Posts by Pepi
I haven't been to Nepal but I currently live in Sichuan, near another edge of the Tibetan plateau. So here's my answer: Nepal, and everything near it, is in the monsoon climate- rainy in the summe...
Anecdotal evidence: my wife and I take periodic trips from a few hundred meters altitude to 3000-4000m (and sometimes over a pass at 4480m). We feel that going a little as one weekend per month pro...
Propylene glycol is allowed in alcoholic beverages up to 5%, and this would get you to about 29°F. You could probably throw in a little sugar, salt and good old ethanol to kick it down further. Re...
When aiding, you can use a slip knot to tie off a fixed piton close to the rock face (if the eye is broken). You can do the same thing for a chickenhead if its shaped in such a way that the rope mu...
BTDT I think, but I don't remember ever having a 'problem'. As a guy who camps and also gets to use squatty potties once in a while, here's my advice: First, ditch the shorts/pants it'll be much m...
Short answer: stay near the edges of a big concave slope, near trees or rocks that could stabilized the snow pack, or at least on a convex ridge where the snow should be less deep. Long answer: th...
Climbers have traditionally used redundancy for metal objects rather than ropes/slings/etc. because a piece of metal can fail completely, and instantly, from one crack. This is the same reason th...
Without some kind of ground anchor, you'll have to adapt your belay setup. First of all, the belayer doesn't have much choice about where to stand. Stand as close as you can to the first clipped d...
Avoiding the word 'ethical', I'll ask: Is it good for the forest to stop all fires, and let fuel accumulate? In North America this has led to many very destructive fires that kill every tree in t...
It might be overkill, but welding shops sell (at least) up to #5 shades as lightweight plastic glasses. Kinda ugly and very green, but the way darker than sun glasses. And you can still see the gro...
This is a broad question, so here's a broad answer: The coastal ranges north of SF are heavily forested and have narrow steep valleys.... and hillbillies and marijuana farms. Although as you go in...
In northern California, after a rainy winter, much of the coast ranges are green and grassy, especially as you get further from the Pacific. But timing is very important. In the same region, Pt. ...
There you go: http://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=8287543. In two languages, no less. A long trek to three peaks of Othrys mountain (Gerakovouni 1640 m, Gkiouzi 1725 m, Piliouras 1558 m...
Addition to ShemSeger's answer, from way back in my mind: A concave spot in the ice is stronger than a convex spot, given equal ice quality. The ice should be deeper than the screw is long, so th...
Do hang the food (or use a bear can, etc.) In my experience, wild animals are not deterred by dogs very much. A bear that lives close to humans might even be attracted to dogs: dogs frequently have...
SMC's site doesn't say anything very helpful but, keep in mind that 14kN is enough to lift a medium sized car. In a rappel only situation, it should last for years. That being said....using 'left ...
Going along the "homebrew supply" route, peracetic acid AKA PAA/peroxyacetic acid is a reasonably safe and very effective sanitizer. It's used in hospitals and by veterinarians, as well as in the b...
For AT/Randonee on mountains, you'll need to go up steep (~30°) slopes on skins. You'll need a skin will cover nearly the whole ski base, and that won't slide easily at all (I think my skins requir...
It's not necessary, but neither is using two non-lockers really. People usually use two carabiners because they will bend the rope less sharply, reducing friction when loaded (also reducing wear o...
Leather is awesome for standing up to sparks. Just ask a welder. And some people think it's good for going outdoors too.* *But not me.
I'm pretty sure bears can distinguish fresh food from year old residues. Otherwise nothing you own could ever go into bear country. Our clothes, cell phones, wallets etc have all been to so many mo...
I've found wearing them to be very effective. Just put them on in the morning and do whatever you were going to do. I've put on hiking boots that were soaked from wet grass, or soaked & frozen ...
If you've missed by only a little bit, then you should be able to rap down anyway. Removing the knots, plus the rope stretch, will add a some length. But it would be best to have a plan B in case y...
Layers of fleece plus a very wind resistant outer shell. Anything else (Carhartt type clothes, leather, Mongolian reindeer skins...) will be heavy as heck. Full face coverage would be smart, but it...
This isn't a scientific evidence based answer, but I think that line should not be changing much, as it should have more to do with snow cover than temperature. This article on the history of sno...
