Gear Articles tagged ‘outdoor survival’

Backcountry Travel and the Herding Mentality

By: Adam Riser | November 5th, 2010
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Jamon Whitehead and Pip Hunt discuss their options before dropping into the soup.

“Think for yourself / Question authority” — Tool (channeling Timothy Leary)

I took my first avalanche course about 10 years ago and learned a lot about the causes of avalanches. But the most important thing I learned was how to have an opinion and speak my mind when I didn’t like something. My instructor’s lesson was very simple. He skied out in front, and we all followed along. After a while, we ended up above a creek and below a nasty-looking slope. It was a terrible place to be, but I hadn’t even noticed. Then he turned and asked me if I was comfortable standing where I was. I looked around and answered no.

“Then why the hell are you here, Adam?” he asked me.
“Because I was following you.”
“Well, why did you follow me into here?”
“Because you’re teaching the class.”
“So?” he finished. And I turned around and got the hell out of there.

The lesson stuck, and I always take it with me into the mountains. Timothy Leary was right. You should think for yourself and question authority (such as more-experienced skiers). It may just save your life.
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Desert Smarts: Turning Back

By: Cole Lehman | September 28th, 2010
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Desert Smarts

Desert Smarts

The upcoming release of 127 Hours, a film about Aron Ralston and his cutting-off-his-own-arm ordeal, got us thinking about the desert. When you’re miles away from any possible rescue, desolate sandy roads are all you see of civilization, and a single set of footprints is all you notice along the day’s path, it’s essential to keep things in perspective.

What is the weather forecast? Does everyone have enough water to make it back to base camp? Who has a detailed map and the skills to use it? Is this pace OK for everyone? Does someone have water treatment capabilities and if so, is there potable water along the route? Where? Do you have enough food in case of fringe possibilities?  Does your group? Can you exit the canyon you’re about to enter without backtracking? Read More …

Fight the Freeze: Hypothermia

By: Adam Riser | September 24th, 2010
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Wet snow and cold weather—ideal conditions for hypothermia.

When I was a climbing guide and rafting guide in the Pacific Northwest, hypothermia was constantly on my mind. Washington is a very wet and often cold state where people can get into trouble quickly if they don’t pay attention. The right combination of weather conditions or just a cold swim through a rapid can easily be enough to cause the onset of mild hypothermia, and severe hypothermia and serious life-threatening consequences aren’t far behind. Taking the appropriate precautions to help keep your body temperature where it should be and knowing what to do if your body temperature begins to drop can save your life or your friend’s.

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Bear Canisters in the Adirondacks

By: Justin Mool | August 9th, 2010
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Bear Guy in the High Peaks Area

“Do you have a bear canister?”

“Yup. Sure do.”

“Oh … is it a black one?”

“No. It’s a Bear Vault.”

“Oh ho ho. Nope. Those don’t work here.”

I realize I’m reporting on old news here … but as a relative newcomer to the East Coast, I didn’t know that BearVault Bear Canisters are not allowed in the High Peaks area of the Adirondacks. Read More …

A Guide to Surviving Classic Alpine Routes

By: Adam Riser | August 2nd, 2010
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The news about the recent lightning storm and resulting rescue efforts on the Grand Teton has been both extremely sad and very uplifting. One climber tragically died, and 83 rescuers and emergency professionals put in an impressive effort to get 16 other victims off the mountain alive. Of course, it didn’t take long for people who weren’t there to begin reporting on the cost of the rescue, and I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before others begin to question the cost (as if 16 lives isn’t worth $50,000).

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that a large rescue has taken place on a classic moderate alpine route. Every range has its classic routes, and these routes tend to attract more climbers than all the other routes put together. The real danger comes on moderate classics that are easy enough to attract relatively inexperienced climbers in large numbers. On everything from the Tetons to Mt. Hood to Everest, these classics have been the site of the climbing community’s greatest tragedies. No one is responsible for you up there except you. So take some responsibility, and learn how to keep yourself safe on the classics. Here are a few tips that can help you avoid making the news.

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Dealing with Grizzlies: How to Prevent Attacks

By: Genevieve Mount | June 23rd, 2010
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  • Grizzly bears will also usually move along if they sense a human nearby. Try to make your presence known as often as possible when you travel through grizzly territory. Human noises work best, so try to keep a conversation going, or shout “Hey, bear! Coming through!” if you see signs of a bear in your vicinity.
  • When surprised, grizzlies attack more often than black bears, but the same “threat” mentality applies. Back away, speaking in a strong but soothing voice, showing the bear that you mean it no harm. Read More …

Mountain Lion Tips

By: Genevieve Mount | June 22nd, 2010
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  • Make noise while you hike. Most mountain lions will leave if they hear people coming.
  • If you see a mountain lion, do not run. Running will stimulate the “chase and attack” instinct, and four powerful legs outrun two human ones.
  • Do not approach the lion. Give it a way to escape. Most mountain lions will avoid confrontation (unless they have cubs with them or are very hungry).
  • Maintain eye contact and face the mountain lion. Make yourself appear larger by raising your arms, opening your jacket, or holding your backpack over your head.
  • Speak in a firm voice.

When You Hear A Rattle: Rattlesnake Safety

By: Genevieve Mount | June 22nd, 2010
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  • Keep your distance from the snake – most rattlers will leave you alone.
  • Go around the snake at a safe distance if the terrain allows. At best, rattlesnakes can strike a distance of two-thirds their total body length (this means a three-foot-long snake can snarf a bit of your leg within two feet of where they lie). Play it safe and give them a wide berth.
  • If you can’t go around, throw a few small pebbles around the snake from a safe distance (this is not a squash-the-snake game, you’re just trying to get the snake to move).

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Black Bear Attacks: What To Do

By: Genevieve Mount | June 21st, 2010
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  • Most black bears will high-tail it when they hear or smell a human. While being loud and ripe with B.O. is a social no-no in the human world, it’s a good idea in bear country.
  • If you surprise a bear on the trail, back away while speaking calmly and choose a new route or wait for the bear to leave the area.
  • Avoid eye contact. This is perceived as a challenge to bears and may change their attitudes from “What’s that weirdo doing?” to “What the hell are you staring at? I’ll rip you apart, smartass!” Read More …

Preventing Animal Attacks

By: Genevieve Mount | June 21st, 2010
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animal-attack-preventionHappy Solstice, everyone. Now that warm weather is officially here, we implore you to be careful out there. Because along with heat of summer comes something else: deadly animal attacks!

To kick off the summer season, we’ve compiled some tips (and some shockingly realistic videos) on how to handle animal encounters. Over the next few days, keep an eye out for the advice and the video that just might save your life. Read More …

How to Stay Safe in a Lightning Storm

By: Catherine Greenwald | June 1st, 2010
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It's getting to be that time of year

To date, two people have been killed by lightning in 2010 and 24 have been injured. As we head into the summer, those numbers are destined to spike thanks to the increasing prevalence of afternoon thunderstorms and the simple fact that more people are spending time out of doors. In fact, June, July, and August account for 73% of reported lightning strike incidents.

True, your odds of getting struck are fairly low (about one in 500,000 in any given year) and much better if you don’t live in Florida, Michigan, New York, or Texas. If you get unlucky, you still have a nine-in-ten chance of surviving the strike. However, lightning strike survivors are very often never the same as before, suffering ongoing symptoms including memory loss, headaches, fatigue, depression, joint pain, and insomnia. (Heightened extra-sensory powers have also been reported, but don’t count on it.)

So how do you avoid becoming a statistic? You’ve probably heard all this before, but as a public service we’ll run a few reminders by you. Read More …