then you'll want to back off the tension on your string when you store it, but modern compound bow... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Staying warm in a lightweight sleeping bag Aside from layering your clothes inside your bag, or layering your bag using a bag liner, it's also important to make sure you have a good ground sheet or sleeping pad that will insulate you against the ground and reflect your body heat back up. You lose a lot of body heat into the ground while sleep... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: What refilling material or glue did you chose to resole your trekking shoes? (What works, what doesn't) The go to shoe repair glue I've always used is Shoe Goo. I've used it mostly for when my soles started to separate from my uppers, and it's always done the job for me. As far as resoling your shoes, you're right in your suspicion that the "easy solution" doesn't last, Shoe Goo advertises that it c... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How do I attach a hammock to trees? I hang my hammocks using the same slings I use for anchors while climbing, a girth hitch around the the tree is more than sufficient, but wrapping the sling around the tree twice, then tying it with a water knot is best. It holds well, it's easy to adjust the height, and it doesn't slip when weighted... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Where can I get long but light bottoms for water? Sounds like what you're looking for is either an undersuit, or simply some swimming pants/tights. Wetsuit undersuits are worn under diving wetsuits to add insulation and comfort to the suit, and they help slide the suit on and off a bit easier, some are essentially built like a body-rashguard. Swim t... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Solar Power While Backpacking I'm very satisfied with my Goalzero Nomad 7, it's small, easy to strap to your backpack, and it fully charges your batteries or anything that charges from USB or even 12V power in as little as 3hrs in good sunlight. There are lots of solar panels to choose from, any one will probably do the job, s... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How do I make sure my cliff-diving location is safe? Where I'm from the water is clear enough for you to simply look over the edge and visually check if it's safe, you can see at least 30-40ft deep sometimes if not all the way down to the bottom. The occasions where you need to check depth around here are when you're by a waterfall and your vision is o... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How to efficiently fill a bladder with water? The answer depends a lot on the style of bladder, there are a couple different styles. I have a classic camelbak, which has a nalgene sized opening on it and a handle to hang onto for filling one handed, so it's real quick and easy to stick in the water and fill up: I've had other types of water ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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Why do big wall harnesses have two belay loops? I've been looking at big wall harnesses and I've been noticing that a lot of them come with two belay loops: I know that it isn't there as a back up. What's the advantage of having two belay loops on your harness when aid climbing? (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Sliding Insoles: does this need to be resolved? Most insoles are either sized to fit, or cut to fit in your shoes, if your insoles don't fit right then you should probably buy new ones. But first I would question whether or not your new boots are the proper fit. If your insoles are slipping, chances are that you have more room in your shoes than y... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How to care for a smelly (as in wet dog smell) down sleeping bag? It is possible to clean/repair your bag if it's not too far gone, but buying a new one will be easier, might even be cheaper, and will certainly be better. Options for cleaning slightly mildewy bags include using vinegar or bleach (bleach will likely discolour the bag) and hot water in the wash cycl... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How to prevent mosquitoes entering in your mouth while running? Breath through your teeth, that's what we'd do when cycling in NW Ontario, the bugs are horrible there year round. I've inhaled more than one mosquito in my life time, now I just grit my teeth and put on a psycho smile if I'm breathing hard while moving fast through bugs. Of course this method doesn'... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Is a camping grill an indispensable cooking utensil in the wild? A camping grill is not the indispensable cooking utensil in the wild, at least not anymore. Back in the day cooking over a fire was your only option for eating hot food, and a grill was the lightest thing you could carry for cooking. Cooking over a campfire is still fun, it's nostalgic for a lot of ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Is campfire smoke safe for inhalation and cooking? No, it is not safe to burn just any kind of wood, because some woods contain toxins that have the potential to be fatal if inhaled as ash (poison oak, poison ivy). However, most wood found in nature is safe. There's no such thing as smoke that won't cause damage to the lungs, smoke is a particle, yo... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Why might one need a 2000 lumen headlamp? Lumens are used to compare the total amount of light output from a light emitter. However, lumens isn't the end-all, be-all. In fact, lumens will only tell you a one part of the picture because when it comes to producing a great beam pattern, it doesn't give you enough information to tell you how the... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Solo-backpacking in mountain lion country I can think of many reasons why solo-backpacking wouldn't be advisable, but cougars isn't one of them. I'm not saying cougar attacks don't happen, last summer there was a incident in Waterton National Park close to home here, a cougar was menacing hikers along a popular trail, and even attacked a te... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: When to use a static rope? Static ropes are used whenever you're working with a static load, either raising or lowering. Dynamic ropes should be used whenever there is potential for a fall and high impact forces. Static ropes are used for rappelling/abseiling, ascending, hauling, rescue work and making anchors (accessory cor... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Is it safe to wear a down jacket while building a fire It may be safe for you, but not for your jacket. While it won't instantly burst into flames, your very expensive jacket will get holes melted in it by hanging around a fire, same goes for any other nylons or non fire-resistant synthetic materials. Goose down will burn fairly well, oddly enough there ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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How effective are pen launcher bear bangers compared to bearspray? So pen launcher bear bangers have apparently been around for quite a while, the training video for Truflare looks like something from out of the 90's, but they don't appear to be very popular, and I don't hear many people recommending them as an alternative to bear spray, despite the fact that they'r... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Where is the optimal place to do dishes in the backcountry? Following strict leave no trace principles, you're already doing a pretty good job. Where you can improve is to use no soap, small amounts of biodegradable soap are acceptable, but you can clean your dishes with just hot water. When you're done scrubbing, it's best to strain your scraps out of the wa... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How to carry perishable foods on a multi-day trip, without it going rotten? Carrying perishable foods is not practical, but it is doable. The only way to do it though is to keep your food cooled, and the easiest way to do that, when it's hot out, is to carry a cooler, which I have definitely gone backpacking with before: There are such things as solar powered coolers, whi... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: What type of rope should I use for roof work? If you're not a climber, then don't buy a climbing rope for doing roof repairs. If you're going to buy a rope for a very specific job, then you should get the right equipment for the job. For about the same cost as a climbing rope you could get a full roofers kit that comes with a: 5 point safety... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |