Activity for Michael Martinez‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: How to get rid of bad smell in hiking boots after they have been soaked? The best thing I have ever found for getting rid of odors, and it works extremely well, is something called "OdorXit" which is based on some enzymes that neutralize odors instead of masking them. I've used it successfully on some nasty things, like animal urine under the floorboards of an apartment I... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Question	—	How to improve the grip on my boots? I've got a pair of Keen hiking boots that, at their best when brand new, never had a particularly good grip, and now, a few years later, have simply lost any grip to speak of. They are so slippery on any surface, wet or dry, that not only is it embarrassing, but downright dangerous sometimes. My qu... (more)	—	over 6 years ago
Answer	—	A: Winter backpacking pants I personally use a base layer (which also retains heat even when wet) with the same quick-dry pants that I use for my summer hiking. I treat these pants occasionally with a water-repellant spray and this has served me well for years. I find that anything thicker, like ski pants, are overkill - just t... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What large mammals have become extinct or rare in the Colorado Rockies and Sierra in the past 100 years? I've spent many years hiking and camping in the Rocky Mountains and California, and animals I have seen more than once or regularly include black bears, deer, elk, moose, wild turkey, beaver, mountain goats and longhorn sheep. I've never seen mountain lions, although they are plentiful, but they ke... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Went fishing on the river for full day, caught one fish; normal? Short answer: yes, unfortunately very normal. I've been fishing all over the western U.S. since I was a kid, lakes, rivers, streams and even the occasional surf fishing on the ocean. Some days are good, other days not, and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. Here's an example. Some ye... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Advice for waterproof winter jacket for city and cycling I'd recommend an outer shell plus a fleece jacket - two items. The advantage here is that if the fleece is too warm (or too cold), you can replace it with another fleece that's more appropriate. Which means you can use a lighter, thinner fleece for spring and Fall, and a thicker fleece for winter. ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Catching largemouth bass with sunfish? Don't use an intact sunfish as bait. cut it up and use the cut pieces on your hook. But, as far as attracting and hooking big largemouths, while at the same time deterring other types of fish, what I have found to be the best are crawdad lures and buzz-bait. Both of these are excellent. The buzz ba... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Backpacking in the Winter (Michigan) For the situation you're talking about (3 days backpacking in winter), knowledge is more important than experience. Know how to use your gear. Know how to keep warm and dry. Know not to walk on thin ice across rivers. It's doubtful there is anything you would encounter in Michigan in three days that ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Pike fishing equipment & rigging I just got back from fishing in Minnesota, where one of the kinds of fish we were catching were pike in the 25" range. I had metal leaders in my tackle box but I didn't use them. I used a standard spinning reel, 6' medium action rod, and 8'lb monofilament with a swivel and another 2' of monofilamen... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: When will a rattlesnake strike? When a snake rattles at you, it wants you to move away from it. Rattlers will warn you first before striking, giving you enough time to move away. My wife and I were hiking once in the desert, she was ahead of me and passed right by a large diamondback snake that was curled up next to the trail. He ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Hiking: How to start? The gear answer depends on what kind of environment you're in: rainy and wet like the Pacific Northwest, dry and sunny like the Southwest. Mild climate, or very hot or cold. At a minimum, comfortable hiking shoes that have decent tread/grip and cover your ankle. The most important criteria is comfor... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Protein-intake on extended minimal-weight treks Protein powder. Add it to your food. Add it to water. Add it to hot-water+powdered milk. (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What do I do if a black bear is right outside my tent? Wild bears don't like the smell of warm man-flesh. So, you're inside your tent, make some noise, move around, talk. The bear will go away. You don't need to use your shotgun, you don't need to use your bear spray. (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: When is it not OK to leave feces behind? The only time I'm aware when you shouldn't leave feces behind is near bodies of water (within 200 yards of a body of water), which is why the feces are packed out of the Grand Canyon. (This is taking things too far in my personal opinion.) (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Most efficient training before alpine hiking/climbing? Instead of running or walking, I recommend you go to the gym and do the Stairmaster. This will provide an aerobic workout while building the muscles you need for hiking and scrambling. This is what I do to get in shape for backpacking trips. Edit 3/5/2015: Providing an answer to anatols questions in... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Good books to learn survival? The Pocket Survival Guide. by J. Wayne Fears Accurate, concise, to the point. (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Urbex question: How to protect myself from asbestos? There is no way to prevent asbestos fibers from entering your lungs except by certain facial masks with specialized air filters. An ordinary surgical mask will NOT work. The fibers are too small. (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Do you need to purify all mountain water sources For certain contaminants such as Giardia, it doesn't matter whether the water is running fast or slow. You will get infected regardless. So this idea about "fast water" is a myth that is not correct. If you are drinking close to the source of streams and there is not any mining activity or industria... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the different methods to purify water? Be aware of the difference between removal of harmful pathogens and removal of chemical contamination. Harmful pathogens include amoeba, bacteria, viruses, and worms, and these are effectively destroyed by the following methods: boiling water for 90 seconds kills all the above iodine and chlorine... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I stay warm in subzero (0°F, -18°C ) weather? Avoid eating sugary foods, the digestion of sugar tends to heat your core quickly, and then just as quickly your core temp goes back down. Eat some cheese right before going to sleep. This does not have the problem that sugary foods do. Drink warm liquids periodically during the day. Keep a small... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: River crossing in winter? Use fly fishing waders with fly fishing boots. underneath use your regular pants with whatever undergarments you normally wear (thermals, etc). The fishing waders and boots will keep everything dry, and by using a base layer (which you probably normally do anyway) you will be warm enough for the cros... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Online website to track A.T. section hikes and overall progress? I don't know about online website, but you can use a handheld GPS like Etrex to keep track of your progress. And since this stores GPS in a common format, you can import this data into another program that will render it in Google Maps which you can then display on your web browser. (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What's the problem with electrolyte imbalance and how do I mitigate it? Your body needs a certain amount of salt (electrolytes) to process water (and also for many other bodily functions). If you don't have enough electrolytes then your body's use of water is not optimal. A typical American diet gives you enough electrolytes so that you actually do not need to do anythin... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What's the most remote place in the contiguous US? The answer to your question is: the middle of the Selway-Bitteroot/River-of-No-Return Wildnerness in Idaho. These are actually two wilderness areas joined together (separated by a single dirt road) which together form the largest roadless area and the largest wildnerness in the Continental US. The Se... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Tent placement? I look for flat ground on dirt or grass free of pebbles not underneath dead branches (which could fall and hit you while you sleep) (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the point of hiking boots, versus any comfortable walking shoes? I find that hiking boots help protect my ankles and feet from twigs and things that can scratch or hit against them, help prevent rain from getting in (I can wear long pants with sneakers but still water will get inside), and protect my toes from stubbing them against rocks and boulders. Also the sol... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What equipment do I need as a beginner outdoor rock climber? Years ago in college I took an outdoor rock-climbing class, and what I bought for it were shoes and chalk. I didn't buy anything else, as the ropes and belaying equipment were already provided by the instructor when we went out to climb. Chances are pretty good that if you go with a group of people, ... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I keep the loose ends of backpack straps from blowing around? interesting question. I usually carry a couple things like GPS and knife that loop onto the belt, so these things actually keep the strap ends in check. ... But if I didn't have these things, I'd probably do one of two things: use a small Velcro strap (so called "cable ties" that you can purchase a... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: When should you carry a firearm when hiking/trekking? I used to do a lot of backpacking with my wife in the backcountry in the Rocky Mountains. The places we hiked were remote - often hours would pass without seeing anybody else. I gave thought to getting a handgun, as protection from bad folks and/or wildlife. My father and I are fisherman, not hunters... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the best way to store my tent? Open it up, sweep it out, let it air dry if it's damp, and pack it up and keep it dry. (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: As an experienced backpacker in the Eastern US, what should I know before hiking in the Western US? The mountains in the West are larger, higher elevation, and therefore possibly more strenuous than what you're used to. So: extra physical preparation and altitude climatization. Generally the Western mountains are drier than the East, so you don't need as much of the equipment for rain than you wou... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How safe is sleeping in bear country? I have backpacked and camped in the Rocky Mountains most of my life (and also more recently in the Sierra Nevadas) and have never had any issues with bears. I would say that as long as you're not sleeping with food in your tent, it's highly unlikely you'll ever have a bear encounter while you are sno... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Trail gun for protection against bears A .357 for any type of bear that is not a grizzly. For a grizzly there is no handgun that will help you - all you will end up doing is upsetting it and making it more aggressive. 11/4: Additional info. Quick internet search reveals the following thread, which is reasonable due to the amount of parti... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you flavour your water on camping trips? I take the small packets of gatorade or similar that offers flavor plus electrolytes. I find that flavouring helps to make certain sources of water palatable when filtering it out in the backcountry. (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Yellowstone back country camping trip? It's unclear whether you are experienced in backpacking. Are you asking how is Yellowstone different compared to other locations, or are you asking how to prepare for backpacking in general? In the first case, Yellowstone would be different than some other places due to: geothermal activity. you c... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I test out my equipment before a backpacking trip? You can test everything at home, in your yard, and at the gym. At home, test your water filter, setting up the tent in the backyard, assembling and lighting your stove and boiling some water (don't forget your windscreen), any fishing gear you might have, and setting up a fire in your backyard. At... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How should I pack for a week of backpacking in the rain? Before, you leave treat your equipment with water-repellant spray, and consider taking a small bottle with you. Some things that come to mind: raincover for your backpack breathable rain jacket/poncho. You don't want to use something that is not breathable because you end up sweating a lot waterpr... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What to look for when purchasing a fixed blade knife I carry two knives when i'm backpacking: a small Swiss army knife (the "Classic" model) and a large hunting knife (I can't remember the brand, it is a good quality one, cost about $150). The Swiss army knife is lightweight and indispensable for its use as a can opener, for gutting fish, and general p... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: When to kill and bleed a fish After you kill and gut the fish, then clean it (wash it and scale it, if it needs scaling.) I don't know what you mean by "bleeding" a fish: I only ever gut it. After doing this, you do not actually need to put it in the cooler. You can leave it out for a couple hours, it will not spoil. This has bee... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What wild animals are there in California that can be dangerous or create hassles, and how do I avoid problems with them? Different parts of California have different wildlife, so you should probably narrow the region. Anyway, I'll talk about the areas I'm familiar with. In the Santa Cruz mountains, there are a lot of pumas (mountain lions.) Encounters are very rare. The advice is that if you do encounter one, make you... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Would 4mil polyethylene plastic make a good tarp tent? Clear Plastic Tarp? In my experience, even heavy plastics tear easily with wind. This from trying to use such plastics to cover cargo that I'm hauling with a truck. I think this would be the only thing that would deter me from using such a thing as a tarp. (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can we catch the smallmouth/striped bass in our lake? Well, I'm not a good bass fisherman, so I can't say much, except that the only times I've caught smallmouth was in rocky ledges of the lakes using nightcrawlers on the bottom. Maybe add some boulders/large rocks in certain parts of the lake and perhaps the bass will congregate in those areas. (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Hiking possibilities near Silicon Valley I live in Sunnyvale and my favorite place for hiking is Rancho San Antonio near the Los Altos Hills. It butts up against the Santa Cruz mountains, and there are a network of trails including some that venture into the mountains. I like this area because there are some great views of the bay, and much... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I take duct tape with me backpacking? What I do is wrap the duct tape around a pencil. I just wrap as much as I might need and since I also need/want to take a pencil it kills two birds with one stone. I've been doing this for years. (more)	—	almost 10 years ago