Hiking & Backpacking Megathread II: Still nervous around bears

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > The Great Outdoors > Hiking & Backpacking Megathread II: Still nervous around bears

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

Notice many mountain dwellers in this thread, and hoping you all could give me some recommendations on snow shoes. Currently living in the Alps and some of the winter hikes I plan on doing are not suitable with skis, but have never used snow shoes. Anyone have specific brand/model recommendations? I would assume light as possible and not so wide, but we can get durations of weather that puts a lot of fresh powder on the ground....

# ¿ Dec 9, 2021 13:49

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# ¿ May 12, 2024 00:46

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

Also doing a lot of varying squats and lunges, preferably with weights. Going up I never really had a problem other dripping sweat everywhere (500 - 1000 m climbs), but coming back down I would really start to feel those weak areas.

# ¿ Jan 10, 2022 12:53

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

Also finding that temperature point between were the snow is not quite melting but everything is wet and slushy and temps so cold all your equipment is frozen and extremely brittle. I would recommend 'day camping' in the winter and not planning on doing a overnighter if you are at all hesitant about doing it, basically your not commiting to anything other than having to set up and break down camp in the same day. But definitely look at some gear lists or youtube videos of people who do it regulary in the winter.

# ¿ Jan 17, 2022 09:26

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

Great view, where is that? Also, what tent are you using?

# ¿ Mar 21, 2022 07:39

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

I recommend Apostle Islands (Wisconsin/Lake Superior) to escape the dreaded Southern heat.

# ¿ Jul 6, 2022 05:25

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

Cat rear end Trophy posted:

Pretty much any wilderness fatality is a result of a series of smaller errors, the elimination of one of the errors often breaks the chain and prevents the fatality.

So in light of that let me present you with a cycling disaster that may or may not have happened.

Me, Mrs. rear end Trophy and one of the little rear end Trophy kids were driving from Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley to Lone Pine. We had about 15 miles to go to get to Lone Pine, the sun was about to set behind the Sierra Mountains, the temperature is in the mid 50's and falling, and we were driving into a fairly stiff head/crosswind that is pushing our Subaru Outback all over the road. This is where the road goes by a dry lake bed that is used for salt evaporation. So there is a lot of blowing sand and salt coming across the road. Driving along in the fading light I notice a blinking light on the side of the road. We zip past and I see 2 cyclists. I make a U-turn, and then a second U-turn and pull along side. They are going no more than 5 miles an hour, they have wrapped their faces in t-shirts, they only light they have is a single tail light, no water bottles, no jackets, etc. They pull over and stop. I roll down a window and a ton of blowing sand comes into the car. I ask them if they want a ride back into town. Keep in mind I have 2 extra seat and a bike rack on the back of my car. It is a father and son pair, and the kid looks to be around 12 years old.

The guy declines the ride. I tell him at his current speed he won't make it to Lone Pine for another 3 hours, there is blowing sand, a 35mph head/crosswind, you have a single light, no water and it will be pitch dark in about 30 minutes. He tells me he will just call his wife to come get them if they get in trouble.

"Dude, you are already in trouble. You just don't see it yet." I tell him.

He declines again. I can't force them into the car. The look on his son's face still haunts me to this day. Like he can't believe his idiot father just turned down salvation. We drove off and called the non-emergency Sheriff number and reported 2 cyclists in distress, gave location and direction. They said they would send someone out right away. Hopefully they survived and the kid got a new dad.

Backpacker Magazine produces a podcast called Out Alive, not that many episodes and definitely worth the listen to anyone who often visits the outdoors. One particular episode I recall is some guy after about a week lost in some forest in the PNW manages to find a trail and stumble across a few hikers, they naturally ask if he is alright and if he needs help. Even starving and severly dehydrated he somehow still refuses the amount assistance they want to give him, which was to call rescue and carry him back to the trail head.

In fact I think most of the episodes have a similar theme were folks just do not realise how deep into it they are and luckily someone stumbles upon them. Makes me wonder how many of these podcasts episodes are never going to be made...

