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1500 questions
20
votes
3 answers
Maintaining a Mountain Hut
I loved and appreciate the concept of Mountain Huts. Though I have never visited one, this really sounds appealing. In my country, India, we don't have Mountain Huts, so we have to manage it all on our own.
But, I wonder if a local organization…
WedaPashi
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20
votes
3 answers
Climbing with a much lighter partner?
Both my fiancee and myself bought some climbing gear recently and we're planning our first trip to an indoor rock gym this weekend. We decided to practice our knots and belay technique before we went so we rigged some rope to a chin-up bar to…
Blackbear
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20
votes
4 answers
How to take care of steel crampons?
What should I do to increase the lifetime of my crampons, maintain them properly, and check whether they can still be used safely?
user2169
20
votes
6 answers
Why do many climbers appear to not trust their belay loops?
The belay loop is the strongest part of the climbing harness, so why do so many climbers not trust it?
It’s very common to see climbers backing up their belay loop with a separate piece of webbing or clipping their belay carabiner through the waist…
WedaPashi
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20
votes
5 answers
What do I do to prevent and treat frostbite?
I'm going to be winter camping, and I'm concerned about getting frostbite. What can I do to protect myself?
Reverend Gonzo
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20
votes
2 answers
What is the proper technique for self-arrest when wearing crampons?
What is the proper technique to self-arrest and brake a fall, given steep icy (frozen snow) slope, when wearing crampons and wielding an ice axe? Should the crampons be used for stopping or held high in the air, to avoid tumbling over them?
Vorac
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20
votes
4 answers
What do you do if the fire does get "out of control"?
Let's say you are camping with a large group, and someone starts a camp fire. You're away for a bit and come back to find everyone panicking and the fire to be much larger than actually planned (ie, burning into surrounding grass or brush).
What…
Russell Steen
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20
votes
4 answers
Rappelling in the Rain
Last night I had a nightmare that I was 5 pitches off the ground and it started to pour rain. When I woke up I realized I have no idea how to deal with this.
Asking around, everyone says two things:
Don't get caught in this situation. Plan better…
john_science
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20
votes
3 answers
Washing clothes on long hikes
I'm looking for a good solution for clothing (or clothes washing) on long hikes with the following considerations
Southeastern United States, Appalachians
We hike light
10+ day trips
I don't want to wear dirty clothes for too long, especially…
Russell Steen
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20
votes
1 answer
Is it legal to camp on private property in Russia?
In some places, like Scandinavia, you can camp pretty much anywhere you like as long as it's only for one night and you don't leave a mess.
The freedom to roam, or everyman's right is the general public's right
to access certain public or…
victoriah
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20
votes
2 answers
What coastal creature leaves braid-like trace that has clear landing and take off points?
June 29 around 8 PM EST (within 40 minutes after downpour) the depicted trace was found in swash zone at Jacob Riis Park in NY. For reference the boot size is 12.
Alexander Betser
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20
votes
4 answers
Surfacing out of a sunken ship/submarine - Survival Tips
Here is a scary scenario:
Let's say you were in a ship or submarine that sunk to the bottom of the ocean.
No scuba gear, no oxygen tank, nothing.
The depth of the ocean is such that nitrogen levels will affect you significantly if you rapidly rise…
mph85
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20
votes
1 answer
What is this red bug infesting some trees in southern Germany?
I've just recently moved to Europe (southern Germany), so this might be a common sight to someone who has been living here for longer.
Yesterday I noticed dozens of these insects walking on the sidewalk and grass. Then I looked at the trunk of some…
undefined
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20
votes
3 answers
Why would you climb hard bigwall projects in Yosemite in winter?
One of the hardest routes on El Cap, The Dawn Wall, was done by Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson in January 2015. What are some of the reasons to choose to climb such a hard route in winter, when the conditions are probably more adversary?
Paul Paulsen
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20
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3 answers
Do birds eat chillies? Do they feel the chilli heat?
We had a few white browed bulbuls visit us recently.
One of them seemed to have a peculiar interest in the chillies that grew in one of our pots (I believe these are bird's eye chillies [no pun intended]. They are really hot). I wasn't able to see…
Ricketyship
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