Recapturing the moment when the world was amazing
Let scenes like this spark your imagination.
Try to think of those things that fired up your imagination when you were young. What did it for you?
I asked my wife this question. Music always moved her, be it classical or otherwise. And she loved those old Kung Fu movies she watched with her dad.
For me, it was a little different. What kicked my mind into overdrive was the house where I grew up. Or more to the point, that home’s back yard.
This place was awesome. A line of poplars hedged in the back fenceline. On either side, thick hedges. Large trees dotted what was otherwise an average-sized suburban yard. Birds and squirrels partied down here. With so many years gone by, my memories of that yard built up an almost Rivendell-like image straight out of a Tolkien novel.
My parents later bought a simple, inexpensive A-frame cabin in the Front Range of the Rockies not far from Bailey, Colo. Again, natural beauty abounded. We went exploring one day, tromping around the woods, and I can remember walking up to a faintly sunlit grove of pine and aspen that contained nearly every hue of green imaginable. If I found that spot today, I’d half expect the entire animated cast of “Bambi” to emerge.
Memories like these still affect me today. It’s one of the reasons I head outdoors so much. When I’m lucky, I get to immerse myself in some pretty amazing natural environments. But even those quick hour-long lunchtime workouts outside rejuvenate me, even if the elements aren’t the best.
I’m not going to go all preachy now, but it seems like many of us have lost that childlike wonder of the world around us. Plenty of folks love nature shows, so why not go outside and really see nature?
I remember having a conversation with a co-worker about where our lives had gone and where we were going. I bemoaned the fact that I wasted so much of my 20s. My wake-up call occurred at age 27, hiking with a church youth group up Elk Mountain in the Wichitas. I’d become so conditioned to the couch and the office chair that my body just couldn’t handle the rigors of what should have been an easy hike to Elk’s summit and a leisurely scramble down the boulders on the other side.
Several years later, I went on a summer vacation with my lovely bride in Red River, N.M. One morning, I looked at the ski mountain and decided I needed to hike to its summit. It took me awhile, but I got there and decided next year, a bigger prize was needed. So I set my sights on Wheeler Peak — the first of (so far) 10 4,000-meter ascents in what has become a growing obsession of mine.
So many sights up Wheeler’s East Fork Trail harkened back to childhood memories of other natural settings. I’ve enjoyed every hike and climb I’ve done (except Mount Yale, but that’s another story), but I doubt any of them have moved me as much as that 2003 slog up Wheeler. It resonated in ways that are hard to describe. People glibly talk about “going to church in God’s creation,” but I can tell you that there were times on that trip when my thoughts and emotions were heavily spiritual.
There’s a lot of things that try to pull us down and make us lose touch with the natural world. Careers, family obligations, man-made entertainment, or whatever. I’ve been there. And to be loosed from that, even for brief interlude, is liberating. Healing. Wondrously fun. Like those times when you were young, and the whole world was amazing.
Bob Doucette
bdoucette@opubco.com
Star party in Braggs!
Astronomy lovers unite! In Braggs! (This was in Piedmont in '08)
This one’s for all you star-gazers out there. Picked this up from The Associated Press:
BRAGGS — A star party, where the wonders of the nighttime sky, including nebula, star clusters and planets, are viewed through a large telescope, will be held, Friday and Saturday, at dark, Greenleaf State Park, three miles south of Braggs on State Highway10. Information: Steve Evans, 918-487-7125, or naturehut@onenet.net
Learn from others’ mistakes at hikerhell.com
How does that saying go…
Right decisions are based on wisdom.
Wisdom is based on experience.
Experience is based on wrong decisions…
Or something like that. But I found a Web site that’s kinda cool. It’s called Hiker Hell. It’s creator read the book “Touching the Void” (a disaster tale of climbing in the Andes) and felt compelled to put together a site that looks at the mistakes others have made in the outdoors so we can learn and avoid those errors.
Here’s the site. Check it out and enjoy…
Bob Doucette
More ski season prep: Staving off altitude sickness
A little preparation will make the ski/ride season more fun.
