Posts by Olin Lathrop
If you aren't equipped to handle a situation where you can't drive out as expected, then you don't belong there. Conversely, if you go to such places and situations, you should take enough stuff w...
You almost certainly got close to a nest. The behavior you describe fits various raptors when intruders get close to a nest. There very likely is a nest up there somewhere. If the nest isn't on ...
You need the right balance of air pressure. Both too much and too little can reduce comfort. This can be seen by thinking about the limiting cases. With no air, you're directly on the ground. I...
No, center of gravity is not a issue between a tall and short person. That is because the rest of the body scales too. The center of gravity relative to the body height stays the same. Imagine a...
Birds of the genus Corvus are intelligent and generalists. They are not picky, and can survive on lots of different types of food. They are also more able than other birds to find clever ways to ...
Quick synopsis: Beetles infested tree. See circular holes. Woodpeckers made larger holes to get at the beetles. Tree died. Bark fell off, helped along by animals trying to get to the tasty bee...
Here are some points of interest you should definitely include, based on your rough proposed area: Arches National Monument. It's at least worth a day trip thru there. There are some natural arc...
Early September is the best choice considering the criteria you have given. While it is true that there are less hikers in early June than later in the summer, there are reasons for this. Black f...
There is nothing wrong with asking people you meet on the trail where there are coming from or going to. This is very normal trail-encounter talk. I've asked people this many times and rarely got...
The only truly correct term is Branta canadensis. Otherwise, for everyday English, the quote from the suggested edit is completely correct. The colloquial term is "Canada goose". There is a lot ...
There must be some kind of "free list" or "sell list" where you can give away stuff in your area. Maybe you can find someone that has a stove that is compatible with these things. Perhaps the loc...
I hike a lot with a camera. Put the camera around your neck and one shoulder after putting on the backpack. If the camera is just around your neck, as it would be in a more pure photographic situ...
Even if the existence of rabies in that area is real, there is really very little you would do differently. I live in a area (New England, North America) where rabies is present. In your words, t...
There is little point in bringing a camera if you're just going to pack it away. The best place for a camera is around your neck and shoulder when you're hiking and not immediately taking pictures...
If there were any serious likelyhood of brain damage due to exposure to 10,000 feet or more altitude for just a day, then the city of Cusco would be full of brain-damaged zombies. There are nearly...
There isn't a lot of wilderness near Boston, but there are many local trails. Camping is not allowed on most land that local trails pass over. However, it is sometimes possible to get permission....
Yes, that looks like arrow heads I've found in that general area too. Note that it may be a unfinished or discarded piece. There is clear flaking and shaping. It would be very very unlikely for ...
Yes, the solar panel will be a little less efficient on the dashboard than outside because: Wavelengths absorbed by the windshield. The windshield absorbs most UV, which does still contribute to ...
Knowing why distance was included or omitted in any particular instance requires asking the people that decided on that particular sign. In other words, in the general case, you don't know why. I...
There are many reasons a trail takes the particular path it does. Probably the most common is historical, as you mention. Probably the least common is deliberate design. Most trails have evolved...
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 har...
I am not a doctor, so I can only repeat what I think I understood from lectures by those that do have medical training. I'm pretty sure I remember Dr Murray Hamlett (I highly recommend attending o...
Other than the airplane overflights, this will be pretty easy to see by looking at a map. I don't know why you care about stuff like commercial jetliners because they are 5-8 miles up, hard to see...
To get a long lasting fire, you have to limit the cumbustion somehow. Think embers as apposed to much flame. Wood stoves are specifically engineered to allow you to control the rate of combustion...
You say you go to wild places to get away from trails, but that is actually the root problem. One purpose of trails is to funnel all the human use to narrow areas to minimize the overall damage. ...
