Charles E. Grant‭

Donkeys are not cars or bicycles. They have minds of their own, and they are considerably stronger than you. If you are going to use a donkey for trekking, you had better know enough about managing...

posted 6y ago by Charles E. Grant‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

alpine style remains relatively rare in the Himalayas Actually, as far as I can tell from the current climbing literature, alpine style climbs in the Himalaya are relatively common these days....

posted 6y ago by Charles E. Grant‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

March in Yosemite is considered winter, so you need to be prepared for cold temperatures and for snow. A sunny but cold day in the snow can be gorgeous and fun, but you have to also be prepared, so...

posted 5y ago by Charles E. Grant‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Ignoring the difficulties of travel (in summer you may need a boat, in winter, skis), then the current weather will make more difference then the season. Given the correct time and standard navigat...

posted 9y ago by Charles E. Grant‭  ·  last activity 9y ago by System‭

There are many different kinds of lice, but only three species can colonize humans. Lice are strongly adapted to a particular species and don't cross infect other species. They are also "obligate" ...

posted 7y ago by Charles E. Grant‭  ·  last activity 7y ago by System‭

While a shot of liquor or an applications of camphor may make you feel warmer, neither is actually providing heat. They are chemically stimulating nerve endings and "tricking" your body into dilati...

posted 7y ago by Charles E. Grant‭  ·  last activity 7y ago by System‭

Much of our clothing, particularly outdoorsy technical clothing, is made of plastic (nylon is a plastic). The plastic in our clothing is largely inert, but it is subject to mechanical wear and tear...

posted 6y ago by Charles E. Grant‭

Snowshoes are certainly useful in mountaineering and are widely used, at least in North America. Typically they are used on the approach and not so much on technical terrain. Many of the climbers I...

posted 5y ago by Charles E. Grant‭

Yes. My wife is a geologist and has been on a couple of research cruises in the south Pacific and Indian oceans. It used to be quite common to have a "swim call" when the seas were calm. The vessel...

posted 8y ago by Charles E. Grant‭  ·  last activity 8y ago by System‭

Not dropping the ice axe is a pro in some circumstances and a con in others. If you drop into a crevasse it would be really nice to hang on to your ice axe to aid in your rescue and finishing or ev...

posted 8y ago by Charles E. Grant‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

I do not have much alpine experience Climbing the Breithorn in the winter is a much different matter than in the spring or summer. Any 4,000 meter peak in the alps is subject to arctic weather...

posted 6y ago by Charles E. Grant‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

There are certainly folks who would say that the entire idea of keeping marine animals in captivity and on exhibit is bad for the animals. However, if you are willing to accept keeping them in capt...

posted 6y ago by Charles E. Grant‭  ·  last activity 6y ago by System‭

I just finished Caldwell's book Push. The big walls in Yosemite are essentially vertical deserts. Even in winter they're in the full sun much of the day. It would drop below freezing at night, but ...

posted 5y ago by Charles E. Grant‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

The non-breathable pants are usually considerably cheaper than the breathable ones. That can make them a better choice for activities that stand a good chance of ripping holes in the material, glis...

posted 5y ago by Charles E. Grant‭

Not all search and rescue organizations charge for their services, even for air evacuation. It varies from state to state and even county by county. In the US clubs like the Sierra Club, the Mazam...

posted 5y ago by Charles E. Grant‭