Posts by ab2 MonicaNotForgotten
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...
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 a...
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 a...
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 gr...
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 acclimatiz...
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 on...
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 yo...
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 m...
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 altim...
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 freezi...
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, the...
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 a...
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 a...
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 waterf...
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 withou...
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 ...
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...
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=L7t...
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 hav...
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...
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 201...
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 ...
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. Howeve...
Will the de-fogging agent for snorkeling/scuba goggles prevent or mitigate steaming up of safety glasses worn outside on a hot, humid day?
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 ...
