The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange
The Great Outdoors Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
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3 answers

To stuff or not to stuff (the rain-fly of a tent)

I have friends who say stuffing your rainfly prolongs the life of the tent, because folding waterproof material over and over is going to make it leak. I have other friends who say folding and rolling the rainfly prolongs the life of the tent,…
DudeOnRock
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Who places the anchors that rock climbers use?

I've always wondered about the permanent "hooks" (it seems the proper term for them is "anchors" — pitons, bolts, etc.) that are placed in the some rock climbing routes to help climbers. Since they're fixed in the rock and used by everyone, I…
waldyrious
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What collapsible or compact skis should I get for commuting?

I want to be able to commute part way to school via skiing, but can't carry around full length skis all day. Has anyone heard of or used a good pair of compact cross country skis?
lucasjmoore
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Whats the best way to abseil off a ledge with the anchor at foot level?

Is there any method for making the initial stages of an abseil smoother when the anchor in use is at foot level and the ledge drops off abruptly. I have had a big swing before when trying to do this and found it quite unpleasant.
llama
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2 answers

How do I find a less crowded trail in the southeast United States on the 4th of July?

In addition to "longest walk possible" are there any good guidelines for finding trails/areas in the southeast that are typically less crowded on holidays such as the 4th of July? State parks here in Georgia, and most of the States, become…
Russell Steen
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14
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4 answers

Sweating in sleeping bag

I sweat a great deal when I sleep. When it's really warm outside at night I just keep my bag unzipped and there's no problem. However, when it starts to get cold and I have to zip my bag up, I soon become dowsed in sweat and even though my bag is…
Tradsud
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4 answers

How can I conserve water over long treks?

Is there any way I can balance out drinking water when taking a trek, or simply taking a hike to one of the local peaks around here? Even if I come stocked, I tend to end up run out of water close to the peak, or halfway through a trek, which leaves…
yuritsuki
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4 answers

What's the best way to swap lead when climbing in a group of three using a pair of half ropes?

On a multi-pitch route when all climbers have reached the belay point, what is the best way/what considerations need to be made, in order to swap lead? Obviously the leader will need to be tied into both ropes, but the second will be tied into only…
llama
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14
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3 answers

What to teach someone who wants to start lead climbing?

I have a friend who climbs with another group. She recently had her first couple of experiences as lead climber (sport climbing). I'm concerned that she doesn't have the required theory for lead climbing, and whenever possible I lecture her on…
Roflo
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Does skiing over things like sticks, leaves, roots and tree needles damage the skis?

Obviously cross/back-country skis can be damaged by skiing over things like rocks, stones, gravel and asphalt. What about other, softer objects exposed when the snow starts to melt, like sticks, roots, leaves, fir tree needles, soil, etc? How…
newenglander
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4 answers

Winter Camping: How to warm up your boots in the morning?

Is there a good technique to warm up your boots in the morning? Should you just put them on and warm them up with your feet or is there a better alternative?
sixtyfootersdude
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Advantages to hammock camping on multi-night trips

This question asks what the downsides are to hammock camping, but doesn't really address the reasons why you would want to sleep in a hammock to camp. Let's say I'm backpacker new to the idea of sleeping in a hammock. What are the advantages of a…
montane
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Minimizing ecological impact of winter-sports in the backcountry

I have heard that skiers and snowboarders can do a lot of damage to an ecosystem. I am interested in the following backcountry wintersport activities and would like to do them responsibly. cross-country skiing snowshoeing ascending with snowshoes…
DudeOnRock
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14
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4 answers

Hiking popularity in North America vs. Europe

From browsing this site, I have learned that US national parks and wilderness areas have restrictions and that campsites need reservations, sometimes months in advance. I've never seen anything like it in Europe; in popular areas, there are simply…
gerrit
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How to avoid pendulum descent when belaying?

I recently started indoor rock climbing at a local spot. I got to the top and (after appropriate communication) my partner started to belay me down. I instantly starting swinging and spinning pretty wildly, more than 10' arcs. I was able to catch…
Russell Steen
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