| Trail Posts Hello all and welcome to the first (of 2) edition of Trail Posts. Thank you to all who have contributed. This could never have been done without the wonderful people of the backpacker.com forums. Inside, you will find nothing but information. No ads, no politics (except for the requested debate), I hope you enjoy it because I had fun putting it together. If anyone would like to contribute to the next one (coming soon!) email me. Happy Hiking. ~Dicentra Six Days, and A Lifetime, In Death Valley Pine Mt Trail, Georgia Sand Ridge State Forest The Fees Debate And the Seasons Changed Waking up to a Fuzzy Brown Muzzle The Stealth Backpacker First Time at REI The Ten Essentials Coleman Cimmaron Tent Wal-Mart Grease Pot Finding Gear A How-To on Group Hikes Ultralight Hikers Liquid Courage on the Trail Backpacking Cooking Contest Gets Intense Hypothermia: Prevention, Recognition and Treatment More than an activity…a Feeling A little Ditty Hiding in Plain Sight Trail Journals Six Days, and A Lifetime, In Death Valley By Ol_Zeke Sunday morning, and we are leaving Las Vegas. Zach and I depart early, leaving Sue on the balcony, showing signs of missing him already. We find the necessary open grocery, stock up on water and high tail it for the desert. Once on the road, we enjoy easy conversation about our upcoming adventure. First stop is the visitor’s center to check in, get our back country permit, and inquire about some possible routes the maps haven’t answered. We talk to a Ranger Vicki, and tell her we will check back in when we leave. She tells us they have no real way to track anyone and to call someone back home. “You mean, call somebody who cares,” I quip. She chuckles and says something to the effect that she “hopes I have someone back home to call who might care.” Off we go to our first hike, a short 6 mile stroll through the borax minefields to acclimate ourselves to the area. It is hot and dry, and wonderful to be finally doing this. We leave the Zabriske Point area and drive to Dante’s View, where we don our backpacks and spend the night on the ridge above. There, we enjoy a lovely sunset, a hot meal, and our first view of the planets lining up. We anticipate seeing this phenomenon many times during the week, but that is not to be. A windy night falls, an omen we leave unheeded. The next morning we hike back to the car, eat breakfast, chat leisurely about the week’s plans, and drive to Telescope Peak. One of the few wise decisions we make this week is in omitting the day hike of Mosaic Canyon. Zach has been having some trouble with the rental car’s tire holding air on rough roads, so he chooses not to drive up beyond the Charcoal Kilns. We load our backpacks at 11 am and walk the mile and a half and 1100’ elevation rise, to the trailhead, where we take a short break. I am feeling the effects of the thin air, and am slowing us down decidedly. After barely more than an hour more up the trail, I speak of the need to drop our packs and day hike up to the top if we are going to make it to the top at all. We search around for a flat spot. Failing this, we drop our packs at the base of a group of trees we feel it will be easy to find later. I take a GPS reading, we gather our stuff, and off we go. A large, prominent rock is to be our signpost for our chosen campsite. As we continue our hike uphill, the temperatures begin to drop, and the wind begins to howl. We put on our jackets, and Zach puts on his fleece vest under his parka. My own choice to not bring a vest, or long underwear, on this trip will bite me in the butt later that day. In fact, my choice of jackets is a light wind shell and it is to be sorely tested. Because the elevation is going from the parking lot at 6900’ to the top of the mountain at 11,000’, this is to be our most arduous endeavor. It is 17 miles round trip. Sometime around 3:30 or 4 pm, we round the ridge at Roger’s peak, and are greeted with a gale force wind of at least 60 mph. It is at our backs and actually helps us walk up the ridge towards Telescope. We meet several hikers coming down who envy us our hooded attire. We agree on hiking until 4:30, then gauging where we are and if we should continue. By the allotted time, we can see we need about an hour more to get to the top, and a decision is reached to continue on. Sunset is at 7:25 and we have our headlamps with us if needed. After much struggling with the lack of air and my own general level of fitness, or the lack thereof, we arrive at the top at 5:40 and are greeted with more heavy winds. Much of the climb has been on the leeward side, and this latest wind literally drives us off the top. Now we have to walk across the ridge to Roger’s peak with the wind in our faces, knocking us off our feet, and often forcing us off the trail. We have to turn our heads so the inside of our hoods is often all we see from our left eyes. The wind would have beaten us blind, except we both wear glasses. As it is, we are surprised not to be sporting major facial bruising for the week. The drawstrings from our hoods are beating us that severely. I hug my arms about me, as much for warmth as to try to keep my thin parka from being torn from my body and ripped to shreds. Finally, we drop down the leeward side of Roger’s Peak, just in time for the sun to set. We make good time on our descent, but light is beginning to wane. After an hour more downhill, we have to put on our lights, and try to find the backpacks in the dark. We are cold and stumbling about in the dark. I cannot truly tell where we are in relation to our packs, and get the impression Zach is no better off. Several times I stop, and try to gather my thoughts, ascertain where we are. Zach asks frequently about my health, how I am doing. We continue downhill, vainly looking about for that prominent rock, and a tree Zach thinks he visually earmarked as a locator. Now cold and shaking, I am beginning to have concern for our safety. We come upon a rock set into a fallen tree, with the inscription, “Be Careful.” I can’t seem to remember if we had spotted this rock before, or after, we dropped packs. Zach wanders downhill a few more steps while I finally turn the GPS back on. The batteries are low and I had turned it off to try to conserve them. It tells us we have traveled a half mile too far downhill. We turn back uphill and I watch the screen as it tells me we need to make a large sweeping right hand turn before we get to the packs. It seems an interminable traipse back to the campsite, and I monitor our progress constantly. Finally, the GPS unit says we are in the right area, but still we see no rock, or anything else that looks familiar. Now the batteries completely give out. We begin to cast about, uphill, looking for the right set of trees. I send Zach off to investigate, but to no avail. Both of us are becoming genuinely worried. Each of us think, this is no time for consensus building, just rely on our own instinctual sense of where things should be. Zach starts further uphill, while I leave to search a bit further downhill. In the second set of trees I stumblingly search, I find the packs. Quickly, I turn my pack over and grab my whistle. I give it a burst, then another. Not sure if it was heard over the wind, I start to open my pack to remove my sleeping bag. I could now see Zach¹s headlight moving my way in a hurried manner. I yell out to him that I wasn’t injured, as my whistle might have signaled, but that I have found the packs. We both are relieved, but not out of danger just yet. I have started uncontrollable body shakes, shivering like crazy. Zach says for me to eat something, I tell him that I am just going to crawl into my bag for now. He tosses me a box of chocolate Girl Scout cookies and tells me to eat the entire box. I crawl down into my bag and begin to breathe into the enclosed bag. I am trembling too much to get warm, and I knew I need fuel for my internal stove. I attempt to open the cookies, but the plastic wrapper is stronger than I am. I use my teeth, to no avail. Zach asks what I am up to, and I admit not having much success getting into the cookies. Finally, the plastic gives way. The chocolate has partially melted and then re-congealed, gluing the cookies into a row of coconut and chocolate. I pull them apart with my teeth and eat a third of the box. I put the rest aside and wait for them to take effect. Soon, my bag is warming me up, and all I have to do is try to find a comfortable way to sleep. I put my backpack against a low lying branch and pin myself, really wedge myself, up against the trunk of a tree. Lying on my side, with my ribs jammed into a tree trunk, I drift off to a fitful night’s sleep. I awake several times, trying to get more comfortable, without success. I am surprised come morning just how warm and rested I am. Not Zach. He has had a bigger struggle getting warm and has not slept much at all. We break camp, as such, and start back to the car. While descending, Zach can¹t remember packing away his headlamp. Not wanting to return to locate it, since we are more than half way back to the car, I tell him to continue to the car, give his pack a thorough search there, and we would return uphill, in our sneakers, if needed, to retrieve his light. At the car, he locates his light, and while he reorganizes his pack, I sit in the comfort of the sun warmed car and eat my cereal. It is only Tuesday morning, and we have nearly killed ourselves already. We drive to the next proposed hike, a 3000’ climb up Corkscrew Peak. It is 11:30am and we are just getting started. I suggest we do this as a day hike, and plan for an assault of Titanothere Canyon tomorrow. We have an 8 mile hike ahead of us, and I do not look forward to carrying a pack all the way up the hill. After very little deliberation, Zach agrees. A day hike it will be. Off we go in search of the faint, obscure trail to the top of Corkscrew. It starts in a wash, with much loose gravel. This is to be our mode of walking for the rest of the week, but that is unknown to us at this time. After struggling for 3 and 1/2 hours, we find ourselves still at least an hour from the top, and it is 3pm. I rationalize that if we take the time to get to the top, and return at a similar rate, we will be reaching the car in the dark. No one wants to go through that again, so we abort the mission, and return to the car. Zach has had much trouble keeping up today. Claims he is “leg weary.” I am now aware of the toll that was taken from him on the mountain. He will be lagging behind for several days while he doggedly completes our itinerary. That night we stay in the campground. It is aggravating to be so close to wilderness and still have to put up with the doofuses in their RVs. Lucky for us, there are only about 5 others in the entire camp. By 8 am Wednesday morning, we are on our way to Bighorn Gulch. It starts with a wide boulevard of sun baked adobe, harder than a city sidewalk. A couple of miles later, we pick up the wash we need to ascend to reach the Gulch. I announce we started at 8 and I expect a morning break at 10, like a good union job. We are hiking uphill, in gravel the size of softballs, in hot weather. Shade is located for our break. We restart at 10:15 and I sight the headland as my target for lunch. Zach has been falling behind at a somewhat alarming rate, but he insists I continue galloping off at my own “gazelle- like pace.” I frequently check over my shoulder, keeping him in sight. At 11:17 I reach the headland. Setting my pack out in the sun, in plain view, I retire to the shade and await my partner. At 11:25 he joins me in the shade for a moment, then retreats to the sun, as he is cold in the shade. Stretching out on his pack, he asks me where my pack is. When I point it out to him, barely 20 feet away, in plain view, he flips me off. I now know not to worry too much, as his sense of humor is still there. After an hour break, and some munchies, we set off for further up the wash, where we will make camp for the night. At some point, I realize I can no longer spot him, and wonder if he is OK. I walk until 1:15pm, and then sit down to wait for him. I figure this is about where he will be by 1:30. A few minutes go by, without me catching sight of him, so I climb a nearby hillside to watch for him. A few more minutes pass before he comes into view. He was further behind than I was aware, and now I am uncomfortable with myself for allowing him to fall that far back. What if he had hurt an ankle or something? When he finally catches up, he explains why he fell so far behind. Nature had called, and it takes a while to dig a hole in this rock. We rest for a bit, when I suggest we plan on camping here tonight. We can explore further up canyon, with day packs. We set off, and are soon treated to 2 bighorn females. They are up above us by about 20 feet, but in plain view. Shortly after that, we begin to see the walls close in on us and we enter the Gulch. Narrow, winding, smooth worn rock face that tells many tales of flash flooding. We see hundreds, thousands, perhaps, of markings on the walls. As we examine them closer, we realize they are nautilus fossils. This turns out to be the best scenery of the entire trip. The afternoon is coming to a close and we move back to our packs. Resting there, I now want to move back down hill, to where the headland is, for the night. It will reduce our hike out tomorrow, and we still have plenty of light tonight. Zach agrees, and we move off. Reaching the headland, we pick a sandy spot on the rocks, and spread out our sleeping bags. The sky is clear blue, yet we are aware we are sleeping in a wash. A discussion is held about our escape route, and where to try to stash our stuff, should it rain buckets. After dinner, it begins to cloud up, with obvious rain in the distance. We are not in our sleeping bags 10 minutes when it begins to sprinkle on us. We wrap our ground cover around us like a taco shell, and settle in for the night. Soon enough the rain stops and we sleep peacefully. Thursday morning, we pack up, eat breakfast, and get on our way by 7:45. The gravel has its own way of getting to you. We walk along, with me talking, for a while. I notice Zach is still falling behind, so I slow my pace. To no avail. I decide to let matters take their own course, and he has constantly encouraged me to walk my own pace, so I do. Downhill, for an hour and a half, until I am close to the adobe wash. Then I wait for him so he knows where I enter this portion of the return trip. We walk along together for a bit more, me talking again. As we slowly separate, I keep a closer eye on him. He seems to be OK, just slower than I’ve ever seen him. When I get close to camp, I wait in a wash so we can walk up to the car together. We move it into some shade and relax a while before cleaning up some trash and driving on to Fall Canyon. It seems a constant trait this week that we start our hikes in the midday sun. And that we walk in gravel. This day is no different. Soon we are plodding along, in stifling heat. This time, Zach has no trouble keeping up, as I do not fare well in heat. We both are seeking out shade at nearly every opportunity. We must camp at least 2 miles from the road, and I am using the new batteries in the GPS to make sure we walk no further than necessary. But the canyon walls close in on us too much for the GPS to function, so we ball park where the 2 mile boundary is and drop our packs. We wander up canyon for several more hours, enjoying some close narrows, and a dry falls. Still, walking in fine, loose gravel gets to be tiring, so we turn back. We take a long rest, in the shade of the narrows, and talk of Zach¹s upcoming marriage to Sue. It is blatantly obvious from his conversation, that this is right for him. I tell him what little I know about the marriage relationship, as if that will help him. 20 years with April, and I still am not sure what to do sometimes. My big piece of advice? “Pay attention.” We’ll see how he fares. An eagle soars overhead. We head back to the waiting packs and spread out before dinner. He discovers for himself the difference between my Thermorest Guidelite, and his Thermoridge Sucks. We eat dinner, and crash early. In the early morning, the eagle screeches, and Zach says he even heard bighorn sheep clattering about. We pack up and walk out of the canyon. It is early, and we do not want to leave this place quite yet, so we decide on the short day hike in Mosaic Canyon. A 4 mile round trip up an easy walk to see more polished marble walls. This is one of the most popular hikes, as it is easily accessible, and we see plenty of people starting their trip as we are finishing ours. We have spent nearly a week in the park, mostly to ourselves, and we resent this intrusion on our last moments. We stop for gas and a coke before continuing to the ranger station. We do not find anything to buy at the station but we do leave them our remaining fuel and ask them to say Hi for us to Kyle and Kari, 2 rangers we knew from Arches that are now stationed at Death Valley. That night in Las Vegas is anticlimactic. After checking in with Sue and April, we go to dinner. It is my last opportunity to give him a bachelor party, and what better town to go crazy in, but it is just not his style, or our type of relationship. I call April again, and she tells me to go play cards, rather than have some stripper come to the room for a mere $189. In her opinion, I stand a better chance at the card table, of coming out ahead. Maybe that is why I am still married. I take advice well. Pine Mountain Trail Harris County and Meriwether County, Georgia By Gear_Freak See photos at: http://www.roblester.com/rob/pine_mtn_2002/index.htm The Pine Mountain Trail is a 23-mile footpath that follows the Pine Mountain ridge in West Central Georgia. The most noteworthy aspect of this trail is that a significant portion of the land at the eastern end once belonged to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The trail was built and is maintained by the Pine Mountain Trail Association, Inc. Although I’d been “car camping” a few times prior to this trip, this was my first true backpacking experience. As such, I had been meticulously researching the topic and purchasing gear for several months, and was full of anticipation in the weeks leading up to our departure to see how it would all work out. During this process, I learned that completely outfitting yourself with quality gear for your first backpacking trip is an expense best spread out over several months. This lessens the impact on personal finances, not to mention household harmony. My brother-in-law, Pete, is my usual companion on such outdoor excursions. Friday, May 24, 2002: Since we wanted to get an early start, as is the custom with such adventures, I awoke at 5:00 am. I had already meticulously packed all my supplies over the course of the week, so all that was needed was the last shower I would have for the next 72 hours, and some breakfast. I drove to Pete’s house for us to ride together to the trailhead, arriving at his house at about 7:00 am. After about an hour’s drive, we arrived at the park office, where we met Carl Carlson. Carl is a retired airline pilot who agrees to shuttle young whippersnappers like us to the end of the trail, so we don’t have to drive two cars. All he asks is that a donation be given to the trail association. So, we loaded up his pickup and were deposited at the western end about 20 minutes and $20 later. It was amazing to realize that we covered the distance of 23 miles in the truck in less than half an hour, but we would take the next 2 days to hike it. After shouldering our packs, we set out on the hike at 9:00 am in beautiful Georgia spring weather. After a few hours of hiking, we stopped for lunch back at the park office. Strange, since we had left there in Carl’s truck just that morning, but we wanted to cover the entire 23 miles of the trail, and the office is about 4 miles from the western end. We had some peanut butter bagels on the picnic tables, took a few minutes to enjoy the weather, and then set off for Big Knot campsite. Along the way we spotted many brown toads, skinks, hawks, and several white-tailed deer. Big Knot Campsite: We arrived at Big Knot at about 1:30 pm, sooner than we had expected, I think. Pete and I had taken some care to have as lightweight a pack as we were comfortable carrying for our level of experience (about 30-35 lbs.), and it hadn’t actually killed us to carry it for the 8 miles to Big Knot! (Well, we had built up some level of fitness doing day hikes and cycling.) The site on a small ridge with 3 fire rings and a spring for water about 100 yards away. We set up camp leisurely, and were the only folks at the campsite. We were told that water might be scarce at Big Knot, but we managed to find enough to collect and filter for our needs. We prepared supper at about 5:00, which, for me, consisted of a Mountain House freeze-dried beef stroganoff dinner. Perhaps it was the 8 miles we had hiked, but that was some surprisingly good stroganoff! I always enjoy mealtime on outdoor excursions, not only for obvious reasons, but also because it provides me the opportunity to fiddle with cooking gear, which I enjoy. After hanging around the campsite until about 9:30, we declared lights out and got to bed. This was the first night I would spend in my Kelty Dart 2 ultralight solo tent, and I was interested to see how it would work out. Turns out it suited me just fine as far as comfort, but there’s always something about that first night sleeping outdoors that makes me sleep very lightly. Pete had the same problem, and we found out one reason why in the morning. Saturday, May 25, 2002: During the night, we had both heard what we thought was the other person noisily sorting cooking pots. When we investigated in the morning, we discovered that some nocturnal creature had managed to get into our trash bag, which was hung in a tree, and extracted a small can that had contained chicken. This raccoon, opossum, or whatever it was had rolled the can around amongst the rocks and roots, making the banging noise. From that experience, we learned a lesson about keeping trash even more secure from marauding bands of scavengers. After a breakfast of oatmeal and a Clif Bar, we set out again about 9:00 am. We stopped at about 1:00 pm at the Dowdell Knob parking area for lunch, about 14 miles into the hike. After spending the night in the wilderness, our haggard, dusty appearance was an amusing visual contrast to the clean and pressed folks emerging from convertibles and minivans to explore this historic site. We chose a picnic table for a lunch of bagels and Clif Bars, and spoke with a guy about our age who had some backpacking experience. He was having a nice time there with his family, but he seemed to covet our adventure just a bit. We explored the famous grill that FDR had built overlooking the landscape and fielded some questions from folks curious about our journey. We would learn that the folks at these more tourist-oriented areas were intrigued at the thought of hiking all day and then actually spending the night in the woods. We saw several scouts along the way, however, with whom we felt a little more kinship. We also spotted some turkeys, males by their behavior and display of plumage. Brown Dog Campsite: Now 16 miles into our trip, we arrived at Brown Dog campsite at about 3:30 pm. A young couple had selected a site about 50 yards away from where we decided to camp, but we had no other guests. Water at the Brown Dog site was scarce indeed, and our filters had to work pretty hard to eke out water from the trickle we found. At least it was a steady trickle. For dinner this night, I had decided when planning the trip to depart from the predictable freeze-dried meal and try something less expensive. It turns out that Kraft’s Easy Mac is just about as easy in the wilderness as it is in the microwave. I did wish for some chicken or frank slices to give it some character, however. Sometime after dinner, but before dark, we heard what sounded like a pack of howling monkeys in the distance. It was a loud and sustained racket, and sounded completely inhuman to us. We listened for a repeat performance, but never heard the noises again. Lights out came at about 9:30 as before. I slept more soundly that the previous night, despite the threat of marauding howler monkeys. Sunday, May 26, 2002: Today’s journey would be the last leg of our hike, about 7 miles to the WJSP-TV tower, the most prominent landmark on the western terminus of the trail. Along the way, we saw the path for Wolfden Loop, a 6.7 mile loop that we had done as a day hike in December of 2001. We didn’t include the loop on this trip, but we remembered the spectacular waterfalls and an immense rock formation appropriately named Wolf Den. Wolfden Loop is probably the most scenic part of the entire trail, and makes an excellent day hike. Upon emerging from the wilderness, we spotted the WJSP-TV tower, signaling the end of our journey. Since we had gotten Carl to shuttle us to the western terminus on Friday, Pete’s truck was there waiting for us. Getting the shuttle service is definitely the way to go! Final Thoughts: The trip was very enjoyable, and a great learning experience. We did fine with what we had, but also learned some lessons that will help us streamline future trips. Background Information: http://www.pinemountaintrail.org/ Sand Ridge State Forest By Hud We left Shelbyville IL, 10 scouts (aged 11-15yrs) and 4 adults at 7:30am and drove to 2 1/2hr. to Sand Ridge State Forest. Sand Ridge S.F. is located about 25mi. southeast of Peoria IL. There are 44 miles of marked trails and 7 color coded trails to choose