Activity for Erik
| Type | On... | Excerpt | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edit | Post #40808 | Initial revision | — | over 4 years ago |
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A: Is belaying with a hip belay unsafe? Here is a tidbit from Climbing Magazine: Hey, 35 isn’t old! It’s definitely not old enough to use hip belays by default, since the first belay devices came out in 1970. The hip belay is a good technique to know for rolling but still “no-fall zone” alpine terrain. Thi... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: Filtering fine silt/mud from water (not necessarily bacteria etc.) While coffee filters would work great as suggested in a different answer I would probably just use something I was going to bring anyway like a handkerchief. That should work reasonably well, be reusable, and not require you to bring specialized gear. You might even be able to wrap the bandana around... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: Can I make a safe climbing-anchor with a 2-ton working-load sling that was meant for lifting vehicles? I think this falls into that grey area where you shouldn't do it but it probably won't cause problems if you really want to use it. I personally wouldn't use it. There's so much quality climbing gear out there and slings are cheap. We're far beyond the time when Royal Robbins hammered lumber into cr... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: Is there a practical risk when wearing an avalanche beacon on your top layer? The biggest reason I've always believed that you wear your beacon next to your base layer is battery life. Cold is well known to reduce battery life. By keeping the beacon close to your body you r beacon will function longer and may even have a stronger signal because the batteries aren't fighting th... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: Camping alone in the wilderness in the USA Yes this is possible. I think it is fairly easy in the western US especially during the winter if you're willing to work hard. An obvious, albeit extreme example of this is the state of Alaska. Alaska has a population of roughly 740k people and an area of roughly 670k square miles. Clearly in a state... (more) |
— | over 5 years ago |
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A: Do bull snakes keep rattlesnakes away? Here is a quote from Wikipedia: The idea that bullsnakes occasionally eat rattlesnakes is sometimes given as a reason for humans not to harm bullsnakes when encountering them in the wild, although a better reason is the bullsnake's role in controlling warm-blooded vermin such as rodents. While ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: How to cut an arrow shaft Depending on how handy you are you can build your own simple jig for very little money. There are several YouTube videos that explain the basic process/jig. One I found that seems cheap, and efficient is here link. The guy demoing the rig even appears to have carbon shafts like you. The basic concep... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Is it actually useful to ration food? There are several reasons why I think rationing is useful. Morale - If you eat all your food on the first day you won't have anything to look forward to. If you eat a little bit twice a day you can look forward to your next morsel instead of regretting eating all your food. Meals become a break in ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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How should you find out about local shooting ranges in a new area? Sometimes people move to a new area or go hunting far from home. What standard methods and techniques should a person use to find out where they can shoot or sight in firearms? I'm looking for things to try if a basic web search fails to turn up something that fits your criteria for whatever reaso... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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A: Locations to sight in a rifle around Boise, Idaho The best free outdoor range that I found was in Garden Valley. The range is free to use, however donations to the local gun club that maintains the site are encouraged. Personally I donate a few bucks every time I go, and pick up extra brass/trash as an additional contribution. It is located on the ... (more) |
— | over 6 years ago |
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What is the best way to figure out the size/volume of an old pack? I have a North Face Big Shot backpack that I purchased around 2003. It was a great general purpose backpack that I used for day hikes, rock climbing, and traveling. Unfortunately time and the abuse I've inflicted on the pack have taken their toll and the pack needed to be replaced. I've replaced it w... (more) |
— | over 6 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 Since you mentioned the Sierra's I'd recommend you investigate the Trinity Alps. I grew up backpacking in this area and it fits all of your requirements perfectly. It has tons of exposed granite, remoteness, and the tallest peak is just a smidge above 9,000 feet. There are also lots of lakes in the a... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: Are "Dynafit"/tech ski boots compatible with frame-style touring bindings? The short answer is tech binding compatible boots will work fine with non-tech AT bindings in the vast majority of circumstances. The more involved answer is (as always for safety gear) to check the specific manufacturer recommendations for a specific boot/binding combination. Here is a quote to su... (more) |
— | almost 7 years ago |
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A: Climbing harness: clip two carabiners to avoid cross-loading Based on your edit that adds additional context your plan seems reasonable. In addition to the carabiners ShemSeger recommends you might consider a captive eye carabiner (any rated biner is fine. I'm just using these DMM biners as an example). These are often used in more industrial settings so they'... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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Possible snowy owl seen in the trees I was out hunting last weekend (end of October) near Yellow Pine, Idaho. While walking up a hill during the late morning with moderate timber coverage (thin enough to ski comfortably but thick enough to prevent grass from growing) I spotted a large owl sitting on a branch about 20 feet above the grou... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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A: How to get a beached pontoon boat back into the water? What constitutes “best and easiest?” I suspect you don’t want to pay for a proper boat lift to drive down to the beach and pick up the boat. If feasible that would be the best safety wise and easiest in terms of physical effort. I once watched a crew of Peruvian fishermen pull ... (more) |
