Dramatic Photos of Griz Chasing Burnt Bison

10:41 AM | Labels: , , ,


I am a member of http://coolworks.com
a great website that links employees with employers in the some of the coolest spots around the world. I have worked in Yellowstone National Park, and Zion National Park, thanks to the connection facilitated by CoolWorks.
People become members, join groups and stay in touch with their friends and happenings in their favorite spots. Very informative, interactive, give it a look if you love to travel or work in beautiful places.
The owner of the website, Bill Berg, posted this link for those who love Yellowstone, or are fascinated with the goings on there.
The photos were taken in snowy April by a man taking his wife to work. These photos will amaze you, and truly rare.
I felt very sorry for the poor bison who first gets so close to hot spots he is nearly burned to death, the has to run for his life from a full grown griz. Sadly, he met his fate the next day. There are no Darwin Awards for animals that I know of. This poor guy would qualify.

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The Cabin

8:03 PM | Labels: , ,


I have this favorite shelter going on; every time I hike up to the mountain top, I add to the Cabin.


It started out as a learning project. If you're faced with nightfall and no shelter, how long would it take to create something from scratch? There are no caves, overhangs,or large blow downs. Its fairly open with small trees because years ago it was clear cut: a method whereby all trees are cut down and removed at once.


With winter approaching, I find myself adding to the shelter with plans to do an overnighter there. I'll bring a thermometer to measure the difference in temperatures inside and out.


Playing in the woods like this is just practice for if one had to hole up and wait for rescue. Its important to feel some control over the outcome so that panic doesn't set in. With purposeful work, like improving the shelter by adding more leaves or branches, a person can stay put and not panic.





One disadvantage to this location is no ready source of water. A stream is shown on the topographical map, but it is nearly 700 feet lower in elevation, way down the slope. An advantage however would be easy to spot by air search and rescue teams.


Playing with survival scenarios is like practicing basketball. The practice sessions hone skills for the real game.



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Preparing the Peanut Butter Jar for Trail

4:44 PM | Labels: , , , ,

I heated water in my coffee pot just to pour into these two plastic jars. Once the near boiling water was in the container, I screwed on the lids so that they would maintain their shapes.
The plastic will shrink, and deform if the lid is not used in this process.
I allow the water to completely cool before dumping it.
This plastic container is very useful in an ultralight cook set. The lid can become a spoon holder, the plastic a mixer, coffee cup, or solar cooker.
I used a plastic peanut butter jar extensively when I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail.
In the desert, I discovered solar cooking with my empty peanut butter jar. Ramen noodles were broken into bite size pieces, placed in the jar and covered with water. This filled jar was placed in the sun for about an hour, and became the perfect afternoon lunch. Many days when the temperatures soared over 100 degrees, resting during the heat of the day, and hiking til near sunset became the method of operation, allowing us to make good miles while carrying only 5 quarts of water for the long stretches. During this resting and waiting period a person could solar cook and take a nap.
Later in the Sierras, a couple friends and I crested a snow covered Forester Pass. At 13,000 plus-feet it is the highest point on the PCT. As we began our decent down its slope, we stopped in the snow for a home made ice cream break. We each pulled out our trusty empty peanut butter jars and each a package of hot coco powder mix. We filled our containers with snow, each emptied a package of hot coco mix into it. Stirring with the trail spoon, our ice cream was complete.
This larger plastic container is from instant coffee. Either one could be used in a hobo cook set. Because they contained dry goods, not liquids, they can't be considered leak proof, but will make a great powdered pudding shaker, too.

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Fresh Smells of Fall

10:40 AM | Labels: , ,


It rained early this morning, the kind of rain that refreshes everything and gives that musky raw earth smell. The dust and pollen is washed away, the colors much more vibrant.

I walk in the rain, taking a deep breath, learning the smells and sounds of the forest in fall.

Even the slightest breeze or drop of rain can move a distant leaf, causing the dark background of trunks to look as though they are moving, an optical illusion. Smells are like that too. A sweet smell. Is it muskadines ripening, distant fallen apples? The fall is a time of harvest, sweet smells are not flowers.