from. We checked in at the ranger station and asked about water sources. There are so many trail options that the scouts decided to pick our route as we went, picking trails according to where we were and the time of day. The only thing we (the adults) told them was that we had to be at our campsite (BC6) by 4pm. Backcountry 6 was one of the campsites closest to a source of water, about 3/4mi. from the Horseman’s Campground. We started from the parking area, on the east edge of the forest, and headed South on the Yellow trail. The yellow trail started out with tall grass and spots of prickly pear cactus and soon turned into hardwood trees. The trails are very wide, 3 horses could ride side by side, mostly sand with stretches of mowed grass. When we got to the Yellow, Red and Orange trail junction, we followed the Orange trail to the south edge of Pine Campground, where we filled up with water. We then followed the Orange Trail past the Horseman’s Camp to the Orange, Blue, White, and Red trail and followed it to where it connected to the Blue Trail, where after 20 minutes of looking we found BC6. Our campsite was in the middle of a big stand of pine trees, with a fire ring to cook on. The pine needles made for a nice soft place to sleep. Sunday morning we broke camp, took the OBWR trail back to the HC, and followed the Sand Ridge Road (the road is made of compacted sand) to the Blue Trail. We followed the Blue trail to the Red trail, the Red trail to the Yellow trail and the Yellow trail back to our bus. Sounds like a pretty colorful trip, doesn't it? The trees were starting to turn, so the colors were a nice mixture of reds, yellows and greens, sounds like the trail names. The trails are wide and fairly moderate as far as terrain goes, but the sand is soft and 4"to6"in the middle. We hiked mainly on the edges and tried not to step on the cactus. I was surprised that there weren’t many horse apples on the trails. Our menus, consisted of deer sausage with E-Z cheese and crackers for lunches, Lipton noodles with tuna and Jell-O Cherry Cheesecake for supper and instant oatmeal and fried Spam for breakfast. Some of the scouts weren't sure about the Spam, but decided it was NOT too bad after they sampled it. Opinions The Fees Debate By SteveBottoms When the National Parks Service was founded in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson its purpose was to preserve America’s natural treasures for the enjoyment of future generations. Images of our natural wonders soon began spreading across the globe, drawing visitors from near and far with a desire to see the magnificence that only nature and time can build. National parks and monuments began springing up across the nation, preserving not only the nation’s natural beauties but also our historical legacies for our children. As the nation’s interstate roadways grew, so did the visitor count every year to our parks, monuments, and forests. As our national treasures became more and more popular while funding shrank further and further, maintenance efforts to keep these icons of America running and usable became harder. The money wasn’t there, but the work had to continue; volunteerism was growing, but there are any number of jobs that were required and projects that had to be done that couldn’t (or more accurately wouldn’t let be allowed to be done) by volunteers. The best way to solve some of these problems local to the parks was through local funding. That’s where the Fee Demo program and other entrance and use fees come into play. First, we need to know what this issue is not about. This isn’t about federal mismanagement of tax dollars that we’d all like to see directed to the National Parks, Forests, and Monuments. While GAO audits have shown that hundreds of millions of dollars have been squandered in past years in programs such as fire protection and management, all the tax dollars in the world won’t do any good unless they get to where they can do some good. This issue isn’t about “I’m already paying my taxes; why do I have to pay again?” Appropriation of our tax dollars never go where we want them to go, but rather where Congress deems they should go. If that means more tax dollars to social programs and entitlements when parks and forests are being closed several months of the year, then that’s where the tax dollars go. If that means several million dollars go toward studying the mating habits of trout instead of saving a historical landmark like the LaConte Lodge in Yosemite Valley, then that’s where the tax dollars go. According to one source, in past years only $1.80 per $10,000 of tax dollars went to Interior Department programs such as the Parks Service. That’s less than two ten-thousandths of a percent (.00018%) of the tax dollars collected in any given year. At this time, receiving a federal disbursement for a local park or forest doesn’t seem to be working. Take the argument to Congress, absolutely; but what happens to our Parks and Monuments while the issue is being hashed out? This isn’t an issue of commercialization of the Parks by big business: every Park and Monument engages in commercial ventures, whether as small as selling a park map or as significant as operating a general store (such as that in Yosemite Valley). Is the commercialization acceptable if it’s only a map being sold, but not acceptable if it’s to sell a loaf of bread or manage the renting of tents and cabins? The commercialization issue only solves an already-existing problem of manpower and management of limited resources, and does nothing substantive to solve the real problem: funding. In the year 2000 fee programs provided $176.5 million that would not have been otherwise available through just tax dollars. Improvements provided by these funds include extended park hours, trail maintenance, retrofitting of facilities and campsites for the disabled, interpretive signs and postings, and increased public safety programs. Once again: these are services that would not have been performed had it not been for the fee programs at our Parks and Forests. Our passive concern for the preservation of America’s natural wonders, even our very history, is no longer enough. Protection of those places and things that made America what it is today now requires our active participation, more so than just what miniscule fraction of our tax dollars go toward the effort. Many contribute already by volunteerism, through maintaining trails, acting as guides and human information kiosks, promoting these wonders through writing and photography around the world, and in dedicating their very lives in working for the Parks and Forests, often for salaries below a living wage. What we must commit to do in the coming years must go beyond mere volunteerism; it must go beyond good wishes, and inspired debate in public forums. What we must each do is choose to look beyond what immeasurably tiny amount we’ve already paid in taxes for the Parks and Forests, and gratefully pay that small entrance fee and backcountry permit cost. Whether you visit only rarely and just enjoy the views from your vehicle or load up your backpack every weekend for a trip down a different trail, those fees you pay go directly to the Park or Forest you’ve entered, helping to keep the trails maintained, campgrounds clean and safe, preserve the natural fauna and flora, and ensure the protection of wildlife through educational efforts. In 2002, 95% of the fees obtained through the nation’s Fee Demo program went back to the Forests and Parks that took those fees; your local support does make a difference. How often have you traveled to a particular national forest, hopped out of your car at a particularly spectacular vista, and read a marquee, plaque, or bill describing the view, or local wildlife? Chances are those creative placards describing this peak or the other, or the habitats of this bird of prey versus another were paid for in part by that fee you handed the Ranger when you entered the Park. Would you or your children have learned as much if those signs hadn’t been there? Would your son or daughter have known that the reason why this canyon is sharply carved versus that canyon being curved was because of erosion instead of glaciation? The next time you see one of these signs, stop and read it. When you see that tiny, out of the way print that reads “Your entrance fees helped pay for this sign,” you’ll feel the same pride that I do when I see these. I know I’m doing my part to protect the land that I love, with the hopes that my efforts will pay off for my children and their children. The issue of paying entrances fees and backcountry permit costs isn’t a black-and-white tax issue. This is an issue about preserving what we have by doing our part at the local level because doing it at the federal level doesn’t get the job done. This is an issue of emotion, and not plain, hard facts: do you want these places and their legacies to be here for future generations? If an over-burdened federal system can’t do enough to protect the natural wonders and historical legacies of our country, then we as citizens must step in locally and take up the slack where needed. The National Forests, Parks, and Monuments are a legacy provided by our past generations for our future generations. We are here to enjoy these magnificent treasures and to ensure that they are here and available for our children. Pay the entrance fees, permit costs, and yearly pass fees: your children will thank you when their time comes to enjoy these forests and historic monuments, and will gladly pay their own fees in turn through your example. From Hither to Yonder: The National Park Fee System By Karma Police A couple of good friends, Wendy and Keith, traveled through Yosemite last summer, spending two days exploring and hiking through the park, enjoying the scenery and a reasonable amount of solitude. Making their way toward the entrance, they tolerated the traffic knowing it was only temporary, and they’d soon be beyond the crowds, the paved roads and all of the “improvements” the National Park Service had erected on their land. About the only thing they couldn’t tolerate was paying the “Demo Fee” to enter the park; however, in the end, they acquiesced, although proclaiming objections, and rightly so, to its imposition. Apparently, Wendy was kind enough to swallow her strong principles so Keith could have a chance to see a part of the world she had enjoyed so many times in her youth. At this point, you might ask ‘what’s the problem with the fee? Aren’t the collected fees being used for the good of the parks?’ In some ways, yes, but overall, careful examination of the practice shows that the fees are a complete failure at helping solve fiscal issues, and they are frequently used in ways that are harmful to the parks. In other words, the majority of the money goes toward the increased development and industrialization of the parks, something completely unnecessary. Now called "Demo Fees," entrance fees represent a minute part of the overall park system budget. Costs have increased by eighty-one percent since 1996, and in some years, the Demo Fees cover as little as one fourteenth to one twentieth of the total cost. In other words, although there has been a consistent and increasing obloquy both inside and outside the Park Service against the practice of charging entrance fees, the program contributes little to the fiscal health of the parks and will never be able to keep pace with the increased cost to manage the parks. If park fees increased and kept pace with annual budget increases, no one other than the rich would be able to afford the parks. But the real problem isn’t necessarily rising costs and budgets, as much as it is how the collected fees are used. To understand the real problem, you have to examine the history of the National Parks and understand the mind-set that crafts and implements the policies that create park overcrowding, noise, pollution and budget deficits. It is a mind-set that believes the parks, which have successfully existed for millions of years on their own, not only need “improvement,” but they are also sources of revenue and profit, as opposed to a place where we can escape the growing, baneful cacophony of the industrialized world. After being secured from its indigenous people, the first national park was established in 1872 under the assumption that the parks would be self supporting from profits derived from concessions and wouldn’t need appropriated funds from Congress. This system apparently worked well until 1916, when Stephen Mather, a special assistant to the Secretary of the Interior and director of the newly established National Park Service, began to view park income as a way to gain full control of the parks and push an agenda of promoting tourism and development of the public lands. At once, cries of “foul” rose in the gallery