Activity for Andrew‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: Is it dangerous to sleep in a tent alone in a forest in -20°C? -20 celsius is not particularly cold, but 3 weeks summer hiking experience is not particularly helpful. You might not kill yourself, but you probably won't thank yourself, either. (more)	—	almost 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Does low blood pressure have an effect on Acute Mountain Sickness? There is no documented scientific relationship between individual blood pressure and AMS. Furthermore, your guide appears to be completely mis-informed as to the mechanics of AMS. The most common symptom of AMS - a roaring headache - is caused by swelling of the brain as the body attempts to make u... (more)	—	almost 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Are nutrition bars/energy bars good for high altitude treks? Energy bars (and protein bars, power bars, etc) are typically dehydrated in order to improve shelf life as well as increase the ratio of calories/nutrients to weight. Their longevity and energy per ounce make them ideal foods for hikers and mountaineers, but your body will require some additional wa... (more)	—	almost 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I acclimatize to cold? Acclimatization isn't purely psychological; it is actually a physiologically different response based upon recent exposure and experience. Layering down over a period of time (days to weeks) could theoretically alter your biochemistry on a cellular level as you develop a different proportion of memb... (more)	—	almost 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: How many calories (aprox.) do we lose when washing in (very) cold water? I don't have any good references for calorie expenditure, given that there are so many variables, so I will leave that to someone with a proper reference. In my personal experience in cold-weather, back country hiking and camping, the best time to wash is not at the end of a day's exertion when you ... (more)	—	almost 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to warm up your cold toes and fingers? Swinging your arms and legs to move blood to your extremities is good advice and will overcome your body's vasoconstriction response, but keep in mind you should also layer up after doing this since you are driving heat energy away from your core. If you are in camp, drinking a hot beverage (and als... (more)	—	almost 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: What does it need to maintain clothes including membranes For water-resistant or water-proof gear, I apply a DWR (durable water repellent) finish via aerosol spray about once or twice a year to gear that absolutely needs it (rain shell, rain pants, hiking pants, boots). I try to do this as infrequently as possible, or before a winter trips where failure of... (more)	—	almost 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: What precautions should I take to protect myself and my camp from bears? If you wear a bear bell on your backpack, your fellow hikers will kill you for being annoying. Just don't walk like a ninja. Also don't be a pig in your campsite, and you will be fine. IMO the separate clothes for cooking is hogwash and only reasonable if you are A) car camping in Yosemite and B) ... (more)	—	almost 11 years ago
Answer	—	A: Could smoking pipe tobacco or a cigar attract bears and/or other wildlife? Bears are not naturally attracted to smoke - except for Smoky the Bear. Same goes for mountain lions, wolves, etc - they will generally avoid smoke (actually, all mammals will) for obvious reasons. I suppose there is always some incredibly unlikely scenario where a bear (or other animal) has become... (more)	—	almost 11 years ago