Activity for ab2 MonicaNotForgottenâ€
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
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Details on closure of Rte 120 into Yosemite? (Not normal snow closure.) National Park Service, Yosemite, Current Conditions says: Big Oak Flat Road (Hwy 120) closed into Yosemite Valley; no access to Yosemite Valley via Hwy 120 Alert 1 , Severity ,closure ,, Big Oak Flat Road (Hwy 120) closed into Yosemite Valley; no access to Yosemite Valley via Hwy 120. ... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Why did people rub snow on frozen feet? Was there any logic behind this practice (rubbing frostbite with snow)? Is this method encouraged / discouraged by modern medicine? According to Hypothermia, Frostbite and Other Cold Injuries: Prevention, Survival, Rescue ... By Gordon G. Giesbrecht, James A. Wilkerson, the treatment gained po... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Are there any advantages while backpacking to hike during the night and sleep during the day? The main advantages are: You don't need sunscreen Even with a full moon, the night sky is awesome Things look (and sound) weirdly and wonderfully different in moonlight In summer, the temperature will be much more conducive to brisk hiking than during the heat of the day The OP did not ask about... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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Reasonable precautions against copperheads: will being noisy in copperhead habitat cause them to slither away? In the more than 30 years I have lived in northern Virginia, I have never seen a copperhead, although there have been several reliable copperhead sightings in my neighborhood, the most recent last May. The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, in a long article has this to sa... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: What are the dangers of walking barefoot in towns/cities? I can't answer about a small town in Canada, so I will answer about my own small town (really just a village center) in northern Virginia. I don't think there would be any great physical dangers here as long as you check and wash your feet at the end of the day and disinfect, bandage and watch cuts ... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: How can I backpack further without resupplying? I agree with what @Tullochgorum said, and will not repeat his points, but let's examine your strategy of eating half your food and then turning back. This is a zeroth order approximation to how to end your trip at the same time as you finish your food. As @Loren Pechtel said, you may run into bad w... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Why do horses need to wear shoes? Wikipedia Many changes brought about by domestication of the horse have led to a need for shoes for number of reasons, mostly linked to management that results in horses' hooves hardening less and being more vulnerable to injury. In the wild, a horse may travel up to 50 miles per day to o... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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I've just been bitten by a rattlesnake; how, exactly, do I "keep calm"? My question is prompted by the answer of @WedaPashi to this question, which is about rattlesnakes, specifically: • Remain calm and first move beyond the snake's striking distance. • Keep calm, panic will make the adrenaline come in picture and the blood circulation will incre... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: What are the pros and cons of air pads vs foam pads for backpacking? I used a three quarter length foam pad -- just the basic $20 (or so) Ensolite pad -- for decades until, growing older and more effete, I thought an inflatable pad, aka air mattress, would be more comfortable. Wrong! The inflatable air mattress -- more than $100 -- was no more comfortable, but was a... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: How can I acquire practical outdoor skills? One possibility is to look into doing some volunteer work in a National Park or other park or organization. You will get outdoors experience and, more important, get connected with people who have a great deal of outdoors experience. The work might be physically hard, for example trail maintenance,... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: When back country camping, how do you avoid being attacked by a mountain lion in your sleep? This source, List of fatal cougar attacks in North America suggests that you are probably safest from a cougar while sleeping. Of the seven adults killed by cougars in North America from 1990 through mid-2008, five were jogging, hiking, biking or skiing. One was killed defending her six year old ... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: How do you pace yourself while doing strenuous hikes above 3,000 meters (10,000 feet)? The OP asks: How do you know how fast or slow to go while climbing at elevation (say above 3000 meters) on an instant per instant basis? First, it sounds as though you do not have experience hiking at altitudes above 10,000 feet. If this is so, my advice is to take a few day hikes (carrying ... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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Under what wilderness conditions is becoming infested with lice a possibility and what precautions should one take to avoid it? I may have reacted without thinking to the question about dealing with lice because I have never worried about getting lice on a wilderness trip. Upon reflection, I find I am genuinely interested in knowing under what wilderness conditions lice are a possibility and what reasonable precautions I co... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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If you are faced with surviving on your own for a prolonged period, should a sling make your short list of hunting tools, and why or why not? If you are putting together a survival package for a prolonged period, should a sling make the short list of your hunting tools, and if so, why? By prolonged, I mean a year to decades, during which it is not possible to resupply at an abandoned store. The survivor is alone, or with a very small gro... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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Is the Park Service continuing its case to re-rename Yosemite Park's historic landmarks? I have often checked into the Ahwahnee in Yosemite Valley after emerging, filthy and undernourished, from the backcounty. A hot shower in one of the cottages, an Ahwahnee Burger, a glass (or three) of wine and boysenberry pie a la mode delivered to the cottage patio -- bliss! Imagine my shock whe... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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How long should a down sleeping bag last? I just looked at our sleeping bags, which we bought in 1972. They are in pretty good condition, with only a few small patches. Is it unusual for a down sleeping bag to give service for 45 years and still be in good condition? Or is this par for the course? I estimate that the sleeping bags have b... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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What are the measurable prerequisites of strength and/or flexiblity for starting to climb in a climbing gym? If I were a couple of decades younger, I would seriously consider trying climbing in a climbing gym, but I doubt I have enough flexibility, and I would feel horribly out of place. The thing that attracts me is the total concentration required; there are things I want to put right out of my mind at l... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: How to learn ski touring It's not clear what kind of terrain you are planning to ski. However, you say that you are an intermediate alpine skier, so you are not a rank beginner. Start by visiting a ski center that has groomed cross country trails and rental equipment. And then just go! See how you do. Watch more experie... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: What affects the acclimatization process? I agree with what Charlie Brumbaugh said and will not repeat it, but will offer an perspective on what the individual can do. The single most effective thing you can do to improve your acclimatization rate is to get in good aerobic shape before starting your trip. Ability to acclimatize varies eno... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: How long does it take for trash to become a historical artifact (in the United States)? How long does it take for trash to become an historical artifact in the United States? There appears to be a legal answer, which is "50 years". It is not clear whether this legal answer applies only to Federal land. The clean-up link takes the reader to a site under the aegis of the National Park S... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: What is a "pace" counter and how does it work? A pace counter is a low-tech, manually operated, very light-weight device that you can make yourself from heavy cord and beads, or buy for $5 to $10. In contrast to a pedometer, which counts for you, you have to mentally keep count of the paces you take; there is nothing automatic about it. This art... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: Dangers of solo hiking (in Ontario) You don't say whether you will be backpacking or sleeping in a campground or motel. I strongly advise against a backpacking trip as your first experience hiking alone. I'd advise against anyone making a backpacking trip his/her first experience hiking alone even if it were summer and not nearly win... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: How do you predict weather with an altimeter while mountaineering and or backpacking? On a backpacking trip, calibrate the altimeter only at the trailhead and at places, such as a pass or a lake, that are marked on a topo map. In your comment you mention maybe calibrating the altimeter three times a day, and also by as little as 40 feet. This seems like overkill to me. On a backpac... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: Sleeping outdoors without a tent in a high altitude Mt. Tapulao? Can you absolutely rule out rain? If not, you need some sort of shelter, even if just a plastic tarp. And some warm clothes. Rainy, no tent, temps near freezing (even significantly above freezing), light clothing, no rain jacket or rain pants, and very little food left -- you could be in a very, ... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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Aversion to snakes: How would an outdoors leader go about "curing" this condition in one of her/his charges? Aversion to snakes, or at least a predisposition to strongly avoid snakes, appears to be deeply rooted at the genomic level in primates. See, for example, The Human Evolution Blog. Be warned, there are pictures! A word often used is ophidiophobia, defined by Wikipedia as ....the abnormal fear... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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At what age do black bear cubs have a good chance of surviving on their own? A woman in a semi-rural Maryland neighborhood was injured by a black bear sow a day or two ago. See The Washington Post. She heard a dog barking, went out with her dog on a leash to investigate and was attacked in her driveway. She had her cell phone with her, and called for help. She needed many ... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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What is the difference between a cascade and a waterfall? I thought about asking this question on English Language and Usage, but decided not to because I want answers from people who are familiar with cascades and waterfalls in reality, not just in the abstract. Moreover, the definitions aren't very helpful. From The Oxford English Dictionary, a cascade ... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: How far above a waterfall should you be to safely cross? There are too many factors to consider to give anything like a precise answer. I suggest a conservative rule of thumb for an average hiker, not a super athlete: if you can see or hear the waterfall and you cannot step or jump over the stream in one step or jump, you are too close. If the waterfa... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: How do you deal with a picky eater on a backpacking trip? First step is to try to find out what, among what you have, they do like. Maybe they hate freeze dried beef stroganoff but like freeze dried spaghetti and meat balls. To the extent you can without being totally unfair to the rest of the party, give them more of what they like, even if it means you ... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: How to become a falconer at a young age? I agree with the answer of @Chris Johns, especially about getting your parents on your side and the need to handle schoolwork and the dedication you will need to attract a sponsor. And, as @David said in his comment, you will have to clean cages to prove yourself. Now for some details of what is r... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: How would you help a snapping turtle cross the road? Several years ago, I helped two men move a large turtle about 1,000 feet to a stream. They had been driving by and saw the turtle on the road, and saw me in my driveway. I got a hand-truck and a snow shovel. They slid the snow-shovel under the turtle and eased him onto the hand-truck. (I don't ... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: Does the male or female Emperor penguin incubate their egg, and for how long? There is a fantastic movie about the breeding/brooding/hatching cycle of the emperor penguin, which came out in 2005. The March of the Penguins. For a clip, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7tWNwhSocE. According to the March of the Penguins reference cited above, the males incubate the eggs a... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: "Don’t step on anything you can step over." - What does this mean? This statement is one of those pieces of wisdom that sounds profound, but isn't. Following this advice can lead you into trouble as easily as it can help you avoid trouble. The other answers have illustrated the latter. However, before you step over something, you better know what is on the other... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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Remaining impacts from the very low snow pack of 2014-2015 in the Western Sierra and extra precautions we should take to minimize our impact The snow pack of 2014 - 2015 in the Sierra was an unprecedented low of 5% of normal. Thankfully, the snow pack of 2015-2016 was close to normal. We will be in the western Sierra in two weeks, and I wonder what effects of the very low snow pack of 2014/15 remain, especially at 8,000 feet and above. ... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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How can I keep outdoor critters outdoors? After 27 years of having indoor-outdoor cats, the last one died in May 2015. (We now have only an indoor cat.) During those 27 years, we never had a problem with mice. During Snowzilla (Jan 2016), the storm that dropped over 29 inches on our area, we sprinkled bird seed under the eaves of our hou... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Is 8 miles of unpaved gravel road a lot for a old-ish consumer road car to take in normal weather? A gravel road is not bad. We have a driveway that is gravel for half of its length, and I estimate we drove at least 275 miles on gravel during the last 5 years of our Volvo's life, when it was 12 to 17 years old. Our neighbors, who share the driveway, drove a similar distance in five years in an old... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How should one properly dispose of a rabid animal carcass? Ken Graham has a great deal of useful information in his answer, which I will not repeat. But the OP has specifically asked how to deal with a rabid animal's carcass when he is out hunting. However, the OP has not specified how populated the area is, or whether the hunter is alone or with companions... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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Efficacy of snorkel mask defogging agent on safety glasses Will the de-fogging agent for snorkeling/scuba goggles prevent or mitigate steaming up of safety glasses worn outside on a hot, humid day? (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How do hikers cross fast-flowing rivers without wading staffs? How do people cross fast flowing rivers without a dedicated wading staff? I can answer this only for Colorado and California. You find a place where you can cross safely, given your strength and balance. This may mean a significant detour. First, for below timberline: Scout upstream and down... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Training to Circumambulate Around Mount Kailash You have a wonderful goal! It is good that you understand it can take time to work up to this trip. I recommend that you think in terms of several years, not decades, because (a) after 50, most people don't get better physically, they just manage not to get worse and (b) unexpected things happen. ... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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What might being certified as a polar bear guard involve? I recently talked with a young geologist, some of whose field work is in the Arctic. We mostly talked about the science, but the geologist mentioned being certified (not sure of this word) to act as a polar bear guard. This involves killing the bear, if necessary. My question: Does anyone know what ... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: What to consider when shopping for prescription sunglasses? I won't discuss the aspects that the other two answers have covered well. I am very near-sighted. For my non-sunglasses, I have what are called "progressives". I think this is what you are calling bi-focal, multi-focal. For my sunglasses, I skipped the progressive feature, which I don't find ver... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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What to do when a moose blocks the trail? We were hiking in Colorado a couple of weeks ago (i.e., mid-June). One day, I took Trail A and my husband took Trail B. As he rounded a bend, he saw a moose on the trail about 50 feet away. He stopped. The moose did nothing. He continued walking towards the moose. When he got to about 30 feet fr... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Will an opossum wake up from pain stimulus if playing dead? Partial Answer: Needs Input from Others Following the suggestion of @OddDeer that scavengers would eat a possum playing dead, I did a bit of searching. The information in this source suggests that nobody will eat a live possum that is playing dead. But this is not definitive. From What will eat a... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How dangerous are polar routes, if an aircraft must land on water or wild land? See The New York Times, Nov 5, 1991, After a Plane Crash, 30 Deadly Hours in the Arctic. The four-engine turbo-prop aircraft with a wingspan of nearly 150 feet -- a jack-of-all-trades plane widely used by the Canadian and United States military to haul cargo and troops -- was on its final appro... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Is it possible to identify the sex of a caribou without a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope? According to an article on caribou sex identification by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Only the white rump without a [black] vulva patch or the presence of a penis sheath should be used for positive identification [of a male caribou]. The article says that both sexes have antlers, an... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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Is the reappearance of large crow populations 15 years after the West Nile dieback a widespread occurence? We used to have lots of crows in our area -- Northern Virginia, outside DC. Then West Nile virus struck roughly 15 years ago, and crows disappeared from our area. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Since West Nile virus was discovered in the United States in 1999, t... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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How do the skills required for mounted archery (archery from horseback) differ from those required for other forms of archery? Odd Deer's latest archery question brought to mind a historical novel I read some time ago which featured a mounted archery contest. (The novel was otherwise forgettable.) Wikipedia, mounted archery summarizes the history and also the status of present-day mounted archery. It is an active sport in ... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Can windowless tents be adjusted for adequate ventilation? We have never had a tent with windows, only 2-person backpacking tents. I agree with DudeOnRock's answer, and will add only one point. The door, when unzipped, on a small backpacking tent is equivalent to a very large open window. The door can be zipped partially closed to any degree. Even in the w... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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How do locals (short of drilling) determine that lake ice is safe for skating, ice fishing, snowmobiling, skiing? This question is not a duplicate of either (1) Ice skating on a frozen lake -- how thick should the ice be?, which only asks how thick the ice should be; or (2) How to determine the thickness of ice?, which only asks how to determine how thick the ice is. When I was a child, we skated on a couple o... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |