Camping & High Adventure Tips & Tricks

Camping Tips (top)

I have a rag-tag collection of various camping and backpacking tips I started collecting in preparation for the 2004 Philmont trek, many actually came from experienced members of the Philmont Email List. While most are specific to high adventure backpacking, some of the tips will be useful for normal troop campouts or can be used while on normal campouts to practice or develop high adventure type skills.

Backpacking Washing Machine (back)

As for washing clothes: we make coffee cans with plastic lids do triple duty.

First, with a bakePacker (www.bakepacker.com) in the bottom and turkey bag cooking, they replace all but one pot (we bring a small one for boiling the sanitizer water and the occasional hot drink). No need to worry about the solder on the cans because the food never comes into contact with them.

With the plastic lid and a drop of camp suds, they wash socks and underwear fast, and can handle a pair of hiking pants with little trouble. Just add water and shake.

Finally, they fit nicely into almost any pack, and are great to carry crushables (the ubiquitous crackers) or smellables (like the yum yum bag). Even with the plastic lid plus a metal lid for cooking, they are lighter than any pot I've found.

And, when the trip is over and the cans are a bit rusty, just toss them in a recycle bin!

Wet Tents (back)

"1. Several companies make waterproof stuff sacks. I always carry two. One for my sleeping bag so that it never gets wet. One for my tent, so the tent dirt and water never ruins anything else. I get up on the morning and open the sleeping bag up to air/dry as much as possible dependent on the weather and then stuff it in the waterproof stuff sack. No one can get my bag wet. Outdoor Research has several that I have used. They weight a little more (oz per stuff sack), but the weight is worth the effort.

2. Good stuff sacks can be seam sealed. If you stuff sack is fairly water proof, seam seal it with tent seam sealer as an alternative.

3. Don't have anything except tents with flys. On rain days the tent goes in it's own waterproof stuff sack. That way the water will stay in the stuff sack and not get anything else wet. Poles always go in a pull bag strapped on the outside of my pack (with stakes.) You can then set up your poles without having your tent lay out in the rain. I take the wet fly and attach them to the outside of my pack. Not to dry, just to keep the really wet stuff away from my drier stuff. I try and do a quick roll/fold and then slide under the straps on the pack. At night, set up poles. Open pack grab tent. Open up tent, and throw pack inside tent. (Holds tent down and keeps pack dry.) Set up 2 poles and put fly on. Set up rest of Poles/tent and stake out.

If you really want to stay dry, purchase a Bibler/Black Diamond mountaineering tent. Open tent up, throw pack in tent and crawl inside. Open poles up and stick in all four corners and tent is up. Single wall 2 pole tents. Great for really bad dads, light weight, less than 2 pounds and will lighten your wallet significantly!

Tents that are wet won't mold/mildew if they are set up every day even if constantly wet. On a Tatenshini River Trip and two Amazon jungle trips, it has rained everyday all day. (Tat trip 14 days of 24 hrs of rain!). I knew the Tat was going to be wet, so we took an extra dining tarp and would move our tents under the tarps to set up and take them down. Sometimes to dry a little also. Land, set up tarp, set up tent under tarp, move tent out from under tarp and stake down. Next person set up tent, then kitchen was set up. Used opposite system in the morning. I've used this system with Scouts. Takes a little patience because you can only set up 1-2 tents at a time. Also allows those Scouts whose packing skills are on the weak side to pack in relative dryness in the morning." (from Jim Moss on the Philmont Email List)

Waterproof Stuff Sacks (back)

I am a firm believer in water proof stuff sacks. They don't compress as well as most stuff sacks and take a second longer to allow air to escape, but worth the effort. You can use them to carry water in emergencies, etc. Even better, by them in dark/black colors. Fill them full of snow in the morning and lay them out. When you get back to camp after carrying a load, you have a liter of water you don't have to boil snow to make. If you are out of water, when you get back that can be a real life saver.

Water Carriers (back)

Another option is to get one or two water bottle carriers that strap onto the waistbelt of your pack, then the water bottles are within easy reach. Its not as uncomfortable as it sounds, and no one has to help you reach your water at a break!

Waterproof your pack (back)

Most good packs are built from waterproof fabric but have seams that leak like sieves. Solution: Coat the stitches with McNett's Seam Grip (360-671-2227; www.mcnett.com ; $7.25). Clean and dry the seams, then heat the tube in warm water for better flow and absorption. Run a bead of sealer on both sides of major seams, taking care to saturate stitches.

Hot Soup for Lunch without Cooking (back)

On cold days to make a hot soup in the morning with your breakfast and pour it into a Lexan bottle, wrap the bottle in extra clothes and place it near your back in your pack. By lunch, it is still warm to hot and you will not have to pull out your stove again. (Editor's Note: Mark this bottle as a permanent "smellable.")

Too Big of a Sleeping Bag for Small Scouts (back)

buying a too big sleeping bag also creates "dead air" that has to be heated up by the body inside. When kids come to OKPIK with large sleeping bags, we instruct them to stuff something dry down there (like the spare clothes you are going to wear the next day) to fill up the dead space. Either than, or tuck the bag under to remove some of the "dead" space. There is a gray zone here, you need layers (including THIN air layers) to stay warm, but large air pockets just make your body work harder to heat up and can lead to a person becoming chilled. If you stuff a 80 lb kid into a lumberjack-sized sleeping bag, they normally get cold.

Damp Socks & Boot Liners  (back)

Put your damp socks into your sleeping bag, but BETWEEN your sleeping bag liner and your sleeping bag. That way, the dampness isn't on your skin, but the heat from your body dries the socks out. Normally at OKPIK (winter camping training), they have an outer bag liner as well. That is where we have them put their pak boot (ie, Sorel) felt liners to keep them from freezing during the night (as they are always damp from them being in them all day long stomping in the snow).

Use an umbrella  (back)

No amount of waterproof clothing provides 100 percent protection from a true deluge. That I learned during a few days in the Indian monsoon. A lightweight umbrella is a cheap and effective way to shrug off lots of moisture. Rig a hands-free system by duct-taping yours to a trekking pole or stick; lash that to the side of your pack. (Editors Note: I've meet a few folks who like umbrellas on the trail. It's a matter of personal preference.)

Waterproof Clothing bag  (back)

Can be found at REI, bright orange with an air valve on the side. Pack in the clothes, shut the end, open the valve and squeeze out all the air you can, then close the valve. Cuts down on the pack space. Pretty cheap, about $12-$15. (Editors Note: There are several variations of this for backpacking and suitcases (at Target). You can also use large freezer zip-lock bags, cheaper but not as convenient)

Aveeno Cream for Hiker's Rash  (back)

Here's an item you may want to add to your personal medical kit. You may smirk about carrying "diaper rash cream," but I guarantee that if you need it half way through the trek you won't be smiling then.  Philmont veterans have touted Desitin cream as a near miracle cure for "hiker's rash" - particularly useful for those years where showers were a rarity.  However, Desitin has a distinct fragrance, which is always a concern when trekking in bear country. The recommendation therefore has been to use it well before the afternoon cutoff for smellables, and apply the minimal amount. While shopping for a shakedown hike this past weekend (we're doing a trek in the Sierras this summer), I was pointed to a new product, called "Aveeno", another white cream diaper rash product manufactured by Johnson and Johnson. [The labelling claims it has been around for 60 years, but if so it was a stealth product for me, anyway.] It is touted as being scentless, and (as best as my sniffer can tell after 30 years of chemistry labs) that claim is accurate. It is my recommendation that anyone carrying Desitin replace it with Aveeno. (See also Boudreaux's Butt Paste)

Pack Towels  (back)

A suitable alternative would be a synthetic automotive chamois (shammy). They're light weight, big and inexpensive. And you can get them at Target, WalMart, Kmart, etc. Some have also suggested cutting one up to make smaller wash cloths, 12X24 is large enough to dry off most of the important stuff. Perhaps several folks can go in together and split the cost.

Sunscreen & Insect Repellent  (back)

OFF makes a product, Skintastic, that's both a suncreen and insect repellent. It has an SPF of 30, and 9.5 % of the bug stuff - N.diethyl.m.toluamide (is that DEET??) It is waterproof and sweatproof too.

Hydration Bag (Bladder)  (back)

Packs are built so the fit between your back and the gear. The weight is then centered close to your back. Easy to slide in and out and fill. Easier to fill then nalgene's and a lot lighter. Ounce for Ounce they are a lot lighter than any other water carrier except for the platypus.

