Monday Tips

OutdoorsMagic Editor | jon@outdoorsmagic.com 

If your wildcamping trip is in continuous heavy rain, day after day after day then my solution is one night in a hostel or camping barn located near a pub. Things will always look better when you are hungover but dry in the morning. Then if you still can't be bothered with the continuous downpour then a hostel is more likely to be located on or near a bus route the hell out of there. Here's to a third very wet summer in a row!

Twiglegs - I'm guessing it could be in the "on the hill" section. It was only recent so if not on the front page at the top where the recent articles and tips are located then check out that section.

Another tip, take two ultra light pack towels. One for you and the other to mop out your tent.

Drying stuff on your pack as you walk only really works if its free to blow about a bit. Wet clothes can often dry faster when it stops raining by being worn. This is especially true of the good synthetic materials. Merino wool absorbs water so if you get drenched it will hold on to that water for longer. Believe me if you're like a drowned rat when you pitch your tent change those merino undercrackers they won't dry on you.

Apologies for the less than optimistic tips. I had a very wet series of weeks away last year and learnt a bit about drying out.

Maximise your sleeping bag

One tip (appropriately) that I might be responsible for originating but wouldn't be so bold as to claim as original thinking...

Trekking pole tips can get caught on stuff when strapped to your pack and are a pain going through the airport. I've found that most can be rendered harmless with a 10cm length of garden hose cut so that it sticks out beyond the tip of the trekking pole. If you get the right match of hose to pole it makes a very good friction fit that shouldn't fall off.

John

If you carry a digitial camera (of a size that can be misplaced) on The Fells; save a file on any memory cards that you will use, name it 'camera owner information'; list your contact details within the file. I've made a jpg file for each card I carry, always keeping the file on the card.

Sig's are a waste of bandwidth...

Mr Sworld wrote (see)

Don't eat yellow snow.....

Or Brown, or Red

 Brown is obvious. Red for  2 reasons

1. Could be blood, and don't know what it might contain. Hep. C, Hiv, etc.
2. In certain parts of the world Red snow can be a fungus that grows in snow at certian altitudes. It won't kill you, but can cause you to have 'the runs'. Not what you want at 6000m, though I've been told it can't grow higher than 6500m. ?

Sig's are a waste of bandwidth...

Not all snow is compleatly 'white' depending on the type of snow falling and how it settles, and/or freezes. If you dig into snow pack you can find many colours from greenish blue to white, you will also find 'different' shades of white.

 Depending on how these different types/layers of snow "bond" together can depend on weather they are stable or not. If not stable this can be when they avalanche. H

words for snow

wow.

Just to pick up on what Twiglegs said about packtowels. Cleaning supplies shops do a pack (2) of super absorbent cloths for 87p. I have one for me and one for the tent.

Neil1 wrote (see)

If you carry a digitial camera (of a size that can be misplaced) on The Fells; save a file on any memory cards that you will use, name it 'camera owner information'; list your contact details within the file. I've made a jpg file for each card I carry, always keeping the file on the card.

That is kind of like the old film camera technique of yor first photograph being a card containing your details. Never done it myself but it does make sense. More so now that the memory cards allow a greater number of images to be stored hence being potentially a greater loss.

If anyone gives blood they get given a card with their name, blood group and a unique reference number. I always wondered if the police could use that to formally identify you. I mean if you are in a mess and can't identify yourself due to injuries or death then they would be able to confirm your blood group matches the card then contact the NBS to find your home address on their records. If they are not available to the poolice then I'd imagine they are linked somehow to your medical records, perhaps I'm wrong (would like to know if anyone has any idea). At least there is the full name on the card which I'm sure the police could use to identify you. They can with my name as there are not many people with my surname and very few indeed with the first and middle name too. whatever I do I always have my blood donor card with me and often my house keys with a keyring with my blood group on it.

On your phone always have a duplicate copy of your next of kin phone, email and messenger details on it but with the letters ICE in front of them. It has been widely known that ICE identifies your emergency contact. it means "In Case of Emergency". My additional tip is to have a second, back up contact in case they can't get hold of the first one.

Another tip is if you are able to leave your mobille phone on when out walking. If you do go missing for whatever reason it is supposed to be possible to use base stations to triangulate your location if you can get a signal. Failing that it records the last location you were when the phone connected, either by being turned on or off. Or at least that is what I've heard. Anything that can help reduce the area needing to be searched is an advantage. It also means you have to keep your phone charged.

To save on fuel most food doesn't need  boiling water to warm it, so no need to bring to a boil. Similar when mashing tea just bring one half of the water req'd to boil to infuse the tea then warm up the other half of the water.Waste to boil all the lot and then have to wait for it to cool down to drink it.