— | about 7 years ago |
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Locations to sight in a rifle around Boise, Idaho One thing I need to do to prepare for deer season is to sight in my rifle. I'm new to the Boise area and don't know where I should go. I'd prefer to go somewhere free, but if the only options available are paid ranges I'll do that. In talking to non-sportsmen they recommended driving out into the des... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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Down inside of a sleeping pad does it make a difference? Several years ago I purchased an Exped down filled inflatable sleeping pad. It is a more comfortable pad than Thermarest pads I've used in the past, so I would still recommend it. That being said, when I purchased the pad I remember Exped making a big deal about how their pads are filled with down as... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Is a full waterproof coat more important than waterproof trousers for hiking? I say you should always wear the gear that you already own and you are comfortable in instead of following some fashion trend. If you like your setup go for it. Beyond that I think there are some reasons why people tend to recommend a coat over a vest. First and foremost when you are earning a livi... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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Why aren't aluminum canoes more popular/prevalent? Growing up we had an old aluminum canoe. It looked kind of ugly, and had some dents, but it was a great boat. Over the past 5 years I've been in various sporting goods stores in California, Colorado, and Idaho looking at canoes. Every single canoe they have on display is plastic. They never have alum... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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Why do Old Town canoes have dramatically higher capacity than Osagian canoes? I've been thinking about buying a canoe for a little while now. Growing up my family had an aluminum canoe so I've been looking at aluminum canoes in addition to the plastic canoes commonly seen in sporting goods stores. Today while looking at the canoes it struck me that the Osagian 17' canoe has ve... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Life Jacket for a person without arms? I think the best bet for a person without arms (assuming we aren't talking rough water/offshore use) is a type 2 life jacket. Specifically the type that look like an oversized bib. These jackets don't rely on arms to secure them to your body, and will generally allow conscious people to remain fac... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: In canyoning, [why] do people skip a backup prusik? Canyoneering presents different risks than rock climbing because water is involved This comment on another post shows why water is an important factor (emphasis mine): Canyoneering with an autoblock actually has the potential be fatal. Wet ropes have a lot more rope-on-rope friction, if your auto... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: What is the use of this cord on my backpack? The real range of answers is only limited by your imagination. There are an innumerable amount of things you can do with a spare bit of cordage. One use that I can see for it in your picture is as a replacement for your rubber band around the tent poles. The most likely intended use is to secure th... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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Kayakers throwing their paddles when running waterfalls I was watching a YouTube video featuring clips from award winning kayaking films. One thing I immediately noticed was multiple instances of kayakers running waterfalls who seem to be intentionally throwing their paddle away during the drop (you can see what I'm talking about pretty clearly at about ... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Lead shot vs Lead block weights Since no one has taken a stab at this I'll throw in my opinion even though I have zero dry suit experience. Lead Block/Bullet Weights Pros Cheap If you're willing to fiddle with them you can really fine tune their placement (assuming you use a straight belt and not a pouch/shot belt like shown)... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Are longer kayaks faster than shorter ones? Executive summary: All else equal, a longer boat will have a greater hull speed. A greater hull speed means less drag and hence greater speed for a given amount of "paddling effort". Hence, longer kayaks can be said to be faster than shorter ones. The bit you're missing is that boats make waves, and... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: When is it a bad idea to follow a game trail? The only negative that I can think of is an increased likelihood of stepping into a trap if trapping is legal in the area. While it is easy to find incidents of pets getting caught in a trap, there are reports of people getting caught in hunting traps too. Trapping is a charged topic, and there are e... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Backing up a abseil anchor with a human Once when I was in the Marine Corps I did rappel for fun off of a guard rail in the central staircase of my three story barracks building. I did not have any problem with the guard rail as an anchor, but when my command found out about my "incident" they were not happy.... This is for good reason be... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: How to follow the movements of a player while remaining unnoticed? Assuming you're outdoors you could always use a drone to monitor the hunter by video. To capture the audio you could have the hunter carry a walkie-talkie with a constantly keyed microphone, or start a cellphone call and mute your end. Alternatively you could have the hunter carry a mounted GoPro, or... (more) |
— | over 7 years ago |