Hydration Bag (Bladder) Freezing  (back)

Easier way to stop the leaking and freezing is to blow air back into the tube until you hear the bubbles. No water in the tube, no leaking or freezing. You can buy insulators for the bladder and the tubes so they do not freeze in cold weather (if you do not use the blow back system) and I have even put a chemical heater next to the bladder and had warm water all day long. The movement kept the water moving so it heated evenly.

Time Control Plan  (back)

A Time Control Plan predicts how long it will take you to complete your hike (or any portion of it). It includes important trail features such as water locations (very important), stream crossings, trail intersections, and staffed and trail camps. It also includes time spent for program, meals on the trail and just time spent "smelling the roses".

To prepare a Time Control Plan, the navigator will need to estimate the total distance to be covered as well as the approximate changes in elevation. You can determine the horizontal distance by simply reducing the trail into a series of sequential straight-line segments and estimating the mileage to be traveled using the scale at the bottom of the map. Coop now uses a map wheel made by Silva that records the distance for several different map scales. Next the navigator will need to determine the approximate changes in elevation over the length of the hike. This is a little more difficult and requires the navigator to be able to read and understand the contours shown on the map. Again it is easiest to break the total hike up into sections of climbs and descents (you are never going to be flat for very long).

Once you have both the horizontal distance and the elevation changes, your navigator should estimate the total time on the trail. A good rule of thumb is one hour for every two miles traveled plus an hour for every 1,000-foot change in elevation. For example, if your hike is eight miles long, with an elevation change of 2,500 feet, it should take your crew 6.5 hours to walk (8 miles divided by 2 miles per hour plus 2,500 feet change in elevation divided by 1,000 feet per hour). You will probably have to modify this rule based on your crew's capability.

Each evening, the navigator should review the route using his Time Control Plan and map with the entire crew. Taking this time each day is extremely important. It provides the crew with an understanding of how difficult or easy the day will be. Instead of blindly following each other down the trail, they become more of a participant in the trek. It also provides the crew with the information they need to plan out the day. Using the Time Control Plan, the crew (not the advisor) takes ownership for the hike and decides what time to get up, when and where (and what) meals should be eaten, when they should arrive at scheduled programs, and when they will arrive at the next day's camp. Finally, it provides an opportunity to reinforce map and compass skills that are little used anywhere else.

At each trail intersection, the entire crew should stop and examine the map. The selection of the new trail should be a consensus of all crewmembers and reviewed with the advisor. The crew's navigator should always ask, "Does anyone not agree" before proceeding down the selected trail. If the crewmembers make a wrong selection, let them live with their mistake until your feet tell you it's time to stop and have them explain where they are. After the first few times that you let them make a mistake, the crew will begin to get serious about terrain awareness.

Marking Magnetic North on Maps  (back)

If you don't have an orienteering compass with its built-in declination device, the simplest method to have your map talk to your compass is to put magnetic-north lines on your map and use them instead of the true-north grid lines. We suggest that you order your maps ahead of time and do this at home where you will have the right materials that include your maps, a compass, a yardstick, and a pen. You can use your compass as an accurate protractor. First, turn the compass housing until the declination lines up with the direction of travel arrow on the compass base plate (check your map key for its declination settings) . Set your compass on the map, aligning the north-south lines in the compass housing with the map's north-south grid lines. The long plastic edge of the compass base plate should now point exactly "X" degrees east, where "x" is your map's declination value. Using a pen, carefully draw the first magnetic north-south line along the length of the compass' plastic base plate. Place your yardstick along this line and continue the line across the length of the map. Continue moving the yardstick and drawing lines until they are parallel magnetic north-south lines spaced evenly across the map. Do not use the magnetic north-south arrow of the declination diagram to draw your magnetic north-south lines as discussed in the Boy Scout Handbook and the Fieldbook. We have found that the angle between the arrows in the declination diagram seldom matches the given declination angle. The U.S. Geological Survey uses a series of standardized diagrams that come closest to the actual declination when adding a diagram to a particular map.