As we head toward the winter months, skiing and snowboarding is on the brain. A lot of us will drive to New Mexico, Colorado or other Rocky Mountain states. A few of us will fly. On the brain will be enjoying some good times on the slopes, hanging out in the lodge, and maybe hitting the hotspots wherever we happen to be.
What’s not on the mind for some: dealing with the realities of altitude and exercise.
Not too long ago, I posted some information on specific exercises you can do to get yourself in shape for ski season. But even the best conditioning won’t necessarily help you with altitude issues if you live in the plains.
I’ve learned a lot about this not through skiing, but mountaineering and backpacking. The elevations I hit are generally higher than what most of you will face on the slopes. But that doesn’t mean people shouldn’t take altitude issues seriously.
Here in Oklahoma City, most of us live somewhere between 1,000 feet and 1,300 feet above sea level. The air here won’t be much thinner than it would be at sea level. It’s thick and oxygen rich. The highest elevations people in Oklahoma live at are somewhere around 4,200 feet – thinner, but still pretty reasonable. Others live at elevations just over 400 feet.
Contrast that to what you’ll find at the base of most Rocky Mountain ski lifts. Most of them start somewhere between 8,000 and 9,000 feet. The air is remarkably thinner up there. At the top of a lift, you might be as high as 12,000 feet. One of the highest routes on a groomed slope, in Breckenridge, is nearly 13,000 feet, more than 2-1/2 miles above sea level.
Altitude at these heights does a number of things to you. Since there’s much less oxygen, your heart and lungs work a lot harder. To compensate for the lack of oxygen, your body will try to make more red blood cells, which in turn will thicken the blood stream, making your circulatory system work that much harder.
Vigorous exercise at high altitude will make you burn calories at a much higher rate. Since you’ll be breathing more and harder, you will lose a lot of moisture through exhaling. This dehydrating effect is compounded by the fact that the air in the Rockies is already pretty dry.
Thickening blood and dyhydration can cause headaches. Worse, these conditions, plus the increased calorie burn at altitude, can help bring about altitude sickness.
The only cure for altitude sickness is to go a lower elevation. But prevention could help stave off this condition. Some tips and tricks I’ve learned:
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Drink plenty of water in the days leading up to your trip. Don’t wait till you get to the ski lift to pound down a bottle of water. Start pumping the water down a few days in advance and keep up your hydration pace throughout your stay. You should have water with you as you ski and ride, and drink often, even if you don’t feel particularly thirsty. If you wait until you’re thirsty, it’s pretty much too late.
Eat well. Get in a good balance of carbohydrates and proteins. Bring snacks with you on the mountain and stop to munch every now and then. Keeping your energy level up will help fight the effects of altitude.
Pace yourself. Even if you’re in good shape, you’re not in mountain shape. Your first day on the hill should be measured. As your body acclimates, then you can push yourself more.
Speaking of acclimatizing… You need to give your body time, particularly if you’re flying in to your destination. Spend at least a day getting used to the altitude by taking it easy, going for brisk walks and just allowing your body to adjust.
Learn to love the baby aspirin. This is a standard part of my first-aid kit on the mountain for this reason: Aspirin helps thin the blood, allowing for a more free flow of your bloodstream. Start popping low-dose baby aspirins a day or two before your trip and in the mornings during your stay.
So those are a few things I use to help me feel better on the mountain. I’m sure there’s others, so do your homework and enjoy the slopes.
***
Speaking of ski season: Winter Park opens today, and Steamboat Springs opens Nov. 25. Get ready to shred!
Bob Doucette
bdoucette@opubco.com
Campsite shelters: Hammocks vs. tents
Camping hammocks: The alternative to a tent.
I have friends that swear by them. And others who froze in them. Ed Wardle, of “Alone in the Wild” fame, hunkered down in one while spending a couple of months in the Canadian wilderness.
I’m talking about hammocks. Specifically, those designed for use at a campsite.
