Activity for Sherwood Botsford‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: Using a Snow jacket for non snow conditions? Usually the last thing you want for snow is a waterproof jacket. Many waterproof breathable layers will ice up inside because at low temperatures water doesn't have a high enough vapour pressure to get through the fabric fast enough. I have a non-waterproof nylon shell that I use for winter In gen... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How stiff of a sole should I look for in hiking boots? I currently own 7 pairs of footwear: Croc knockoffs. Used in camp. MEC moc boots. Much like a diver's boot. 3/16" neoprene with rubber soles, toe and heel caps. I like these for any trail work below timber line, as my feet are warm even when wet. Our backpacking country rarely has streams more... (more)	—	almost 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there a practical risk when wearing an avalanche beacon on your top layer? Can't speak to avalanche beacons. However, I have lost a GPS hiking in bush. My suspicion is that I broke the cord, but never noticed it. I have also lost compasses that were strung around my neck. I've had a friend pulled off a canoe when his compass and whistle cord snagged on a branch. We ar... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there clay soil in the Adirondacks suitable for earthen primitive building? A somewhat more general answer, not focused on the Adirondacks. Most areas have an agriculture or forestry division, or natural resources division that has done extensive soil maps of the state. Try searching for "soil maps" name of state or county Include the quotes. You can also look for woodl... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are wattle and daub primitive shelters suitable for the Adirondacks? Take a closer look at european construction techniques up to the invention of asphalt and steel roofing. In general, if you can keep the water off of the building, you can use a water soluble medium. Technologies used: Thatched roofs with large eaves. Thatch has to be quite thick, and quite stee... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can natural material be found in a temperate forest to help protect against snow blindness? Good snow goggles as described in ab2's answer take a while to make. A quick and dirty way for temporary use can be made with bark. Birch bark is probably easiest to work with, but any smooth bark that you can peel off the tree should work. Try alder and aspen, and willow. You may need to make a b... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Leak proof ice container, for RV fridge For traveling we will pre-freeze pop bottles with ice or juice. When we stop at a motel, we refreeze the bottles. This works well. As we drink the juice, we will refill with water. For your use, you need something with a wider opening for ice cubes. Peanut butter jars work well for this, as most... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Question	—	Additional map source information for Willmore Wilderness Park in Alberta? I currently have the Canada NTS 1:50,000 maps, and the 1990 revision of the complete park map. They don't agree on details, and so far the NTS maps have higher error rates. I also have a couple of publications of Alberta Parks that contain less info. I have inquired with the Willmore Wilderness Fo... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to sharpen the line cutter/gut hook on a knife? For odd sharpening tasks like this I have a dremmel tool (handheld rotary tool) and a set of inexpensive diamond hones. Use it wet to keep from clogging, and use very light pressure. You can also use an electric chainsaw sharpener. (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What conditions would lead to lake ice being extremely clear? The primary occluding agent is air bubbles that separate from the water as ice forms. You can get clear ice cubes for drinks by heating the water first to expel most of the air before you freeze it. Water that freezes slowly allows more time for air to move out of the way. A small current that mov... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can you tell if a waterfall is slippery based on how it looks? Short answer: You can't judge a wet rock's traction by appearance. The slipperiness usually depends on a biofilm on the rocks themselves. That, in turn, will vary depending on flow velocity, turbidity, sand carried by the water, and most importantly, how long the rock has been underwater. I found... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Any actions to take with GPS rollover? Original answer below. Apparently I'm not the only one incensed by Garmin's behaviour. Garmin has a firmware update for the PN-60 series version 3.7 that was NOT present on their website last time I looked for it. Could be I used the wrong search terms. Anyway the 3.7 update works. If this took ... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Question	—	Any actions to take with GPS rollover? For those of you who haven't noticed, your GPS may have become a time traveler this week. Background The GPS system was invented in the 1980s and uses an epoch of Jan 1, 1980 as the starting point for calculating dates. Many computers represent dates as a 32-bit count of seconds, which rolls over i... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to follow bearings while running? Another trick you can use if it's sunny and open enough for shadows: Take a bearing, and note the angle of the shadows to your bearing, or to the sun to your bearing. You still need to check this now and then, but it can help maintain a course when all distant landmarks look alike. I don't gen... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to clean trail running shoes? I normally don't wash them. Let them dry. Brush hard with a bristle floor scrubbing brush. I don't worry about them being wet either. They are synthetic generally and won't rot. I backpack in trail shoes. They are normally wet all day. At night I change to crocs, but my shoes are still wet the ... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What feeling should I expect when swimming in 5°C (41°F) water? On a dare with a friend I went into the Saskatchewan River while the river was still running with broken ice, and there were bergybits in the main current. The bet was to stay in 1 minute up to our chins. We both made it, and were cold for half an hour. In our school program we require that all ca... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Camping alone in the wilderness in the USA The parks are quite regulated, and for many you need a permit for back country (random) camping. The wilderness areas are more liberal. They like to know where you intend to go. Note however that in a lot of them the trails have not been maintained for decades. The national forests are not as s... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there really no way to rescue a climber from the death zone? This sort of hard decision happens at lower elevations. In some ways harder: The Death Zone scenarios obliges you to abandon the victim to save the rest of the party. At lower elevations it's often less clearcut. The difference usually amounts to better weather shorter distances to more moder... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What woods have been used to build primitive shelters in northern climates, especially around the Adirondacks Mountains? Here's an article about the Iroquois long house: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/longhouse Woodland Cree made log cabins, generally with shed roofs covered in layers of poles, dirt, and bark. Cherokee also were cabin builders. Inuit made skin tents over pits for summer use. The ... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are uses of red spruce (picea rubens) by humans in a wilderness, primitive, or frontier setting? A mix of spruce resin, lard, and wood ashes was used by both voyageurs and natives for caulking the seams of birch bark canoes. Spruce logs have smaller branches than pine, and so are easier to make into even surfaces for making cabins. But give the amount of work to move logs, generally you used w... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Animal Identification from "leavings" Suggest you confirm by observation: This is sort of what I would expect to see from a squirrel eating. Take a closer look and see if you can figure out if they are crap, or just cores and peels. I've seen squirrels create large mounds of conifer scales. They like to find a spot where they can ... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Planning where to stop and camp in advance After a while you get a feel for the country that comes through from the map. E.g. In Willmore Wilderness, you will often find hunting camps that are clear and pretty well made, but are only used for a month a year. They will sit at the base of a pass, or the junction of two creeks (better grazi... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Mountaineering trousers with short legs This assumes they are normal pants, without a zipper on the leg. Put them on, then roll up the cuffs to the length you want. Normally pants that are worn with boots are 1-2" longer to keep the bottom over your boot top even with a sharply bent knee. Safety pin them in place. Remove. Go to your... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Bathing outdoors in low temperature, high altitude environment Science for this is simple: Hypothermia is not instant, and has a well known progression. Survival times in fresh ice water are 15 to 45 minutes; depending on your body build, subcutaneous fat, and muscle mass. At 70 F (20 C) air temps a lightly dressed person loses heat about as fast as he makes ... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Keeping water from freezing while cross country skiing I used to snowshoe in winter, and would be out all day. I would take a 2 liter pop bottle, and put a pair of work socks on it to insulated it. This went into my daypack next to me. I always carried a spare fleece anyway. It went on the back side, forcing the bottle to remain next to my back. In ... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Strategy to ascend steep scree slope @ShemSeger has a good answer. Some additional bits: Don't try to go straight up. Doing a traverse is faster in fine scree. The uphill foot doesn't bury the lower foot. place your foot as close to flat as you can. At the least, place the entire uphill edge on the rock at once. Few of us have th... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the best way to cross a wide river in winter? The tables above are generalizations. "Your mileage may vary" But the numbers to me do not look like extended effort numbers, but huddle and try to remain conscious numbers. Swimming results is lower numbers due to fresh cold water passing the sides of your torso and groin. I suggest you do a con... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it a good idea to do ski binding settings yourself? I was doing ski patrol at a local low level hill. As skiing the hill is not very challenging. One fellow patroller suggested decreasing the tension in my bindings. By doing this, and popping a binding now and then by accident, you become much more aware of your balance and where your weight is. T... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What type of pants would be durable and suitable for outdoors in all kind of climates? You will need more than one pair of pants. Nylon hiking shorts. Dry fast. Cool in hot weather. I'm uncertain how culturally appropriate shorts are on adult males in SA. In touristy areas they are used to crazy gringos. Nylon wind pants. These cover you -- something you will want when there ar... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Flat bottom boat trolling motor power As a reference, see Patterson's "The Dangerous River, Adventures on the Nahanni" book. He would prospect for gold, and had a camp a good ways up the river. His boat was in effect a 30 foot long 5 foot wide flat boat. As I recall he had two motors, a 3 hp and a 1 hp motor. The 3 hp was for ascendin... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I keep my group together? We had this as a constant issue when I worked in a school with a strong outdoor program. General things As group size increases problems increase faster. The distance between the first and last person is larger. The spread in ability/speed is likely to be larger. You have increased chances of eq... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to choose shoes for long-distance urban walking for durability first then comfort? There are two approaches you can take: Wear heavier shoes that wear longer, or wear lighter/cheaper shoes and replace as needed. I'm interested that you wear shoes out. I typically get about 500 miles on a pair of runners used on gravel roads. I can get about 60 miles out of a pair of 'water sock... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What basic body position should I be in during a downhill ski run? I don't think it is possible to explain how to do this in words. Peilonrayz makes a good crack at it, but even as a skier I get confused by this. It's like trying to tell someone how to tie their shoes. The following applies to any physical skill. "Show me" is far better than "Tell me" Search fo... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Salt Vs Smoke as a preservative Smoke contains phenols which are antioxidants, and anti-microbial. This reduces fat going rancid, and bacterial growth on the surface. Smoke also contains formaldehyde, poisonous to bacteria and people alike. Don't make a steady diet of the top millimeter of smoked food. Organic acids (like acetic)... (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you deal with blackberry bushes on the west coast when bushwhacking? Answer so far: James is correct -- when possible go around. Move between clumps. Crossing powerline ravines, it can help to go up or down stream to wooded terrain which shades them out. If you must pass -- usually a short stretch to connect existing clear areas -- A: Bring leather work gloves... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: When to plant a potted live Christmas tree? Trees that grow in cold climates have a chilling requirement -- a certain number of hours below a certain temp that they must have before they break bud. If they don't get enough chill, they don't leaf out in spring. This is a protective mechanism so that the tree isn't sucked in by a mid-winter th... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	How do you deal with blackberry bushes on the west coast when bushwhacking? I'm on holiday near Sechelt right now, and have been hiking the trails and powerline right of ways. On several occasions I've come to the end of one trail, and can see the start again on the other side of a stream. Wading the stream is a piece of cake. The ravine on either side is often choked wit... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the feed/day limit for various pack animals? For horses I've seen various numbers but 125 to 250 seems to be the range. This depends on the breed, the difficulty of the terrain, and the length of the trip. Horses need a lot of time to graze. You can carry hay (required in many parks) or you can carry grain to supplement grazing. Advocates f... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Do emergency space blankets actually work? They have zero insulation value. They have near perfect IR reflectivity and are vapour tight. This is unlike most things you have used. Since they are dirt cheap (in the flimsy emergency form, use a couple and find their limits. Test 1: On a cold windy day have someone spray you with water, then ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should I travel through freezing areas with hot or cold water in my RV tank? A lot depends on how the water system in your RV works. Some RV's really aren't made for winter use. Others are designed from square one to be usable at cold temps. These will have heat tapes on the plumbing, well insulated water and sewage storage tanks, and drain systems that are easy to access.... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is burning cow pies (dried cow manure) safe? Smoke has it's hazards. For 30 years I cooked over open fires for about 6 weeks a year. It's irritating as heck, but I don't have obvious problems. That may be about as good as the 2 pack a day smoker at age 65 saying, "Hasn't kilt me yet" Burning any form of biomass works better if the material ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why are zip-in (fleece + hardshell) jackets so rare? They are a hassle to use. On every trip I've been on, I've adjusted layers a dozen times a day. The last thing I want to do is to take apart my liner from my shell. It's much better to have separate layers. This also allows you to mix and match more, and when one wears out, it can easily be rep... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I make a pack basket for a backpack? If you are going to go backpacking, get a system your back is going to be happy with. $200 is not unreasonable. I mention several options below, but these are mostly canoe trip use -- portaging is a relatively small part of the trip, and enduring an uncomfortable pack for a 30 minute walk may distr... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: When using a compass, why not follow a degree mark without rotation? The old style pocket compasses worked just like that. The problem: If you use a compass without using that arrow -- just using the degree marking on the dial, your error will about triple. If you hold a compass at waist level look down at it, and look up, you won't be looking the same directio... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Given limited space and weight what should I carry to get a fire going with damp wood? Locally one of the forms of firestarter our hardware store sells amounts to coarse sawdust mixed with candle wax. Break a piece in half to get a rough edge to start. You can make your own from old candle stubs and shredded paper. Do the wax in a double boiler. Vaseline and cotton balls work too, b... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Finding out if a road is paved or not Most countries have a national mapping service. In the U.S. it's the U.S. Geological Survey. In Canada it's the national topographic service. In the UK it's the Ordinance Survey. Google is great for many things, but once you get less farm roads, their coverage is poor. You have other problems to... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: What features to look for in a small snowshoe for getting up and down a long driveway and around the yard during what may be a snowy winter? A lot depends on the type of snow you get. Ojibwa regarded snowshoes as 'disposable' You made them for the current conditions, used them for a week or a month, or a winter, and threw them away. Heavy wet snow, like you get in Eastern Canada, you can get by with a small snowshoe. The 30" x 8" sherp... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: How should I dress for sweat inducing activities in cold weather? Part of this is learning to pay attention to what your body is doing. I had a friend on a dogsled trip who was soaked when we reached camp: He could wring water out of his polypro underwear. Me, I was dry. But he was a phys ed major and thought nothing of sweating. Me, I hate feeling sweaty. So... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Does “Pay attention to the ounces, and the pounds take care of themselves” make sense when planning backpacking gear? Little things add up. Do you need a set of batteries a day for your GPS or is 3 sets enough for a week. Take food out of boxes. A plastic bag is 6 grams. A box is 40 grams. -- about an ounce. Repeat for 21 meals, that's a pound and a half. What's in your repair kit? I found last full check I ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Will I be warmer in my sleeping bag inside or outside of my tent, when winter camping? I'm taking a different tack. I have slept both in and out of a tent on many winter nights, and I will not use a tent unless there is significant wind or precipitation. Here's the problem: The tent will keep most of the air from moving, but that air loads up with moisture from your sweat, your brea... (more)	—	over 5 years ago

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