Activity for gerrit
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
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A: How do you pace yourself while doing strenuous hikes above 3,000 meters (10,000 feet)? Choose a steady pace that you can keep up non-stop for two hours. If you notice that you need to catch your breath earlier, you are walking too fast. After two hours it's time for a break. The first time I went hiking with a group other than my family, we were fifteen Dutch youths (17–21). ... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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What's a good time to see autumn colors in the Maritime and Cottian Alps? What is a good time of year to see autumn colours in the higher areas of the Maritime and Cottian Alps, in particular yellow larches such as in this photo¹? I may have the opportunity to visit either 27 September – October 1, or October 7–11. Would I have a good chance to see autu... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: How to cross rivers or streams at night or in darkness? Don't, unless you know the route very well and are sure the rivers can pose no danger. Travel the day before so you arrive to the trailhead before it gets dark, then spend the night at the trailhead. Big river crossings at night are too dangerous. A headlight will only do so much as the light will... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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Where are some small, pleasant, natural walk-in campgrounds in France? We're heading to the Ardèche in France in spring, an area with hundreds if not thousands of campgrounds. Many of those are massive with lots of entertainment provided by facilities such as multiple restaurants, tennis courts, swimming pools with multiple slides, playgrounds, etc. It's great fo... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: How to deal with dogs on public hiking trails? I have experienced this problem, mainly in Spain, Germany, or the Alps. Some things I have found to work: Be assertive. Show who is the boss. This doesn't come naturally to me at all but the last time I encountered an annoying dog, on a rarely used trail that was passing next to a house in Spain... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: What is the difference between a Pass and a Col? Pass and col are synonymous. Col is French whereas the word pass has entered the Germanic languages (German word is Pass). The word col entered English usage because of anglophone mountaineers in the French Alps. (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: Choosing socks for frequent switching cold-warm Just change socks. I always wear different socks when hiking compared to when doing anything else, like driving. I don't like hiking with thin socks and shoes and I don't like driving with thick socks and boots. It only takes a couple of minutes to change. (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: Difference between a "path" and a "footpath"? On Ordnance Survey maps in England and Wales, the brown background shows access land: see this legend. On such access land, access on foot is permitted anywhere. You cannot cycle here. A path is a geographic feature. A public right of way is just that, a right. It may be on a road, a track, a pa... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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Is using ultralight gear possible without sacrificing safety, comfort, or skills? I recently came back from a 17-day backcountry hike. At the start of the hike, my backpack was 28 kg. At the end of the hike it was around half of that or a little bit more. I'm fine hiking with 20 kg, but 28 kg is rather heavy. The first couple of days of my hike I was wondering: is it possible ... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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How to discard of ashes when in a wilderness cabin? I was staying in the spectacular free and open Ragohytte in magnificent Rago Nasjonalpark, and used some of the provided firewood and coal to heat up the stove in order to dry my gear and enjoy a bit of warmth (before the weather improved). I should and do carry non-burnable waste down (I left some ... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: How would one assess the safety of a wooden bridge? The bridge in your photo looks very safe. If you feel unsure about crossing a bridge, you can try to ford next to it, if the river is not too large. Make a few steps onto the bridge, remaining to a place where falling into the water would not be disastrous. Damaged bridge, OK for careful crossin... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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I filled my Primus Powerlighter with the wrong kind of fuel. How to correct? I accidentally filled my Primus Powerlighter with the liquid lighter fuel rather than gas lighter fuel. (How) can I correct this mistake, or is my lighter now ruined? It was about 30–40% full and I did have some leakage as I tried to fill it. It appears I can make most of it evaporate by si... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Roof rack system suitable for both bicycle and kayak? I would recommend to put the kayak on the roof, and put the bicycles on a rear bicycle rack. It should work if you have at most two bicycles. Source: Hadhuey, Wikimedia Commons (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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Can I expect a mountain stream to have less water in the morning, even when it is not primarily fed by meltwater? In late September 2015, I hiked part of the trail in the incredibly beautiful Lónsöræfi in southwestern Iceland, near Vatnajökull. The easternmost segment of the trail requires fording Hnappadalsá (Satellite/aerial view). Some people by-pass this section by driving a nearb... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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How do hikers cross fast-flowing rivers without wading staffs? Outdoor instructions in Lapland often recommend to always use a wading staff for river crossings, and not a trekking pole. Ever since I purchased my Folding Wading Staff in a Swedish outdoor store, I don't understand how I ever did without. Trekking poles are not designed to sustain the weight of h... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: What is the most efficient food to take a for a 12-15 day hiking trip? I like to eat Knorr Spaghetteria. I don't know if it's the most efficient energy-wise, but it's vastly more efficient than outdoor store dehydrated meals price-wise! At Amazon they sell at €1.45 per package. A package is advertised to be a meal for two, but it isn't — it is a meal fo... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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How can I tell a “trail shoe” from a regular sport shoe? On a day-to-day basis, I wear regular light-weight sport shoes, such as these: The footwear I saw people using in serious terrain in the USA looked similar, but this answer to my related question points out those are trail shoes. The concept of trail shoes is new to me, and I have not seen people... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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Why do so many people hike with such light footwear? More and more, I see people hiking with very light-weight shoes. To me, they look like regular sport shoes and they look to be lacking thick soles, waterproofness, or ankle support. I thought this was a US phenomenon, but I saw that in two UK outdoor stores I visited, most shoes sold are such. For... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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What's the problem with burying toilet paper? In the backcountry, we should bury solid human waste (i.e. poop), and we are told to carry out toilet paper. According to this answer on tissues, for some kinds of waste the ecological impact is small, but we should still leave no trace for social reasons. If I bury my poop and bury (biodegradable)... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Do tent colors have functional purposes? If you want to reduce your visual impact on the other people in the area, choose a tent with colors that match the landscape you're going to camp in. Green in forest or other vegetated areas, brown for the desert, white for winter camping. However, if you are in trouble and want to be found, it hel... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Within the U.S. Grand Circle area, where is the number of daytime trail permits limited? The Subway, Zion National Park Within Zion National Park, for most of the year, day-use permits are required for The Subway and Mystery Canyon. They are awarded by advance lottery, or by last-minute drawing 7–2 days in advance. The lottery is not required during the low season (roughly Nove... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Any reason to carry a mug outside of the backpack? A mug outside the backpack is far easier to reach. In some areas, you will pass streams very often. During my first ever backpacking trip, with a group of Swedish people hiking Kaisepakte – Pessiskåtan – Lapporten – Tältlägret – Abisko in September 2005, m... (more) |
— | almost 9 years ago |
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Largest protected forest (ancient woodland) in England? I live in England and I like forests. Where do I find the largest protected forest in England? By protected I mean: no commercial logging (management logging is OK considering no forests without it exist in England), mining, or agriculture. I can tolerate that hunting and fishing are still permitt... (more) |
— | almost 9 years ago |
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A: Is there a (long-distance-) trail without any available maps? Of course, there are many long-distance hiking trails without any available maps. As far as I'm aware, none of the European long-distance trails have dedicated end-to-end maps, unless you count Openstreetmap or a collection of several hundred topographic maps. In some places they're well-mapped, e.... (more) |
— | almost 9 years ago |
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A: As Mountaineers what can we give back to Mountains? The best thing we can give back is protection against destructive or disruptive actions of our fellow humans (but that is not always realistic). Lobby in your local, regional, national, supernational legislations for the highest level of protection possible for your mountains. Make sure they will n... (more) |
— | almost 9 years ago |
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A: Why shouldn't I buy an ultra light tent? An ultralight tent makes me feel unsafe. I have tried the ultralight Big Agnes Slater UL1+, and I was not happy with it. The fabric seems really fragile. In a small space, condensation is worse than in a slightly larger space. The weekend I tried it out the weather was quite bad (rain in the Adir... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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Is the outdoor ”cottage industry” only about ultralight? Cottage industry: an industry whose labor force consists of family units or individuals working at home with their own equipment a small and often informally organized industry Within the outdoor industry, wherever I search, be it on Wild Backpacker, this blog post, etc., it seems a lo... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: How to grade a trek? Hiking assocations in Spain use a system called Método de Información De Excursiones (MIDE), or Method of Information on Excursions. Most information is in Spanish, but an English language manual is available here. Each hike receives four grades on a scale 1–5 according to four cat... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Is there a mesh mini-tent on the market that covers head, shoulders and arms, allowing you read comfortably in buggy terrain? Yes, you want one of those hats with an extra long mosquito net around it: (Source: MEC) Larger ones than the one in the photo exist. In places like northern Finland in summer, you pretty much never see anyone fishing without one. I've seen people with such nets hanging from their hat, while the... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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Why are backpacks mostly not made of waterproof material? Many bicycle panniers are made of waterproof material. Backpacks are not, necessitating built-in or separate raincovers. Why don't backpacks use the material that waterproof panniers do? Unlike gear to be worn on the body, there's no need for backpacks to breathe. (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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How do I apply for a permit for the Zona de Reserva in Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema? Can it be done online? Within Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema, is the Zona de Reserva, for which special permits are required: The Spanish fir forest and other areas in the Reserve can only be visited at certain times of the year, and visitor numbers are limited, so you are advised to get information in advance. ... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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Are any canyons in the Sierra de Grazalema accessible without special canyoneering gear? The book Sierra de Grazalema: Complete Guidebook to the Natural Park includes a chapter on canyons, describing two routes: one Garganta Verde and one through the Garganta de las Buitreras. Both require rope, karabiner, helmet, harness, etc. Are there any canyons in or near the Natural Park where on... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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Within the U.S. Grand Circle area, where is the number of daytime trail permits limited? Within the U.S. Grand Circle region (very roughly Las Vegas NV /Provo UT/Aspen CO/Santa Fe NM/Phoenix AZ), for what trails are the number of permits issued limited considering day use only? I am aware of the Coyote Buttes area in Vermillion Cliffs National Monument near Page, Arizona (lottery-based ... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: How to re-store an inflatable sleeping pad? In addition to what Liam writes, since early childhood, I have found that a two-step approach gets out more air. It starts the same as Liams approach, but has some more steps. The approach below works for Thermarest. Open the vents Fold it as Liam says From the far end that does not have a vent, ... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: How much should your backpack weigh? The Swedish tent company Hilleberg has packing lists with masses on their website. Their itemized list includes a lower and upper range for a list of items, leading to a very large range of masses: Their summer list has: Personal items (backpack, sleeping mat+bag, clothes, map, etc.): 4.0 kg-19.1... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Is there National Park-equivalent protected nature in the United Kingdom? Although I have not found IUCN Level II protected areas, there do exist areas with a higher level than national parks. So as regards are there at least areas with a protection level stricter than what UK National Parks have?, the answer is yes. Within England, there are National Nature Reserves. A... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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When can a glacier be crossed without special gear (axes, crampons, rope, etc.)? As a child, I remember walking with my family over the Gornergletscher to reach the Monte Rosa-Hütte. I remember the same for crossing Vadret da Diavolezza. In both cases, we did not have crampons and and did not use a rope. We tried the same for the Mèr de Glace, but turned around as it... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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Is there National Park-equivalent protected nature in the United Kingdom? In the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, national parks are in IUCN Category V rather than II. Are there any protection levels stricter than what UK National Parks have? (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Where can we go backpacking out West under 8,500 feet that has much of the feel of much higher altitudes If you want to get a similar feeling at a lower elevation, there is one simple solution: head north (colder) or head west (more snow — shorter growing season). The treeline in Yosemite National Park is at 3,200 – 3,600 metre. The treeline in Jasper National Park is at 2,400 metre. Th... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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Can I use a tent in bear country, if I ate food in it over a year ago? In bear country, we are told, never eat food in your tent. I no longer live in bear country but I may return in the future. If I eat food in my tent now, does that mean that, from a bear's point of view, it will smell of food even one or more years in the future? Or does never mean the less restri... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: What's the best way to dispose of a body in the backcountry? Burn it. True, campfires are not really a perfect example of leave no trace. But what you can do: Carry the carcass far above the treeline, where there is no vegetation Carry firewood to the same location (of course, only already dead branches and gathered from a sufficiently large area to be not... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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Shoulder season backpacking near Whistler (early June) I will have a work trip in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada early June, and I'm seeing if I can combine this with a backpacking trip in the nearby coast mountains for 2–3 nights. However, it's very early in the season and from the presence of big glaciers I deduce the Coast Mountains are ve... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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Cycling in Ontario — do I need to worry about permission to access logging roads? In Sweden, I've cycled a lot of logging roads. But Sweden has the Right to Roam and it doesn't really matter who owns the land. When cycling on logging roads in Ontario, is any permission or permit required? If so, from whom would I obtain the permit? Suppose one plans a cycling trip through Norther... (more) |
— | almost 10 years ago |
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Avoiding 4WD-areas in Iceland High on my list of places I want to visit one day in my life is Iceland, but I am worried by a warning I heard. One of two people who talked to me about Iceland experiences told me she was rather disappointed, because in many areas where they went, they were annoyed by four-wheel-drive cars driving ... (more) |
— | almost 10 years ago |
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A: What kind of mementos, if any, am I allowed to collect from State and National parks in small quantities? In Rock Hound State Park near Deming, Luna County, South-Western New Mexico, USA, you are allowed to collect rocks. This is highly unusual. I read it in various sources. The state park website seems very limited, but from the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources: It was establish... (more) |
— | almost 10 years ago |
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From an outdoor recreation point of view, does it matter who manages a national monument? In the United States, many national monuments are managed by the national park service, but not all. For example, Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah and Upper Missouri River Breaks are both managed by the Bureau of Land Management. From an outdoor recreation point of view, is it relevant who manages... (more) |
— | almost 10 years ago |
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Is burying human waste always the lowest-impact solution? According to leave-no-trace principles, one should bury human waste (poo). But burying damages plants and roots. Is this really always better than not burying it and pooing on the surface? (Of course, the only way to truly leave no trace is to not go at all.) Edit: This assuming a context when I ... (more) |
— | over 10 years ago |
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Do truly all-season tents exist? A 4-season tent is a tent suitable for winter use; for example, see this post. According to sectionhiker, the phrase is actually a misnomer: Moreover the phrase “4 season tent” is a misnomer since it refers to winter tents, which you might not use the rest of the year because they could be too h... (more) |
— | over 10 years ago |
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Is it normal that a down sleeping bag loses its loft after ~5 years ~150 nights? I have a 5 year old Haglöfs Para M5. I've used it for on average 30 nights per year, perhaps 150 nights in total, with one long trip and some 8 short trips per year. I store it uncompressed in a dry and dark place, and I pack it in its bag inside a drybag (heavily compressed). I don't use a l... (more) |
— | over 10 years ago |
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What permits and reservations do I need for the Adirondacks? I'm considering to go on a multi-day backpacking hiking trip in the Adirondack Mountains, New York, USA, soon. In Canada one must often purchase a permit and reservations, and one can only camp on specific campgrounds. I was looking for information at the Adirondack Park Agency (APA), but their FAQ... (more) |
— | over 10 years ago |