from a few noble souls willing to rise up on their hind legs and stand against the current of increasing fees and expanding development. Representative Louis Crampton of Michigan attempted to reduce the burden of auto fees as early as 1917 and remarked that “The American idea is not that there is going to be somebody with a collection box every time you turn around in a publicly owned enterprise.” Unfortunately, his cries, as well as those of others, fell on deaf ears and the industrialization of the parks was in full swing by 1920 as the federal government moved to “establish camps where there are sewers, where there is hot water for tourists, where there are laundries for the women, and kitchens and camps and all the other facilities provided in an ordinary hotel,” including roads for the purpose of making the public lands accessible to all. This mind-set remains the popular view unto the present day. While reading a fairly recent NPS publication on its history, I noticed that it is the position of the Park Service that the parks “represent major financial investments by the Federal Government” and they require “extensive development for visitor access and accommodation.” Please note that “accessibility” generally means making the parks friendlier to cars and to tourism. So, from roughly 1920 to the present day, there’s been a quasi official policy of “developing and improving the parks” and charging the user a modest fee for the privilege of enjoying their land. What this really boils down to is the commoditization of public lands for the furtherance of increasing profits in the private domain. One should note the 1990 economic model developed by Dr. Ken Hornback of the Denver Statistical Office of the National Park Service, a tool used to estimate the economic benefits of parks for local economies. The model is commonly referred to as the Money Generation Model or MGM. You pay the fees and the fees go toward the continued development of the parks, thereby bringing more cars and more people to the parks. The automobile is extremely important in this equation, since the automobile bound traveler is more likely to spend time in the surrounding towns spending money in hotels, theme parks, strip malls, and fast food restaurants than say, a backpacker, who will most likely buy some gas and perhaps a meal or two before and after he or she enters and leaves the backcountry, eschewing the clutter of the industrialized park perimeter. This isn’t some sort of new revelation that I can take credit for. Ed Abbey wrote eloquently about the industrialization of the national parks in his “Polemic: Industrial Tourism and the National Parks,” found in his now classic work, Desert Solitaire. Writers are judged in many ways, but one sure way to measure them is how their words stand the test of time. In this regard, I’m consistently amazed at how relevant Abbey’s writing is nearly thirty years after it was first published. Abbey accurately pointed out all of the issues and problems associated with developing and commoditizing the national parks, including the plight of the tourist, the chief victim of the system, since there’s nothing compelling the tourists to get out of their cars. The expedient side effect being they miss seeing the real treasures in the parks, often found only a few miles from the road. The Park Service would have you believe that the majority of the fees are used for such noble projects as the restoration of the Big Lagoon Wetland in Muir Woods National Monument, but if you peer beyond the simulacrum you find a different story. One of the largest projects funded by the current Demo Fee program at Muir Woods is the Big Lagoon project, but a large portion of the restoration is building and constructing “public access.” Another example is in the Castillo de Dan Marcos National Monument, where one of the more heavily funded projects is devoted to “accessibility.” One should be wary when hearing or seeing the words “accessibility” and “construction” when the accessibility and construction are going to take place in wild, natural areas, since it always follows that pavement, automobiles and crowds follow shortly thereafter. But let’s get back to the money and the history of failures by the government to adequately fund the parks through the fee system. By 1947, once the funds had been diverted into the general fund of the Department of the Interior, park revenues totaled only about one-ninth of appropriations for the National Park System, and by 1953, higher fees were put in place to offset increasing costs. By 1956, park receipts were about one-tenth of appropriations, and by 1959, receipts had declined to one-fourteenth of the level of appropriations. The Land and Water Conservation Fund Act was supposed to realize an average of $65 million a year over the first ten years from visitor fees; however, it was a complete failure, and in 1968, the House and Senate Interior committees held hearings on the issue and considered bills amending the Fund Act. There conclusion is worth quoting directly: “The committee recognizes the fact that, in practice, the fee system under the Land Water Conservation Fund Act has called forth public opposition and been the subject of controversy in some areas. It has been asserted that the costs of collection exceed the amount of revenues derived from them.” Attempts to abandon the Government-wide fee system ultimately failed and President Johnson saved the Fund in 1968 by authorizing the addition of revenues from, ironically, Outer Continental Shelf Oil leases, netting the fund an additional $200 million annually. Despite this, the inability of the government to return the parks to their pre-1920 fiscal self sufficiency continued throughout the 70’s and 80’s, although the mantra of raising fees and expanding the fee collection operation continued, most notably by the Department of the Interior’s Policy, Budget and Administration secretariat and James Watt which maintained: The User Fee Program must be established in such a way that the NPS, from top to bottom, has the maximum incentive possible to both increase and collect fees. If those fees are completely offset against appropriations, such an incentive disappears. The User Fee Program has not worked well in the past because NPS personnel have not seen any benefits to the Park Service from the fees and often have viewed a fee program as a liability. With proper development, a User Fee Program can move the NPS in the direction of self-sufficiency and substantially, or entirely, free the Park System from the appropriation process. In 1996, Congress authorized the Recreational Fee Demonstration Program, ostensibly to address funding shortfalls for federal agencies by returning the collected fees, entrance and usage, to the direct control of the National Park Service, as opposed to the U.S. Treasury, as had been the case since 1918. Under this arrangement, the Park Service would be able to collect fees locally and make decisions at the local level concerning their use for various projects and improvements (there’s that word again) to the public lands. However, as previously noted, the growth of the National Park budget authority far outpaces acceptable fee increases, so fees remain a very small, almost insignificant part of the total budget and largely ineffective. One can only conclude that not only is the fee collection process a failure, it is dangerous to the preservation of the parks since it supports and seeks to expand an auto-bilious culture that most wilderness loving people would see as an anathema to preservation. That said, what are the alternatives? How do we protect and preserve our parks for future generations without charging entrance fees that many argue represent unconstitutional double taxation? To begin, we need to redefine the purpose of the National Park Service and what it truly means to administer the parks and “provide for the enjoyment of same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” Does this mean preservation of wilderness, or does this mean we continue to view the parks as revenue generating opportunities and further commoditize them to the point of destruction? Does the slogan “parks are for people” really mean for people, or as Abbey succinctly pointed out, does it mean “people-in-automobiles?” I’m of the opinion that we can reduce the overall budget expenditures once we alter our basic values regarding park administration and preservation. The parks can be adequately maintained from the general fund, provided, of course, the legislature and executive branch make some much needed cuts in other areas of the federal budget. With the additional funds, we can be more effective fighting environmental stresses such as air and water quality, and pests and disease that also threaten ecosystems, like the balsam woolly adelgid in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Ed Abbey’s vaticinal Desert Solitaire suggested we abolish cars from the national parks, and I believe it’s time this be giving serious consideration, since it would prove beneficial to park ecosystems and eliminate the need for the fee system. Build mass transit for people that can’t walk, refuse to walk, or refuse to cycle. Use the savings on road maintenance and expansion for wise purposes and get rid of the entrance fees. For more than eighty years, the fee program has failed, yet for the past ten years, NPS budgets have increased eighty percent, while the National Parks Conservation Association’s Endangered List expands. The benefits to the park, its remaining indigenous inhabitants and its visitors far outnumber the reasons seemingly innumerable administrators, politicians and developers will tell you it won’t work. The Natural World And the Seasons Changed By Sequoia One week ago, October 27, I woke up to sunshine and 75 degrees here in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains. Today I woke up to heavy snow and 26 degrees. It seems that in my neck of the woods it turned from summer to winter overnight. I am amazed at the swift change, but I think I prefer a more gradual one. Why? The changing of the seasons is a magical event, one I prefer to contemplate and enjoy slowly, to ponder and muse. Whether it is the change from summer to fall to winter, or winter to spring to summer, I like to sit back and watch for the changes. This time of year the changes I watch for are the oak and aspen leaves changing color, the mountain air turning colder and damper, and the nights getting longer. I like to watch the mule deer come out and gather together, the bucks meet up with the does, and the gray squirrels frantically gather up their last acorns. All these familiar changes instill a sense of solace within me. They signal an urge to finish up all my active pursuits and then stop and turn in. I begin to think about sleep, about hibernating, until spring when I can wake up renewed and watch the new green leaves bud on the trees, listen to the birds begin their early morning songs, and feel the air warm up with the coming of the day. This year the oak leaves had just begun to turn yellow, rust, and brown, but before they fell off they were coated with white. There are still thousands of unclaimed acorns littering the forest floor but now they are buried under a white carpet. All the forest dwellers have ceased to move and have taken shelter. The activity of fall has been swiftly cut off and is hushed by the falling snow. I have to remind myself that the wonderful thing about nature is that it's unpredictable. Just when you think you know what to expect, it does the unexpected. And although I prefer the comfort and solace of what I know, the surprise and amazement of what I don't know make me appreciate everything nature has to offer. So tonight as I drive home on the icy road and lament the fall that never really was, I'll begin to look for the delights of a new season. Backpacker Stories Waking Up to a Fuzzy Brown Muzzle By Mtngrl We were in the Tetons, again. Such a spectacular area, it just pulls us back. A quick boat ride across Jenny Lake, a few miles up Cascade Canyon, left at the fork and soon we arrived at the first group of campsites for the night. We found a campsite close to the bear box, and after setting up the tent and tending to dinner, we stashed most of our gear and all of our food into that bear box. We were enjoying the pink sunset on the mountains across the canyon, when a couple came into camp asking if we had any bear spray. They said a bear had come into their camp while they were cooking their dinner and when they moved away from their stove the bear went right in and licked the Alfredo noodles right out of the hot pan. They were cooking away from their tent site, but this didn't stop the bear from moving on to inspecting the tent and then mess around with it enough to bend one of the tent