Outdoor Sports Blog

GPS devices - never be lost again By David C Skul GPS devices (GPS comes from Global Positioning System) are devices that can determine your location anywhere on the planet. They do this by calculating the distance from where the GPS device is to satellites orbiting earth. The device must achieve signals from at least three satellites for returning a two-dimensional position. If it finds more than four, the GPS device can return a three-dimensional position, also measuring the height. The location that the GPS device returns is quite accurate, the normal GPS devices can determine your position within a range of ten meters, but professional ones have mechanisms that mostly remove all the errors. A thing that must be known is that GPS devices cant work too good in cities with tall buildings because they obstruct the sky and the GPS devices connection with the satellite, but in an area where most of the sky is visible the work perfectly. There are a lot of GPS devices on the market nowa

“What the heck is geocaching?” some outdoor enthusiast may ask. Well, with GPS and Internet technology is a new way to play outdoors. A way to play that not only is fun but also hones your orientation and navigation skills. Here’s an article by Tim Jones that gives more insight into geocaching. Tim also provides some good tips that may help you stay on top of the game. Additional Resources: The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site (There are 239374 active caches in 220 countries. In the last 7 days, there have been 151475 new logs written by 24438 account holders). The Complete Idiots Guide to Geocaching .

Today I present a hike in the Black Rock Forest. It’s a loop hike that will take you to the Peak of Black Rock Mountain, where you can enjoy the panormaic view. According to the New York Walk Book the trail has a length of about 6.5 miles and is rated moderat to strenous. It’ll take about 4 ½ hours to finish the look hike. You can bring your dog, as long as you keep your pet on a leash. Here’s a link to a detailed trail description . Black Rock Forest is located about 80 km (50miles) north of New York City. For more information visit also www.BlackRockForest.org .

What's up on Everest this year? Here's a link to this year's list of Mount Everest expeditions. According to MountEverest.net, only two expeditions will try to reach the summit by fair means - without the use of oxygene. Click here for Mount Everest resources.

Ever heard of the stunning ruins of Machu Pichu in Peru? The Peruvian government recently limited the number of hikers on the Inca Trail to 500 per day. Reason is to protect the ancient hiking trail. In addition tour operators are required to submit name and passport numbers of their customers to purchase the necessary permits. For this reason it has become extremely difficult to book last minute. Here’s a New York Times article thag gives more insight. Click here for additional Inca Trail resources .

Are you in the mood for some amazing mountaineering photos? If yes, then check out " The Mountaing Gallery ". You'll find extraordinary images from mountaineering in the heart of the Alps, pictures about ice climbing and rock climbing in Yosemite Valley. Or do you like it cold? Then the images of an Mount McKinley (Denali) expedition are for you. And there's more to discover...

“Tri-Ice-A-Thon” in Nordegg, Alberta Coming weekend (February 25 – 27, 2006) is the sixth annual Tri-Ice-A-Thon in Nordegg, Alberta. Events are waiting for beginners as well as intermediate and of course advanced ice climbers. There will also be climbing competitions on multiple ice walls. If you never climbed a waterfall but would give it a try, you can even try out demo gear from well known manufactorers. More information here: www.coe.ca/icefest or call 721-2208 . Here is a link to some ice climbing related literature at Amazon.com .

If you are “out there” hiking, backpacking our climbing a mountain, your knees are one of the hardest working joints. Knee pain and similar problems are quite a common problem for outdoor enthusiasts. Here’s an article where you can get some advice from Belinda Brownell, a Colorado-based physical therapist. Since 20 years she’s been treating hikers with knee pain or knee problems. Here’s the article . My web site OutdoorSportsAdviser.com offers also insight (and a solution) for knee pain when hiking. Check it out!

Climbing the highest peak in the Americas Mount Aconcagua in western Argentina, 22,835 feet or 6,969 meters high is the highest mountain in the Americas. It’s also the highest peak outside of the Himalayas. Every year nearly 4.000 mostly American climbers set their foot on top. Here’s the story of one of them . And here are some additional Aconcagua resources .

You wear them for rock climbing. You wear them for biking. You wear them on a white water kayaking trip. But did you ever notice that most backcountry skiers don’t wear helmets? Today I present an article that talks about that. Climbing helmets are still unusual in the backcountry. But ski mountaineers start to rethink their philosophy. Safety first seems to get more priority. Read more here .

Mary Woodbridge from the UK plans to climb Mount Everest. “So what!” you may say. But what differeciates Mary from all the rest are three things: Here age. Mary is 85! (Yes you read right, 85!) She wants to summit Everest with her dog Daisy. She’ll do it by fair means: No oxygen will be used during the climb (there’s no mask for Dachshund Daisy anyway...) Is it British humor or bravery that’s the question here. What ever it is - Good luck Mary, may your dream come true! Read more here . Or visit Mary web site: http://www.mary-woodbridge.co.uk/frameset_mw.html .

Here’s a hiking trip in Hedden County Park in Randolph. It’s a loop hike, about 3.2 miles long. The hike is classified “easy to moderate” and it takes about two hours to finish the loop. Your dog is welcome too, as long as you keep him on a leash. For a very detailed hiking trail description follow this link . For more hiking trails in NJ click here.

If you are interested in preparing a snowshoe trip in Wisconsin, you should visit the web site of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. You’ll find a comprehensive list of snowshoe trails in Wiscons State Parks and Forests. It provides a good base to plan your upcoming snowshoeing trip - maybe next weekend. The list also includes the length and difficulty of the respective snowshoe trail. Here’s the link: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/trails/snowshoe.html

Winter Break in the South Here’s the story of a young college student who went way south for a winter break. Jerome Michell went to Antarctica for 30 days to study global warming, glacial melting and the impact on sea levels. Click here to read the full story.

