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1500 questions
17
votes
4 answers
What precautions are needed for caving?
I have been hiking/mountaineering for quite a few years now. But, I have never been into a deep cave as yet. We are planning to explore a natural cave that we'll have to rappel into. The cave is unexplored for nearly a 3 decades now, and evidently…
WedaPashi
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17
votes
4 answers
Placing protection efficiently when leading trad?
I'm a beginning trad leader, having done about five easy fifth class leads. I've had some formal instruction, but don't currently have access to a teacher or mentor. I'm finding that I'm extremely slow as a leader, even when the climbing is easy,…
user2169
17
votes
2 answers
John Muir's Gear List
What gear did John Muir actually take on long trips?
I live in California these days, and around here we revere John Muir as a legend of the outdoors. But the legend seems larger than is possible. John Muir is said to have traveled for weeks in the…
john_science
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17
votes
6 answers
How bright a flashlight would I realistically need for searching through terrain?
Modern flashlights have brightness up to several thousand lumens which is great. However it's not clear how bright a flashlight I might realistically need.
Suppose I want to go on a search party such as for example when a person is lost in the…
sharptooth
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17
votes
5 answers
At what point do I need snow goggles or glacier glasses when hiking?
I'll be backpacking Europe in the winter (snow and rain) and parts of my trip will be outdoors, such as hiking in Dolomites, Italy. For purposes of packing light and risk of losing expensive gear, I don't know if I want to bring both sunglasses AND…
MarkE
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17
votes
9 answers
How to harden feet for walking barefoot on harsh surfaces?
In the past I was only occasionally walking barefoot, on relatively short distances, on the earthy surfaces. But I'd like to train my feet to be able to do much more - including walking on harsh surfaces such as rocks. My inspiration are the…
Danubian Sailor
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17
votes
5 answers
How can I keep my backpack safe?
I went on a hike with my wife the other day in Norcal. This place had a creek that led into a cave that you can swim in. We both left our backpacks at the cave entrance and then swam through it to the other side to explore, trusting that no one…
daniellopez46
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17
votes
6 answers
Should a carabiner ever be clipped to the tie-in loops and should anything other than a carabiner ever attach to the belay loop?
I'm a beginning climber and am trying to resolve conflicting instruction related to tying into my harness.
During a recent outing a friend (an experienced climber, but not an instructor) was showing me the basics of switching from climbing to…
STW
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17
votes
5 answers
Is there a difference in performance between a fishing kayak and touring kayak?
Last year my wife and I rented a couple of SOT kayaks and used them to paddle around our local lake. We enjoyed it so much we have decided to purchase our own this year.
We are looking at some entry level kayaks to use at the lakes and rivers here…
Larry
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17
votes
3 answers
Does whiskey help keep you warm in winter?
It is a rare day that I head out into the winter wilds without a flask of sumpt'n-sumpt'n in my pocket. A nip helps one to relax, can mildly embolden timid skiers in my group, and gives one that fiery radiating warmth upon imbibing.
Its this latter…
Lost
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17
votes
4 answers
What alternative topographic maps exist in the USA?
This answer recommends topographic maps as downloadable from the USGS. A comment holds that those are definitely the best thing for the US.
An except for the San Joaquin river near Mammoth Lakes looks like this:
When I look at the same place with…
gerrit
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17
votes
2 answers
What should you do if you are bitten by a rattlesnake?
You should obviously avoid rattlesnakes if at all possible. But if you do get bitten by one, what should you do? What supplies can be brought ahead of time to allow for the best treatment, and what should you do if you have nothing other than…
jrdioko
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17
votes
2 answers
What temperature to prepare for on Everest base camp trek?
I'm doing the popular tourist trek from Lukla to Everest base camp in late April / early May. I know the minimum temperature is on average -1 Celsius (30.2 Fahrenheit) in the Khumbu region at this time but am wondering what temperature to prepare…
Simon Gibbs
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17
votes
3 answers
Safe way to mark a carabiner gate?
At the crag this weekend I noticed that my climbing partner's carabiner had a great feature: a red line painted such that you know the carabiner isn't locked until the red is hidden.
I love this feature. Unfortunately, I already own dozens of…
john_science
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17
votes
9 answers
How can you make a MSR WhisperLite stove simmer?
MSR WhisperLite backpacking stoves are ubiquitous, but they lack a key function: the ability to simmer easily. How can you set a WhisperLite to simmer without having to constantly watch the stove and micro-adjust the fuel valve?
Lost
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