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1500 questions
15
votes
5 answers

Are fires in natural caves/overhangs safe?

I have heard that a fire in a cave or under an overhang can cause a rock collapse, potentially injuring the occupant. Is this a real risk?
Russell Steen
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15
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1 answer

Will Iodine Tablets Ruin My CamelBak?

In the past, I have gone backpacking with some fairly expensive, heavy water purification tools. But the more I read about water safety in California's Sierras (here and here), the less I think these high-tech solutions are necessary. Can I just…
john_science
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15
votes
6 answers

Multiday hike in UK with children

I very much enjoy mountain hut treks, and since I've had children I've enjoyed doing them as a family. Over the past few years we've done this only in Austria, especially in the Rax region. I'm guessing at this point my children can walk up to about…
Eyal
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15
votes
2 answers

Does mud stick less to trail running shoes?

I am training for a long cross-country run, which starts and ends on tarmac, but goes on rough paths in the middle. I ran some of it today in road shoes, and they got caked in clay-like mud - not just mucky, but literally had an extra 1-inch "sole"…
Bennet
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15
votes
2 answers

How do I set a top rope anchor?

When rock-climbing, I need to set up a top-rope anchor so if I fall, it will minimize chance of injury. So, how would I safely set one up?
Reverend Gonzo
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15
votes
3 answers

Purpose of burn permit?

In Ontario, Canada, some municipalities require property owners to acquire a permit for open-air fires, such as when cleaning up excess yard waste and fallen trees. From the municipality’s perspective, what is the main reason they require a permit?…
User1974
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15
votes
5 answers

Is it very uncommon to see snakes in the woods, or have I just been unobservant?

I grew up near forests in the midwest US. As a kid I spent a lot of time in wooded areas off trails, in very dense foliage. A lot of this was near or even in creeks and rivers. As an adult I've hiked in the same area through areas with no trails,…
15
votes
4 answers

Can one acclimatize to cold -- and remain healthy -- by enduring some chilliness at the beginning of the cold season?

Where I live in Canada, winter can be pretty cold. Sometimes -35 C. I work outside for a living and among my work peers there's an age old debate about when is the best time to start wearing long underwear (we call them long johns). Some of my…
Terry
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15
votes
3 answers

Under what circumstances, if any, can thunder by itself cause damage?

We had an extremely impressive thunderstorm last night, unprecedented for the fairly moderate Northern Virginia weather, and impressive probably in most places. I was glad not to be in a tent. I was surprised by how many commenters on NextDoor…
ab2
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15
votes
2 answers

Why do predators seem as abundant as prey in trail camera footage?

From basic thermodynamic principles, I would normally expect prey species to be much more abundant than predators. Applying that to North American species like deer, wolves and bears, I would expect deer to be much more abundant, and when I run some…
rwallace
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15
votes
4 answers

Climbing attached to a carabiner rather than tying in

I've just started rock climbing at an indoor climbing gym with a few friends. I noticed on the auto-belay walls, the was a carabiner you clip to your harness (I assume in the belay loop). Is it safe to tie a climbing rope to a carabiner for…
Dan
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15
votes
6 answers

How to deal with hordes of flies in outdoor toilets?

In countryside (rural) tourism, especially when it is single or few houses somewhere in the middle of nowhere (woods), instead of having a water system including proper bathroom one sometimes gets a well for water and a hole in the ground for a…
Matas Vaitkevicius
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15
votes
5 answers

Do I need a rope on the Großglockner?

I want to climb Austria's highest peak, Großglockner via the "normal route" (the easiest route). However, I am unsure what I really need for that. Most information advices to use ropes with multiple people, but as far as I can see on photos, there…
user1721135
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votes
2 answers

When is it effective to put on your snow shoes?

What is a good point to put on your snow shoes? If the snow is up to my ankles, I feel almost no extra resistance when hiking. If it's about 20 cm, walking is more exhausting, however, snow shoes also cause some extra strain. If I sink up to my…
Cjxcz Odjcayrwl
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15
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2 answers

Do sharpies or markers damage soft rock climbing gear?

I have been writing my initials onto the dogbones (webbing connecting biners) of my quickdraws with a sharpie (permanent marker) so I can tell them apart from everyone else's. Recently, one of my climbing partners suggested that I should switch to…
Moormanly
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