Hydration Bite Valve  (back)

One way to help keep the business end of a hydration tube clean is to drill a hole (I think mine is about 3/8 ") in the bottom of a film canister. Then take the bite-valve off of the tube and push it through the hole and reattach the bite-valve. When you want a drink, slide the film canister up the tube, take a drink and then slide the canister back over the bite valve. Helps keep it you from dragging the bite-valve through the dirt and grime when you forget about it during packs-off breaks too. For added cleanliness you can put the film canister lid on and keep out even more grime and gunk. And it adds hardly any weight.

Lock Step or Rest Step  (back)

The lock step (rest step) is a hiking method that allows your leg muscles to rest for a fraction of a second on each step. Here is how its done. As your leg passes under you on each step, you lock the knee. What this does is take your weight and puts it on your bone structure allowing your leg muscle a fraction of a second to rest without having to bear as much of your weight. This is best done when hiking up hills. The best way to explain it is to see it done in person.

Also, stepping with your whole foot. This is something I often find myself overlooking. It is very tempting to go up hills (steeper ones) by stepping out with the ball of your foot and pushing off. This will tire you out more because it requires you to use more of your calf muscle. This is where the lock step comes into play. Set your whole foot on the ground and then push off.

Roses, Thorns, Buds & Devotionals (from Philmont)  (back)

Gather the crew in a circle, everyone reflect on the day and contribute:

Roses = things that were great
Thorns = things that didn't go right, some conflict with another, etc
Buds = anticipations of something yet to happen, eg "tomorrow we'll climb Baldy"

Devotionals are daily meditations using the devotional book "Eagles Soaring High" suppplied by the Philmont Chaplains at your checkin. (Call Philmont before your trek - they might be able to send you one ahead of time, so you can be familiar with it.) There is a devotional for each day on the trail, and most reflect on a line from the Philmont Hymn or Grace - "Starlight Skies Above", "Winds in Whispering Pines", "For Friendship and Fellowship", etc

Note: This technique can be employedd at any campout, not just Philmont

Packing a Backpack  (back)

There's no one right answer to this question: The answer depends on what kind of pack you have and where you're going to hike. General principle: lighter-weight items go at the bottom; heavier items at the top and close to your body. However, if you are going to be scrambling or hiking off-trail on rough terrain or snow, you might want to pack some of the heavier items a little lower to bring down your center of gravity.

Sleeping bag

Most packs are designed with a compartment at the bottom for your sleeping bag. If your pack has dividers that separate the sleeping bag from the rest of your gear, use them: It'll take some of the weight off your sleeping bag. (Overly compressing a down sleeping bag can make it lose its loft because it damages the down.)

Clothes

Clothes go in next. But it's a good idea to stash a few of your warm clothes-hat, gloves, and an insulating layer-and your rain gear in an outside pocket where you can easily get them.

Tents and tarps

There are a couple of choices for your tent or tarp. Most packs have a separate compartment (where the sleeping bags go) that is accessible via a zipper: If your pack has such a compartment, see if you can stuff the tent under your sleeping bag. That way, you don't have to unpack everything to get your tent out if it's raining when you want to make camp. This placement also works for packing a wet tent because it won't drip over everything (Be sure, however, that the tent and sleeping pack are in waterproof stuffsacks). Tent poles go strapped to the outside: Tie them on tight!

Food, fuel, and cooking utensils

Try to store the fuel upright and away from your food, in case of an accidental spill. Many hikers put their bottles in an outside compartment. If the bottles are in the same compartment as your food, make sure they are beneath the food so any leaks will not drip down onto your food. These items can have hard edges: Be sure they're not poking at your pack.

Personal items

Squeeze these in wherever they fit. Outside compartments Use these for items you'll need during the day: Rain gear, a few warm clothes, pack-cover, water filter, water, lunch, snacks, TP, sunscreen, mosquito goop, and your camera.

Mattresses

Most hikers roll up their sleeping pads and strap them to the outside of the packs. Some smaller mattresses fit inside a backpack, where they are better protected from accidental encounters with cactus needles and barbed wire fences. Fold and roll your deflated pad and then uncurl it inside your pack before you load your clothes. The pad will help hold the pack open.

