Posts by Blackbear
During a recent backpacking trip, we hung the bear bag and got ready to set in for the night and I realized I wasn't sure what I should do with my backpack. Technically the backpack was carrying th...
I'll be doing some backpacking in sections of desert in Eastern Washington, U.S. and I was wondering if anybody has tips on food storage while hiking? There will be no trees to hang the food in. I...
In my personal experience, a headlamp is much better. It doesn't have the directional capabilities of a traditional flashlight, but it leaves your hands free for other tools. During an emergency hi...
I've been reading this book about mountain scrambling in Washington State, U.S., and at some points it mentions the idea of using a hand line on some more exposed routes to give something to hold o...
I have the Garmin Etrex 20 and I use it for everything from geocaching, to wilderness and kayaking navigation. Obviously this answer is just based on my personal experience with the device, I can't...
I just finished a 22.4 mile hiking trip, which was spread of two days and it's the furthest I've ever hiked. When I finished my body was killing me, apparently taking long day hikes is not a replac...
From my experience, I would recommend getting a larger pack, especially if you're planning to do longer trips. Also, if you ever go on a trip in the winter, it will usually require more clothing an...
Both my fiancee and myself bought some climbing gear recently and we're planning our first trip to an indoor rock gym this weekend. We decided to practice our knots and belay technique before we we...
I'm planning a mountain hiking trip and one of the issues is that the trails that we're following will almost certainly be covered in ice. There are two of us and we'll both be wearing shoe tractio...
I've always either used 3-in-1 oil or the gun oil, the kind used for cleaning and caring for firearms. These both have always worked fine for me for years and years of use. Usually I just wipe a s...
Obviously safety is usually a relative concept, what seems safe for you might not be for others, so answers here may vary. I don't have experience with geocaching, but I do have a lot of experienc...
When setting up a rappel anchor, using things like webbing, rings, that kind of stuff, what happens to the anchor when you get to the bottom? Assuming you can't hike to the top and grab it, do you ...
1.) I would be hesitant to advise you to put them in the dryer. I've never tried or experienced it myself, and my evidence is completely anecdotal, but I've heard that the neoprene has the potentia...
I've been wanting to get into rock climbing for a while but I live in a very flat area with no climbing gyms around. I'm planning on moving to the Pacific Northwest soon and I wanted to know what t...
In terms of the average hike that you talk about, with not reaching your intended campsite, there's really no difference in bivouacking and just camping without a tent. So you'd basically look for ...
Also, I'd like to add stay out of the wind. The wind will suck away any heat you build up, and unless you have a strong tent, cold air will pour in through the seams. One time we were dumb enough t...
To add to what others have mentioned, reptiles do indeed go into hibernation, but not in the thought of "traditional" hibernation, such as that of a bear or other mammals. Reptiles usually do burro...
