Activity for Kate Gregory
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edit | Post #41028 | Initial revision | — | about 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #40430 | Initial revision | — | about 4 years ago |
| Edit | Post #40308 | Initial revision | — | about 4 years ago |
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A: How to tension rope between two trees? At one end, I tie the rope any old how. It can be loose even. Then I go to the other tree and pull as hard as I can on the rope until it's really tight. Then, holding tight, I walk around the tree several times until the turns of the rope round the trunk are doing most of the work of holding it tight... (more) |
— | over 4 years ago |
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A: How to improvise or make pot grip / pot handle I canoe camp, and I bring lightweight canvas or cotton gloves (leather dries too slowly) to prevent paddling blisters. (There's a picture in my answer to https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/6996/163 ) They are also fantastic as "work gloves" eg carrying logs and when you need to handle something hot... (more) |
— | over 4 years ago |
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A: Effective black fly repellent I have never succeeded in keeping black flies away with a chemical approach. A hat is important to keep them out of your hairline. Long sleeves, long pants, tuck your pants into your socks. Yes, Ontario June can be too hot to dress like that. So you might want to go with something like this: A bug... (more) |
— | over 4 years ago |
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A: What does "out and back" mean in terms of understanding the length of a trail? Out and back is the same as total. The 10 mile trail might be 5 miles out and 5 miles back, for example. If you take a different route back, the numbers might not be the same. For example you might go out, around the base of something, up the far side, down the near side, then rejoin your original ... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: How dangerous is a swarm of bees? A swarm (used in the technical sense to mean that clump you show in your question) is about the least dangerous formation in which you can encounter bees. Their bellies are full (they eat before they swarm) they have no hive to defend, and you are basically not of interest to them. Beekeepers literal... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
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A: Is pouring boiling water into a plastic Nalgene bad for you? There are two different kinds of Nalgene bottles. The originals were soft, sort of white/translucent, and designed for lab work. You absolutely could pour boiling water into them - and much worse. I certainly did it all the time - just don't screw the lid on tight until the whole thing cools a little... (more) |
— | almost 6 years ago |
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A: Why aren't aluminum canoes more popular/prevalent? Aluminum is not good at compound curves. My Chestnut Prospector has a section that is concave front to back and convex up and down (or the other way around depending on whether you're looking at it from inside or outside the boat.) Aluminum isn't good at that. Wood (well woodstrip, anyway) and fibre ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: What are the consequences of the Lake Districts WHS status for attempts at rewilding/reforestation? I tweeted a link to this question and a series of tweets from Heritage Futures said: A big question and the answer is it remains to be seen. There are no current plans to extend rewilding in the Lake District beyond the @wildennerdale which is an ongoing project. The cultural landscape designatio... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: How to cool a tent? The first consideration is siting the tent. Is there shade? A breeze? Ideally a breeze off the water? Can you open two sides of the tent so the breeze flows through it? The same tent can be dramatically hotter if it's pitched sideways to the air currents so none goes through. If you can't set up in ... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: What should go in the hiking/backpacking plan that you leave with someone else? The purpose of the plan is to help rescuers find you. So include: your planned route - this could just be a photocopy of a map with a route drawn on in marker, or "the blah blah trail". identifying details. When we go into the Algonquin backcountry by canoe, the permit station asks for the colours ... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: Why doesn't it snow much at -30 °C? Any place that snows has the saying "too cold to snow," and it's generally true. Not that mere cold prevents snow formation, but that the coldest weather is generally clear and cold, with no precipitation. When it's a little warmer than that, and cloudy, is when you get more snow. I've heard people ... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: How can I acquire practical outdoor skills? Start with making a better list of skills to learn. Identifying edible foods is nowhere near skill #1. I occasionally pick berries, and even more rarely catch and eat a fish, but you can have decades of wilderness fun without ever eating wild food. So, step 1, read some trip reports, books about lon... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: Are there any situations while backpacking that would require a watch? I don't backpack, but I canoe camp and I used to do it with small children. We took a watch and used it for three things: we need to have all the work done and food eaten by the time it's dark, say 9pm, so we need to land by [whatever] pm to set up camp and cook. this food needs to cook for 20 min... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: Baking with backpacking stoves For pizza, I do it in a frying pan with cornmeal under it to keep it from sticking. A lid helps a little. For corn bread, I make "corn pone", again in the frying pan. You didn't mention regular bread, but I make English muffins, again the frying pan. These all work spectacularly well - the taste and ... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Aversion to snakes: How would an outdoors leader go about "curing" this condition in one of her/his charges? Someone with an aversion to snakes has two issues when it comes to a camping trip: seeing a snake and having a panic attack or other negative reaction in a particular moment worrying about seeing a snake and feeling anxious and unhappy for the entire duration of the trip If this was my aversion a... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: I can't get floating in my canoe again, now what? Your priorities are: not drowning having a boat and paddle you can get yourself home with your stuff Your boat must contain (and to know it will contain these post-flip, they should be attached to it somehow) some sort of rope some sort of bailer And you must be wearing a PFD. So, you're in ... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Gear storage: what gear that can be safely stocked outside? In addition to heat and humidity, my shed exposes my possessions to cold and damp, and worst of all to outdoor animals such as squirrels, which like to nest in large hollow things (filling them with dead grass and other organics) or use them as food caches (pine cones primarily.) Anything with a fabr... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Where to sleep while bike-touring southern Ontario? [x-post from bicycling] I think you could do OK with Provincial Parks in Ontario, especially if you were planning to swoop south of the 401 to see Prince Edward County. http://www.ontarioparks.com/park-locator/ The tree near Oshawa is Darlington PP. The 401 is pretty bleak after that but if you can make it to Presquile... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: What should an outdoors traveler know about the biodegradability of plastic? "Things don't always go perfectly" - what does that mean? There is no reason at all you should ever leave plastic behind. Bring in as little plastic as you can. Pack your stuff in reusable containers. If something is plastic-wrapped or in a plastic bag, be a person who cares and don't let that plas... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Breaking a fresh green coconut Coconut opening comes in two parts, neither of which needs a knife. First, the husk. Get a reasonably sturdy pointed stick and put it in the ground, point up, between your feet. Jam the coconut down onto the stick, hitting off centre. This should wedge off bits of husk. Repeat until the husk is all ... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: Effective way to carry a sleeping mattress with rucksack? A rolled up sleeping pad is generally pretty lightweight, meaning the "you could misbalance your pack and strain your back" concern is probably one you can ignore. People try not put them inside because they may not fit, or they may get squashed. If the pads are waterproof, which is common, you reall... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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Is nyloprene less smelly than neoprene? Because I had a major issue with reeky water shoes, I am considering getting different water shoes. I came across some that are nyloprene instead of neoprene. They are not as warm, but in a lot of situations I don't need warm. Say hiking a trail that crosses a river multiple times. Or portaging when ... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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De-stinking my water shoes I have a pair of water shoes with a thick rubber sole and a neoprene upper. They provide good protection from coral cuts, stonefish etc. In the past I've used these in the Ontario wilderness (fresh water and mud) for a day or two, then left them kicking around my house, and never had a problem. O... (more) |
— | over 8 years ago |
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A: How to light a fire with wet firewood? This summer I went out canoe camping in some light rain that turned into a torrential downpour and wouldn't stop. When it finally did, there was a puddle in the fireplace and we had no dry wood. We had a little paper with us, and we got tinder from the inside of logs, and all those tricks, but nothin... (more) |
— | almost 9 years ago |
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A: Advice on wild swimming in Ontario, Canada The way to get started is to swim in areas that are marked as generally safe. These will typically be a sandy beach on the shores of a small lake. Provincial Parks generally have one of these with float lines marking the "safe" areas. As you can see, you're free to swim outside the lines if you want ... (more) |
— | almost 9 years ago |
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A: What's the difference between frontcountry camping and backcountry camping? Front country is a rarely used term; it would only be in contrast to backcountry. Backcountry camping means that you are not near the road or in a developed area. Typically sites can only be reached by foot or boat, often several hours of travel from any development. Facilities will range from absolu... (more) |
— | almost 9 years ago |
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A: Optimal use of available GPS devices when stranded Use the GPS to determine your position and then text or email that to your rescuers. That will be the end of the GPS's contribution to the rescue process. Staying put is generally best (saves your energy and ensures you don't move into an area they have searched and think you are not in) but that pl... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: The re-hydration time for deydrated foods When I cook home-dehydrated food, I often rehydrate for a day - but not on the stove. In the morning, I boil water for coffee, pour some over dehydrated meat in a Nalgene, leave the lid on loosely until the water is only warm, then tighten the lid firmly. It spends the day in the pack and by dinner t... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Leave no Trace: Are campfires unethical? Like most activities, campfires aren't simply ethical or unethical. There are only a few things in this world that are always ethical or always unethical. Rather, there are ethical and unethical ways to behave. I don't expect a campsite to look exactly like the land around it - I understand there wil... (more) |
— | about 9 years ago |
