The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange
The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
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Features to look for when buying a stove (for car camping)

We (wife, 5 year old and me) are planning to go camping next summer (UK). It will be car camping - i.e. drive, set up tent and, knowing the UK, sit in the tent as it rains. I'm looking at equipment and I would like to know what the advantages and…
Nicholas
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Am I allowed to swim in the Austrian Alps lakes?

The title really says it all, is it legal to swim in the lakes in the Austrian Alps?
zoul
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What is the relationship between altitude gain and temperature decrease when mountaineering?

In the absence of inversions, going up mountains will bring you into lower temperatures as you get higher. What is the rule of thumb for how the temperature decreases with altitude?
Charlie Brumbaugh
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Is backcountry hiking in northwestern Russia safe?

Is it safe to go backcountry hiking in the Tundra's of northwestern Russia, e.g. the Kola peninsula, such as the Khibin mountains? There is some heavy industry around there; can one safely go around, camp, drink from the rivers etc. as one would do…
gerrit
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Is there a consensus or ethic for rappelling off a tree?

When trad climbing I have seen many people wrap their rope around a tree and then rappel, and then yank the rope down at the next belay station or tree. I have also seen the scarring as a result of this over time on some trees. I can see doing this…
DJBunk
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Would a gunshot echo in a cave?

I'm writing a story in which someone is shot in a cave system. Another character is an adjoining tunnel some distance and at least a few tunnel intersections away. Would the sound of the shot reach her? Would it sound like a gun shot? or a rumble of…
Tammy
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Double Mariner Mechanical Advantage

Petzl have a diagram on their website for what they call a Double Mariner. It's identified on the site as having a 7:1 mechanical advantage, but I can only see it as having a 5:1. Can somebody confirm or explain what I'm missing otherwise? Crevasse…
Raz Peel
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Why did people rub snow on frozen feet?

If you read old books from cold areas, it's not infrequent to run across the idea of rubbing snow on one's feet when they got frozen or frostbitten. However, subjectively, it seems to me that this would only make the wounds worse. Having lived my…
anonymous2
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How to toughen up hands?

So I climb. It keeps my hands pretty rough, but for my day job I am a desk jockey now. I was wondering, are there exercises can I do to keep my hands rough so they don't get torn to shreds when I do get out? Is there anything I can do to keep them…
MaskedPlant
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What is the proper way to tarp tent to avoid condensation?

I tried pitching a tarp instead of a tent this weekend. In worked well, kept off the rain etc, except for the condensation. It was far worse than any condensation I've ever had in a tent. We had other tents nearby and they didn't experience the…
Russell Steen
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Can I place a Dutch oven directly into/next to a camp fire?

Most of the guides I have found relating to Dutch ovens recommend placing hot coal on and underneath the oven, or hanging the oven from a tripod. I was wondering if my cast iron Dutch oven could be placed either on the fire directly or on the wood…
dave37
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Why are there separate seasons for archery and firearm hunting for deer?

I was reading up on Pennsylvania's hunting regulations and noticed there are different seasons for the hunting of deer with bow-and-arrow and firearms. Why is this? I can understand hunting seasons in general, because you don't want to disrupt the…
Skooba - Stands Against AI
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Difference between a "path" and a "footpath"?

I was chacking a map to see access rights on a particular route I know. I was checking if a path was a bridleway or footpath as I know Mountain Bikes should only use bridleways. Studying the key closely though I became a little confused. If you look…
user2766
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4 answers

Dozens of earthworms came on my terrace and died there

We've had a harsh weather turnaround lately in central Europe. It went from a pretty warm late summer to a pretty cold autumn in nearly one single night. As this happened, earthworms started to come out of the garden on my terrace (I also found some…
OddDeer
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What is this wet/oily residue all over the rocks in my yard?

I live in the Sierra Nevadas, a little over 8,000 feet up. There's an area in my yard that has rocks with a bright shiny sheen to them. I've seen some kind of coating on nearby plants (which doesn't seem to harm them), which I'm guessing is maybe…
Eric
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