Outdoor Sports Blog

Puppy found almost two weeks after bear attack By JOSEPH ROBERTIA, Peninsula Clarion KENAI (AP) - Colleen Sinnott of Kasilof may have had her scalp torn off, three ribs broken and numerous puncture wounds and scratches, but there was only one thing on her mind after she survived a recent brown bear attack. "From the time I picked myself up off the ground, my only thought was 'Get the dogs!'" Sinnott said, referring to her two 7-month-old Newfoundland puppies - a male named Bud and a female named SweetPea - that had fled during the incident. According to Sinnott's husband, John Poljacik, the couple was hiking the Skilak Overlook Trail off Skilak Lake Loop Road on Oct. 9. Poljacik heard a deep guttural roar and the sound of crashing foliage behind him. He turned to see a big bruin burst from the brush. It took Sinnott down and began violently shaking her on the ground. Poljacik began yelling at the bear and was reaching for pepper spray when it pounced from Sinnott

Lightweight Backpacking Techniques by: Steve Gillman These lightweight backpacking tips and techniques are options or ideas, not recommendations. I tend towards the extreme side of ultralight backpacking, and if you don't know yourself or your skills, some of these techniques will get you into trouble. A good example of this is the "natural mattress" that allows you to leave your sleeping bag behind. With this technique, I've slept with no pad, and only a five-ounce sleeping bag liner, on a night when it was near freezing. It took fifteen minutes to collect enough bracken ferns to make a two-foot thick mattress, but it was comfortable and warm. You can use leaves, pine needles, dead grass or dry bracken ferns. All you do is make a pile big enough to set your tent or bivy sack on. This could damage the enviroment in some areas, so use common sense, and collect only DEAD vegetation. Also, scatter your materials in the morning, so they won't smother the plants undern

Hiking the Appalachian Trail, he found a new life By Charlene A. Taiclet KOKOMO TRIBUNE (KOKOMO, Ind.) KOKOMO, Ind. — Greg Townsend walked more than 2,000 miles through 14 states to "get in touch with his God." Retired after 30 years at Delphi, the Kokomo man embarked on the trip he hoped would provide him answers he so desperately sought. He needed to know for sure if he still wanted to live. He walked the entire Appalachian Trail . Through it all, he encountered a few of God¹s other creatures, nearly drowned and endured lashing rains and winds. He also found two new friends -- trail buddies "Santa" and "Big Foot," and came home with a trail name of his own -- "Kokomo." But Townsend¹s motive for the trip ran deeper than just wanting personal enlightenment. >> Full Story >>

New movie coming on November 4 th : The Last Trapper “Real” trappers like Jack London do not exist anymore. There remains, however, one irreducible last soul who still abides by the old trapper philosophy of man living at one with nature. This last trapper is called Norman. Following Norman, his wife Nebraska and their dogs for a whole year in the far North, this film makes us walk in the footsteps of a real-life character and gives a rapturous insight into the battles and drama that are his daily lot, and the adventures of which his dogs are the main characters. “The Last Trapper” is total immersion in an unique environment, a journey of initiation and a celebration of a way of life in perfect harmony with animals and nature. The documentation "The Last Trapper" is directed by Nicolas Vanier. This is what Stephanie Gold said about Vanier, who wrote a number of books all related to winter, ice, sled dogs and more.... Nicolas Vanier says, "I am neither an adventurer, a s

By Tom Adams I UPGRADED. NO, NOT my computer or phone service or neighborhood. I updated my Dannen Field Guide. From the first edition in 1978 to today's Ninth Edition (2002), Kent and Donna Dannen's "Hiking Rocky Mountain National Park" has been widely acclaimed as the most comprehensive trail guide for RMNP. My folks have a copy of that '78 edition, and I consulted it so much I got my own copy -- the sixth Revision in 1985. That guide has traveled so far in various packs and car trunks that portions of it have sanded off over time. Hence the upgrade. >> Full Story >>

The true story of a man gone wild A new documentary by world-renowned filmmaker Werner Herzog GRIZZLY MAN explores the life and gruesome death of amateur grizzly bear expert and wildlife preservationist Timothy Treadwell. The film is a powerful cautionary tale about modern man’s relationship to wild nature as it follows Treadwell’s journeys to Alaska, where he lived among the grizzlies and grew to love them. Treadwell’s crusade to defend the grizzlies tragically ended when he–and his girlfriend–were attacked and killed by a rogue grizzly in October 2003. GRIZZLY MAN is a gripping and epic adventure story in the tradition of Jon Krakauer’s classic Into Thin Air and Into the Wild. Additional resources worth to check: National Geographic News