The smoky smell of campfires, less intense than a wood burning stove, much more pleasant that cigarettes or burning garbage, will tell of nearby campers.

As survivalists, we learn to recognize the smells, whether it be a stream, moss or vegetation, wild animals, urine, wet dog, humans. All these give us information.

Care must be taken because our initial recognition can evaporate quickly. Scientists tell us our brain becomes accustomed to a smell quickly, hence the warning if you ever smell smoke, investigate it. Get out of bed, find the source. If you go back to sleep, your nose won't wake you up again.

We can train our noses to be more sensitive by taking deep breaths and identifying what we are smelling. You can practice in the kitchen, at work, in the forest, any time of the day. Our noses give us a lot of information. Strange how desensitized we can become with cigarette smoke, perfumes, furniture polish and detergents we add to our lives.

I remember hiking the Colorado Trail and passing a bunch of hikers. We could smell the detergent on their clothing, the perfume in their hair and play a game of identifying the brand. Our packs picked up trail odors, not always so pleasant. We smelled very wild, like the places we'd been.

Some smells can be pleasant to one, and disgusting to another. I love the smell of black jelly beans. My friend finds them appauling.

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Waterproof Paper Website

9:45 AM | Labels: ,

If you're looking for water proof paper, check out this company: http://riteintherain.com/ . I started researching this product and found a link to Rite In The Rain-Cool Stories which is also at their website.


A cool product for a trail club or scouts, you can order these books by the dozen and feel confident they'll hold up. Just reading the stories from around the world by firefighters and adventurers give you an idea of what types of projects you could embark on.

There's tablets, notebooks, printable paper, too. Imaginations run wild with this sort of thing. We tend to avoid bad weather, but a purposeful expedition in bad weather teaches much.
Packing up in the rain, leaving shelter, hiking all day to set up in a deluge, sleeping on two inches of hail are all experiences I treasure.
These experiences teach methods that come in handy: organization, prioritization, clear thinking, delayed gratification.

Give everyone a tablet of waterproof paper, have them record their thoughts and experiences and you'll have a learning experience worthy of the best schools.

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Brooks-Range Backcountry Map Toolkit- Gear Review

7:48 PM | Labels: , ,

Brooks-Range.com sent me a back country map toolkit for a gear review. I was surprised when it arrived at the contents of this kit. It weighs 4.5 ounces and has this nice bright fabric wallet to carry everything in. A person still needs a magnetic compass, regardless of their skills, which is not included.

I read the instruction pamphlet, learning about how they calculate inclines and slopes using the plastic card tool and a string.

If a person had co ordinates from an online source, or say, GPS co ordinates from an article in Backpacker magazine this back country tool kit would help in locating it on the correct map.

This tool kit is not for novices or regular trail hiking. If you got lost, it could help in reorienting, but a compass and map is still needed. A person needs to take time with the instructions and not be mathmatically phobic.

I liked the wallet and waterproof paper. The book was generous in size and pages. The fabric was bright, well made, with plenty of side opening pockets. A nice place for three pens on the outside, with a secure closure.

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Where the Wind Blows Bittersweet-Book Review

10:24 AM | Labels: , , ,

Published in 1975 , Jim Klobuchar still rings true with the winter adventurer. The glossy photo pages are a delight even if you can feel the winter chill deep in your bones.

Jim introduces us to the experienced mountaineers who we later will find spending the night up in the Beartooth Mountains when their snowmobile party becomes hopelessly stranded in a blizzard. The party of 16 breaks into 4 groups, and although one dies, the rest survive the chilling cold using different methods. One can learn much reading about each method, and the people who suffered through them. Bottom line: a little bit of the right gear and snacks can make a huge difference.

This harrowing experience does not prevent future explorations. Three go on to Oregon to hunt for signs of the elusive Bigfoot of the Siskiyous, up near Lonesome Ridge.

Thankfully, the book was written by a man who knows and enjoys his topic, reflecting a love for foot and ski travel as well as machine.

Only 128 pages, this book is a good read and sobering look at a winter world both amazing and terrifying. I turned the last page with a greater appreciation for preparation and the elements.
It is good to boldly go, but better to return.

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