One disclaimer: I love sleeping in a hammock, but in terms of campsite use I’m just not a believer. But plenty of others are.
On a live chat that ran during Wardle’s show, a viewer asked him why he chose a hammock instead of a tent. His answer:
“The hammock is great in that terrain, lots of trees and not much flat ground. I don’t fancy sleeping in a tent where you can’t see out and around you. I slept in tents in the arctic and you just wouldn’t know if there was a polar bear outside.”
Similar sentiments come from others who have used them.
From what is quickly becoming one of my favorite Web sites, sectionhiker.com, are these observations:
Mobility. As long as there’s trees around, you have a place to camp. No need to worry about flat ground.
Comfort. Some people just don’t adjust to the combination of the hard ground and a sleeping pad, especially on uneven or bumpy surfaces. Everyone can sleep in a hammock.
Staying dry. As long as you’ve properly placed a tarp over your hammock, you’ll stay dry. Ever slept in a flooded tent? Probably not, because no one gets any sleep in a flooded tent.
And one observation of my own:
Pack weight. Even the lightest tents aren’t going to be as light as a hammock, and not as compressible.
That said, there are disadvantages. The biggest of these is cold.
Hammocks are great in mild weather, and can even be better than tents when it’s hot. I have two friends who spent some time backpacking in east Asia, and hammocks are all they used.
But on another trip, this one a July backpacking trip in Colorado, one member of our group regretted his choice of a hammock over a tent. We camped at 11,000 feet, and even in July the temperatures can easily drop into the low 30s at that altitude. He got very little rest because he was just too cold. Even in the trees, the cold breezes surrounded him. All the air around him was cold. Even with a pad under him, a warm sleeping bag and winter clothing on, the poor guy didn’t sleep at all.
The tent has an advantage here because the tent walls stop the wind and allow your body heat and heat from your breathing to warm the air inside.
Sectionhiker.com says the temperature range for hammocks is between 50 and 75 degrees. In a tent, your temperature range is much wider, especially if you’re using a four-season tent and have a sleeping bag rated to handle the temperatures you’re camping in.
One of the hammock’s strengths is also its weakness. Camping in treeless environs, such as a prairie, tundra or above timberline, means you’d have no place to set up a hammock. So your choice of locales is limited.
I choose a tent, but to each his own. Let me know your thoughts.
Bob Doucette
bdoucette@opubco.com
Woodward to host falconry event
This is something interesting I got from the folks at the state Tourism Department. If you can make your way to to Woodward on Thanksgiving week, this would be a really interesting outing. Read on…
Go to Woodward to see birds of prey at work.
NORTH AMERICAN FALCONERS ASSOCIATION TO MEET IN WOODWARD
WOODWARD — On Thanksgiving week, hundreds of birds of prey — eagles, falcons, hawks and owls — and their falconers will flock to Woodward for the annual Field Meet of the North American Falconers Association (NAFA).
These trained birds will not only be flying in the Oklahoma skies in pursuit of game but also will be on display for the public. The event will be taking place Nov. 23-27.
Several activities are available free to the pubic including opportunities to take photos of birds in the weathering yard. Visitors also can meet falconers and their birds in person. The headquarters for the meet will be the Northwest Inn of Woodward, located at U.S. 270 & 1st Street. The “weathering yard,” where birds rest and sun themselves, will be the field directly adjoining the hotel. The best time to see the birds in the yard will be daily from mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Many of the birds will be hunting in early morning and late afternoon.
Falconry can be defined as the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor — the ultimate field sport. Of all sports in America, falconry is the only one that utilizes a trained wild creature. Because all raptors are protected by state, federal, and international law, all potential falconers must obtain necessary permits before acquiring a hawk or practicing falconry. After receiving their permits, they become apprentices for two years while learning the basics under the tutelage of a sponsor.
Falconers can later obtain a General or Master classification but practicing falconry is a lifelong learning process. Falconers are men and women from all backgrounds and occupations. However, they all share one thing in common: the passion for their birds and the sport. They also have a keen understanding and appreciation for the environment. Falcons, hawks, eagles and owls are essential elements of our wildlife. Falconers follow sound and ethical conservation principles in the pursuit of the sport.
