Activity for Lostâ€
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edit | Post #41586 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #41546 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #41545 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #41544 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #41543 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #40986 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #40979 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #40934 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #40672 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #40594 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
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A: How does weather affect an altimeter watch? In simplest terms, as you climb, the air pressure around you decreases and your watch subsequently registers an increase in elevation. However, thunderstorms are often associated with a low-pressure weather system moving in, which will also register on your barometer. This can erroneously be interpr... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: What to do when a moose blocks the trail? "Mynd you, møøse bites Kan be pretti nasti..." Moose attacks are common in North America. This is largely due to population numbers (you'll see more moose than bear) as much as people's lack of understanding of the risk. People will approach them, attempt to pet them, etc. If left alone, ... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: What are these large black and white waterfowl with red around the eyes? Sorry to ruin your enchantment, but from the photos, it looks like a Muscovy duck: a species native to Central and South America and Mexico, but considered invasive in the United States. They are often acquired as pets, then released (or escape) and can quickly overrun an area. They are indicated i... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Acclimitization: Would 20 min at an "oxygen bar" deliver more than an ephermal boost to a healthy person? Save your money. Although oxygen can be used to provide temporary relief from the symptoms of AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness), it will not affect the process of acclimatization. As you body adapts to the higher elevation gradual changes in your respiratory and cardiovascular systems, as well as you b... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How much experience is needed with llamas to hike with a llama, on one's own? Yes. Lots of farms rent llamas. Most require at minimum a 1/2 day "orientation" course in how to handle a llama. This includes things like the care and feeding of the animal, as well as how to pack the animal properly to keep the load manageable and balanced. An overnight with a handler would be mor... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Toothpaste in the back-country and the principle of leave no trace Even for "multi-week" trips, brushing with water alone is not going to compromise your tooth health. The abrasive action of the brush does most of the work, and missing the flouride hit for a few days won't affect your teeth in the least. Plus, it saves weight. So, the best LNT option: don't use it. ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: What material is the wick under the burner on a multi-fuel stove? The priming wick on multi-fuel stoves is usually made of fiberglass material, and provides more surface area which makes harder to light fuels easier to ignite. Multi-fuel stoves (such as the one you mention, or the Whisperlight International) are able to burn a wide range of fuels -- some of which ... (more) |
— | over 10 years ago |
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A: Testing waterproofness of outdoor apparel Put on the gear to test Turn on the shower (adjust temperature to your liking) Walk into the shower Perform a series of movements (walk in place, jumping jacks, etc) Turn off shower Inspect gear for damp spots on the inside This method allows you to control energy exertion (minimize sweat) and exp... (more) |
— | almost 11 years ago |
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A: Will any filter/pump purifier last through longer hikes? Without getting into any specific recommendations, pretty much any decent water filter you can find will get you through well more than 20 liters and several days. By decent, I mean the standard ones you will find at a good outdoor shop: MSR, SweetWater (now also MSR), Katadyn, PUR. I've used filt... (more) |
— | about 11 years ago |
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A: When are cotton socks actually better? I carry a pair of cotton socks on every backpacking trip for one reason: To sleep in. After a day on the trail, nothing like a dry pair of comfortable cotton socks to absorb all that foot moisture and leave your feet toasty dry by morning. Helps keep your feet happy and healthy. Bonus ProTip: A c... (more) |
— | about 11 years ago |
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A: What is the recommended wilderness first aid treatment for a scorpion sting? The best thing for a scorpion sting: wash the area apply an ice-pack or cold compress consider aspirin or ibuprofen for pain and swelling wait it out There is nothing else you can do. They can hurt. A lot. But generally aren't an issue. The exception to this rule, is the Arizona bark scorpion wh... (more) |
— | about 11 years ago |
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A: How to put trekking poles in back pack? You can fully collapse the poles inside your bag and lock them with no problem. There are dozens of different locking mechanisms, but most operate the principle of friction: either twisting an internal screw forces wedges apart, or flicking shut an external lever squeezes the outside tube down on t... (more) |
