Joseph's Tips
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ponderosa
Active Member
Kids love to make their own trail mix. Set out a variety of cereals, candies, dried fruits, crackers, etc and let them fill their own baggies. Keep it a special treat just for hikes as a great motivator to keep them going down the trail.
Hikenhunter
Well-Known Member
Tip #2 10/3/12----Take a 3 1/2" pencil stub. Carefully roll 25' of duct tape on it and include it in your backpacking repair kit. The tape comes in handy for many uses in the field and if you need to leave a note for some one for any reason you have the pencil.
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Oct 3. When making foil dinners, wrap the dinner tightly in a layer of foil. Then wrap it again with wet newspaper. Finish with another tight wrap of foil. The wet newspaper barrier will spread the heat evenly and help prevent burn spots.
We all have had this break in the field.
As we all now Duct tape will repair anything; I can attest it will hold a cabin tent center pole up at tention for two nights (do not know if it will lst longer we broke camp).
To prrevent the need for duct on said cabin tent buy hose clamps to use if and when the tention devise breaks on the tent pole!
As we all now Duct tape will repair anything; I can attest it will hold a cabin tent center pole up at tention for two nights (do not know if it will lst longer we broke camp).
To prrevent the need for duct on said cabin tent buy hose clamps to use if and when the tention devise breaks on the tent pole!
Pathfinder1
Well-Known Member
Hi...
I love this particular thread. So much to be learned here.
My hint today has to do with...on those rare occasions (I hope) that you may have a close encounter with a bear. Grizzlys in particular.
Much has been written and/or hyped about them. And Dr. Tom Smith, a LONG time AK wildlife biologist whose specialty is bears, begs to differ.
For examples: When you're facing one of those giants, no NOT try to make yourself bigger. Do NOT 'talk' to the bear. No NOT wear bear bells. Do NOT shout. Do NOT lay down. Do NOT run or back off.
You can see his complete talk on this subject on You Tube's 'Safety in Bear Country - Dr. Tom Smith - 2012 NOLS Faculty Summit'.
His reasoning is completely understandable when you 'see' his talk.
I love this particular thread. So much to be learned here.
My hint today has to do with...on those rare occasions (I hope) that you may have a close encounter with a bear. Grizzlys in particular.
Much has been written and/or hyped about them. And Dr. Tom Smith, a LONG time AK wildlife biologist whose specialty is bears, begs to differ.
For examples: When you're facing one of those giants, no NOT try to make yourself bigger. Do NOT 'talk' to the bear. No NOT wear bear bells. Do NOT shout. Do NOT lay down. Do NOT run or back off.
You can see his complete talk on this subject on You Tube's 'Safety in Bear Country - Dr. Tom Smith - 2012 NOLS Faculty Summit'.
His reasoning is completely understandable when you 'see' his talk.
ponderosa
Active Member
Here's another one for keeping kids engaged in a hike:
Barnes & Noble sells these nifty single page laminated wildflower ID guides. They have colored drawings of region-specific wildflowers, front and back. Let kids carry one, and use a crayon or dry erase marker to mark off each flower they identify on the hike. When you're done, wipe it clean to use again the next time. I've used this to entertain kids from 3 to 17, and a few adults for that matter. Bonus, they're learning something!
BARNES & NOBLE | Rocky Mountain Wildflowers by Craig MacGowan, Mountaineers Books, The | Paperback
I've also seen these (along with similar guides for birds, berries, mushrooms, etc) in many national park bookstores.
Barnes & Noble sells these nifty single page laminated wildflower ID guides. They have colored drawings of region-specific wildflowers, front and back. Let kids carry one, and use a crayon or dry erase marker to mark off each flower they identify on the hike. When you're done, wipe it clean to use again the next time. I've used this to entertain kids from 3 to 17, and a few adults for that matter. Bonus, they're learning something!
BARNES & NOBLE | Rocky Mountain Wildflowers by Craig MacGowan, Mountaineers Books, The | Paperback
I've also seen these (along with similar guides for birds, berries, mushrooms, etc) in many national park bookstores.
EmberMike
Member
Cut your tent's ground pad to the right size, just a couple of inches less than the footprint of the tent.
If you are already out in the woods, your ground pad extends beyond the footprint of the tent, and you don't want to rough-cut the pad, roll the edges under the tent, rolling towards the ground and not towards the tent. Any ground pad extending beyond the tent footprint will draw rain and moisture underneath the tent and up through the tent floor.