poles and bite holes into water bottles. We didn't have any bear spray, but we did show them where the bear box was. Knowing there was a bear in the area, Bill and I placed our boots right outside the tent door and kept our poles handy for making noise if a bear came near. Snuggled down into our sleeping bags, in the cool Teton air, we slept well. I would peak out of the tent door whenever I heard a twig snap or strange noise, but it was just the wind through the trees. About 5:30 in the morning I heard another snap, and did the usual look out through the tent door. This time I caught site of a black bear about 10' out in front of the tent. I hollered, "Shoo Bear!" and hurried to get my boots on waking Bill and telling him there was a bear in camp. The bear was a nice black color with brown nose and he donned a tag in one ear. Bill rolled over and looked out as I was already exiting the tent. I sure didn't want to be in there with a bear roaming around outside. I wanted to be out and know just what the bear and I both stood. Standing up I grabbed my hiking poles and smacked them together. The bear looked at me and choose to mosey off around the side of the tent, slowly making his way towards the back. When he was away from the front of the tent, I started collecting the sleeping bags and sundries from Bill, who was still in the tent, to put into the bear box. Figuring this bear was surely a well acquainted visitor with these campsites and possibly any delicious smells coming from the bear box, I was hesitant about unclipping the lock on the bear box to put our gear in, thinking this would be a signal to the bear to head straight for the food in the bear box. By now, Bill was out of the tent and the black bear had found a nice seat among the big rocks in boulder field in back of the tent. The bear looked around and scratched his ear with a hind foot. He wasn't worried about us at all and I feel he could have come right into camp and messed with our tent if he had wanted to. We were just lucky he wasn't very interested. We watched as he moseyed on up the hill through the bushes. We did not Mr. Bear again, but, later that morning, as we day hiked up the trail to Hurricane Pass, we did hear tales of his visiting every camp along the trail. Mountains and bears.... pretty good day, I'd say. The Stealth Backpacker By Sherlock I'd been walking all day, up and down the seesawing trail from early morning with the wet dew still on the grass, through the blazing hot afternoon sun and now I was ready to rest for the night at Forest Service campground just a mile ahead. As I forded, then stopped, turned around, knelt down and drank, from a small rivulet a hundred yards away from the campground, loud distinct sounds reached my ears, wiping away all the peace the forest had given me throughout the day. No longer did I hear my own thoughts, or hear the wind rearrange the leaves, nor smell the forest, instead my peace was shattered by some loud squawking coming out of very large black box secured to a picnic table, surrounded by a platoon of listeners imbibing freely of some liquid in dark amber bottles. The sound of a bottle breaking in their fire pit remained in my ears for what seemed hours. Pushing on I made my way through the carnage and noise and found myself at the reserved site for thru-hikers only to find a knee high grassy, trashy piece of black and green earth, with a picnic table which was rather wobbly on it's remaining three legs and a fireplace whose bottom hadn't been seen in years. Dotted amongst the blackened remains of old fires were blue milk caps, silver pull tabs, rusty nails and a crushed can of some type. Wearily looking about I headed back to the trail. After hiking another half mile I found what I was looking for. A thick stand of Manzanita, rabbit bush and trees amongst a tumble of large rocks. Furtively looking about, I made my way through the almost impassable foliage to find myself in a small cul-de-sac about a hundred yards from the trail. Home at last, as I took a deep breathe and sighed. I could smell and hear the forest again. I wearily slide off my pack and sat down. From the pack I took out my knife, with it's nifty little saw, and pruned the canopy around me until I had a neat little place to sit up in. I then brushed aside some of the forest duff and spread out my mattress and sleeping bag. Finding a flat rock I set up my kitchen and boiled water for some instant soup. I opened up and MRE pack and then measured out the water, just enough, to fill to the line of the MRE heater and proceeded to "cook" dinner. Nibbling on some crackers and peanut butter I laid back on my bed, sat up and removed a tiny lump or two from under the pad and laid back down and studied my surroundings. Finishing my dinner I stuffed all the leftovers back into the MRE pack which went into a zip lock bag and went back to listening to the soft sounds of night fall. Soon I could see the stars through the canopy. I arose and peeked out from my hideaway and was comforted in seeing the North Star and the big dipper was in their usual spots. Going back into my little cubby, I climbed into my sleeping bag, hung my mini-mag on a branch, laid back and was soon asleep. The morning sun sneaking it's way through the foliage soon found me and awoke me with it's warmth on my nose. Unzipping the bag, I reached over and started the stove which was ready and waiting for the match to bring it to life. Rolling up my bag and pad I was ready to go in the time it took for the water to boil. This morning it would be Hot Chocolate and oatmeal, apples and cinnamon my favorite. Swishing water around and then drinking it all down I put the kitchen away, stood up and lifted my pack back to it's accustomed place. I scattered the duff around a bit and made my way back to the trail. A short time later I came upon a Ranger on a horse riding towards me. She stopped and asked me how I was doing, did I sleep well? Yes I responded very well, like a log. On down the trail I went ready to take on another day on the trail. First time at REI By Squilax Occasionally, I have to make a trip into the office on the weekend. As regular train commuters know, weekend trains run less frequently than during the week, so I opted to drive in, and I’m glad I did. Considering that I grew up in New England, my favorite haunts for outdoor equipment and clothing since the mid-1960’s have been LL Bean and EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports.) Don’t get me wrong, I am not an elitist by any means when it comes to outdoor “stuff” – I’ve picked up my share of bargains from all over. I simply like the quality of the goods I get from LL Bean and EMS. You know the old saying, “You get what you pay for.” Many of you folks on the backpacker.com forums have mentioned REI in your posts. I’ve visited their web site, but I thought I’d take some time and check out their store in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, just a short distance from Philadelphia and only a minor detour on my way home. I needed a map for planning my Glacier National Park trip next summer anyway. Even though the staff informed me that this was one of their smaller shops, I felt like a “kid in a candy store.” They had a terrific selection of clothing and gear, and I didn’t find the prices out of line. The fellow that helped me find the map section offered to answer any questions I had about the store or any of their products and we got into a discussion about tents and the different trips we had taken or those being planned. It was great! Just like conversing on “the boards” only I didn’t have to wait for the responses to my questions – he had them right away. He also gave me an application to join their co-op (a real deal – for only $15 you get a lifetime membership), and told me about their gear rental program, specials and yearly member refunds. He also told me that if you want to save money on shipping charges when ordering online, you can designate which of their stores you would like to have your merchandise shipped to and pick it up yourself. Each of the staff I came in contact with was pleasant and knowledgeable. I discovered that some of their stores have climbing walls (this one does) and some even have “cold rooms” (this one does not) for testing equipment and clothing in specific temperature ranges. What a great idea! You can try out a 20-degree sleeping bag in a 20-degree cold room and see if keeps you warm. After over an hour of browsing I went to the checkout desk and learned all about how REI started – a very interesting story. Back in 1938, a group of 23 Seattle-area mountaineers decided to form a buying cooperative for climbing and outdoor equipment. They wanted to be able to purchase reliable gear for a decent price as most mountaineering equipment at that time was being imported from Europe. So their idea took hold and REI is now the nation’s largest co-op. For any readers who are fortunate enough to live within an hour’s drive of one of these stores, it is well worth the drive to go. I know I’ll be going back. I need new tent anyway… hmmm… should I opt for the REI Half Dome +2 or the MSR Fury? All in good time… Check REI out online at: http://www.rei.com and http://rei.outlet.com The Ten Essential Systems (From: http://www.mountaineers.org/) The following list is made up of items that everyone who ventures onto a trail or into the backcountry should have. You could add more, possibly, but these are the basics. 1. Navigation (map and compass) 2. Sun protection 3. Insulation (extra clothing) 4. Illumination (flashlight/headlamp) 5. First-aid supplies 6. Fire 7. Repair kit and tools 8. Nutrition (extra food) 9. Hydration (extra water) 10. Emergency shelter The GearHead Coleman Cimmaronä Tent Gear Review by Squilax Back in August, I was at one of our local Wal-Mart stores and when I passed by their Sporting Goods section an item that caught my eye was the Cimmaron tent, one of a few models that Coleman exclusively produces for distribution at Wal-Mart. The Cimmaron has several features that should be mentioned. First of all is the roominess. This model is touted as a 3-person, 3-season tent. With a 49 square feet (7’x7’) floor and a peak center height of 59 inches, this model fits the bill for anyone who prefers a non-confining shelter against the elements. A good piece of advice to consider is don’t skimp on elbow or head room if you expect a lot of tent time. Treated with Coleman’s proprietary WeatherTecä system, I found it to be fully water- and windproof on the several outings when I’ve toted it along. By the way, I should mention that the manufacturer guarantees this weatherproofing, so if for any reason you are not satisfied they will replace it. To test it out, I set it up in the backyard and turned the sprinkler on it for about an hour. When I checked later, there were no leaks anywhere inside. As a result, I decided not to take the time to seal the seams. I’ve had the tent out for three trips since, twice to Shenandoah and once on an overnight Scout trip. The full coverage fly repels rain and moisture like water off a duck’s back. On the overnight, we had nine continuous hours of steady rain, and did not have one drop of water inside, which brings up another issue of concern: Condensation. With no-see-um mesh panels in the roof, rear window and spacious D-shaped door, combined with the low guy-out points on the full coverage rain fly, airflow is not a problem. The 800mm polyurethane coated rain fly also features front and rear see through window panels and a vestibule for gear and wet clothing storage with a double-zipper roll back door and triangular side panels that can also be retracted to provide a terrific view when the weather is nice. In addition, the door panel can be supported as a front porch roof with trekking poles or stout sticks. A mesh gear loft affixes to four ceiling loops with ABS hooks to keep gear clutter off the floor. Set up is quick and easy with the pole sleeve-and-clip combination. With practice, you could have this tent fully up and ready for use in about 10 minutes. Even thought the tent is freestanding, the fly must be secured so stakes, snow or sand anchors, or rocks would be required to attach the guy lines. Weight-wise this tent is definitely not in the either of the light or ultra light categories. The Cimmaron checks in at just a little over 8 pounds including tent, fly, poles, stakes and storage bags, but it does compact into a manageable size. The three poles are fiberglass (I would have preferred aluminum for weight reduction and cold weather reliability), and the 13 stakes are the bent-wire variety that usually come as standard equipment with tents of this type. I replaced six of these with aluminum “shepherd’s crook” style stakes for the four corners and vestibule stake-down points and the remaining seven were