Char Cloth, Making  (back)

I make char cloth, using a an airtight can, (any clean, large, can, with removable lid). Punch a hole with a large nail, put in 100% cotton 2x2 inch squares, loosly! If you pack too many squares in the can, they can't char properly. Set the can in the coals of a decent fire, after it dies down, (no flames). Smoke, and sometimes a jet of flame, will escape from the hole in the lid. After all the smoke, and jet of flame quits coming out, PLUG the hole with a small stick. This cuts off the oxygen, and keeps the cloth from burning up! (Note: some folks insist this step is uneccessary, YMMV)

Remove the can from the fire, and let cool off. The char cloth is now ready to catch you spark from your flint and steel. If properly made, it will glow hot enough to ignight your dry, fluffy, tinder.

TIP, use 100% cotton squares, from waffle weave, long johns, (real cheap at Wally World). It catches the spark from the flint and steel better,(nooks and crannys)!

Expedition Behavior  (back)

Here are some points on Expedition Behavior from Howard Tomb. ( a Philmont ranger) "A good expedition team is like a powerful, well oiled, finely tuned marriage. Members cook meals together, face challenges together, and finally go to bed at the same time. A bad expedition, on the other hand, is an awkward ugly, embarrassing thing characterized by bickering, fifth, frustration and crispy macaroni. Unfortunately, too many rules of the expedition behavior remain unspoken. Some leaders seen to assume that their team members already know about the unspoken rules of a team.

Rule #1
Get out of bed in the morning The easiest way to get your team members mad at you is for you to stay in bed while they are up doing camp chores and breaking camp. Never be the last one out their tent.

Rule #2
Do not be cheerful before breakfast Some people wake up perky and happy. They put stress on those who wake up as mean as rabid wolverines. The best early morning behavior is simple: be quiet

Rule #3
Do not complain. About anything, Ever! It's ten below zero, visibility is four inches and wind driven hailstones are embedding themselves in your face. Must you mention it? Do you think your fellow crew members have not also noticed the weather. Tell a joke. Lead a prayer. Do not lodge a complaint. Your pack is heavy. Did somebody promise you this was going to be easy. If you can't carry your weight, get a motorhome.

Rule #4
Learn to cook at least one thing right If you don't like to cook, then offer to wash the dishes. Remember that talented cook always gets invited to go again.

Rule #5
Either shampoo or do not remove your hat. After a week of no baths keep your hair covered by your hat. Most people after a week look like an escapee from the mental ward when they are not wearing their hat. Also brush your teeth daily. If you don't you will never see any wild animals because they will be chased away by your bad breath.

Rule #6
Do not ask if anybody's seen your stuff Experienced backpackers have systems for organizing their gear. NEVER ASK YOUR TENT MATE IF THEY HAVE SEEN THE TENT POLES AN HOUR AFTER YOU LEFT CAMP. It is unprofessional to lose your spoon or your toothbrush. Keep up with your gear.

Rule #7
Never ask your adult advisor where you are or how much longer? That is the job of the navigator, ask him. Remember your adult advisor is on vacation. One day when you have children you will understand the effect that this question has on an adult after the 20th time.

Rule #8
Always carry more than your fair share. When the trip is over, would you rather be remembered as a rock or a sissy? Keep in mind that a pound of two of extra weight in your pack won't make your back hurt any more than it already does.

Rule #9
Do not get sunburned Sunburn is not only painful and unattractive-its also and oblivious sign of inexperience.

Rule #10
Do not get killed The worst thing to have on your outdoor resume is a list of possible locations of your body. Besides, your demise might distract your team members from enjoying what's left of their vacations.

All expedition behavior really flows from this one principle: Think of your team-the beautiful machine-FIRST. You are merely a cog in that machine. If you have something to prove, forget about joining an expedition. Your team will never have more than one member."

Lacing Boots  (back)

The normal way to lace up the boots is tuck the lace under the hook.  If you are having to stop and retie your boots, try this.  Instead of going UNDER the hook, go OVER the hook and then go under the hook.  Look at how the lace now has pressure on the lace.  This will keep your boots from getting loose.

Backpacker Magazine's website has more lacing tips, Common Lacing Techniques, to solve problems with slipping heels, high insteps & small feet.

Nalgene Bottle Retainer Loop Trick  (back)

Take the cap retainer loop off your Nalgene bottle, flip it over and put it back on. There will be a one half twist in the retainer that will cause the cap to fall away from the top of the bottle when opened. After a long time the plastic will conform to the twist and will no longer fall open. Reverse it again. Also, don't hang your Nalgene bottles swinging from your packs from a carabiner in the retainer loop. Not for long! The retainer will snap a the center of the cap. Keep the Nalgene bottles in the packs or in bottle holders.

