Hikers are heading to the trailhead in large numbers now.
Remember to fill out a trip plan to let your friends and family know when you will return.
Go here for the hiker's trip plan.
Map, Compass & GPS
Wild flowers along Fall Creek on the way to the Green Lakes - Oregon
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Taking Good Care of Your Compass
A few thoughts on taking care of your compass and what to look for before you go hiking in the backcountry.
Remember that the correct operation of the compass is dependent on the action of the magnetic needle to guide the hunter through the backcountry. Lots of items in a pack and clothing can affect the needle. Most understand that ferrous objects such as a rifle barrel, belt buckle, and car keys will deflect the magnetic needle. Still, take a good look at what is in a day pack. The batteries from the GPS receiver and a flash light may cause a compass needle to move.
Remember that the correct operation of the compass is dependent on the action of the magnetic needle to guide the hunter through the backcountry. Lots of items in a pack and clothing can affect the needle. Most understand that ferrous objects such as a rifle barrel, belt buckle, and car keys will deflect the magnetic needle. Still, take a good look at what is in a day pack. The batteries from the GPS receiver and a flash light may cause a compass needle to move.
High tension power lines and a vehicle’s electrical system may also cause a magnetic needle to deflect. Moving a few steps from the vehicle should be sufficient. One may have to move over one hundred feet from the power lines to avoid deflection. (GPS Made Easy, Michael Ferguson.)
Some locations will have a high concentration of iron near the surface. This is known as “local attraction.” Such concentrations will cause the needle to move too. Unlike declination, moving away from the immediate area may cause the deflection to stop. The local Bureau of Land Management or Forest Service Office should be able to identify areas affected by local attraction.
Recently, a retired forester commented that he had left his GPS and compass left on the dashboard of his truck. The lanyard that came with the compass was wrapped tightly around both the GPS receiver and compass. He estimated that the two sat on the dashboard for a little over three months. He later noticed that the compass was roughly 30° off. It’s an interesting anecdote that does bring up the point of how a compass must be properly stored.
I recommend that a compass be stored away from electronics (e.g., GPS, radios), batteries and many metallic (knives, saw) objects found in a pack. I don’t recommend going overboard on this but a compass could simply go in an exterior compartment, a shirt or coat pocket. Attaching a brake away lanyard to a compass so that is worn around the next is a viable option. This would apply during the off season too; a little separation is a good thing.
It is possible for the magnetic needle to lose its polarity. This is a function of time and manufacture. With research, one can learn how to restore the magnetism. That said, with the modern liquid filled compass this is probably more trouble than it is worth. Occasionally, check the alignment of the compass. In the small town where I live, residential streets are aligned true north and south. Standing on the curb on such a street provides a quick verification of how the compass is working. To me verification means that the compass direction will mirror that of the street; if the street tracks true north then the adjusted compass should provide a bearing to true north.
At the end of the hiking or hunting season take a look at the compass. Flush away dirt or sand that may be on the baseplate or sighting mirror. Look for bubbles that may appear internally and adjacent to the compass needle. A small bubble may not be something to worry about but a large bubble may impact how the needle swings and moves. A compass with a large bubble should be permanently removed from the hiker’s kit.
Lastly, keep in mind that a quality compass will retail for $20 or more. Also, a quality compass can be mechanically adjusted for declination. Such a compass is a precision piece of equipment. This is especially true of the Silva Ranger style or the Brunton Eclipse models. Note that I am prejudice (won’t buy them) towards the cheap stuff found on the racks of the major box sporting goods stores. If a hunter is willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a rifle scope why not spend a bit more for a decent compass; it can make a huge difference.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Cast Iron Cooking - Restoring a Treasure
Leon is a master Dutch Oven chef.
by Leon Pantenburg
Dan’s urban “survival training” came from Boy Scout Troop 18 in Bend, Oregon. He, along with most of his buddies, earned the cooking merit badge. The requirements included learning how to cook outdoors over a campfire, using aluminum foil or a cast iron Dutch oven.
Dan’s oven is a cast-iron, 10-inch Lodge-brand oven that can be used both indoors and outside. It is the same brand, make, model and size of oven I have used at least weekly for nearly 30 years. When I bought my new oven, it seemed expensive.
But Dan’s oven was free because it was slightly rusty and dirty from being stored in an old garage for years. A little elbow grease restored the cast iron to like-new condition.
To read the rest of the post go here.
I really like my cast iron. I do have a few garage sale pieces. Some looked pretty rusty so I just had them sandblasted. One guy charged me $20, another just wanted a 6 pack of Coors light. Blake
by Leon Pantenburg
Dan’s urban “survival training” came from Boy Scout Troop 18 in Bend, Oregon. He, along with most of his buddies, earned the cooking merit badge. The requirements included learning how to cook outdoors over a campfire, using aluminum foil or a cast iron Dutch oven.
Dan’s oven is a cast-iron, 10-inch Lodge-brand oven that can be used both indoors and outside. It is the same brand, make, model and size of oven I have used at least weekly for nearly 30 years. When I bought my new oven, it seemed expensive.
But Dan’s oven was free because it was slightly rusty and dirty from being stored in an old garage for years. A little elbow grease restored the cast iron to like-new condition.
To read the rest of the post go here.
I really like my cast iron. I do have a few garage sale pieces. Some looked pretty rusty so I just had them sandblasted. One guy charged me $20, another just wanted a 6 pack of Coors light. Blake
Saturday, June 7, 2014
It Has To Work For You
New gear, technology, ideas, concepts, something you saw on a cable channel might sound great, but in the backcountry "It has to work for you." It's got to work rain or shine.
