Northwest Hiking

Wind can be a significant problem when you are out hiking and enjoying the outdoors.  Whether you are in moist air or not, and whether the temperature is warm or cold, hypothermia is always an inherent risk associated with wind.  The reason is because of the wind chill factor that causes cooling on objects in weather that would normally be cooler.  This is great for a summer’s day, but bad in the spring and fall when usually warm temperatures can become bone-chilling in a matter of minutes.  It is thus vital that one is prepared for wind and the various situations it brings in order to be safe and warm when the situation warrants it.

The most significant ways to deal with wind are shelter and clothing.  Both play a vital role in the ability to resist cold air around the skin and stay dry against the elements.  For hikers, a wind-breaking jacket is vital.  Something that is waterproof/resistant, yet still warm.  The key to use it as the outer shell, and then wear a warmer coat or sweater underneath.  This “breaks” the wind hitting your body by preventing it from flowing through fabric layers; instead, repelling the air with the plastic-like material of the jacket.

Shelters are another important way to stay warm and keep dry.  Craggy rocks make great sheltered areas, and may contain a place to crawl under to stay dry, too.  Remember to watch out where you choose a location, however, since lower areas may fill with water and are susceptible to flash floods.

Wind can be a great thing to hike in, with the smells and fresh flowing air sweeping past your face.  It can also turn a trip into a miserable nightmare.  In any situation, remember there is no treatment like prevention.  Stay safe and have fun!

Continuing with the previous survival first-aid theme that we started a few days ago, let us now look at first-aid kits built for more long term hikes.  These are not necessarily overnight hikes, but they are further away from civilization and can entail slightly elevated risks than included in a small couple hour hike.  I know for me, my worst injuries on the trail were when I was hiking more than 2 hours.  The many reasons for this include increased fatigue, tired and sore muscles, susceptibility to sprains, etc.  As such, in addition to the day hike first-aid kit we talks about, you should also include a few more items:

• Electrolyte replacement powder:  Gatorade or similar product will work just fine.
• Splints:  Particularly for the fingers.
• Extra Gauze
• Two days worth of each:
  1. Aspirin
  2. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen, whichever you prefer (are not allergic to)
• In addition, you may also want to consider a quick stop bleed reducing powder.  I have had several instances where I wished I had it.

Remember to be safe out there and to add to this list as you customize based on where you go, hiking habits, etc.  Happy trails!

Taking a brief break from the survival series and getting back to the weapon and tool series, it is now time to take a look at another weapon and hunting implement that works exceedingly well when out hiking and stranded, or for personal protection.  The bola has been around for years, and has remained an effective device for those who are skilled in using it.  A bola is a weapon comprised of a rope that splits off into other ropes that have rocks attached to the end.  These can range from numbers of two to nine, but are effective in most variations.

Making one:
To make one, cut a length of rope about two-three feet long.  This will be your “handle.”  Then knot three more ropes about four feet of length on one end of the one rope.  From there, cut two foot off of two of the ropes that are knotted to the “handle.”  Tie a heavier rock about the size of a small, curled fist to each of the short ropes, and a lighter stone to the longer rope that is left over.  Voila, you have a bola.  The two smaller weights fly in front, catching the target by surprise.  The third longer one wraps around and immobilizes the target.

Remember to be careful and practice on a stake in the ground to gain skill.  Then use it to gain practice and aim for better use while hiking.  More information is below, and until next time, happy hiking!

More Information

Specifically, day hiking first-aid kits are going to change from region to region if you like to customize and change things to better suit your liking and environment.  In general, there are a few things that should remain constant from one kit to another, however.  These are the essentials that will let you treat injuries that may be inflicted from short hikes.  Kits like this should be able to be improvised to treat both minor and moderately serious injuries, such as fractures.  Below is the contents of a kit that I acquired a number of years ago from the product’s web page that can be improvised to suit almost any minor first-aid situation:

REI Hiker First Aid Kit:

• Zippered nylon case corrals contents, with hang loops for easy carrying or storage
• Comes with ”The Wilderness First Aid Manual” by Dr. William Forgey for quick reference while on the trail
• Wound materials: five 0.75 x 3 inch adhesive bandages, five 1 x 3 inch adhesive bandages, five knuckle elastic bandages, five fingertip elastic
• Two 2 x 2 inch gauze pads, 5 x 9 inch abdominal/pressure pad, six butterfly closure strips
• Two 4 x 4 inch gauze pads, two 2 x 3 inch non-adherent pads, 2 inch x 4.1 yards stretch gauze roll
• Sanidex wipe, four antibacterial wipes, three triple-antibiotic ointment packets, two pvp iodine wipes, three Soothe A Sting wipes
• For sprains and blisters: 2-inch elastic bandage, two 3 x 4 inch moleskin, 1 inch x 10 yards porous tape
• Medications: four Cetafen Extra®, four Nutralox®, four Proprinal®, two antihistamine, plus two pill vials and two labels
• Equipment: 4.5-inch stainless-steel bandage scissors, 3.5-inch splinter forceps, NeoPro latex-free gloves, 3 safety pins, accident report form, pencil

This kind of kit will let you treat most injuries without too much of a problem, and still be comprehensive enough to improvise for more serious ones.  On that note, be safe and have fun hiking!

It is essential to always have ample medical gear with you when hiking.  Whether you have a broken leg, or need a band-aid, a medical kit should provide you with enough supplies to at least improvise almost any emergency medical device or technique needed.