Mount Kangaru in Nepal : 7 French and 11 Nepalese mountaineers killed in avalanche KATHMANDU — Seven French climbers and 11 Nepalese mountain guides were killed in a massive avalanche last week in the northwest of Nepal, the head of the Himalayan Rescue Association said Monday. "All the team members of the French Mount Kangaru expedition have died," Bikram Neupane, president of the Himalayan Rescue Association, told reporters in the capital after he visited the site and talked to rescue teams. The private association sent a 10-member rescue team to find survivors of the Oct 20 avalanche, Neupane said. The lead rescuer, Padam Ghale, told him that the snow depth precluded finding anyone alive. "Because there was so much snow, it was impossible to find anyone," Neupane said. "Even the army couldn't find anything looking by helicopter." >> Full Story >>

Hiking with Your Dog With dogs becoming more like family members these days, it's not surprising that people want to include them in activities such as hiking. And although it's not always a good idea to mix pets and wilderness, it might be possible to take Fido along if you follow some simple precautions. Here's are the basics to ensure a safe and happy hike for both you and your dog. >> More >>

Highs and lows of extreme altitude mountaineering Alan Hinkes not only deserves a medal, but recognition as well, says Fergal MacErlean The Death Zone is a place the unassuming extreme altitude British mountaineer Alan Hinkes knows inside out. The term refers to altitudes above 8,000 metres where the human body rapidly deteriorates, and includes the world’s 14 highest mountains. In May, Hinkes entered the record books as the first Briton – and one of only 13 men worldwide – to climb these snow-clad giants, found in Asia’s Himalaya and Karakoram ranges. He says Yorkshire grit drove him to keep going on Challenge 8000, as it’s dubbed, which the 50-year-old former geography teacher began on Tibet’s Shisha Pangma, the lowest of the 8,000m peaks, back in 1987. That was the year after the 14 were first completed by Italian climbing legend Reinhold Messner. More >>

Hiking in the Palisades Interstate Park In the following article you'll find a detailed description of a loop-hike in the Palisades Interstate Park. The loop frist descents the Palisades cliffs. Then the trail becomes more challenging as the rocky path follows along the Hudson River. After passing a scenic waterfall, you'll climb to reach a panoramic view point above the river. The trail-look is 4.5 miles long and considerd strenuous. Estimated times is about 4 1/2 hours. Click here to read the full article containing a detailed trail description.

Viewers Share Their Favorite Hikes for "Hiking Utah" By Sammy Linebaugh This weekend could be one of the last to get out and enjoy the incredible colors. Here is a wrap of what some of what you have seen and shared with us...while "Hiking Utah." The Crimson Trail -- five miles up Logan Canyon -- could be named for its vivid colors. But actually, it was a favorite hike of college students dating back to the 19th century. Back then the school colors of Logan's old Brigham Young College were crimson and gold. >> More >>

Michael Ward, who has died aged 80, was the expedition doctor during the 1953 ascent of Everest which resulted in Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's conquest of the summit; the success of the expedition owed much to Ward, who had meticulously researched the possibilities of an ascent from the Nepalese side of the mountain and organised the crucial reconnaissance mission in 1951. Click here for full article...

Hiking Mount Whitney By Dana Kennedy It will never be described as off the beaten track, but that does not stop about 16,000 people each year from finding their personal Everest in Mount Whitney. Though it is just three hours from Los Angeles, it is the highest mountain in the contiguous United States, and these hikers set out for the summit on a tough, 22-mile round-trip trail that was constructed 100 years ago this summer. "Very few people can get to Everest," said Doug Thompson, 58, who has owned a small store at the trailhead near Lone Pine, Calif., for 17 years. "This mountain's big, but it's attainable." For some. Park rangers say that only 50 percent of those who try to reach the summit succeed. Most others succumb to altitude sickness or fatigue and turn back. Because there is a path to the top and technical equipment other than hiking poles is not required, some people set out to climb Whitney not just because it's there, but because they think

Bear resistant food containers In addition to yesterdays post, here's a good read about bear resistant food containers, provided by the Adirondack Mountain Club. Click here to read the article.

Bear Attacks - Lively discussion on new "defense methods" like bear fence and more I remember my first backpacking trip in the Charlevoix Region (eastern Quebec) when we had five close range encounters with black bears on the six-day trip. All bears fled immediately, except one. It was already getting dark when we heard a big animal breaking though the bush (at first we didn't know is it a moose or something else). Well, it WAS a blacky. He was a really big one and he was angry about the disturbance. All bears we saw on this hike fled as soon as they saw, heard or smelled us. But not this one. He stopped a stone-throw away, got on his hind legs and started huffing and puffing. I answered with yelling at him and threw a few rocks in his direction. That didn't impress the bear at all. We slowly continued to follow the trail, that led out of the dense bush into a more open area with only a few trees. We were lucky. The bear didn't see us as his evening snack and we c