Nalgene Bottle for Smellable Drinks  (back)

Powdered Gatorade is a good source of the electrolytes but can be messy and create a bear bag problem as everything that the powder gets on has to go into the bear bag at night. Purchase a small lexan Nalgene bottle (1/2 liter) that will be used exclusively for drink mixes. (Don't add the mix to freshly treated water as it will interfere with chemical purification.) Using one bottle exclusively for flavored drinks solves the problem of mixing drinks in cups or in other water containers and will keep the dust and spills off your clothing and gear. Then each night you only have to worry about the one bottle for the bear bag and none of the other water containers, none of which had ever been used for anything but water. Wrap a couple of turns of duct tape, also considered a smellable, to remind you that it's the bottle that goes up in the bag.  It also makes a convenient place for your duct tape on the trail as it will be accessible.

Nalgene Bottle Splash Inserts  (back)

Buy one of the splash guard inserts for your wide-mouth Nalgene bottles. The guards make it easier to drink from the bottle without spilling, especially useful for the bottle with the smellable liquid. If you spill Gatorade or Bug Juice on your clothes they become smellable and must go up in the bear bag every night. An example can be found at REI.

Turkey Bag Cooking  (back)

This topic is a bit lengthy so it has it's own dedicated page, Turkey Bag Cooking.

Clothes Pins for Turkey Bag Cooking  (back)

Carry 2 wooden clothes pins to pin the turkey bag open around the top on the pot. This makes it easier to add the food and water and keeps the bag in place while you are stirring.  Twist the bag closed while it is sitting to keep the heat in and then re-pin the bag to serve.

Wet Boots  (back)

Wet Boots? Maybe you even left them out in the rain and they filled up with water? Try the Northern Tier method to dry them. You just dump them out, dry them out as best as possible and put them on again. After a mile or two, change your socks and hang the wet socks on the outside of the pack and let them dry a little. Switch socks ever so often and before noon you have dry feet dried out by the heat generated by your own body. (Editors note: This only works with moisture wicking socks.  NOT COTTON!!!)

Waterproof Smellable Bag  (back)

If you don't have waterproof bag for your personal smellables, use a large 2-1/2 gallon ziplock bag to toss all of your smellable items such as personal hygiene, medications, camera & film, etc. at the end of the day for the bear bag. Make sure your name is written on the bag in waterproof indelible marker before you leave.

Boot Garage  (back)

If your backpacking tent doesn't have a vestibule, bring a "boot garage", a plastic bag like the ones that annual telephone books came in, to place you boots in overnight, right outside the tent flap. A short stick is placed upright between the two boots to raise the plastic well above the boots - this allows them to ventilate all night, yet stay protected in case of rain. If you don't do this, they will stay moist from condensation, especially if the plastic is twisted or tucked shut. The bag also is a convenient place for camp-shoes in your pack while hiking.

Cracker Tubes  (back)

The cardboard tubes that scotch comes in work great to carry crackers--almost impossible to crush them. They pack well in both internal and external packs (and add some structure to the very lightweight internal frame packs). You can also pack garbage in them very tightly, with minimal chance of leaks. If the external message offends, just spray paint the cans.

Blister Free Backpacking  (back)

Adapted from an article on a backpacker.com reader forum. Works especially well for people with narrow feet that have a tough time finding boots that fit well, even with inserts. Use Tuf-Skin colorless formula, 4 oz aerosol; Omniflex non- woven retention tape (comes in different size rolls, recommend the 4 inch wide variety and cut them to size), Body Glide anti-friction skin formula. The aerosol adhesive and retention tape can be purchased on-line from Medo Sports Mediciane website (http://www.medco-athletics.com). The Tuf Skin comes in 4, 6 & 10 oz aerosol and 8 oz pump. The retention tape comes in rolls 2, 4 and 6 inches wide by 10 yards. Body Glide can be found at a bicycle shop, but also available at some sporting good stores and at stores catering to the horse riding crowd. It comes in a dispenser identical to an underarm deodorant applicator.

Spray the Tuf-Skin on clean dry feet in area where blisters are normally a problem. Apply retention tape to feet. Pinch and cut off extra material where it bunches together after going around wider portion of area covered. Cut rounded edges on square corners of tape to prevent rolling of tape corners. Apply Body Glide to other areas of feet not covered by retention tape. Put on dry socks and boots and enjoy. This technique also works with moist socks when dry ones were not available.