We’ll take a look over the next few posts on several different aspects of medical kits and which ones will be suitable for you.  The three categories are:

• Short Term Day Hikes
• Extended Hiking
• Camping
• Backpacking

Each have their own unique need when it comes to medical supplies, and great respect should be dealt with the handling and putting together of medical supplies for each.  In one case, a large medical supply kit might be necessary, but in another, a simple day first-aid kit should be ample.  Either way, stay tuned for the breakdown of survival and what it can do for you when hiking in the Northwest.  Happy trails!

Wilderness survival is a must for all advanced hikers and backpackers.  Some prefer to stay out for a few days, while others will go on long extended backpacking trips.  Either way, it is extremely important to know wilderness survival past more than a day hike.  And even then, such knowledge is valuable and lifesaving in the event of being stranded.  We’ll focus on a few different aspects of wilderness survival in this series, and touch on the important points that you should focus on.

If you feel like you need on-hand experience with wilderness survival, I would definitely suggest taking a course with your local sportsman’s club or outdoor recreation center/trainer.  The information gained is extremely precious when in a survival situation, and you can learn a lot from even a short introductory course.  Stay tuned for more!

When you’re out in the forest and you need a good rope, you sometimes realize at that moment that it is one of the items you should have taken along with you.  That’s okay, though.  For years people made rope out of improvised methods, and the lack of rope serves the golden opportunity to try out your own rope making skills.  The easiest method is as follows:

1. Gather lots of thin strips of bark, grass, thin green vines, or other natural fibrous material.
2. Braid or weave it, then weave those smaller ropes again into a larger rope.
3. Always make sure the rope is bound tight and test at a low height for breaking strength.

Remember that in order to be successful, the best way to make rope is to start small and work your way up.  Depending on what you are doing with it, you can easily braid a small rope for tying things in a few minutes.  Remember to always be safe and have fun out there!

 Resources

Although camping can be fun and enjoyable, it can also be a wonderful opportunity to try out some skills in crafting and using your own weapons.  Although a gun or knife while camping is an excellent way to protect yourself, there are also other camp crafts that allow you to have fun and enjoy your own weapons and hunting implements.

I remember the first time I made a spear to experiment with.  It was rather repudiated by those who saw it, but it brought a satisfaction few can truly know.  Handmade items tend to do that to a person, and it is this that brings many to learn the trade.  Our primary goal in creating a handmade weapon or device is for either hunting or protection, or for leisure time.

The first is the spear, and it excellent for use when you are finding time inching by.  A spear is useful for both protection and hunting, but is also fun to target practice with.  For practical purposes though, we’ll consider ours for  target practice.  The most important thing to remember when building a spear is weight distribution and arrowhead use.  These will affect the way your spear flies from stick diameter and weight, arrowhead size, and holding point.  Each should be considered when you are choosing one, but remember that it is going to be your own preference that is most important when selecting the size of your spear.

. . .Ready tomorrow’s blog as we continue with more information about a hiking and camping spear!

As a final to the series, I would like to take time to discuss in a little more depth the benefits of using different kinds of fire starter.  A variety of fire starting implements are available on the market, but in most cases, they are specific to only a few applications out in the great outdoors.  Here are some options for fire starting and their general uses.

• Matches:  The good ol’ fashioned way.  Get strike anywhere or hurricane matches.  They burn longer and will work almost anywhere.  Try to use matches only in dry weather and remember that they are always in limited supply.
• Magnesium Sticks:  Forever a personal favorite, this will start anywhere, in any weather, at any time.  Use these like a breath mint — no matter what you’re doing, it will always be good to have.
• Lighters:  Perfect for on the go.  Again, these will start any place, but they only have a limited amount of fuel, so use very wisely.   Wet or dry conditions are perfectly appropriately for this.

Some might suggest that all three is overkill, but my only suggestion is this: better to be caught with a backpack full of untouched survival gear than not found at all.  Safe hiking and stay warm, dry, and enjoying that campfire!

A hassle to deal with, wet conditions offer very few pleasures when it comes to fire starting.  Dry tinder is always a problem to come by, and when a fire is started, dry fuel that will provide constant heat is a hindrance.  Despite these almost insurmountable odds, a fire is possible to come by in wet conditions found in the Pacific Northwest, the New England area, and other areas around the world.  There are a few things to remember when starting a fire in wet environments, and if followed can provide an excellent fire for you to enjoy.

1. Fires in wet conditions, if given the right opportunities, can still start forest fires.  Sap from trees is still very flammable and can easily fuel an intense fire that will burn even wet trees and wood.
2. Start with dry tinder from under logs (i.e. leaves, small twigs, etc.) and under dense cover.  Then cover these in large amounts of sap from conifer trees.  Before lighting your fire, gather more tinder, larger logs that are as dry as possible, and finally your largest fuel for keeping the fire going.  If you can’t find large dry fuel, that’s okay.  Use a pocket knife to make sure the log is not wet deep into the wood, or find dead logs with bark attached and then peel it off to get the dry wood underneath.
3. To start your fires, use a magnesium stick with flint strip.  These will light no matter what condition they are in or how wet the conditions are.  You may also use a lighter, waterproof matches, or matches in a match case, but magnesium sticks last longer and are much more versatile than most other ignition sources.

Remember to still build a fire ring and fire line 6 feet away from the ring.  Stay warm and dry out there.  Happy hiking!