replaced with aluminum V-type stakes for guying out the rain fly. The Cimmaron does not fall into the 4-season category, but I am looking forward to testing it out on winter trips. With the steeper sided walls providing the roominess inside, I believe this should also prevent significant snow accumulation on the outside. When fully guyed-out, as recommended, it will also stand up to wind without flapping or bouncing around. That, combined with a propane-fired catalytic tent heater, should make a cozy winter shelter. I wish I had this tent with me on my rain-soaked trip to the Smokies last June. I will be packing it on my Glacier NP trip in the summer of 2004. Although this tent sells at Wal-Mart for around $58 regular retail, I picked mine up at their end of season sale for only $20. If you’re interested, you may want to check out your local Wal-Mart store for availability. It is not available through either the Coleman (www.coleman.com) or Wal-Mart (www.walmart.com) websites, but I did find several for sale on the internet in the $35 to $40 price range, by using “Google”. For the outdoor enthusiast who doesn’t mind trading extra pack weight for a reasonably priced, roomy, all around shelter that can also double for family “car-camping”, the Cimmaron should fit into their gear inventory very nicely. I rated this tent overall a 4.3 on a 1 to 5 scale (5 high; 1 low) in the following categories: Ease of set-up: 4 Rain protection: 5 Wind protection (stability): 4 Roominess: 4 Weight (for backpacking): 3 Price: 5 Multipurpose use: 5 Areas that I thought would improve this product: Aluminum poles vs. fiberglass for weight reduction and cold weather use Replace the bent-wire stakes and provide something more substantial Hanging loops inside the vestibule and tent for a lantern or other light source A more eco-balanced color of greens or tans instead of blue to blend in with surroundings Wal-Mart Grease Pot Gear Review by Hoosierdaddy The time had come in my backpacking ventures to try to lighten the load. For many years I had carried a Peak stainless steel kitchen kit that weighed as much as the kitchens sink. I had no use for the capacity of the two pots as I mainly either hiked solo or just boiled water for re-hydration of vittles and for the obligatory morning coffee. I began my search by browsing internet backpacking sites, finding that titanium seemed the way to go. I convinced my wife that life on the planet would end if I didn’t buy a titanium pot and rather than be the cause of global devastation, she conceded. My 2-liter pot arrived and I couldn’t have been happier. (Except for the $69 price and the size of it) It was lightweight. Soon thereafter, a Mighty Hand guided my mouse to an ultra light backpacking forum that extolled the virtues of the Wal-mart Grease Pot. A light from heaven shined through my window onto my computer screen. <Sounds of angels singing> It sounded like everything I needed! I convinced my wife that we needed to go to Wally World to buy some cheap plastic crap for the house and upon our arrival I weaved my way through the throngs of shoppers to the kitchen section. I saw it! There, laying in wait on the bottom shelf, covered in camouflaging dust was the infamous Grease Pot. It was all black with the word “Grease” on the outside. It had a fitted lid with a HUGE black lid grabber affixed on top. Inside the pot was a grease strainer. The pot was calling me. Since it was only $6.99 I gave it a good home. The pot itself weighs in at a very lightweight 2.75 ounces. The lid weighs 1.75 ounces with the grabber which I removed to further lighten the load. (I’ll explain below) The strainer weighed 1.25 ounces, which I see no use for and was discarded. The total weight was 4.5 ounces without the strainer. I removed the black grabber by unscrewing it which left a hole in the lid. I got a piece of stiff wire and twisted in through the hole, making a small loop on the top so that I could lift the lid. This saved another .75 ounces! Total weight with modification was now 3.75 ounces. It doesn’t come with a handle, so you’ll have to use a pot grabber of some type. Besides the obvious metal grabbers, if you wanted to save a little more weight, one could use a rolled up bandana (Rolled like a headband) Wrap it around the pot (After the stove flame is shut off, please!) and pinch it tight with one hand while using the other on the other side for stability and opposite pressure. Slightly disconcerting was the fact that it was difficult to pour without making a mess since there was no pouring spout. I used a pair of needle nosed pliers to make a small crimp in the edge of the rolled lip. (Take care that you don’t crimp too deeply so that the lid doesn’t fit) Another slight problem is that the rolled lip is open on the bottom, so if food gets into it, it is a little hard to clean. The pot holds 4 ½ cups of water to the brim, but I only boil a maximum of 4 cups to allow for water movement. That’s more than enough for my re-hydration and coffee needs. There ya have it. The grease pot fulfills all my expectations of a cheap, lightweight alternative to titanium. Now if only I can only convince my wife that the world will cease rotating unless I buy a new bag. Hmmm… Tools and Tips Finding Gear By Mtnbackpacker We all need, want, and crave gear. But how many of us can afford to keep up with all the fabulous new gear that comes out every year? We read gear reviews, talk to our buddies, and debate endlessly on the forums, but in reality many of us just can’t scrape up the dough to walk into the local shop and leave a few minutes later, paying full price, for the newest $400 tent. Well friends, I am here to help you. As a bona fide bargain shopper I can give you a few ideas on where to find good deals for gear, both online and in your own neighborhood. Online Sierra Trading Post (STP) STP is the classic bargain shopping experience. Great gear, clothes, and household stuff for unbelievable prices. You can sign up for their numerous catalogs for eye candy away from the computer, or you can just go to their website: www.sierratradingpost.com. Example of the bargains to be had: Sanctum Tent by Marmot. Regularly $379, on sale at STP for $227.40. REI REI is one of the places that we can always count on for pretty good deals. But when you got to the online REI Outlet, well, be prepared. http://www.rei.com/outlet/ is a great place to find name brand gear for cheap prices. Example of a stellar deal: Atlas 1022 Snowshoes. Regularly $229, on sale for $135.93. Campmor Who doesn’t get the Campmor catalog? I like it for the prices, but have a hard time telling what the gear is like with their pencil drawing depictions and dense page layouts. That’s where the website comes in handy. They have actual photos of the gear, and a wide selection of awesome deals. Example: Lowe Alpine Netherworld 90 Internal Frame Pack. Regularly $199, on sale for $129. (also at http://campmor.com) Outlet Stores Patagonia Patagucchi is suddenly much more palatable when you can get it for dirt cheap prices at their outlet stores. Locate their outlet stores at www.patagonia.com Sierra Trading Post Outlet Get all the great deals available online, but try them out before you buy! STP outlet stores are located in: · Cody, WY · Cheyenne, WY · Reno, NV I am sure there are more outlet stores out there, but these are the ones I can recommend with personal experience. In Your ‘hood Local Gear Shops This seems obvious, but I wouldn’t feel like I’d done my job without mentioning that your local outdoor shop will have great deals occasionally. Around here, we can count on decent sales on winter stuff in the spring and summer stuff in the fall. This is a great time to stock up for the next year’s adventures. Also keep your eye on stores that have rentals—they’ll often have a sale to get rid of their used rentals in preparation for new stuff. 2nd Hand Stores Here in my little town, we have an entire consignment store dedicated to used gear. You can get some quality used gear at many 2nd hand stores for fairly decent prices, especially if you wait till it’s been sitting around collecting dust on the shelves for a while. Garage Sales This is where you can find the real deals. The key to getting the gear at a garage sale is to get there EARLY! I know it’s lame to get out of bed at 7am on a Saturday, but if you want that great kayak or like-new Marmot shell, you’ll have to make a sacrifice. Editor’s Note: Speaking of garage sales…Don’t miss REI’s once-a-year garage sale. I recommend going to one of the flagship stores if you can. Some of the things are brand new, but returns, so they can’t be sold new. Some of the things are last year’s rentals or overstocks. The deals are unbelievable! For example at this year’s sale I purchased a Marmot ski jacket (new, still had the tags on it), regularly $199. I paid $74. You will find good deals, but you’ll have to look Plan on spending a good portion of the day shopping. Rough, I know. A How-To Guide on Group Hikes By Sarbar So you’re sick and tired of hearing all about the crazy trips that other posters go on, and how they have met 5, 10, 15, even 35 other posters off of the forums. You wonder, “How do they do it? Won't I meet strange freaks and internet stalkers?” Back in 2000 I joined the Backpacker forums. I had no hiking partners and no clue how to meet anybody. Here is what I learned: Don't post a thread for a group hike under "Hiking Partners." You will have much more luck under your regional area-such as us Northwesters! Be on the forums for awhile; let others get to know you. Get a good # of posts under you. Build a web page - this is very important! Have photos of yourself on it. You don't have to give away all your personal details, but give others a chance to see what you like. Figure out if you want same sex or coed trips. Decide; are you a joiner or a go getter? I like to plan trips and have oodles of free time to email everyone continually, so I am the planner usually-I tell everyone where to be. If you are a "joiner" the trips will not happen unless you can find a "planner." Start small-plan an easier trip and advertise that you are planning a trip. I did that on the Women's section the first time. I threw out a choice of weekends, and a couple ideas. Assume a bunch will say they want to, but 50% will chicken out. If you have to get permits, realize you may end up eating permit costs if some don't show up. Don't plan too far in the future. Keep it within 5 weeks. Safety issues: When starting group trips, mandate that everybody carries their own gear-solo hiking with others is the theme. Sharing isn't bad, but it is good if somebody decides they don't like the group. Until you have repeated trips or they have good references, nobody carpools. Get the trip planning going online, and then take the final plans offline via email. Here you will need a go getter that will collect everyone's emails and keep everyone in the loop. If a person is a newbie, that isn't a bad thing, but be careful of hikers that want to bring others along without giving out too much info. Ask for full names, phone numbers and real emails. If you are really paranoid, then Google them. Plan for the lowest: i.e. what the slowest in the group can do. Realize that you will be hiking slower in groups, and it will take MUCH longer. If you cannot slow down to fit the group, then don't do it. Always wait at every trail junction and stream crossings!! Find out if anybody has medical problems. Realize that egos must be left behind, plans may get changed, and people might get hurt, whiny or just fall apart. If you don't like something (i.e. drugs, smoking, dogs, guns, men, etc...) make sure the others know that! The first trip I organized was an all women’s trip in June 2002. We had a paltry 5 or 6 show up. And we were all nervous-very nervous. But after 15 minutes we were friends. It is interesting that once you meet a couple people, then it is easier to meet even more. I love that our loosely knit group, PNWH, can call for a trip, and we have had lots of takers-but yet, 2 years ago it didn't exist. All it takes is an idea and a cheerleader to get it going! Find somewhere you want to go, let others in your area know what you are thinking of. Tell them in your post that you want to meet others! Plan, plan, plan. Get a solid idea and a backup plan. Make it an overnighter so if you don't get along, you can say goodbye. A group of 4-8 is perfect. Establish a safe meeting area, such as a ranger station or grocery store parking lot, where you can all meet. Expect someone will be late. Then go have fun! Afterwards, be sure to write up a nauseating trip report on the forums bragging about everything you saw and did! The best thing about the trips is you'll meet others who have a lot in common with you, and some of them will become true friends over time. You'll find you