During the course of teaching GPS classes for over 12 years and now wilderness survival I have become attached (so to speak) to a phrase, "It has to work for you."
There is nothing magic here. Nothing novel. Nothing original.
People enjoy talking about new technology, equipment or skills that they have learned. They are justifiably proud of their new knowledge.
A good friend got me very interested in using an alcohol stove while backpacking. It is economical, takes up little space and weighs but a few ounces. The problem is, that I can't get mine going reliably. I need more time with it to learn the basics; how simple can that be. But still, it is not working for me.
In SAR training two years ago, one team member told me how a computer mouse pad is great as a stove platform, in the snow while winter camping. So I try it out. I accidentally spill come Coleman white gas fuel on the pad. When I light the stove, of course the pad catches on fire; just great. The spot fire on the pad quickly burned out and just singed the top surface of the pad other wise it was just fine. This works for me.
There are a lot of books out there on backcountry travel and survival. Survival has become very popular. I suggest reading these with a critcal eye. If there is a particular technique or skill set that you want to adopt, test it at home first. Though the author may be on the speaking/sportsman show circuit, has his own cable show or is repeatedly on network news be critical. Remember, when you are in a jam, you are repsonsible for you.
Become cautious when reading old and dated material. For example, in the late 1960's I was given a copy of Colin Fletcher's book, "The Complete Walker." This book got me hooked on backpacking. That said, the book is based on lessons and experiences from almost fifty years ago. Doing some research and review of current methodology may be best.
Interestingly, I am hearing from my students more often, "I heard this was used by the Special Forces," or "I read in a magazine that this is what Special Forces do." Well, OK, but is that really true or better yet, is that important for your needs. It gets down to research and experience.
Let's consider land navigation. It is a practiced yet perishable skill. You need to be on your game. If you are the team navigator, you skill and techniques have to work for everyone.
So my point would be, as you prepare for a trip or hike, as you put new gear into your pack, test it in advance. Make sure it works for you.
During the course of teaching GPS classes for over 12 years and now wilderness survival I have become attached (so to speak) to a phrase, "It has to work for you."
There is nothing magic here. Nothing novel. Nothing original.
A good friend got me very interested in using an alcohol stove while backpacking. It is economical, takes up little space and weighs but a few ounces. The problem is, that I can't get mine going reliably. I need more time with it to learn the basics; how simple can that be. But still, it is not working for me.
In SAR training two years ago, one team member told me how a computer mouse pad is great as a stove platform, in the snow while winter camping. So I try it out. I accidentally spill come Coleman white gas fuel on the pad. When I light the stove, of course the pad catches on fire; just great. The spot fire on the pad quickly burned out and just singed the top surface of the pad other wise it was just fine. This works for me.
There are a lot of books out there on backcountry travel and survival. Survival has become very popular. I suggest reading these with a critcal eye. If there is a particular technique or skill set that you want to adopt, test it at home first. Though the author may be on the speaking/sportsman show circuit, has his own cable show or is repeatedly on network news be critical. Remember, when you are in a jam, you are repsonsible for you.
Become cautious when reading old and dated material. For example, in the late 1960's I was given a copy of Colin Fletcher's book, "The Complete Walker." This book got me hooked on backpacking. That said, the book is based on lessons and experiences from almost fifty years ago. Doing some research and review of current methodology may be best.
Interestingly, I am hearing from my students more often, "I heard this was used by the Special Forces," or "I read in a magazine that this is what Special Forces do." Well, OK, but is that really true or better yet, is that important for your needs. It gets down to research and experience.
So my point would be, as you prepare for a trip or hike, as you put new gear into your pack, test it in advance. Make sure it works for you.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Making a Poly-Tarp Shelter.
by Leon Pantenburg
Today, even though I have several backpacking tents, I still frequently use a tarp. In some cases, such as making certain snow shelters, or when you need to go light, a tarp may be the best shelter choice.I hiked the 225-mile John Muir trail and completed a two-week southern loop of Yellowstone using the same piece of plastic visqueen as my only shelter. At the time, I was in my early-20s, just out of college, broke and trying to backpack long distances. My gear choices were directly related to my financial resources!
Tarp shelters are only limited by your imagination. Regardless of how you’re rigging yours, here are a few proven tips I’ve learned that can help make your shelter more secure.
To read the rest of Leon's post go here.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Russia Limits Some GPS Data Flow
From GPS World Magazine.
As announced by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin on May 13, 2014, GPS tracking stations co-sponsored by U.S. interests have stopped making their data available to scientists and others.
To read the complete post go here.
No impact on U.S. recreational users.
As announced by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin on May 13, 2014, GPS tracking stations co-sponsored by U.S. interests have stopped making their data available to scientists and others.
To read the complete post go here.
No impact on U.S. recreational users.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Water Filtration In The Backcountry
Sectionhiker.com has a very interesting post on water filtration while backpacking.
The first time I tried filtering water from a stream, I knew that the distance I could hike in one day would never again be constrained by the amount of water I could carry. I remember the scene vividly: getting water out of a stream, surrounded by a sea of hobblebush, on West Hunter Mountain in the Catskills. Hiking was never the same for me afterwards. I’d been freed from the limits of my hydration reservoir.
I carried that pump purifier, a First Need weighing 17 ounces, for the next few years along the Long Trail, up the 100 Mile Wilderness, through the Catskills and the White Mountains, and down the Appalachian Trail, until I tried an inline filter and realized I could cut almost a pound of gear weight from my pack. That was the end of the pump, although I still keep it around for just in case we have awater main break (again).
To read the rest of the post go here.