Thought to have originated in Mongolia, Egypt and Asia, falconry is an ancient art and practice between man and essential elements of nature that has existed for at least 3,000 years in many forms and cultures. Falconry is depicted in an Assyrian Bas-relief found in the ruins at Khorsabad of the palace of Sargon II (ca 2730-2713 B.C.). Today, the sport of falconry brings common ground and heritage to many people around the world. Falconers from all over the United States, Canada, Mexico and numerous other countries will be participating.
The meet is hosted by the Oklahoma Falconers Association (OFA) and the Woodward Tourism and Convention Bureau. Additional information about the meet is available online at http://www.n-a-f-a.com/Meet09.htm.
Camping tips: Making the campsite more comfortable
Me and Trent Gibson cooking and chillin at camp.
I don’t need much to keep me happy. When I’m traveling, I’ve found that even the most meager accommodations are good enough. But it’s always nice to have a few luxuries around, even on the trail.
How to accomplish this without requiring the services of backcountry porters is the dilemma faced by many when they first venture out into backpacking territory.
Camping, for the most part, is a blast. If you don’t mind camping around other people, you can car camp and bring anything your car or truck can haul. That could include large tents, a travel trailer, or even an RV with a kitchen. If that’s the case, I imagine your experience will be quite comfortable indeed. Steaks, anyone?
But if you’re like me, not only to you lack all that stuff, but you also want some solitude. That means hauling your stuff to places where cars, trucks and ATVs don’t go. So you’ll have to put it on your back and hoof it.
I haven’t perfected the art of the luxurious campsite, but I’m getting there. Some things that I’ve found to be backpacker-friendly but nice to have around include:
My stove. Real small, but works well.
A good supply of hot food and the means to prepare it. You’d be surprised how good some dehydrated meals taste. Red beans and rice are a favorite with some of my friends. I like beef stew. I did taste a friend’s pad thai that wasn’t too tasty. But most stuff I’ve brought worked out pretty well. Hot instant oatmeal for breakfast, and maybe hot chocolate/coffee. Nothing warms the soul more than a good hot meal. For a kitchen, I use an MSR Pocket Rocket stove, 3.5 ounces not including the fuel can. That plus a water filter and a light cookware set, and I can eat for a week with less than 10 pounds of food/gear.
It's no Lay-Z-Boy, but it's comfy.
How about accommodations? A good tent can be had for less than $200. Neither of my backpacking tents weighs more than 6 pounds, and neither were more than $150. I’ve got a decent 20-degree sleeping bag, though an upgrade would be nice. The indispensible part of my gear is my Thermarest sleeping pad. Gives me some cushion under the bag and insulates me from the ground. A camp chair is probably next on my gear wish-list, something small but comfortable to relax in around the campfire.
I don’t bother with a camp pillow. I just put extra clothes in a stuff sack and make that work. Hasn’t let me down yet. Don’t pack the sack too full, though. Then it becomes too hard to be a good pillow.
Let there be light! Lastly, I like to read. A lot. But when it gets dark, it’s pretty hard to read without a light source. I leave the flashlight at home and take along one of my two lightweight headlamps. My Petzl is a little bigger, but it has a brighter beam and a “red light” option. My wife’s tiny Black Diamond headlamp work just fine as well. This is something you should have in your pack anyway.
These aren’t going to replace 5-star hotels, but they are some small tools and such that make the campsite experience a little more posh than granola bars and gorp. Feel free to share your tips by posting here or e-mailing me.
Bob Doucette
bdoucette@opubco.com
Hiking/climbing tips: Dealing with a fear of heights
I’ve mentioned my friend Johnny Hunter on occasion. He’s a fantastic hiking and climbing buddy. And he has one thing I sorely wish I had.
He has no fear of exposure.