Liner Socks  (back)

Using a thin polypro or other synthetic material liner sock under a thicker hiking sock helps prevent blisters by transferring and sliding motion between the two layers of socks instead of between your skin and the sock. The synthetic materials available today also work in moving the moisture from perspiration outward away from the skin to help keep you feet drier, which besides comfort also reduces blisters. I wear liner socks on all weekend outings, whether I'm hiking or not, as well as day trip when I know I'll be walking a lot, like trips to the zoo or museum.  A new novel approach to liner socks is to use ladies knee-high nylon stockings. It may sound odd but it's an inexpensive technique that accomplishes the same results that reduces both pack weight and bulk as well. I will try them out some time and report back my results.

Note: Reflectix is also great as an additional sleeping pad in cold weather. It's sold in rolls long enough that two scouts can split the cost, make two sleeping pads and still have plenty of material left over to make a few cozies for their personal pots, such as those you would use with your DIY alcohol stove (see Don Johnston's High Performance Alcohol Stove (AKA Photon Stove))

Water Bottle Insulator  (back)

Make a tube insulator for your Nalgene water bottles to help prevent them from freezing in the winter.  Use closed cell foam or reflectix. Cut to size and seam with duct tape. Cut a circle and tape on the bottom.  Another quick tip is to carry or store your bottle upside down.  Water freezes on the top surface so if it does start to freeze you'll be able to turn it right side up and drink the unfrozen water.

Nalgene Bottle Sleeping Bag Warmer  (back)

Boil at least a liter of water and fill up your Nalgene water bottle and stick it in your sleeping bag 10 min before you hit the sack. It will make your bag nice and toasty by the time you go to bed. It also makes sure you have unfrozen water in the morning for cooking your breakfast.

Washing Fleece  (back)

Don't over-wash fleece. When it's good and grimy, and ready for a bath, use cold water and a mild soap (no bleach). Make sure all the zippers are zipped and the Velcro patches battened down so there's no extra abrasion going on. And pull your fleece clothes inside out before washing. I After washing, let it air dry. Excess heat is not good for polyester–and never dry-clean a fleece. Pilling will eventually happen on a well-worn fleece, but pilling is harmless. And if it really bugs you, use a cheap disposable razor to remove the offending fuzz balls

Canister Stoves in Cold Weather  (back)

In real cold weather sleep with your canisters in your bag to keep them warm for easy starts in the morning. Also, even in mildly cold weather, above freezing to the mid-forties, canister stoves see a decrease in performance.  It has to do with evaporation of the fuel inside the canister which can cause the moisture in the surrounding air to frost or freeze on your fuel canister.  This causes a drop in the temperature inside of the canister as well that decreases the ability of the fuel to evaporate.  Place the stove in a small pot of water an inch or two deep.  The heat from the water (even cold water) will help prevent frosting and help produce a better flame and more heat. 

Altitude Sickness  (back)

Hiking at 8,000 feet or higher  may cause altitude sickness.  Symptoms include headaches, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, and problems  sleeping.

Here's what you can do to adjust:

1. Keep hydrated and drink lots of water.
2. Eat carbohydrate-rich, low-fat foods, even if you are not hungry.
3. Above 8,000 feet, ascend no faster than your ability to acclimate. This should be about 1,000 feet per 24 hours of "sleeping gain" (sleep no more than 1,000 feet higher than the night before).
4. Consult your physician about the uses of acetazolamide to prevent mild altitude illness. (If you don't easily acclimate naturally)

Do not go higher until the symptoms go away. Keep active and and keep hydrated (drink plenty of water). Head back down to lower altitudes if the symptoms do not go away within two days. People who do not acclimate within two days might be developing a serious form of altitude illness that can be harmful, even fatal.  So don't take chances.

You may help prevent altitude sickness by taking ginkgo biloba 4 to 5 days before your trek. It has been shown in tests to reduce the incidence and severity of Acute Mountain Sickness. (according to Peter Hackett, MD, the guru of high mountain medicine).  Dr. Hackett recommends taking 80 mg twice a day, but some others suggest 120 mg twice a day–morning and evening.