Activity for helm‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Edit	Post #40435	Initial revision	—	over 4 years ago
Answer	—	A: What materials from nature can you use to build a pair of skis on a mountain? From your heading I gather the mountain in your story is covered in snow. If the slope allows it, then I'd skid down on my behind. Grab something like a suitably formed stone to be able to perform a self-arrest. Any kind of skis you could expect to build up there would perform far worse. (more)	—	about 5 years ago
Answer	—	A: Hallstatt trek: Obertraun to Lodge am Krippenstein Your trail appears to follow a ski slope all the way, so you can pretty much rule out ferratas or technical climbing. Still, the snow may cover some rougher terrain in the winter (like streams that can be difficult to cross), so I'd not rely on this alone. It may not be the nicest kind of terrain to ... (more)	—	over 5 years ago
Question	—	What are these rusted metal objects found on a beach? On a very secluded beach on the Faroe Islands (half a day's hike from the nearest road, and you have to climb down a 50m cliff using an old rope), I found these rusted metal objects. They're about 80cm long (daisies for scale) and lay near a lot of driftwood and old buoys. My first suspicion would b... (more)	—	about 7 years ago
Question	—	Did I see a wolf's pawprint? This weekend, I was hiking in the Spanish Sierra de Guadarrama. On a small trail north of Navacerrada (used by only a handful of people each day at the moment), at 1905m height, I encountered the pawprint you can see below. It was set in a patch of old snow directly on edge of the path. I actually re... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Question	—	Any reasons not to use 30-year-old ice axe? I'll be doing a guided tour which includes going up a steep slope on a glacier, therefore I need an ice axe. I could rent one for a couple of bucks from the tour organizers, but I was wondering if there is any reason not just to use my dad's 30-year-old ice axe (if the length is ok). I can't see a... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Geocaching websites A derivate of Geocashing is Geohashing, which started with an xkcd comic. The basic principle is the same: you take a pair of coordinates and try to get there. What differs is the way these coordinates are generated. As the page linked above describes, they are generated randomly each day for each 1&... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the most efficient food to take a for a 12-15 day hiking trip? Recently, nutritional drinks that fulfil the complete nutritional requirements of adults (optimum proportion of carbohydrates, proteins, fats and other nutritients) have been on the rise. Backpackers are probably not the target audience, but their needs should be served pretty well by these shakes. ... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the best mountaineering quote that you have ever read? "The mountains are calling and I must go." -- John Muir, the naturalist who had in great influence on the preservation of e.g. Yosemite and Sequoia National Park The quote may be rather commonly used, but I still like it very much. It can, for example, be found on a large sign at the city limit... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Question	—	Reusing the same water bottle for drinking tap water Recently, I've started drinking more and more tap water instead of buying bottles all the time (which is usually absolutely no issue in Germany). I like to use a bottle for that not fill a glass all the time. At the moment, I'm using 1-l-bottles like this. They're meant to be reused, and the plastic... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Question	—	Black bears and torch lights I am hiking in black bear country (no other kinds of bears there). It's dark, I have a whistle hanging around my neck to scare away such a potential bear and I'm using my torch light to be able to see the path. Now, for some reason, the light and noise I made till now were not enough to scare away a... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you locate the "North Star"? Adding this mainly because it's a different kind of approach. The other ones are usually more practical, but this is an alternative that does not require remembering any constellations. If you have a rough idea and a camera, you can take a long exposure (30s minimum, more is better) and check which ... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Backpacking propane canister too tall and unstable Looking at the photo, if the ground is as soft as that, burying the canister by 2-3 cm could help a lot. If you're camping at a beach and bury it halfway in the sand, then that should even work in high winds. Apart from that, if you're willing to buy a new stove, there are a number of them that come... (more)	—	about 10 years ago
Question	—	Personal Locator Beacon registration - warning text I purchased a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) and followed the link printed on its back side (beaconregistration.noaa.gov). Following the instructions on the page, I am somewhat put off by the message displayed at the registration page: WARNINGWARNINGWARNING This is a United States Department ... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	What does the status "W: Available at the Facility" mean regarding trail permits? When looking for trail permits for a particular trail at recreation.gov, I almost always see the status "W: Available at the Facility" for today and the next day, and rarely anything available for 2 or more days in advance. Does this "W" status really mean that you can be pretty sure to get a permit... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	Satellite phone payment plans for irregular use I've been looking if there is an alternative to renting a satellite phone when it's to be used in absolute emergencies only. As far as my searches showed, most prepaid plans have very short expiration times like a month, and for subscriptions you pay a lot without talking a single minute. Did I mis... (more)	—	over 10 years ago
Question	—	Compare running fitness to hiking I'm currently in the US for an internship and the idea of climbing Mt. Whitney appeals to me. I know you need a permit, but there is a good chance on getting one spontaneously. I know about proper equipment and I have hiking experience from the Swiss and French Alps, up to 13,000ft, but this is 2 ye... (more)	—	over 10 years ago