even have regular partners to hike with-you'll be able to email them and see if they want to go on a quick weekend trip. You'll find ones you might want to do a longer trip with. And a few more tips! Don't forget the party favors! On every trip we bring dumb stuff to give to each other-from paper underwear, bubble blowing necklaces, copper bracelets, candy, etc. It breaks the ice! The dollar store is a great place for this kind of cheap, but fun stuff. When meeting others, introduce yourself by forum name, then by real name. If you take group photos make sure the others don't have a problem with you posting them on websites-and if you do, use their forum names, not their real names. And! Always bring extra candy and junk food for munching on at night & sharing while you gab late into the night. Good Luck! Ultralight Hikers By hoosierdaddy What sets us apart from car campers is our readiness to relinquish creature comforts for experiences that aren't available in a KOA campground. We give up hot showers and inner spring mattresses for marmot whistles at timberline. We swap ice cream for sunrises above valleys filled with clouds. We also walk away from e-mail, phones, nearby physicians and police protection. Backpackers gladly accept a higher level of perils. Lighter gear or less "stuff" may increase that risk. Just as we had to consider sore feet and shoulders against the distance from civilization, we must consider the increased risk of lightweight backpacking with our level of skill and understanding. Leaving that extra flashlight means being more careful not to lose your only one. A G4 pack requires better care than any Coleman. The weight removed from your pack must be replaced with proficiency, knowledge and good sense. Ultimately, it depends upon the strength of character (I call this 'emotional courage') which you summon when bad turns to worse and you're caught in the wilderness with your pants down (i.e., you didn't bring enough stuff.) There may be no application that sharpens your emotional courage better than practicing vital wilderness skills, especially those related to injury self-treatment, hypothermia prevention, nourishment, and dehydration. Knowledge--and practice--and more practice--of a basic repertoire of critical wilderness skills will give you the confidence needed to shed pack weight. Of course, disasters happen. Broken legs. Heart attacks. Seizures. Strokes. A bear eating your food. Or a bear eating you. These are the things that spell a quick end to your hike and may require knowledge of signaling techniques and rescue. Strangely, most of these calamities cannot be avoided by carrying a heavier pack. In fact, I could argue that a lighter pack could avoid some of these major troubles by not exhausting your body to its load-bearing limit. Skill and "trail wisdom" can increase comfort and safety without adding pack weight--the more sense you bring along, the more weight you can leave behind. Ignore the people who say you are nuts for going ultra light. Forget their boundaries. Go for it. But know your personal limitations, gain more knowledge and skill, and be prepared to call upon your emotional courage! Simply put, I'm asking you to step out of your comfort zone a bit and explore the boundaries of your personal makeup by looking for nature's utmost challenges. Learn to respond to the challenges. Don't try to pass them up. By adhering to lightweight viewpoints of backcountry travel, you remove all that is superfluous in your pack and your intellect—which includes the little voice that says "I can't do that". The moment you find yourself saying, "I can't do that," prove the voice wrong. If you succeed, good. If you fail, better. You'll learn a lot more about yourself and your limits. You then realize that your personal limits are no longer obvious but rather, in the distance, below a distant horizon. Go seek that horizon. It truly is a journey worth traveling. Backpacker’s Kitchen Liquid Courage on the Trail By: Hikernks You’re hot, you’re sweaty, you’re dirty, you’ve just had dinner, and your in the middle of a four day hike. Nothing in the world would be better right now than an ice cold brewski. However, you are in the middle of nowhere, and unless its winter, ice cold is probably out of the question. What to do? Well friends, not to worry, because for a few dollars and ounces, I can change your way of life on the trail for the better. For cold beer on the trail, all you need is a non-waterproof stuff sack (cotton would be ideal, but we know better than that!) a camping fan from Wal-Mart (I use a 2-bladed, AA battery kind), water, and something to prop said fan on, i.e.—stick, and VIOLA! Instant beer cooler! Now be advised, this isn’t going to produce refrigerator-cold beer, BUT… it will bring beer to a temperature cooler than the surrounding air, which makes a huge difference come around July. What’s that you say? Beer sucks? Not to fear my fellow trail-goers! There are a great number of people who drink alcohol while on the trail. What’s the best? Well, that all depends on you, of course! If you are an ultra-light type, you might consider Bacardi 151 or Everclear, because, legally, those are the two with the highest bang to ounce ratio. For those of us who like our esophagus, something a little less harsh might be in order. There are many options available to the thirsty pack-lugger, and here are just a few. Margaritas can be successfully made on the trail, without the ice of course. Ingredients in a Margarita are: 1 shot Tequila, 1 shot triple-sec, seven-up or sprite, sour mix (margarita mix can be bought in the store, which replaces the seven-up and sour), and a splash of lime juice. (Ingredients are for an 8 oz. drink, adjust accordingly.) Combine all ingredients at home, pour into flask (metal works best), put inside a crown-royal bag, and when you are ready for a cold margarita on the trail, soak bag in water, turn on fan to cool (this is why metal works best, because it conducts heat the best), shake, and serve. Another drink to try would be a white Russian. The way to do this would be as follows: Get dehydrated milk at the store, and keep separate. At home combine 1/3 parts Vodka to 2/3 parts Kahlua in flask. When you are ready for a drink, mix up your dehydrated milk, shake flask, and pour in 1/3 parts liquor mix to 2/3 parts milk, stir, and sit back and enjoy the evening. Another really simple trail-ready drink would be an amaretto sour. All this includes is amaretto and sour mix. Mix it to taste, anywhere from ¼ to ½ parts amaretto, pour into flask, and cool using the above mentioned fan trick. These are just a very few basic ideas that you could use on the trail, whether you are trying to impress your friends, or if you just want to relax with a nice stiff drink. Now if you want to get really fancy on the trail, here is the way to do it. This from Platypus, and its called the Beverage Bar. It contains four, 12 oz. Platy bottles in a zippered pouch, which is perfect for taking your favorite poison/spirits on the trail. It retails from REI for $34.95 For a more traditional style, GSI offers a 7 oz. stainless steel flask for $19.95. A third type of flask comes from Brunton, and .4 liter, .6 liter, and 1 liter sizes to choose from, costing $11.95, $12.95, and $14.95 respectively. So, in the words of a possible Bud Light radio commercial, here’s to you, Mr. Backpack-carrying man. Backpacking Cooking Contest Gets Intense By Prosecutor Backpack cooking differs from any other cooking in that not only must the chef make a tasty dish but the ingredients must be lightweight, not spoil in the heat and humidity, be compact, use little fuel, prepare quickly and consists of grocery items that are relatively easy to find. The worlds greatest backpacking cooks assembled this year on October 11, 2003, at the third annual Titanium Chef Backpacking Cooking contest which was held at Martins Fork Campground in Cumberland Gap National Park, Tennessee. Since that location is within a days drive of one third of the population of the United States, a large number of backpacking expert cooks showed up. Thousands of dollars in backpacking prizes including backpacks, sleeping bags, and a walking stick, hand carved and signed by the famous Ken Sturgill of Middletown Ohio, was at stake. The cooking competition was intense as the contestants prepared for months for an event that would be over in 120 minutes. One of the contestants had explored the area over the summer and found an unmarked rough two track jeep trail that came up the back side of the mountain near the campsite to shorten his hike in and give himself an advantage. Another old backpacker started hiking the eight and a half mile to the campsite at 4:00 am, allegedly placing a 30 inch rattlesnake in the trail. The next backpacker in was another old guy caring his own table and chairs! The old guy just stepped over the rattlesnake without being bitten. Fortunately for him, he was a lawyer and as you know, a venomous, treacherous rattlesnake won't bite a lawyer. Professional Courtesy. This year, the five contest Judges were John Garrett, President and half owner of Enertia Foods, Inc., who was using the event to keep his company’s products, consumer driven. Mr. Garrett explained that other backpacking foods introduce new items based upon what their scientist cook up in a laboratory based on how much the items cost. Mr. Garrett wanted his products to be the ones that any backpacker would actually want and use on the trail. Another Judge was Matt, the owner and moderator of the very popular backpacking forum at www.thebackpacker.com, Matt built his business up on his own to be one of the very best backpacking internet forums with numerous devoted, rambunctious and sometimes rabid fans. The next three judges were Bill, an owner of Zoe's Outfitters, and Lori, an employee of Zoe’s, and to fill in for a missing judge who was on an outing with a backpacking class he teaches, the newlywed Mrs. Chili. Talk about tough judging, even though Mrs. Chili was a judge, her husband's entry, Shrimp in Basil Sauce, did not finish in the top five. I would have loved to listen in on their next conversation after the results were announced. As the start time approached, the cooks eyed each other like any other contestants in any other sport. No one was telling any secrets as to what they were going to cook. Like who would try to go to the nearest grocery store, eight hours hike and drive away, to get the ingredients to “steal” another cook’s recipe? At the appointed hour, the cooking began. This was real cooking. One beautiful backpacker put a slight bit too much water in her biscuits flour, and asked to borrow some pancake mix from another backpacker to thicken up her mix. His first response was, “Why should I help you beat me?” After his wife kicked him, he lent the rival cook the flour. Another old backpacking cook, a retiree with a trail name of NowSlimmer was cooking on an open fire. When NowSlimmer stepped away to ask the Judges a question, one of the logs he was cooking on burned through dropping all his food in the fire! Been there, done that. The judges darted back and forth tasting the various recipes. Following the five judges were a trio of beautiful backpackers sampling all the good dishes while the food was warm. A great time and many backpacking cooking secrets were exchanged. All those in attendance who were at last years event agreed that the worst entry this year would have finished in the top three last year. Thousands of dollars of backpacking prizes were awarded out as follows: Asian BBQ Shrimp by Kabin Kamper 1st Place (Cooked over a fire in foil with a side dish made over an alcohol stove) Chicken Taquitos by Prosecutor 2nd Place & Most Creative Dish Trout in Cajun Seasoning by Karo 3rd Place Hot Peach Cobbler by Prosecutor 4th Place Gourmet Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwich by Tilt 5th Place Harvest Curry Chicken by SmokeyGirl Best Spicy Dish Spaghetti and Sausage by TownDawg Best Stove Backcountry Tuna Casserole by Currahee Best Appearance Noodles and Vegtables Stir Fry by Opie Longest Drive 569 miles Tomato & Oxtail Soup by NowSlimmer Best Primative Cooking Pad Thai by Match Thai Chicken Coconut Curry by Rip Skillet Hash Browns by CoolHand Five Minute Rice with Mushrooms and Chicken by TrekkingJohn Turkey Tetrazzini by MissOpie Dub's Backpacker Cure Baileys & Cocoa Mix by WVaBackpacker Photos of the event: http://community.webshots.com/album/94679797fNBYuo Asian BBQ Shrimp by Kabin Kamper The following recipe won overall First Place honors at the 2003 Titanium Chef Backpacking Cooking Contest held at Matin Forks campsite in Cumberland Gap National Park, Tennessee on October 11, 2003: 1/3 cup fresh lime juice 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce 2 tablesppons honey 1 1/2 teaspoons red curry paste 