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Monthly Archives: February 2008
Award-winning photo features Palisade head
This great shot of a climber leading on Palisade Head was among the winners of National Geographic Adventure’s recent photo contest.
Nesting your mummy bags
If you don’t have a $600 bag that protects to lower temperatures, can you substitute by nesting together two bags with lesser protection individually? You can find the GO Blog’s answer, here.
Myself, I have also tried it in the past, with mixed results. On a winter campout a few years ago, I ended up borrowing a few odd mummy bags from different buddies. My two bags kept me fairly comfortable, but my wife’s combination couldn’t keep out the -10 degree chills. It’s tricky; winter camping gear is costly (though worth every penny.) But it’d be a shame to miss out on the experience just because one can’t afford the gear. My recommendation to anyone contemplating the 2-bag fix is, try it first in your backyard. Or perfect your “cuddling together for survival” line.
The Tiny Aviary
I’m an artist by trade, but when I hear the words “wildlife art,” I usually cringe. All too often, the term brings to mind the same thing: Fantastically idealized paintings of perfect sunsets illuminating idyllic lakeside cabins with candles in the windows and families of deer just off the front step.
Illustrator Diane Sudyka creates beautiful, elegant —and thank goodness, simple— watercolor sketches of regional birds. A volunteer taxidermist for the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History, Diane posts these supplemental sketches at The Tiny Aviary. I was happy to find a number of birds native to Northern Minnesota. Lots nicer to look at, than old bird skins, no?
Study shows: Really good hikers are really good at hiking
More specifically, they’re much better at remembering details of unfamiliar trails, than novice hikers. Here’s a summary of that study. Via Modern Hiker.
Winter programs at Voyageurs
Shoe up for a several upcoming events at Voyageurs National Park, including a guided showshoe hike and a bit of voyageur history for kids.
Exploring an ancient skiing culture
I’ve posted before about Minnesota’s vibrant ski culture, but this was completely new to me…
In 2005, a film crew journeyed into China’s mountainous Altai region, to document a people whose history with skis dates back thousands of years. The clip here is an excerpt from that project, “Skiiing in the Shadow of Ghengis Khan: Timeless Skiers of the Altai.” You can order the DVD, here.
How long is your gear good for?
From the GO Blog…A few outdoor pros compare notes on gear longevity. Pretty helpful. There’s no shortage of gear reviews out there, but far too few resources like this. My only surprise: headlamps that last 10 years!? Clearly, these guys don’t have any kids…yeesh.
Animal tracks in winter
Here’s something to heighten your enjoyment of a winter campout — tracking animals in the snow. In anticipation of last weekend’s snowfall, I picked up this pocket guide to identifying tracks. And as Providence would have it, my first walk was right after said snowfall and well after dark. These conditions must be the ideal, because my wife and I could our headlamps to highlight any shadows that would’ve been lost in the white-out effects of daylight. Shown here are (left to right): snowshoe hare, deer and — I think — fox.
To gadget, or not to gadget?
A rather spirited rant from Outside Magazine attempts to resolve a conundrum all too common nowadays: When to bring your techno-toys on the trail… and when to leave ‘em home.
Interview with dog sled musher Linda Hart
Most people don’t get involved in dog sled racing by say, trying out for their local junior varsity team, wherein it eventually develops into a lifelong passion. Let’s back up — most people don’t get involved in dog sled racing, period. Like mountaineering (another fun little pasttime uncommon to Minnesota,) it’s an exotic pairing of Sport and Survival, harnessed together. A typical marathon weaves through remote wilderness areas at sub-zero temps for days on end, mushers often going without sleep. No cancellations due to ‘inclement weather’ here. So understandably, many spectators watch in awed reverence, while at the same time wincing as they say, “I could never do that!”
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