# ¿ Nov 4, 2022 09:06

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

Watching youtubes of hiking or bushcrafting usually get me motivated and wanting to get out and do it. I like this guy in particular, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfMgKSxyQ9KnbjY6L6JKKiQ.

Those temps are not so extreme, and if you have done any basic research on what to take with you the cold should not be nothing more than an annoyance (unless it rains). In regards to falling and staying asleep, getting up rather early and hiking all day tends to help. If you can make a fire and some food and/or a hot drink before bed that tends to get the spirits up, or just bring a good book and a headlamp.

# ¿ Nov 15, 2022 12:14

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

knox_harrington posted:

Ear plugs and eye mask are a godsend. And yeah a set of nice dry clothes to sleep in are a necessity.

I've been staying in huts in the Alps recently and they require you to sleep in a sleeping bag liner. I got one of the silk ones because I wanted to carry as little weight as possible but drat that's a nice thing to sleep in, may be worth looking at if you need a bit of extra comfort, OP.

If it does get unexpectedly cold, a hat adds a huge amount of warmth at night, and if you're really feeling the cold a buff over your face acts like a heat exchanger.

Do most of those almsh�tte have a wood stove? Or are you sleeping in some schutzh�tte?

# ¿ Nov 16, 2022 06:19

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

I use a Helikon chest pack often. Great counterbalance and makes things easy to access, and I find it extremely usefull when skiing. Think Hill People make one very similiar and comes in non tacticool colors.
https://www.helikon-tex.com/en_eur/tb-nmb-cd-chest-pack-numbat.html

# ¿ Feb 7, 2023 13:54

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

The plus and minus of hiking in the Alps is you will rarely be totally alone and definitely not far from some sort of town, farm, or alm (farmers cabin that will sell you food and drink). You really have to try in order to find some secluded or seldom used paths. The cows are also no joke, every year some tourist(s) are severly injured from cows, usually because they want to get a selfie with the calves.

# ¿ May 1, 2023 08:11

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

It has been a rather cold and wet spring in the Alps this year, you should definitely contact some guide company that does Zermatt. I know near us most foot passes above 1500m are still covered in snow, and with things warming up quickly that tends to turn into a very wet and slippery path to trek through.

# ¿ May 8, 2023 11:59

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

a_gelatinous_cube posted:

I'm jealous of you guys near mountainous terrain. There's some nice places in Ohio, but it gets kind of old walking around basically an ugly drained swamp most of the time.

I have only been hiking a few years now, but think I had the worst hike I've ever done today. The weather and my vacation lined up to where I tried to force an overnight I've been wanting to do when I probably should have just done an easy dayhike. I immediately took the wrong trail from the trailhead and slid down a steep muddy hill onto an old mining road. I saw the road intersected back with the path in a couple miles so I decided to follow it up, but it turned into a knee high mud quagmire and within the first 5 minutes of the hike I fell into a giant mudpit. The road then split off into another old mining road that looked like no one has actually used in years that was wall to wall brambles and blowdowns.

Eventually got back on the trail and spite-hiked 12 more miles until I found a pretty nice camp area. I got there way too early and it was too hot to gently caress around with a fire, so I sat down and tried to relax and do some reading but I kept dozing off in my camp chair from lack of sleep the night before and decided to lay down in my tent and take a nap, but it was miserably hot and I couldn't get to sleep and kept thinking if I left now I could get back to my car before dark and take a shower and sleep in my nice air conditioned bed. I tore down my campsite faster than I ever had before and did a torturous 5-mile uphill back to my car and went home.

Definitely some lessons learned today, and I think I am done with summer camping. On the plus side this was the longest I have ever hiked with a heavy pack, and normally spiderwebs bother me a lot but I was in such a foul mood I was plowing through hundreds of them like the Juggernaut and not caring at all. Also I didn't see a single mosquito which was weird as hell because I usually get eaten alive in that area.