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A: Are bears attracted by Lotions and Perfumes? It is true that people say this. While I know that the plural of anecdote is not data, I will tell some stories. I camp in black bear country (Algonquin and other Ontario parks) and we hang our food or put it in barrels. We never allow any food in the tent, but we do keep soap, toothpaste etc in the ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Preventing hand blisters while paddling I wear lightweight gardening gloves, cotton I suppose, available in men's, women's, and children's sizes for $3 or so at pretty much any hardware or gardening store in the summer. I avoid anything with leather or rubber, I want pretty much just fabric. Gently elasticized wrists are fine. Example 1. E... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: When should you carry a firearm when hiking/trekking? If you need to ask, the answer is almost certainly never. There are places (Northern Quebec, Labrador, Ontario and Manitoba near Hudson's Bay) where due to polar bear activity you should be accompanied by a guide/guard who will have a serious rifle and dedicate significant time to watching for bear... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How do you go upriver in a canoe? If you were a voyageur, among your most important equipment would be your fellow voyageurs and a larger boat so as to hold them all. Assuming you're a little more modern and have a 16 or so foot boat with two paddlers, you get upriver by: paddling somewhat harder than you do on flatwater choosing a... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How do I find north using a watch? Here's the theory: at noon, if you're in the northern hemisphere, the sun is due south of you. At 6am it's due east of you and at 6pm, due west. (Day length may tweak this a little if you're far enough north, but this is not a precise technique, it just needs to beat looking for which side of the tre... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: What are some effective ways to deal with sand when camping on or near the beach? If possible, don't pitch your tent on the sand - get back a bit into some vegetation. Then apply these strategies: set up your cook area well out of traffic and impose a strict no-running rule anywhere near the cook area. keep lids on everything you cook, to keep sand out keep a clean plate near th... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Why shouldn't I buy an ultra light tent? I have bought the Copper Spur 3 and slept in it now on a cottage lawn and on a backcountry campsite. The advantages (lightweight, easy to set up) are real. There are some disadvantages that I have not seen mentioned in the other answers, so I've decided to add an answer providing them. None of these ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Are self-inflatable sleeping pads more slippery than other mats? At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old person it seems like EVERYTHING is slipperier than it used to be. I'm not sure if new stuff starts slippery and gets less so, or if things are now made more slippery. But I have bought a new tent, new sleeping pad and new sleeping bags this year and between t... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: How can I tell if I am dehydrated or have low electrolytes (need salt, etc.)? First, you won't need to make this observation if you routinely drink when you stop to rest, and if you eat something at least slightly salty whenever you snack (if your snacks include jerky or salted nuts you're more than covered.) Second, pay attention to your thirst. Many of us ignore our bodies ... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Group camping - cooking equipment and eating utensils packing list The key here is to plan the meals. If you know all the dinners you will make you will know what pots etc you need. That said: Plates 1 per person + 2 or 3 for cooking purposes Mugs 1 per person, more if oatmeal is a morning thing for you knives, forks, spoons 1 per person wooden spoon, tongs, flipp... (more) |
— | over 9 years ago |
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A: Pitching a tent in the rain? There are all kinds of people who put up the fly first, then crouch under it putting up the inside. It's generally a very unpleasant experience from all I have heard, what with the crouching, crawling, and being rained on at least while getting the fly up. I handle it completely differently, because ... (more) |
— | almost 10 years ago |
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A: How to stay clean on a multi-day hike? An absolutely vital part of my camping equipment is what we call the washing up bowl: a rectangular plastic tub that's smaller than a sink, but larger than your plates and pots. I actually take two or three, stacked inside each other. They serve many purposes at once: we keep all the kitchen bits a... (more) |
— | almost 10 years ago |
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Why shouldn't I buy an ultra light tent? I have a workhorse of a tent, an Alpine Meadows, (described in this answer) that I really like. We bought it 30 years ago, and at first we just had way more stuff than we should, and eventually we had two small children (and their stuff) in the tent with us. There were times when I read stories to fi... (more) |
— | almost 10 years ago |
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Reacting to tornado warnings while camping with no buildings nearby This afternoon there was a tornado warning - TAKE SHELTER IN A PERMANENT BUILDING IMMEDIATELY - for the west half of Algonquin Park issued through the usual channels including Twitter. I believe by "permanent building" they meant "not a tent, not a camping trailer, not an RV". What we would normally ... (more) |
— | almost 10 years ago |
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A: Makeshift Stretchers You are going to need some sort of sticks. If you're canoeing, you have paddles. (It would be great if you had 4 - lash them together blade to blade and get longer stretcher handles. With only two I hope your passenger can sit up or curl their legs up to fit on a shorter stretcher.) Any other activit... (more) |
— | almost 10 years ago |
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A: Pack to carry two 30 L barrels I would recommend a soft open frameless pack, like a Duluth, which is made of canvas. We can fit three food barrels into our Duluth, but they are olive barrels (watertight) not the standard blue ones. I looked at the 115 L dry bags on the MEC site and it looks like your barrel might just squeeze into... (more) |
— | almost 10 years ago |
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A: Activities at the campsite If you have children with you, you will have no worries about keeping yourself busy, you'll be plenty busy. If the weather is nice, your kids might enjoy games like: Throw Rocks in the Water Run Around As Fast As You Can See If You Can Throw A Prized Toy Into A Tree And Get It Stuck There Find A St... (more) |
— | almost 10 years ago |
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A: How are backcountry campground reservations enforced? Two parts to your question, and two parts to my answer. First, how can you plan your route lake by lake when you don't know the weather etc? You plan for somewhat shorter days, and deal with delays by having longer days. We typically plan for 6 hours of paddling - push off at 10 after breakfast, lan... (more) |
— | almost 10 years ago |