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger 2 tablesppons sugar 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds 1/4 teaspoon back pepper Mix all of this together at home. Kabin Kamper brought it in an empty juice bottle, but any type of fluid container will work. Also bring: Corn (Kabin Kamper used 6 frozen baby ears. You can also use fresh if you don't want to worry about keeping them cool but they will take longer to cook) 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp peeled and deveined (Kabin Kamper used the big bag of precooked frozen shrimp with tails on (for presentation). Tails off would be better for just eating) 4-6 small red potatoes wrapped in foil Couscous (4 cups cooked) Reynolds foil bags (2 just in case) At campsite, place potatoes in coals of hot fire. Let cook until almost completely tender. Then cut potatoes into bite sized pieces. Place potatoes, corn, shrimp, and sauce mix into foil bag and roll top down tightly. Place bag flat on a grate on top of fire. If you don't have a grate, put a couple of fresh 2 inch braches to keep off of the coals and leave the bag rolled side up. You will have to turn the bag frequently to warm all sides and to distribute the juices. Let cook for about 10 to 20 minutes until shrimp is warmed through but not rubbery. Pour over couscous and enjoy. This meal is a great one for car camping, winter backpacking, or a first night backpacking dinner, since it has quite a few cold items. If you are going to pack it in, like Kabin Kamper did for the Titanium Chef Backpacking Cooking Contest, leave everything frozen for as long as possible, then wrap in a therma bag or improvise and wrap everything together in a plastic bag then wrap in your husband's fleece and stuff it into his pack to carry up. By the time you get ready to cook, everything should be thawed but still cold. Photo of Kabin Kamper with her husband: http://community.webshots.com/photo/94679797/94690587KDNvZs Chicken Taquitos The following recipe won 2nd place and most creative dish honors in the 2003 Titanium chef Backpacking Cooking Contest held on October 11, 2003 at the Martins Fork Campground in Cumberland Gap National Park, Tennessee. All ingredients are relatively light and will not spoil on the trail. Bring: 10 fresh Corn Tortillas, 6 inches in diameter 1 seven ounce pouch of Tyson's Chicken 4 ounces of olive oil 2 napkins and 1 paper towel In a snack sized Ziploc bag: 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) tomato powder 2 tablespoons (1/8 cup) dried onion flakes 3 dried Guajillo chili peppers, diced (15 grams or 3 tablespoons) (or 2 tsp red pepper flakes 2 teaspoons garlic 1 teaspoon cilantro 1 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt Mix all ingredients together (except olive oil and tortillas) with 4 ounces of water. Let sit 10 to 30 minutes. Fry tortillas in a dab of olive oil for 4 seconds each side and set aside on the paper towel. Spoon 2 level tablespoons of chicken-tomato mixture into a tortilla and roll tightly into a cigar. Fry 1 1/2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crunchy. You can eat this dish as finger food right out of a napkin. Serves two. 115 calories per taquito. Photo of Prosecutor getting ready to cook his Taquitos: http://jeremy.qn.net/backpacking/trips/tc3/camp05.jpg The Medicine Cabinet Hypothermia: Prevention, recognition and treatment By MissKatieBear One of the most dangerous conditions facing hikers and backpackers during the colder winter months is hypothermia. Hypothermia occurs when the core body temperature drops below a level at which normal muscle and brain function can operate. Recognizing the symptoms early and having the ability to treat hypothermia in the field is important to the survival of hypothermic patients. One of the earliest signs of mild hypothermia are the “-umbles” – stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles. Backpackers exhibiting “-umbles” still have the ability to walk and talk but, may appear abnormally clumsy and fatigued. These patients will be shivering. Treating these patients is as simple as removing any wet clothing, adding a layer of dry clothing, increasing physical activity, and seeking shelter. Additionally, these patients should consume hot, sugary fluid, but avoid alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco/nicotine products. Foods high in carbohydrates, such as GORP, will also help the body release a surge of energy producing internal heat. The next level of hypothermia is much more recognizable physically. The patient will appear confused, fine motor coordination (such as the ability to zip up their coat or put on gloves) will be lost, shivering will be much more violent, and speech may appear slurred. The patient may exhibit irrational behavior, such as taking off their clothes, and have an “I don’t care” disposition. The treatment of these patients should follow that of a mildly hypothermic patient with a few modifications. Activity should be monitored carefully because these patients are becoming an injury danger to themselves due to loss in coordination. Body to body contact will be beneficial, not necessarily skin to skin; even a person in lightweight dry clothing will be effective. Again, hot, sugary fluids taken slowly (to avoid choking) should be given. Time is of the essence once the patient enters the stages of severe hypothermia. At this point, it is critical that rescue personnel be dispatched. Severely hypothermic victims are in very grave danger. These individuals will not shiver. They will automatically lie down in the fetal position in an attempt to conserve heat. Their skin will appear pale, the pulse will be weak, and breathing will be erratic and shallow. If you do have a severely hypothermic patient, the most important step is to have them rest. Do not allow these patients to exert any energy. These patients should be wrapped in multiple, dry, sleeping bags, blankets, or any clothing. Contrary to popular belief, if someone is at this stage of hypothermia, do not put them in a sleeping bag naked with another person. Severely hypothermic patients will not be able to digest any food so, a treatment of warm sugar water (Jell-O is recommended) every 15 minutes will allow the body to generate energy internally. The application of any available heat packs, if available, to the neck, armpits or groin will be highly beneficial. Of course, prevention is always the best medicine. Make sure that clothing is dry, layered and loose fitting. Wear a hat, it can prevent up to 20 percent of total body heat loss. Avoid alcohol. Stay active. Eat often. Take along an aluminum heat blanket and chemical heat packs. By following a few simple rules, recognizing the symptoms, and treating the victim early, everyone can have a safe warm trip. The Reflecting Pond More than an activity…a feeling. By Tigger As I leave the boundaries and distractions of life, the cadence of simple life and feeling of grit under my nails becomes pleasure. The aches in my calves as I make that last switchback up the steepness of the mountain and see the plant life change from rotted trees and brilliant red huckleberries to cragged bushes with softness of green and brightly colored Rhododendrons. Seeing a hawk float on air above is like the feeling in my chest as I bound down the trail to a crystal blue lake. The smell of fresh pine is intermingled with the earthen loam. The wash of distant creeks echoing off the valley walls mixed with the steady clump of worn boots striding along the trail. I watch the palate of each flower and scan the horizon for the hues of a glorious sunset to come. The sun bakes the earth of sweltering heat on jagged rocks twisted in with the crispness of the cool air coming from a nearby river and damp caves that beckon me in. Hearing the buzz of an insect swarming around the sweat of your brow. Taking that deep breath after ascending the ridge. My heart leaps as I whoop and holler at the view below. Skittering along a log way above the valley floor. I see the ferns and crashing water below. Fear is gone and I dance across the ancient tree. Bounding across the meadow, watching my presence behind me as it leaves dandelion trails in the wind. The bite of cold water to cool my head drips off my bandana and my fills my gullet as I stoop upon the rock to quench my thirst. The energy within grows and grows, outweighing the pain of tender feet and muscles not felt before. The embers rippling colors of the rainbow through the struggling fire on a rainy night draw me into drowsiness. The breath of ice formed on the skin of my tent, my nose pulling in crisp night air, as snow drifts slowly to the ground outside. Sun breaking through the early mist, warming my heart as well as my toes. Mud squishing through the tread on my boots as I slosh through rivers touched by those many years ago bring adventure memories to life, pulling me closer to their struggle. I love backpacking. A little ditty... By bjhueni Hard stone pinnacles, thrust from the earth without malice Cold ice grinding, pressing, etching in absence of anger Trees and plants cling to footholds unsure, lacking in tenacity Winter holds dominion in perpitude yet cares not for ambition Mountains speak power in every angle with every sound of wind by every fall of weathered rock But without any desire to do so Trying To Define the Wilderness By Turquoise outside of me there is a place where one can go deep within the virgin forest, the old growth trees have stood so long watching our past slip by inside of me there is a place untouched, unspoiled, a spirit light where I return to find myself unencumbered, detached, the future bright vastness, filtered light, clouds cloaking the way secrets of the ages etched into the trail into the quiet of the forest path into the place where all run free shades of green, shades of gray you can see it on the wind you can touch it in the water misty morning, moonlit night you can feel the wild inside of you you are part of the surrounding harmony through the dense stands of trees is such a place and the animals go unafraid shades of green, shades of gray you can see it on the wind, you can touch it in the water hear the sound, follow the echoes music of the woodland surrounds hear the sound, follow the whispers you can see it on the wind you can touch it in the water walk into the shadows, listen to the stillness it is the heart of the wilderness Hiding in Plain Sight By Preacher I love fall. Especially here in Ohio. It’s early October, too early for the colors to turn, but soon enough to see everything in it’s fullest late-summer colors. As I step from the family van, I breathe deeply to barely chilled air of a cloudless southeastern, Ohio sky. The blue is a cobalt blue, so soft it looks solid. Like that one time your crayon covered the blank space between the lines perfectly – smooth and clear. Once again, I’m about to see if it is true. It? Thousands of years ago a guy in jail wrote something in a letter to friends that strike me. He talked about the reality of the outdoors. No wonder; wouldn’t you dream of being outside if you were in jail? So, his thoughts were on a place better than where he sits, the apostle Paul grabs his pen and writes these words to his friends in Rome: “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen…” Really? I listen as the brook beside the trailhead bubbles over bumpy rocks, the sound soothing to over stimulated ears. (Ever notice how much noise we’ve become accustom to?) Yet, the sounds of being outside bring stillness, a peace that can only be felt, not heard. And in that moment, you realize you’re in the presence of God. Doesn’t work for you, you say? Can’t see Him, so can’t believe in him? Makes sense. Except, I’ve never met Michelangelo, but I’ve seen his creations. Amazing paintings and life-like statues. So, I know he existed, and I can even see bits of his personality in each of his designs, too. Just like God. No, I’ve never met him face to face. But I’ve seen His handiwork. The perfect form of a leaf, the glistening dance of the sun on a clear, mountain lake, and the whisper of a gentle, cool breeze that rustles trees and stirs my soul. In moments like those, I see God’s invisible, eternal power. He who took nothing and made it into something. (Just like he has with you and me!) I see His invisible, divine nature. So loving, He made everything just different enough that we’re all the same…His. I take that first step toward the unknown, a trail I’ve never been on in my life, and though I hike alone, I know who is right there with me. God is. How can I tell? I see a tree, a creek, some rocks, a trail…and me. I can’t wait to see what He’s created, so I can see how great a God He is. The next time you hike, remember: He’s there after all. Trailposts in .doc format Back to Backpacking Back to Tarol's Homepage |