— | about 11 years ago |
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A: Do you footprint the inside of your tent, outside, or both? Footprints: Zero? Sure. One? Good. Two? Nice. Three? Great. Four? Bomb-proof! My point is this: if you have a waterproof floor on your tent, you don't need any footprint. The trouble is, you are subjecting your tent floor to the abuses of rocks, sticks, sea-shells, brambles, or whatnot - meaning... (more) |
— | about 11 years ago |
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A: A Hat or a Cap? I assume by hat you mean mean a full-brim hat, while by cap you are referring to a baseball cap (brim in front only)? Regardeless, in all instances of hiking anywhere with intense sun, your best bet will be: a hat The wider the brim the better, to keep the sun off your neck, ears, nose and shoulder... (more) |
— | about 11 years ago |
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A: Clarification sought on the six-inch-cat-hole rule The recommended depth you mention is standard Leave no Trace guidelines for most regions, and strikes a balance between: Getting it out of site (and other feet) Keeping it from running off Keeping it near the layer of organic soil Burying too deep can be a problematic from a health and safety sta... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: Sleeping solutions when camping with dogs? The breed of dog will make a difference, but most "backpacking" dogs will do just fine in the open or under the tarp with you. A dog's metabolism works differently than humans, and they generate a lot more body heat. Consider sled dogs that stick their nose under their tail and sleep through a driv... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: How to make a fire without burning the ground If you absolutely must have a fire, reset your thinking from "fire pit" to "fire mound" Creating a fire mound is a great way to enjoy a back-country fire with little to no impact to the ground / vegetation. Carry a small sheet of plastic, burlap, or a section of an old fire shelter, or anything of... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: How to estimate the depth of a pool of water from a distance above? The only way to judge the depth of water with any certainty is to get in it, swim around, and dive repeatedly to the bottom searching for objects (trees, boulders, the body of the last person who leaped before the looked.) Sure there may be ways that can help you estimate depths to degrees (see Rory... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: Is it possible to use gaiters on flat/minimalist shoes? Gaiters can be used on any shoes... even sandals. Of course their efficacy might be limited. The biggest thing to consider is how low the gaiters ride on the body of the shoe. If you cinch the bottom strap as tight as you can, yet the gaiter still rides up over the top of you shoe (usually at the ... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: To stuff or not to stuff (the rain-fly of a tent) Folding becomes an issue if you religiously fold in the same spot over and over -- say line up the corners all pretty and re-fold. Try this with any plastic, thin metal, etc... fold, unfold, fold, unfold, fold ad infinitum, and it will weaken and fail. If you fold a different way each time, then you... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: Logs & Rocks - Step on or over? The answer will vary depending on WHERE you are: Desert: Lots of dry rock. Lots of ledges. Lots of snakes. Better to look before you leap over one. And, you get pretty good at judging which rocks might shift on you before you step on them. Lots of people I've hiked with have had their ankles narrowl... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: What is Arc'Teryx Technical down? According to this blog: http://blogs.militarytimes.com/gearscout/2013/01/21/down-is-coming-from-arcteryx/ it simply refers to Arc'teryx getting into the down game at all (previously having no down offerings). With respect to hydrophobic down, the entry states: Carl told us they considered using r... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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Recipe for backcountry ice cream? In honor of National Ice Cream Month, does anyone have a good back-country ice cream recipe they could share? Bonus points for ones that don't require ice (ice field, glacier, etc.) (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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Does having sex in the back-country attract bears or other critters? As stated in the title: is there any evidence that the hormones etc that the body produces during intercourse increases one's likelihood of encountering a bear in the back-country? (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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Are bears more attracted to menstruating females? People have speculated that women hiking in bear country during their menstrual cycle might increase their chances of a bear encounter. Is this true? What can be done to minimize risk? Related question: Handling feminine hygiene on multiple-month treks? (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: How to apply duct tape and mole skin to prevent blisters? Blisters are caused by friction. Your skin is not very slippery. Applying moleskin and duct-tape over a "hot-spot" adds a protective layer between your skin and shoe. Thus as your shoe slides, it rubs against the tape or mole-skin instead of your skin. Pointers: Use enough tape/mole-skin to cover ... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: How to Tell When Minimal Running Shoes Are Worn Out? It's less about the type of shoe, but how your run in it. Minimalist running shoes should not "wear out" in the traditional sense since they have little or no padding to compress. Because many are just soles, then running until that sole is gone is perfectly fine. It is important to note that the ... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: Is it possible to develop immunity against mosquitos? Anecdotally - yes. I've heard it is possible, read it is possible, and have successfully done so myself while working in Wyoming's Wind River Range (on par with Alaska for its mosquitoes). Caveats: Although you might stop itching and swelling, you won't build up an immunity to West Nile, Dengue... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: How is hygiene possible with ocean water only? Good hygiene is a highly subjective benchmark. Clean enough for comfort might be different than clean enough for company. Ocean water, albeit salty, is water. You can bathe with it, wash clothes with it, wash dishes with it etc. Soap behaves differently (the surfectants don't suds as well) but you'l... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: reliability and performance of NIS mounting plates (x-country skis) Reliability: So far so good - no mass returns of skis due to breakage. Since the binding plate is integrated into the ski, there is more even distribution of force, where as five screws create five weak points. Advantages: The biggest advantage comes from being able to dial in the "sweet-spot" of th... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: NIS mounting plate for x-country skis: why only for NNN bindings? The first part of your question: "why non SNS bindings for NIS plates" seems to be purely a matter of proprietary systems and corporate competition. SNS is Solomon's baby, NIS is a collaborative between Fischer, Rossignol and Rottefella to make a truly Integrated System. Likely, Solomon is not allowe... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: Comfy inflatable pillows for car camping Inflatable pillows blow. (Get it? Ha ha! I kill me.) Seriously though - after years of battling inflatables (sticky in hot climes, slippery, hard to breathe when you are face down in them) I've found the most comfy pillow is a fleece jacket rolled loosely in a pillow case. You presumably have extra ... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: What is considered a water source, and why is it recommended to camp so far from them? Should I understand a water source to mean a spring/well, or any place where hikers may collect water (streams, lakes, etc.)? Yes. Any source of water - no matter how large or small - should be avoided when choosing a camp site. 100 meters is just a guideline, 200 meters is better. 200 meters ... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: When should you repair rock gouges in skis? The two biggest risks from gouges: Core Shot: This is when the gouge cuts through the base material to the core layers of the ski (usually wood or composite material). If moisture gets in between those layers (it will), it can cause the various layers of your ski to separate. This process of de-lam... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: What's the problem with electrolyte imbalance and how do I mitigate it? There are two types of water-based concerns while doing strenuous activity in the desert: dehydration and hyponatremia. Dehydration occurs when your body is not getting enough water, and is the most common. Symptoms include irritability, headache, lack of energy, bright yellow/orange and infrequent ... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: How should I remove a leech? Just grab and pull. Seriously, after years living in the leach-infested tropics where I would find 20 or so on me just from walking up to base-camp for breakfast, the only wrong way to remove a leech I have noticed, is by freaking out and shaking your appendage violently yelling "eeeeeewwwwww!" Yes... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: Does skiing over things like sticks, leaves, roots and tree needles damage the skis? You definitely need to be concerned if you are using waxless XC skis with fish scales under foot. Skiing over hard dead sticks can break off the edges of these scales (or wear them down over time) making them less effective on climbs. For smooth bottom skis, pine needles, roots, etc will likely do ... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: How thin is "too thin" for tent guylines? To answer the original question: At no point is the cord so small that you need to seriously worry about it cutting through the attachment points. Unless you pulling it through at high speed under pressure. Under normal use conditions there is not enough friction at these points to cut through (even... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: Camping in (US) national forests Camping regulations will vary according to area and land designation (wilderness, travel restricted, winter closures, etc...). Always check with the local Ranger District to get the details. That being said, there are a few general principles: Vehicle Camping: For the most part, you are allowed to... (more) |
— | over 11 years ago |
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A: What kinds of things are the "defensive driving" equivalent to handling campfires? First, lets dispel a common myth: Rock fire rings do absolutely nothing to contain, corral, or control a fire. That being said, a fire needs 3 things: air, fuel, and heat. An overabundance of one will create an uncontrollable fire. Thus, keep the following in mind: Consult the local fire condition... (more) |
— | almost 12 years ago |