Activity for DavidR‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: Most Eco-Friendly way to Identify a Climbing Route Muir Valley is a privately owned area, so presumably the coins are acceptable to the retired couple that owns it. Don't know about Ontario, but in the US (the Red River Gorge aside) most climbing areas are owned by federal or state governments who may likely have regulations against physically marki... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Do you footprint the inside of your tent, outside, or both? I've used a double liner (one inside the tent, one outside) before, and it was very effective. When I was in high school, I went on a multi-day backpacking trip where it rained every day. This was in the forecast, and bringing the double liner was the only thing that kept the water out. You could ... (more)	—	about 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I boost morale on long backpacking trips? Backpacking trips force people to live at a radically different pace than what most people are used to. There's a lot less stimulus that we get in a city. Most outdoorsy people find it wonderful, but there are people out there that just don't. Some people are just wired to need more stimulus. Tha... (more)	—	about 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Which is more durable: Hard shell or soft shell? First off - whether one is more durable or not, they're somewhat different products. Whether you need one or the other is more based on what you're doing than on "durability". Hardshell vs Softshell note - these are marketing terms in the US outdoor industry. Apparently they're not standard inter... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can a walking style be changed? So, I have (I think) the opposite problem - the outside edges of my shoes wear more quickly than the inside edges. This kind of problem is common among runners, you can look at running websites for ideas about how to fix it. I was never able to fully fix the problem, buuuut... Treating the symptom... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are trekking poles proven to be helpful? I've heard rumors of studies that show that trekking poles reduce the force on your legs during a hike (by transferring it to your arms). The only reference to a study I could find was this one, but I wouldn't know how to verify that the study was well constructed. 2010 UK Study This showed about ... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to apply duct tape and mole skin to prevent blisters? So, like I said, I'm not a great expert on using duct tape and moleskin. I'm writing an answer because someone specifically asked. :) My experiences: First off - applying duct tape or moleskin to your feet is a skill you develop through trial and error. Make sure that you learn to do it BEFORE g... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why do many climbers appear to not trust their belay loops? I've seen this kind of behavior. I think there's a tendency for people to want to continue to do things the way they're used to doing them, and the way they were originally trained. It can be a little frustrating when someone comes along and tells you that the new "right way" to do something is dif... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: What do you risk when you ignore blisters and carry on walking? The risk is that the blisters will get worse and worse, and continue to interfere with your hiking experience. They can get larger, more painful, and eventually tear open and risk getting infected. This process can happen fairly quickly - from the first time you notice pain in your feet, blisters c... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Will barefoot walking harden the skin and help prevent blisters when trekking in heavy shoes? Maybe? It may depend on where you're getting the blisters. A lot of the blisters that I get from hiking boots are on my heels, or on the sides of my toes. I don't think that barefoot walking would help build calluses in those places. If you want to walk barefoot, go ahead an experiment with that.... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Hardening the skin on the whole body (not only soles) Scar Tissue You would need to strike a balance between doing enough damage to build callouses, and not doing so much damage that you cut yourself (and build scar tissue). Scar tissue is weaker than regular skin, and can take weeks to a couple months to fully heal, and get strong again. My somewhat... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the minimum set of shoes required for hiking outdoors Knee and Anlke pain In your question, you mention that you have recently been experiencing knee and ankle pain from hiking. Reading it again, it sounds like you're almost trying to find the "right" kind of outdoor shoes because your knees and ankles hurt while you were hiking in sneakers. IMHO, ge... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: What can I do with a retired rope and harness? I've never done it personally, but you can weave an old rope into a rug. There are several patterns on the Internet. Here's one if them: So You Want to Make a Rope Rug Eh! With an old harness, I'd recommend either: if it's still structurally sound, and less than 5 years old, keep it as a loaner... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: What to do with the lap coiled rope if the belayer wishes to lead consecutive pitches? The best way, when it works It usually works to grab the whole mass of coils, and flip them over when handing them to the second. When you're doing this, care has to be taken that you don't wrap one of the ends around one of the climber's anchor cord. The leader (when bringing up the second) has t... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: How tight should the line be kept for toproping? It depends. If you're in a climbing gym, or some scenario where you're belaying someone on toprope on a route that's less than 50' tall, runs straight up-and-down ( so there's no chance for the climber to swing dangerously), or crash into a ledge then the exact amount of tension is somewhat of a p... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Toproping with two ropes joined by a double fisherman's The Ethic So, the ethic among experienced climbers is to not toprope on the base of a popular multipitch route. In addition to the safety issues you point out, its just not fair to the people who invested the time to learn to lead. Especially not a destination place like Yosemite Valley where peop... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should a carabiner ever be clipped to the tie-in loops and should anything other than a carabiner ever attach to the belay loop? Oh, your 3rd question (I didnt see it): Is it unsafe to have multiple connections to a single point while switching from climbing to rappelling (e.g. a rope and sling through the tie-ins, or two biners through the belay loop if I'm clipped to both a rope and a sling)? Those are 2 separate questions... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: If an autoblock inteferes with a belay device will a fireman belay have any effect? I think you understand this, but just for the record: The recommendation is to learn how to use an autoblock correctly, and to make sure that the loops of the autoblock won't get caught in the belay device. This is done by a) extending the belay device, possibly with an anchor chain, and b) getting... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should a carabiner ever be clipped to the tie-in loops and should anything other than a carabiner ever attach to the belay loop? Question: Should I girth hitch my main belay loop Answer: No! You shouldn't girth-hitch a sling to your belay loop. The belay loop should only ever be in contact with a carabiner, as the trained instructor told you. As the instructor told you, girth hitching to the main belay loop will cause it e... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the correct way to attach an autoblock to your harness for rappelling? Leg loop verses main belay loop You'll find recommendations for placing an autoblock on either the leg loop or the main belay loop. Some concerns about either placement are: Leg Loops If you're placing an autoblock on your leg loop AND you're using a "quick release" buckle, the carabiner that's ... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should food be in a bear bag/canister even when I'm hiking? I think the regulations are so strict because the park service wants to keep a level of discipline about how hikers manage their food, so that none is accidentally left in a pack, and the oils and crumbs from food don't contaminate a pack. This avoids scenarios where food was left in a pack unintent... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can I get away with less advanced food storing methods if backpacking in areas where meeting bears is unlikely? You propose packing food deeply in your backpack. I'd specifically recommend against that. Bears (and other wild animals) have vastly more acute senses of smell than humans, and they won't hesitate to chew through your pack to get at anything buried there. Even if there aren't bears in an area, th... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: What to teach someone who wants to start lead climbing? Entire books and multi-day training classes are built around thus topic. Climbers spend months either following a more experienced leader, or taking risks and learning stuff the hard way. Lead rock climbing is a complex skill, and I feel like reducing it to a simple Q&A would give people a fals... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: What kind of mementos, if any, am I allowed to collect from State and National parks in small quantities? The old advice is to "Take nothing but pictures, and leave nothing but footprints". Almost any amount of memento-taking is going to lead to some kind of impact in anything but the most isolated of areas. The details of what is and isn't legal are going to vary with the exact area you're in -in the... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: How safe is the bowline knot in different situations? In the context of rock climbing, compared to a figure-8 knot, bowlines are: About as strong under ideal circumstances BUT: Can come untied on their own when unloaded Are more difficult to visually inspect (important, because climbers frequently rely on partners to check their knots, and may be ... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to maintain climbing strength while training for a marathon You're framing this as a question of "how much will this hurt my climbing"? I wonder if you could use this down time from actual climbing as a chance to focus more on pure climbing specific strength training, and possibly come out of the whole process a stronger climber. Something I tend to do is a... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: When do small waterfalls get significant freezing There's a distinction here between ice formations and actual frozen waterfalls. A large percentage of the ice formations you'll see (including your 1st picture) aren't actual running waterfalls, but cliffs or steep gullies that in the summer would just appear damp and mossy. The "low" volume of water... (more)	—	over 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Rappelling in the Rain Disclaimer - I should mention that my answer only applies in the context of the original question. I'm discussing my experience rappeling in a rock climbing context, using a dynamic single or half rope, a "stich-plate" or tubular belay device, and an autoblock backup (not a prussik). I can't speak ... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: For what it's worth: climbing-tape I've always just used tape marketed towards climbers (including Metolius brand tape) and reused the gloves, applying more tape as needed (although I have friends who make new gloves every time). Gloves last me almost a whole season in this fashion, so I don't worry about price too much. Other athleti... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What's the best protection for my knees while bouldering? It doesn't really go away with time. At least not for me - when I'm on a hard gym route I tend to ignore any holds that are "off" for that route, and every now and then I'll hit one with an elbow or knee. Also outside, while you want to emphasize using your feet, ever now and then you'll find yours... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Safest months to hike in Colorado You ask: "Don't these offset the dangers mentioned above? To me it seems like the threat of getting caught in a summer afternoon lightning storm and forced to get down the mountain quickly is about as dangerous as the threats a person runs into in the winter." You're right. There are risks in all ... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I mount a hangboard in an apartment? You have a few options: Don't worry about the lease and accept the fact that you may lose your security deposit. You can take the board down before you move out, spackle over the holes, and hope the landlord doesn't notice. I live in the US, and that seems to be the preferred option here. Everyo... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What can I do to help relieve joint pain in fingers after climbing? Rest? Sometimes this kind of pain can be a sign of overtraining. In the question, the poster doesn't say how frequently he climbs, or how long he's been climbing, so its hard to formulate an exact recommendation. If you're just feeling a tremendous amount of lower-grade soreness, try reducing th... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Trail maintenance: what is considered inappropriate when maintaining a trail? If you want to help maintain trails, its usually better to volunteer with an existing organization with a relationship with the park, than to try and act on your own. Its not always going to be possible to know what the exact appropriate / inappropriate line is when you're out on your own hiking. S... (more)	—	almost 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Winter food : Should I change my habits for winter? One other difference - in the winter, your food and water can freeze during the day. Make sure that your lunch (or anything else you'd eat without cooking) is something that you can actually chew when its frozen. Also, camelback-style water bladders can be a little more difficult to use, as the wat... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Energy bars for outdoors activities: what are the important criteria? Here are a few things I look for: Bars that don't melt when they're warm. Anything with chocolate will become gooey in the summer Bars that don't freeze easily when its cold. I've found that Powerbars just become little frozen bricks anytime its below freezing. I like bars with all natural ingred... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to prevent skin cracks? You should use some kind of moisturizing hand lotion. There are a lot of brands, and I don't really have a preference. I like to make sure I get an unscented version, since most moisturizers are market towards women and have floral aromas. Put it on your skin once or twice a day, and the dry crack... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What natural (non-synthetic) fabrics are good for the winter? You probably want wool. Wool has a fairly good warmth to weight ratio, and keeps most of its warmth when its wet. You can get wool products for both base layers and insulating middle layers. "Merino wool" is the style of wool that seems to be popular for high end outdoor wear now. They can be exp... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What backwoods trick to get pure water produces the most safe water? This isn't in the spirit of the original question, but if you want to make sure you have enough water in the back woods, remember that proper planning is going to be the safest strategy. To me, proper planning would include: Having a good sense of where you can find water in that region. Is it a ... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you know if smaller brands of climbing equipment are safe? When choosing a brand, there are two basic things I'd want to check: Has the product been certified by the UIAA? You can check that site to see if it's on the list. For a harness, will the gear shop let you try a harness on, and hang in it (in the store) before you buy it? I'd want to know how co... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I treat a blister? How can I prevent getting them in the first place? You mention that they're newer boots in your post. You could also wear them enough to make sure you've broken them in BEFORE your big hiking trip. Wear them to work (if you can get away with it). Wear them on the stairmaster in the gym (if you're doing 20 minute sessions, blistering may not be as ... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to properly lace hiking boots? It sounds like the problem that you're getting is that your ankles are swelling up too much. This could easily be caused by wearing boots that are laced too tightly. It could also be caused by other factors. It can be comforting to have a very snug fit when you're doing technical scrambling, but t... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are used climbing shoes safe? You shouldn't buy used safety equipment (ropes, harnesses, carabiners, etc) because you don't know if the previous owner handled them properly (maybe they splashed bleach on the rope?). But shoes aren't really considered "safety related" - if the shoes did fail in a climb, it would be no different t... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to inspect climbing bolts? This may speak to some of your concerns: American Safe Climbing Association The American Safe Climbing Association publishes guidelines for safe bolting. Their stuff usually targets the people who are actually doing the bolting, but can be worth reading for general purposes. They have articles on ... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there a consensus or ethic for rappelling off a tree? I know that on the east coast, a couple of the park services have been pushing the climbing community to install bolt anchors as a replacement for nests of old slings around trees. This is in part because slinging anchors around trees can damage the bark, and sometimes eventually kill the tree. Th... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What equipment do I need as a beginner outdoor rock climber? Its not a piece of equipment, but if you're transitioning to climbing out doors, you probably want to have some training in how to rig a toprope, and / or how to lead. Climbing guidebooks that advertise areas as "for all levels" still presume a basic understanding of how to rig a toprope, or how to ... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What hand and finger exercises help with climbing? This is a common question for beginners to ask. Climbing feels overwhelmingly strenuous when you're starting out. There are a variety of exercises that are recommended to strengthen your fingers, I can enumerate them below, but some are given in other answers. But I want to emphasize the following... (more)	—	over 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Using a Girth Hitch in Alpine Draws By coincendince, I asked the same question to a guide last weekend. His response was this: There is going to be some reduction in the strength of the webbing from the girth hitch. Especially thinner materials like dynemma. Its going to be minor, but still there. Its possible to carry a small num... (more)	—	over 12 years ago