If you're concerned about gear weight, cutting the pad is the way to go. No need to carry pad weight you won't use.
If you are already out in the woods, your ground pad extends beyond the footprint of the tent, and you don't want to rough-cut the pad, roll the edges under the tent, rolling towards the ground and not towards the tent. Any ground pad extending beyond the tent footprint will draw rain and moisture underneath the tent and up through the tent floor.
If you're concerned about gear weight, cutting the pad is the way to go. No need to carry pad weight you won't use.
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Hikenhunter
Well-Known Member
tip#3----10/4/12----Always carry a whistle when hiking or boating. In times of trouble the whistle can be heard easier than yelling and screaming for help. Blow the whistle in bursts of three, all seasond outdoorspeople know that bursts of three is a distress signal.
Pathfinder1
Well-Known Member
Hi...
Today's tip is for the person who wants something lightweight, inexpensive and, and packable which will 'purify' water.
The Lifestraw personal water filter is said to enable you to drink safe water from contaminated water sources.
It weighs only two oz, is nine inches long, will purify 1000 liters of water, needs no replacement parts, filters out over 99.9% of waterborne bacteria and protozoan parasites.
Just place the end in unfiltered water and drink from it.
Time Magazine named it "The Best Invention in 2005".
$24.95 for one, $40.00 for two.
My Patriot Supply
P.O. Box 414
Hartford, IN 47348
response@MyPatriotSupply.com
Just thought you'd want to know.
Today's tip is for the person who wants something lightweight, inexpensive and, and packable which will 'purify' water.
The Lifestraw personal water filter is said to enable you to drink safe water from contaminated water sources.
It weighs only two oz, is nine inches long, will purify 1000 liters of water, needs no replacement parts, filters out over 99.9% of waterborne bacteria and protozoan parasites.
Just place the end in unfiltered water and drink from it.
Time Magazine named it "The Best Invention in 2005".
$24.95 for one, $40.00 for two.
My Patriot Supply
P.O. Box 414
Hartford, IN 47348
response@MyPatriotSupply.com
Just thought you'd want to know.
Hikenhunter
Well-Known Member
tip#4 10/5/12---- When car camping always include a box of baking soda with your supplies, when backpacking I bring about a third of a box in a small tupperware container. It can be used for the as an antacid,to brush your teeth, relieve skin itch from insect bites or poison ivy and pain from sunburn, remove fish smell from your hands,relieve heartburn,use with water to make a mouth freshening gargle,sprinkle a little in your shoes to keep them fresh smelling, mix it with water and use it to wash down any surface. All this and more from one product, and it isn't expensive.
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Make it a habit when you change your clocks ahead or behind for Daylight Savings Time to not only check your smoke alarms, but to go through your First Aid kit and discard any outdated medicines/ointments and restock as needed.
It sucks to need a band-aid or worse yet a small butterfly bandage for a deep wound and find nothing but an empty wrapper.
It sucks to need a band-aid or worse yet a small butterfly bandage for a deep wound and find nothing but an empty wrapper.
Oct 5 When cooking with multiple dutch ovens and stacking them, be sure to cut back a little on the coals between the ovens. There is less heat loss when stacking so a couple less briquettes than normal will prevent too much heat.
Pathfinder1
Well-Known Member
Hi...
Today's tip is to carry a small (or larger) supply of UNprocessed honey whenever you're afield.
It not only can supply supplemental nourishment, be used to sweeten foods and beverages, and...since it won't spoil without outside influences...can be used on burns...between the skin and the dressing. It can also be used as bait for small animals for deadfalls and snares in survival circumstances.
Today's tip is to carry a small (or larger) supply of UNprocessed honey whenever you're afield.
It not only can supply supplemental nourishment, be used to sweeten foods and beverages, and...since it won't spoil without outside influences...can be used on burns...between the skin and the dressing. It can also be used as bait for small animals for deadfalls and snares in survival circumstances.
Judy Ann
Active Member
My lesson#1: Don't make your first backpacking trip a 3 day dry hike. Carrying 4 gallons of water on top of non-lightweight gear is a recipe for disaster. A 50 pound plus pack eliminates you very quickly if you are a 50+ year old woman. Real story.
Judy Ann
Active Member
Lesson #2: If you don't know how to use a compass, carrying 2 won't give you any additional benefits.
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