When talking about the term “exposure,” I need to define it a little better. In climbing terms, exposure is loosely defined as the level of risk of falling. Something with low exposure would be, say, a hike up Elk Mountain. Virtually no danger of falling anywhere off that trail unless you trip and fall on your butt. Higher exposure, like the Class 3 and 4 routes on Mount Mitchell, means you’re dealing with dropoffs and steep terrain that could results in serious injury or even death if you fell. Large, sheer dropoffs, like the kind you find on vertical faces, offer the certainty of death if you fell. High-exposure areas are also those in which you have to climb/traverse the section and can’t go around. Uncompahgre Peak, for example, has HUGE vertical dropoffs of several hundred feet, but the standard route to the summit avoids them. Therefore, the exposure level on that route is relatively low.
As I said before, exposure doesn’t bother Johnny. It bothers me, however. So for the last several years, I’ve tried to gradually push myself to tolerating higher levels of exposure. That way, more of the backcountry is open to me for exploration. And if I ever want to try a more major undertaking when it comes to mountaineering, I’ll need to feel comfortable — and confident – in my skills and not get freaked out by heights.
The good news: The relatively high exposure on certain sections of Mount Mitchell didn’t bug me. To the contrary, they were fun. The bad news: I still don’t like sheer dropoffs. No tightrope traverses for me, thank you. So this is a work in progress.
If you’re like me and have a fear of heights, you might consider this approach. Gradually test your mental limits on successive trips. Go with someone who is pretty confident when it comes to dealing with exposure. What will happen over time is that you will realize much of your fear is irrational. The stuff that once appeared scary isn’t scary anymore. And as long as you have a high level of respect for high exposure areas (a little fear is not a bad thing), certain hikes and climbs can become fun, even exhilarating.
One side note: If you attempt more challenging hikes and climbs, stay within your skill/fitness level, have the proper safety equipment and be well-versed in their usage. And never push anyone beyond their skills/fitness. No one has fun when people get hurt.
An example of a low exposure route. No real worries here.
This route has moderately high exposure. Care must be taken.
A 700-foot drop-off. High exposure, and certain death if you fell.
Bob Doucette
bdoucette@opubco.com
Reader reaction: Backcountry self defense
A little follow-up on last week’s post about self-defense in the backcountry…
First of all, thanks to everyone who participated in the poll. I asked the question, “What do you do for self-defense in the backcountry?” Four possible answers were listed.
Of the 85 votes cast, 41 (48 percent) said they carry a firearm. Twenty people (24 percent) said they don’t worry about self-defense in the backcountry. Sixteen said they would use a knife, axe or hiking poles to defend themselves (19 percent) and another eight (9 percent) bring pepper spray.
The topic is diverse, as you have to think about defense against animals as well as people.
Most people agree that people are the bigger threat, but when it comes to backcountry risks, attacks – human or animal – are extremely rare.
In addition to the comments I received here, I got more via Facebook and still more on the 14ers.com forum. A sampling:
Ian from Tecumseh writes that he would take a shotgun. After living in Alaska for some time, he opts for something with power, albeit something bulky. “If there was a bear it would be very light then. I carried one in Alaska, came across a bear. I did not shoot, it ran off. It (the gun) was very light from that point on.”
Point taken.
Steven from Shawnee had one word of advice: “Prevention!”
Augie from Denver goes for a handgun, something light enough not to be a bother. “I have a small .380 that I take. It’s just enough for me to be comfortable with.”
Jim from Colorado Springs gives this perspective: “In my mind, it’s a matter of probabilities and cost/benefit. You’re far more likely to be injured or killed in a fall than in an attack (human or animal) in the … backcountry. Also, in the unlikely event of an attack, it’s possible to defend yourself to some extent with materials on hand (sticks and rocks), so it’s not as helpful to carry a weapon around. An ice axe (or whippet) is a good compromise, since it’s a general safety tool as well as a sharp pointy thing, so you’re not just wasting pack weight on something that will be used once every 100 years.”
Leigh from Chicago says this: “I just hope for safety in numbers — I have yet to backpack solo, but I would likely prefer to be armed if I choose to do so. When dayhiking alone, I usually carry mace and a small knife.”
