In terms of wilderness safety, there is only so much you can do. And yet, there really is so much you can do. If doing so for yourself is not motivating enough, then do it for someone else. Do it for a loved one waiting at home, or a traveling … Continue reading
Removing harmful pathogens from questionable water sources is a challenge for any outdoor enthusiast. The most common methods are boiling, filtering, chemically treating, and exposing to UV light. When most of us think of UV light, we think of an expensive battery powered device, such as a Steripen™. The sun, … Continue reading
As with most griefs, there are five stages of wilderness laundry: Denial: I don’t smell anything. Why are you sitting way over there? Anger: Seriously, it is not that bad! Besides, you don’t exactly smell pine scented! Bargaining: Listen, I’ll take a quick dip in the lake when we get … Continue reading
Leave No Trace principles limit our wilderness take home pay to memories and photographs. Since memories quickly fade with age, we should probably give these photograph things a snap more exposure. Professional photographers aside, most of us set our artistic dial on decent. Decent seems to be the minimum level … Continue reading
There are a wide variety of tent shapes and sizes, each reflecting the personality and style of their owner. In spite of their apparent differences, most tents are designed to solve a common fundamental challenge – how to efficiently protect the tent occupant from the elements. A wilderness shelter can … Continue reading
When You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go This is without doubt the number one or number two challenge in the wilderness. Many of us wish we could avoid the subject, but in the end, it’s not our call; it’s nature’s call. Try as we might, there is simply no avoiding … Continue reading
What is a WFR? A Wilderness First Responder, sometimes referred to as a “woofer,” is an individual trained and certified to provide extended emergency medical care in a wilderness setting. In comparison think of an urban first responder as focused on providing care during the “golden hour” – that critical … Continue reading
Although a strong urge to perform math is probably not what drove you to leave civilization, there are times when guess-ti-mating is an important skill: Your wilderness permit says your campsite must be at least 100 feet from water. You are wondering if that tree branch is really high enough … Continue reading
Leave No Trace, taken literally, would mean Leave No House. To have no impact on the wilderness would mean never to enter. Never hike the trails, never climb the cliffs, never paddle the waters, never fish the streams, and never camp out under the stars. Even the basic credo … Continue reading
When I come upon a bird I don’t recognize, it flutters in and out of my consciousness with very little impact. I make no emotional connection other than to notice: a bird. However when I come upon an old friend, a bird I recognize and know, the reaction is completely … Continue reading
Smokey Bear used to warn, “only you can prevent forest fires,” as if the whole dang wilderness were spontaneously com-busting like a drummer from Spinal Tap. Why is it then when you desperately need a cooking fire that even the tiniest hint of moisture makes it seem impossible to light … Continue reading
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