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A: Are there sound-based alternatives to whistle signals for group communication? I'm sure this isn't what you were shooting for but using radios, satellite phones, cell phones, etc. would all count because they transmit the "noise" of your voice to your target where it is reproduced as noise. So in a way it is kind of like teleporting your words/noise exactly where you want it to... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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Do zebra mothers seek revenge? I just watched a documentary on PBS that featured many African mammals in the wild. One scene in the documentary showed a baby zebra that was described as "minutes old" walking next to its mother. After a brief moment discussing how the baby needed to learn to walk shortly after birth they showed a m... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: What is SPF in sunscreen cream? I really like the existing answer, but I feel like it is a bit misleading in regards to what SPF really means. Reading that quote makes it seem like SPF is a linear relationship between SPF and the time before you will get burned. That isn't strictly true. A more extended quote from Wikipedia is (emp... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: What are the use cases for ski crampons over boot crampons? The answer to this question at its most basic level is generally use your ski crampons until you would feel more safe using boot crampons. I suspect since you asked this question you aren't very experienced with ski crampons and/or boot crampons so I'm going to talk a little bit about their use cases... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: When should I boil water before distilling it? First and foremost try to find better water. If your water is so polluted that this is a serious concern then I strongly feel you should find less polluted water to purify. This is true regardless of what method you're using to purify the water. For an extreme example I wouldn't try to collect water ... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: How exactly do you cut down a tree with fire? According to this resource one technique is to cake mud on the tree trunk at least 2 inches thick and 6 feet tall. The mud will protect the flames from spreading up the tree. Throughout the whole process it is important to keep an eye on this mud, and replenish it as needed. Remember your goal is to ... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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How exactly do you cut down a tree with fire? If I wanted to use fire to cut down a tree how would I accomplish this safely? Clearly if I build a big bonfire at the base of the tree it will burn down and possibly cause a forest fire. (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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Is all ocular fluid potable? Many years ago I read that buffalo hunters would drink the liquid out of buffalo's eyes to gross out the greenhorns and tenderfeet (people new to the West). Attached to this anecdote was a claim that all ocular fluid is potable water. Is this true? While I don't think the source specifically stated... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: Manual vs auto lock ski binding According to this source: Auto-locking toe lever puts you in uphill mode upon step-in, no manual lifting necessary. What this means is you don't have to lift up the toe tab to lock in your toe manually. Racers should appreciate this because it will save a little bit of time when stepping into t... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: What are ways to reduce swinging momentum when climbing? In general the best way to reduce/dampen your swinging is what Desorder mentioned in a comment: You want to exercise your core stability to stop swinging When you strengthen your core then your core can provide more resistance against the swinging motion. Depending on your strength you can red... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: Is there a mobile app to easily send a SMS message with coordinates? There are lots of apps that will share and mark your position with a pin on a map. For my day job I'm part of a team that is in charge of the Connected Living iPhone app. We offer that functionality among other things. The app that we view as our biggest competition is called Life360. They also offer... (more) |
— | almost 8 years ago |
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A: Do I need a hard shell to ski in sunny weather conditions? tl;dr I don't think you need spent big money on a new jacket just to go skiing if you have a serviceable soft shell. You can wear anything you want. I know when the ski season is coming to a close some people go skiing in little more than bathing suits on warmer days, and there are competitions w... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: Are there plants (for instance berries) which lead to dehydration if eaten? Are there plants (for instance berries) which lead to dehydration if eaten? I'd wager that for most people in practically any reasonable situation you would encounter in the outdoors other sources of dehydration would be a bigger factor than dehydration via eating berries. Perhaps if you were la... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: Is it unsafe to ride the chair lift with a backpack? With a dash of common sense, and a modicum of skill I'd say packs are safe on a chairlift. One winter I skied over 100 days at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. I wore a pack the vast majority of those days. I never once felt that any of my packs at any time were decreasing my safety or the safety of oth... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: Lead climb weight ratios While having a belayer that is much lighter than the climber is clearly not ideal, especially on lead, it isn't insurmountable. A famous climbing couple from days of yore was comprised of Lynn Hill and John Long. Lynn Hill is 110 pounds and while I can't find any exact numbers John is known as a bi... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: Sleeping outdoors without a tent in a high altitude Mt. Tapulao? In the link you gave in your question there are some pictures. One of the pictures has this caption: The Bunkhouses at the background of the picture, can serve as shelter, and has a nearby water source. It seems like you could just use the Bunkhouses if you find you're tired and need to spend ... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: As Mountaineers what can we give back to Mountains? I think this is a really complicated question because everything we do and don't do has consequences. What is a preferred outcome or consequence to our actions is deeply personal and not really relevant to the mountains. The mountains will survive and thrive regardless of what we do, almost certainly... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: Mountaineering with a 6-year-old kid in winter Other people have addressed several concerns that I would have bringing a young child into the mountains during the winter. One concern that I haven't seen addressed is; what if something happens to you because the average 6 year old is going to be entirely dependent on you. If you become compromised... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |
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A: Do mountaineers use dynamic climbing when traversing rock/ice? So this isn't the type of dynamic climbing you'd see in a bouldering problem, but one "dynamic" climbing technique that I could see being used on a mountaineering route is a pendulum. This is pretty much what it sounds like one person swings back and forth on the end of the rope so they can get to a ... (more) |
— | about 8 years ago |