Activity for Simon Hodgson‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: Are roads in Iceland closed to hikers outside the winter? Hiking in the Iceland highlands/roads when there's snow on the ground is certainly allowed, although you'd find travel much easier on skis. Be aware in the winter/spring the roads and marker / sign posts are totally buried in snow. The mountain rescue service in Iceland will be happy to rescue you s... (more)	—	about 11 years ago
Question	—	Best type of rope for glacier travel? What sort of rope would be ideal for glacier travel? I have a 10mm 60m rope, but this is quite heavy. Would a 9mm 50m rope be suitable for a team of three, crossing glaciers in the Swiss Alps? (more)	—	about 11 years ago
Question	—	Booking Alpine huts I'm planning to head to the Alps this summer to walk the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt. Does anyhow know how far in advance I need to book the huts? Months, weeks or just a few days? Also there's a good chance our plans might well change en-route, due to weather conditions, am I likley to fin... (more)	—	about 11 years ago
Question	—	Do rescue services use avalanche transceivers in the UK? If mountain rescue teams in the UK were searching for a walker or climbing caught in an avalanche, would they start with a transceiver search? given that transceivers are infrequently carried by walkers and climbers in the UK. Maybe the answer is different for Scottish rescue teams, than English &am... (more)	—	about 11 years ago
Question	—	Why tunnel tents for the poles, Geodesic for the mountains? I've noticed that polar expeditions seem to favour tunnel tents, and mountaineering expeditions prefer geodesic designs. Is there a reason why one design fares better than the other in its preferred environment? (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Should I always take a hard hat if I go scrambling? You're right it's very rare to see anyone wearing a helmet whilst scrambling in the UK, that doesn't mean it's not a good idea though! As with a lot of safety equipment, it comes down to personal risk perception. One thing worth bearing in mind is how busy the route is. The popular routes in the UK ... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Search and rescue costs in Iceland? Looks like a bit of Googling found the answer I was after... I'm not 100% sure this is definative, but it does suggest that search and rescue is free. http://www.vagabondjourney.com/travelogue/iceland-search-and-rescue/ Can anyone else confirm this? (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Question	—	Search and rescue costs in Iceland? I'm about to take part in a Ski Tour across Iceland in a few weeks time, I've just noticed by travel insurance doesn't include Search & Rescue costs, here in the UK mountain search and rescue is provided free of charge, by volunteers and military. Does anyone know what the situation is in Icelan... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Question	—	Are there any reliable and/or easy to use "rule of thumb" guides for windchill calculations? Weather forecasters often give two tempertures, the actual air temperature and a 'feel like' temperture that takes into account wind speed. Is there a rule of thumb for calcualting the 'feels like temperature'? Something like -1 °C for every 0.5m/s wind. (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Question	—	How much fuel to carry for melting snow? I'm using a multi fuel stove (MSR Dragonfly) for a 10 day ski tour, how much fuel should I allow to provide sufficient water for cooking and drinking. Meals will be mostly dehydrated just-add-water types. I'm not expecting to need much (any) for washing! (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Do iodine water treatment tablets have negative effects? Well it's been banned for sale in Europe for use in purifying water. (http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2009/08/13/eu-ban-will-end-walkers-use-of-iodine) As that webpage mentions Chlorine is an alternative, but leaves a nasty taste (although I believe you can add another chemical to neutralise the tas... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How should I check climbing equipment to tell whether it is still safe to use? It's pretty hard to check gear without some high-tech equipment. Metalwork really needs to be x-rayed to see if there are any hidden cracks, and rope can be checked by cutting a length off and sending it for destructive drop testing. Neither of those your average climber would ever contemplate. So g... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are the downsides to sleeping in a hammock on a multi-day hike? In a lot of places it will be quite difficult finding two trees the right distance apart to hang it. When it's late and you've been walking all day, all you want to do is lie down and rest, you might spend quite a long time looking for those two trees. Here in the UK when it rains, it often comes ho... (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is there a definitive list of the tallest mountains in the world that require little or no mountaineering experience? There's a book published by Cicerone called 'Europe's High Points' which lists the highest peak in each country, and provides a pretty good description on how to climb them. There are plenty of easier ones to go at, as well as some more technical peaks (e.g. Mont Blanc) (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Question	—	Do I need skins to drag a pulk on skis? In a few weeks time I will be taking part in expedition skiing across Iceland. Our kit will be in pulks and we will be skiing with Nordic skis. Uphill I'm sure we'll need skins, but on the flatter sections, would grip wax provide enough traction? (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are some effective ways of reducing itching from a mosquito bite? You need an antihistamine cream, there are many different brands available, but you'll find them all similarly effective. (more)	—	about 12 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do you prevent mold in CamelBak hydration bladders? I clean it out then leave it to dry for a day or two. But you can never seem to get all of the water out of the hose, so I keep mine in the freezer. At -18 the mold can't grow. (more)	—	about 12 years ago