New book arrives just in time for fall hiking BY ED WALL FENC OUTDOOR WRITER Fenc outdoors writer Fall in North Carolina is the grandest of times in the opinion of a lot of folks. Clear, cool weather gradually replaces the muggy haze of summer. In the east, the hordes of mosquitoes and deer flies that tormented outdoorsmen during the warmest months become a little less numerous and fervent. In the mountainous western counties, the landscape changes to an artist's palate of colors and winding trails beckon those with an adventurous bent and a stout pair of boots. Fall is an ideal time to take a hike in any part of our state and a new book, "The Joy of Hiking," offers a wealth of information and advice that will make hitting the trail easier and more fun. Subtitled "Hiking the Trailmaster Way," the 286 page book is different from most hiking publications. "The Joy of Hiking" has five parts, the first of which addresses the mental, spiritual and physiolog

Lighter not always better Rescue workers say hikers unprepared By Jason Blevins Denver Post Staff Writer The hot trend in mountaineering these days is light and fast. Lighten up, leave more at home, and you can increase mobility and agility while reducing fatigue, the nasty culprit behind many a mountaineering mishap. Elite climbers take a day to go up and down peaks that traditionally required several days to complete. High-speed athletes are bagging three or more peaks in a single day, making it home for dinner with the family. Through-hikers are whittling down packs to less than 10 pounds, compared with the 60-pound packs previously required for long jaunts in the woods. Light-and-fast disciples say it is the only way to go. Ditch the beast-of-burden ethos and erase suffering from the backcountry experience, they say. Search and rescue specialists worry the trend leaves hikers and climbers ill-prepared for unforeseen and often inevitable calamity. Read more...

Man's love of mountains leads to guidebook By BEN PIERCE Bozeman Daily Chronicle BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) -- As a boy growing up near Rochester, N.Y., Thomas Turiano collected ski area maps and dreamed of carving lines down the great mountains of the West. When he first arrived in Jackson Hole, Wyo., on a family vacation in 1980 his eyes were wide with fascination and utter awe at the mountain landscape that surrounded him. Deep down a feeling began to grow in Turiano, a feeling that would draw him back to the West and far into the mountain backcountry. In 1985 he left home and arrived in Wyoming a very green 18-year-old with a desire to become a ski instructor at Jackson Hole, the tremendous pull of the mountains already taking hold on his life. Nearly two decades later, Turiano's love of mountains and alpine adventure culminated with the publication of "Select Peaks Of Greater Yellowstone: A Mountaineering History & Guide." "I was a tiny insignificant speck in a

Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails Featured in New Connecticut Walk Book The Connecticut Forest and Park Association (CFPA) announces the release of the long-awaited 19th edition of the Connecticut Walk Book. One of two volumes, the first to appear on the shelves is the Walk Book East covering all the trails in eastern and central Connecticut. The arrival of the book comes on the heels of the 75th anniversary of the Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails, a network of over 800 miles of trails that blanket the state. Open to the public and free of charge, the Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail System has been operated and maintained by CFPA as a public service since 1929. The trails boast historic sites, breathtaking views and a variety of terrain from easy to challenging. A volunteer corps of several hundred trail maintainers ensure that the trails are kept open and well marked. Most residents in eastern Connecticut will find a Blue Trail within 20 minutes of their home. Click here for full article.

Yosemite National Park News Release October 5, 2005 For Immediate Release Wapama Fire Grows in Yosemite National Park Yosemite National Park experienced widespread lightning activity over the weeks of September 21 and 26, 2005. Currently, three lightning-caused fires are burning in the park. One of these fires, the Wapama Fire located just north of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, experienced substantial growth over the weekend. The fire is currently 500 acres and has the potential for further spread to the northeast. The Wapama Fire is being managed as a wildland fire for resource benefit. Wildland Fire Use (WFU) projects are allowed to burn and spread naturally as long as they do not threaten people or property. Fire is a natural ecological process that plays an important role in shaping and restoring the park's ecosystems. A combination of containment actions (utilizing an existing trail, natural barriers, and constructed fireline) are being taken on the western flank of the fire to prev

Tips on how to spare your knees when hiking or backpacking Get into shape. Loose those extra pounds (you wanted to get rid of them anyway, didn't you?) and stay fit. Strong muscles and less body weight will be beneficial, not only to you knees. Reduce the weight of you backpack. Every gram/ounce matters. The lighter your equipment, the lesser pressure strain on your knees, especially when hiking downhill. Use trekking poles. This is a proven way to reduce the compressive forces on your knees significantly. Using trekking poles will relieve your legs, knees, muscles and ligaments up to 52,200 pounds (19,483 kg) per hour. That’s the weight of 10 (!) pick-up trucks! Get high quality hiking boots with proper shock absorption. Your knees will thank you. As an alternative you can upgrade existing boots with insoles. Look for rigid ones like "Superfeet" which are made of special foams, though enough for hiking trips. For more information on trekking poles please visit http://www