Monday! Still tired from you weekend trip? Here's a nice article from Tom Stienstra pulished in the San Francisco Choronicle . Tom's telling the story of an exhilarating snowshoe trip on Yosemite valleys rim. A good way to start the week :-)

Just a quick update... Here's an well researched article published in the Anchorage Daily News that sheds more light on the death of an Michigan snowshoer who died in an avalanche in Alaska the other day. The article includes two graphics to help recognize avalanche potential and danger. Here's the link to the article.

Another day, another avalanche disaster! I just read the news of a Michigan man, living in Alaska since 5 month (maybe fulfilling his dream to live up north) who died in an avalanche while snowshoeing. What got me thinking was the last paragraph of that avalanche article where the member of the Alaskan Mountain Rescue Group, Bill Romberg, says: “...the snowshoers carried no rescue gear, such as avalanche beacons, shovels or probes.” Of course I don’t know the details what happened in that case. But in general, I expect to read news about avalanche accidents like this more often in the future. Snowshoeing is becoming extremely popular, for good reasons. That results in a growing number of inexperienced people traveling in mountainous areas. They do so without proper gear (see above), without preparing themselves on how to choose a save route and behave in alpine areas. And in case of an avalanche they don’t know what to do or don’t have the gear to act immediately. And that cost – no –

Last week we had a little accident at home. My wife Gina was cutting vegetables with a sharp kitchen knife. Actually, she didn't only cut veggies but also the tip of her index finger. Even it was just a minor wound, it was bleeding a lot. Gina called me for "rescue". I checked the first aid kit we store in the bathroom for band aids. Unfortunately there wasn't the right size. So what to do? I rushed down in the basement where I store all my outdoor equipment in big plastic boxes. Of course my stuff includes a pretty decent first aid kit for our outdoor trips (I was volunteer with my black Lab "Bucky" at an Austrian search and rescue organization). I knew there I would find the right size of band aids and I did. But then the surprise! The adhesive wasn't good anymore, just didn't want to stick on Gina's finger. Actually it's normal that after a certain amount of time stuff gets bad. Even in a first aid kit. Thinking of the cold in the winter,

Snowshoeing is extremely popular. To be exact, it's the fastest growing winter sport in North America. One of the reasons for this is that you don't need a lot of extra gear, especially if you are already an hiking enthusiast with basic equipment. Some high tech snowshoes can be pretty expensive. How about building your own snowshoes? The other day I came across an excellent article by Dean Beard on the web site of the Boy Scouts of America. Here's the link: How to make your own Snowshoes

When thinking of Florida, most people dream of endless beaches, hot sun and the sea. But did you know that Florida has hundreds of hiking trails? Florida's parks offer more than 4,000 miles of hiking trails. That's more than 6,400 km! Here are some links where you can get more information: www.florida-trail.org - provides information about the Florida National Scenic Trail www.floridagreenwaysandtrails.com - General information about Florida hiking trails Florida Hiking Trails - A list of intersting related literature you can purchase at Amazon.com

Winter Hiking Part 2 - Hypothermia In "Winter Hiking Part 2" I'll take a look at hypothermia. A common challenge for outdoor enthusiasts. I'll try to answer the following questions: What exactly is hypothermia? What are the symptoms? How can I prevent hypothermia? What exactly is hypothermia? Hypothermia is when the body looses more heat than it can produce and the core body temperature decreases below normal as a result. It impairs regular muscular and cerebral functions. Mild hypothermia can be reversed. If ignored it can lead to serious consequences like frostbite and even cause death. What are the symptoms? The regular human body temperature is 37° Celsius or 98.5° Fahrenheit. If it drops below that, we'll get first warning signs. Fingers, toes, nose and ears are getting cold. Most folks have experienced that. Nothing really serious in that early stage and - as long as the warning signs are not ignored - easily reversed. More on that later. What h

Today I present an article by Lynda La Rocca. Snowshoeing is considered to be the fastest growing winter sport in North America. This is no surprise. Snowshoeing is easy to learn. Most people are able to go snowshoeing. It doesn't require a huge investment. You can rent snowshoes too. And unlike downhill skiing, there's no need to purchase expensive lift tickets. I recommend anyone who is interested to give snowshoeing a try should read Lynda's article. It is divided in two parts: A brief history of snowshoeing Safety a top priority In addition, here's a link to Amazon with interesting products related to snowshoeing .

Pro climber hosts free bouldering workshop by Nick Switzer Ivan Greene, a professional rock climber, hosted a free bouldering workshop at the Spot Bouldering Gym the Wednesday night. Greene premiered a bouldering video entitled “Get Awesome” and fielded questions from the audience about bouldering technique, training and life as a climber in New York City. Read full article.

The art of snow caving Winter camping may not have the same allure as the warm days of summer, but snow camping can be extremely exciting. Plus, camping during the cold months offers some experiences that can only be found during that time of year. One of these winter-only experiences is snow caving. Generally, when most people hear “snow cave” they think of igloos. But these are two completely different structures. Read more about building a snow cave.

If you happen to live or are resident in west-central Indiana, this article about hiking the Sugar Creek Trai l may be of interest. The Sugar Creek Trail is considered a historic, nature-filled but ultimately easy walk of 4.5 miles. PS: Part II of 'Winter Hiking - Hypothermia' is in the works and will be posted soon... E. A.

3 Soldiers Killed in Hautes Alpes Avalanche Three members of a group of seven soliders have been killed by an avalanche close to Saint-Etienne-en-Dévoluy in the Hautes-Alpes department. The avalanche occured at 2000 meters altitude in the Vallon d’Ane below the Pic de Bure and was around 1.5 meters deep and 200 meters long. The group were part of the 7ieme regiment de materiel de Lyon who have a training base nearby at l’Alpe du Grand Serre. More...