Lots of food for thought. In my experience, I’ve found that my grade school playground was more threatening than the backcountry. I even went to a church volleyball game where I faced a greater threat (from a person) than anything I’ve run up against on the trail.
Preparation, however, is not something to be undervalued. Whatever length you go to accomplish that, the end result should be constant: to be safe.
Bob Doucette
bdoucette@opubco.com
Backcountry self defense: How do you protect yourself on the trail?
So here’s a few stories, and then a topic most of us don’t like to talk about when it comes to backcountry issues. The topic: Self defense. Here goes…
Last week, musician and avid hiker Taylor Mitchell was killed by coyotes while on a solo hike in eastern Canada.
About two months ago, two women hiking in Colorado were attacked by a knife-wielding man. They fought him off with their hiking poles, and the man was later arrested.
Two facts of life in the backcountry. Sometimes wildlife encounters don’t go well for people, though coyote attacks are extremely rare. And more often than not, people are the most dangerous things someone might encounter.
I’m reminded of a couple of stories I heard from people I met in Montana, which is famous for its big game and big predators.
One involved a Texas preacher who moved up to Montana to pastor a church there. He liked to hike in Colorado and New Mexico, but wasn’t expecting the encounters he got in Big Sky country. First, he got treed by a moose. Don’t be fooled into thinking moose are just docile plant eaters. Moose are some of the most dangerous wild animals in North America. On another trip, he was hiking along a steep ridge when he saw a bear. The bear ran up the slope with ease, but had no interest in him. But the speed at which the bear moved gave him pause. Last, he ran into a mountain lion which stalked him all the way back to his car. At this point, the pastor realized that he was going to have to arm himself if he wanted to do any more hiking in Montana.
Then there’s the truly scary story of a woman whose family runs a guide service. It was her turn to watch the camp while her husband went out in the field to hunt with some clients. The woman heard her horses acting up, then saw the source of their anxiety: an old, nasty and ill-tempered grizzly bear. She’d brought a lever-action rifle with her, and it’s a good thing, too. The bear charged her. She got off five shots, hitting the bear twice. One slug broke the bear’s shoulder. She later tracked the animal down and finished it off. But she easily could have been that bear’s supper.
These tales bring up the often sticky topic of self defense in the backcountry.
I was reading a piece on woodsmonkey.com on this subject. The author had some interesting points. Let’s go over your options for self defense, with some help from our friends at woodsmonkey.com:
Pepper spray. Non-lethal, and to use it does not take pinpoint accuracy of a firearm. Many pepper sprays are particularly effective against predators that rely on scent, such as bears, canines and big cats. People are likewise deterred by pepper sprays. Downside is the effects of wind and the relatively close proximity to your target you have to be in order to be effective.
Knives, hiking poles and other hand-held weapons. Not as bulky or controversial as a firearm. Such weapons have multiple uses beyond self defense, will probably be in your pack anyway and won’t be susceptible to weather or the elements. The women in Colorado used hiking poles to fend off their attacker. Better than nothing, but to use these things as weapons means you’re in direct contact with your attacker. If this is a bear or a mountain lion, your chances are not good.
Firearms. A gun is the great equalizer. A defense can be made from a safer distance than with your other options, and with proper training a person with a gun can shoot accurately and effectively. A high enough caliber weapon will stop just about anything. The downside is the limited use of a gun for your other backpacking needs, the added weight and bulk, the risk of accidental discharge and the fact that they aren’t legal to carry in some places. You might also find that some people just aren’t comfortable around folks who are packing heat.
Common sense, however, is one way to bring down the risks of being attacked in the wild, regardless of who or what the attacker is. Hiking with people is safer than going alone. Making noise as you go will scare most animals, even predators, away. Being aware of your surroundings is key. And when camping, store your food in a manner which prevents animals from seeing and smelling your stash.
Bob Doucette
Take this poll, and feel free to comment here or e-mail me:
