Activity for Olin Lathrop‭

Type	On...	Excerpt	Status	Date
Answer	—	A: How to "hide" text so that it can't be vandalized but without damaging any public property? You don't, or at least shouldn't. As you say, it's public property, not yours. What you are asking is no different from how to leave garbage around your campsite so that casual observers won't see it. It's just plain irresponsible, and probably illegal. A good test is what would happen if lots of... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are good indicators of hail approaching? Hail is a result of the same type of instability that causes thunderstorms. Not all thunderstorms have hail, but most hail is part of a thunderstorm. Therefore, all the same warnings for thunderstorms apply. You generally assume these kinds of storms can cause hail, even if many don't. The usual ... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why aren't there any electric stoves that can be used for cooking where you can't build a fire? There are no electric backcountry stoves because there aren't long enough extension cords. Seriously, where do you propose to get the energy from? Batteries of current technology don't have the same energy density by weight or volume as chemical fuel does. Battery technology is advancing rapidly, ... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are some of the winter hiking trails rated difficult in Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park that don't require technical climbing? I've never been to RMNP in the winter, so this is a wild guess. I'm assuming the higher elevation roads will all be closed. Look into how far you can drive up Fall River Road. If I remember right, it's about 10 miles long. The eastern 3/4 or so goes up a valley. While there is certainly elevatio... (more)	—	about 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Easily accessible, short hikes in New Mexico? I'm not sure how well this meets all your somewhat conflicting criteria, but take a look at Mt Taylor northeast of Grants. Grants is right on the interstate, and its not that far into the national forest to get to a trailhead. The top is about 11,300 feet. While there are some trees right at the t... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Legality of "semi-permanent" wooden structures in state and national forests in the US You really should not leave anything. I disagree that the fire ring with logs around it is OK. That is only OK if it is in a designated camp site. Wilderness is just that, and should be left the way you found it to the reasonable extent you can. Obviously you being there is going to have some imp... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Question	—	Municipal invasive species committee experiences? Our town (Groton Massachusetts) formed a town committee a few months ago to concentrate on invasive species issues. Since we are new, we are trying to find our way and decide what exactly we should be doing. Obvious activities include public education, monitoring infestations, cataloging problem ar... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Calculate true north with a compass and map There are several ways to determine true north, especially when you have a map and compass: Competent maps, like most intended for backcountry hiking, will have the magnetic declination marked. This is usually in one of the corners. Take a look at any USGS topo map, for example. The compass will ... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: In an emergency situation, is it healthy to eat human flesh? This is a good question, and there are actually some scientific issues to consider. I think morally we can all agree that it would be wrong to kill someone to eat them. But let's consider the situation where you're starving, and someone has just died in front of you due to no fault of your own. Is... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Prohibited to walk through/over historical significant areas? Here in the US, it depends on whether it's just a historical site, or if there are artifacts. Disturbing or defacing historical or archeological artifacts on public lands is a felony, and is taken quite seriously. Of course signs trump everything. If a sign says, "keep out" and there is a fence or... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Wood versus plastic trail signs? I appreciate everyone's help and opinions here, and want to report what we ended up doing. We (the Town of Groton Massachusetts Trails Committee) looked at a variety of options. At first the plan was just to do what everyone else was doing in the backcountry (where you can't drive a motorized vehic... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How many miles of hiking trails are there in the United States? This is impossible to answer unless you are willing to do an enormous amount of research. There is no single, or even just a few, databases of trails in the US. The national trail lists generally only contain the larger multi-state trails (like the AT, PCT, etc) and some of the larger regional trai... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is listening to music on earphones while hiking solo safe enough? If hiking makes you feel anxious, then don't go hiking. If you do go hiking, as with most activities, you should pay attention to what your are doing. That includes listening to what is around you. Part of the enjoyment for most hikers is experiencing the outdoors. You can't do that as fully when... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Where to report bird with leg ring id? A bunch of years ago I got a good enough look at a Canada Goose on Plum Island in Massachusetts to read the tag number. Unfortunately I don't remember exactly where I eventually found to report it, but it was a central clearinghouse for such things, in Washington DC if I remember right. They even s... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Finding water in the dry wilderness Look at the surrounding terrain and think what water would do when it rains. No place is perfectly flat for very long, so suface water will flow away from some place and gather in others. Someplace dry with little vegetation will usually have obvious channels that water made when it did rain. Whet... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to react to cattle charging towards you? Unlike with most predators, running away works if you can get far enough fast enough. The bull chasing you can run faster than you, but the reason he's chasing you in the first place is only because he wants you out of his territory. By running away you show the bull that you're not a threat, not a... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Nocturnal pack hunting animal that hoots like wind chimes - Massachusetts I have no idea what "sounded like wind chimes" is supposed to mean. No animal that I know of makes a metallic clinking sound. The closest would be several frogs, but that doesn't fit at all with everything else you said. Ignoring the useless description of the sound, everything else points to coyo... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Why do I never see robins in the woods? You don't see robins in the woods for the same reason you don't see prarie dogs there either; it's not their habitat. Notice that most of the time when you see a robin, it's hopping along the ground in some open space, or in a tree near some open space. (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to introduce individuals to the concept of Leave No Trace First, don't be holier than though. People resent that. Be realistic. Push for what matters in the area you're in. Hard and strict rules without regard to the situation are just religion. People will see them as such, think the whole thing is silly, and tune out anything else you say. Realize t... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: What types of trees are in these intertwined groups in Massachusetts? You may like the look, but those trees are in the process of being killed by a nasty invasive, Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus). It is one of the more common invasives in MA. There have been many things writting about this invasive. It's been on any list of invasive plants in MA that I... (more)	—	over 8 years ago
Answer	—	A: Do Herons travel alone in New England? Great Blue Herons don't seem to be territorial. Nesting sites usually have a few to a dozen nests at a time, sometimes three in the same tree. This is so common they are referred to as heron "rookeries". Except at the nest, it does appear that these birds work alone. Sometimes you can see two nea... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Theft and tent camping I've probably been car camping at a public campground a few 100 nights in my life. Of all those, I can only remember having stuff stolen from the campsite once. For some of the early experiences I was too young to remember such things, but I didn't hear any stories of getting ripped off from my par... (more)	—	almost 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is the most effective method to clean skin exposed to poison oak? I don't know about poison oak, but have lots of experience with posion ivy. I think the irritant in both is similar (urushiol oil, or something like that). This answer applies to poison ivy, which I think transfer to posion oak too. No, ordinary soap does no good against this oil. I have taken a ... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to hide a trail turn? This answer is "you shouldn't", since it appears from your description it's not your land and you have no authority over it. Unauthorized private modifications to public land can be a serious problem. Not only can you get into trouble doing it, it may make work and cause problems for those who are ... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What do I do if a black bear is right outside my tent? People getting killed by black bears is exceedingly rare. There are roughly 1 per year in North America, and most of those in Canada and Alaska. If you are in your tent at night and hear what you think is a black bear outside, the best thing to do is nothing. I have been in this situation a few ti... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: My head torch/lamp has a red mode, why? The automatic f-stop mechanism (iris) in your eye is less sensitive to red light than the shorter wavelengths. Therefore, red light provides some illumination, but doesn't trigger your eye to stop down and make you temporarily blind when you shut the light off. There are also other ways your eyes a... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What kind of car do I need to reach most hiking trailheads near Boulder Colorado, Rocky Mountain NP There are many trails and therefore many trailheads with a variety of road types leading to them. Most of the roads in Rocky Mountain National Park can be traveled by ordinary passenger cars, at least when it's not snowy. The roads in the nearby national forests vary widely. The main forest roads ... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Question	—	How to attach signs to trees considering tree growth? I am trying to determine the best way to attach trail signs to trees in the woods. The problem with trees is that they grow. If you firmly embed a nail in the wood, the tree will eventually grow around the nail head. When we put up small plastic trail markers (what we use a blazes), we deliberatel... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How do I find known and documented trails for trail running in New England? Most trails for hiking are also good for running. In fact, I'd make the assumption that a hiking trail is a running trail without specific knowledge that makes it inappropriate. One way to get a list of trails others deem acceptable for running is to use those that trail races are run on. There ar... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How can I vet a hiking partner without potential hard feelings? Invite them both on a day hike. That's a end onto itself, so no need to pretend anything else. You can watch the interaction between #2 and #3, and talk about experiences to find out what #3's qualifications are. If after that you still think #3 is a good fit with you and #2, then suggest to #2 to... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How should I traverse fields with horses in? Here in the US, "horses in a field" would imply the field is fenced. That means you should stay out. There is one exception, which is if you know the land is public property and it's OK to walk on it. This is often the case with cattle on BLM and Forest Service land in the western US. In that cas... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Cycling in Ontario — do I need to worry about permission to access logging roads? I can't answer for Ontario or that route specifically, but only give you a general idea how private property and trespassing works in the US and Canada. You are right in that we don't have Allemansrecht here, and you have to be aware of that. Legally, in many places you are allowed to walk or ride ... (more)	—	about 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: How to stay hydrated with minimum water usage No, 100 ml per hour is way too little in many circumstances. That would mean only 1 l over a 10 hour hike. Anyone that's been on a 10 hour hike, even not in particularly hot or dry weather, can tell you that's not nearly enough. For hiking in hot desert conditions, 1 l per hour (10 times your sugg... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Does cotton really kill? Yes, there have been studies on how much various fabrics insulate when wet and dry. I remember Dr Murray Hamlet mentioning these statistics in one of his lectures on outdoor survival in the cold. It's been a long time, but I think cotton looses something like 80% of its insulating properties when w... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: From an outdoor recreation point of view, does it matter who manages a national monument? No, it doesn't matter much. The regulations for what can be done in a national monument or park (the only difference between the two is that one is established by presidential edict, the other by act of congress) are pretty strict, so there won't be huge differences in what you are allowed to do in ... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Where in the US can I find green mountains to hike like in Scotland, such as Dalveen Pass? What you are specifically asking for is quite rare. That is because any place wet enough to have the kind of grass you want will have trees. There are vast grassy areas in the center of North America, but they are grassy because they are too dry for trees. They don't look so lush and green except ... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What is an effective way to join a map that is printed on several sheets? Many printer drivers and other software allow you to "tile" a large document or a magnified one on multiple pages. You can usually specify the overlap between pages, which only needs to be enough for you to cut cleanly. 0.1 inch is usually good enough. Acrobat reader may even have such a option. ... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: What are some good guides to the U.S. national forests, specifically those in California? Since wide open plains is one of your objectives, I'd stick to the relatively drier areas east and north of the northern end of the Sacramento Valley. The coastal range is quite wet in comparison, so you won't find open valleys with no trees. You might enjoy exploring by starting in Westwood and he... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Can cold weather be sufficient to act as a refrigerator? 35° is 35°, whether in your car, in your pack, or in your refrigerator back home. However, handling raw meat otherwise is very different outdoors than at home. Personally, I think bringing raw meat into the wilderness is a bad idea. There are plenty of other foods that give you the same or... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Do mountains regularly (for a mountain) change height? Mountains change height on geologic time scales. If a list of mountains above a certain height changes in one or two human lifetimes, then very likely this is due to measurement errors or refinements. I remember a decade or two ago when GPS first became widely available that someone made a big deal... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: When should you carry a firearm when hiking/trekking? No, there is nothing on the AT that justifies carrying a firearm. The extra weight and space is much more of a detriment than the extremely unlikely and frankly inconceivable case where a firearm would be a help. Since the AT crosses many jurisdictions, there may also be legal issues that could var... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Scat Identification in Southern NH Unfortunately your picture doesn't give a good sense of scale, but my first reaction was that it looked like dog poop. Some other canid is also possible, with coyote being the most probable, then fox. As for safety concert, you don't need to examine poop for that. There is nothing in southern NH t... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Black bears and torch lights By "black bear", I'll assume you mean Ursus americanus, the North American black bear. These bears are opportunists and aren't looking for a fight. In all the encounters I have had with them in the wild that I know of, they have run away as soon as they noticed me. I probably had many more encount... (more)	—	over 9 years ago
Answer	—	A: Hiking possibilities near Silicon Valley The Henry W Coe State Park is within reasonable driving range, and offers many hiking trails with good vistas and surprisingly few people. I go into more detail here. (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Two day hike recommendations in New England area There are quite a number of options, although the 4000 foot requirement pretty much limits it to the White Mountains of NH, the northern Green Mountains of VT, and a few peaks in ME. It's not clear if you want to or need to do a out and back, or if you can spot a car and do a traverse. Here are jus... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Is it safe to be in a vehicle during lightning/thunderstorms? No, you should definitely have stayed in your vehicle. Think about what lightning will do. It is attracted to tall conductive things, but that's not the whole story. A vehicle on a flat plane is more likely to be hit, but the conductive metal on the outside will shunt the current around the conten... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Looking for secluded camping land in California, near the bay area About 20 years ago, I had a whole day free between two business engagements in the Bay area. I stumbled upon a apparently little-known state park that if I remember right was south and a little east of the built-up area. I think it was called Henry W. Coe State Park. It was mostly in the hills eas... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: What format should I use to report my location to emergency responders? I'd give them whatever my device or map provided me, and let them convert to whatever their devices or maps use. Anyone used to receiving lat/lon coordinates regularly should be able to convert from various formats to whatever they use internally. You're the one in trouble with limited resources. ... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Answer	—	A: Wood versus plastic trail signs? I have been researching sign construction various ways, with asking a question here being one of them. I was just forwarded a email from Adobe Signs, replying to questions from the Groton Conservation Trust (our local private land trust). Adobe Signs is the regular sign maker used by the Trust for ... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago
Question	—	Wood versus plastic trail signs? My town (Groton MA, USA) has 110 miles of trails open to the public, but virtually no signs helping people navigate at intersections in the woods. I am on the Trails Committee, and I'm pushing hard to address this. Initially I figured we'd just do whatever other organizations do that have been at t... (more)	—	almost 10 years ago

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