It is a bit of a drive from Ohio, but the Boundary Waters in Minnesota or the Apostle Islands in Wisconsin. The Boundary waters require portaging if you want get far, but the Apostle Islands you can Kayak to your desitination and set up camp. Probably the best part of these locations is that you get to leave Ohio.

# ¿ Jul 13, 2023 09:36

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

EatenRamen101 posted:

Southeast michigan recommendations?

Drive to the UP.

There are some nice state parks around Brighton, Pinkney, Waterloo. But these are mostly at best half day hikes, and you will see plenty of other people on the weekends. I would not advise camping unless it is your first time and/or enjoy camping around a bunch of people in RVs. Depending on what exactly you are looking for you may have to travel a little bit further out of the SE.

# ¿ Aug 1, 2023 10:08

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

Hotel Kpro posted:

So today was a good lesson in being prepared. I've never before gone hiking in the middle of summer and had to pack like I was going to be in rain and snow all day. Thing is, I didn't think I would be in rain and snow so I had a bad time. A 20% chance of showers before noon, and that one cell carrying all the rain seemed to center right overhead. It started out pretty nice, with a bit of cloud cover

Sometime around 8 it started to rain and I was hoping I could wait it out and by the time I gained some elevation it would move on. By the time I gained some elevation, it had gotten colder and stayed just as wet

I had another 500 feet of vertical to do on a scramble with snow. With no gloves and my feet already wet, I got the gently caress out of there and went home. The rain tapered off pretty much immediately after I started down so that was nice. But going up in the rain, sleet, and snow and the first 2000 feet going down were some absolute miserable hiking.

I do not know about your location, but here you can find weather reports that are elevation specific, very usefull.

Even in summer you should have some gloves with you, do not need some large mittens or anything, just enough to take that bite off and hopefully water resistant. I have a pair of goat skin (light, durable, and waterproof) that I always bring with. Also one of those emergency bivvy bags, really no downside to having one with you.

# ¿ Aug 14, 2023 06:13

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

I have bought https://www.splash-maps.com/ as gifts for some (non map using) people and they really seemed to have liked them. Only problem is you have to know well before hand the areas you will be traveling.
For the hardcore navigators you will need laminated maps that you can mark/erase is the way to go.

# ¿ Sep 7, 2023 05:49

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

w4ddl3d33 posted:

realistically, how worried should i be about bears, wolves, and lynxes in the alps? i live in innsbruck and i want to go up to nordkette this weekend, but realistically if i come into contact with a predator ill pee my pant

There have been brown bears and wolves moving through the Alps a lot more the last decade or so, but I think the come to just make the farmers lives miserable by eating their sheep. It is nothing compared to similiar enviroments in the US though. Tyrol and the Alps in general are so heavily managed in regards to wildlife/forestry, that if you see one of these predators and manage to take a picture you will make headline news.

Most people are attacked and injured by the cows.

# ¿ Sep 13, 2023 05:29

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

Ulesi posted:

I've got a 4 year old daughter that I'm planning on taking out for her first time. Just about a mile walk to a lake. Any must haves that you recommend?

Glow sticks. Took my boys camping around that age, cooking over a fire seems to be a highlight as well.

# ¿ Sep 28, 2023 07:12

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# ¿ May 12, 2024 00:46

Dick Ripple: May 19, 2021

Ropes4u posted:

My wife and I are looking for a place to spend our anniversary hiking, preferably one spot we can hike from every day. Can anyone make a recommendation for a spot in Germany or Switzerland?

Like big scary monsters said, you have a lot of choices. It will also depend on your level of fitness to an extent, going on daily hikes in the Switzerland vs Northern Germany require different levels of fitness. In and around the Alps there are a lot of nice fitness/nature hotels that cater to this, or just find a guest house in some cozy village if spending money on hotels is not your thing.

# ¿ Jan 29, 2024 06:03

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > The Great Outdoors > Hiking & Backpacking Megathread II: Still nervous around bears