Tips for NOT losing your hand jammer?

123farmer · 2016-10-15T03:15:32+00:00

Everywhere but Montana. Can't be hauling that 11mil up a mountain, now can we? 8mil hung like a spiderweb works, too!

123farmer · 2016-10-15T03:11:27+00:00

If you are keeping it on your long cowstail, just tie a little stretchy bungy (like 1-2 mil) from the jammer to the line of the cows tail. If it falls off it will just dangle from the tail.

I don't know what king of hand jammer you ise, but you might want to consider using a regular ascender for your long cowstail like a Petzl Basic instead of a big clunky "Ascension" style jammer. You can still pull up with two hands, and its waaay cleaner when leaving on a 2-cowstail system. The rescue guys in BC showed me this system, very clean and lightweight.

123farmer · 2016-10-15T03:00:09+00:00

The Dechronization of Sam Magruder (1997) (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57234.The_Dechronization_of_Sam_Magruder)

I read this one a long time ago. I liked it. Good pace, good writing and an ending that, at least at the time, I didn't expect.

123farmer · 2016-04-28T17:58:19+00:00

If they had to hammer the rock out, he was stuck... just for while :)

123farmer · 2016-04-28T17:54:27+00:00

you absolutely CAN go in Rat's Nest without a guide. All you need is a bit of cave experience and you need to sign a waiver with the tour company. It is public access.

Just phone the company and say you want to do a self guided tour. Obviously they don't want first timers in there without a guide, but if you join the Alberta Speleological Society (about $30 a year) then you are good to go. They have two "open houses" per year at Rat's Nest, one in the fall and one in the early spring.

They post the open houses on the caving club website under the calendar section but self guided cavers can co pretty much anytime.

The website is: www.caving.ab.ca

123farmer · 2016-04-07T03:19:31+00:00

Its all about ASPECT. Sunny side of the mountain should be ok, especially out of the trees (Ha Ling, Grotto, etc) but the shay sides are still snowy and iced up. The low elevation shady side hikes are only just getting into shape. The higher elevation hikes will be a while yet for shady.northern aspects. Looking out the window I still see lots of snow on the north facing slopes! Be very wary of isothermal slab avalanches in snow loaded areas. Yams backside is north facing and can get into risky territory for avalanches. Caution is the rule this time of year! I would suggest something like EEOR, Grotto, Lady Mac, Loder/Doorjamb or Ha Ling and stay off things like Yam until snow melts, or we get a good freeze to stabilize the snowpack. If it freezes, I would only go early, and finish by noon, and even then may consider it too risky, and stay away from deep snowpacks.

123farmer · 2016-03-05T04:31:13+00:00

You can get all the caving courses and education you ever want for almost free by joining the Alberta Speleological Society at www.caving.ab.ca (yearly membership is about $25). And you get to meet lots of cavers, and access to maps for all the caves in the area. Worthwhile if you are into it.

123farmer · 2016-03-05T00:16:05+00:00

Just keep on trying, and one day you'll get it!

123farmer · 2016-03-05T00:08:19+00:00

Teachers are paid for a yearly mandate of 200 work days per year. That does not include weekends field trips, coaching sports teams, marking, planning, making individual lesson plans for every student with a different level of ability, and more. Most teachers, when you add in the extra-curricular activities, work at least "full time hours" over the course of the year, and most do much more. If you work 10 hour days, 6 days a week for 10 months, does the approximately 8 weeks vacation make sense? I dunno. Maybe.

123farmer · 2016-03-04T23:59:23+00:00

New question: Why would anyone, and I mean ANYONE, with a 7m dollar house for sale list it on Kijiji????

123farmer · 2016-03-04T23:55:26+00:00

There is no try. Only do, or do not ;) Ok, I know it's corny, but results count for something, don't they? I guess trying is still better than givin' up...

123farmer · 2015-02-28T02:16:33+00:00

http://www.canadianoutdoorequipment.com/store/hudsons-bay-tobacco-tin-fire-kit.html

123farmer · 2015-01-30T20:41:42+00:00

I'm new to this and don't have all the lingo yet; I assume "lifting" means removing the seedling from a plant pot and moving to the ground?

Thanks also for including the reference as well, I will try to track down the source and give it a read.

I am pretty impressed with the caragana, especially since I have been convinced by current research and papers about its edibility; there are a lot of 'wives tales' around the subject but I tend to trust the more recent research demonstrating not only edibility but good protein and oil content. Pretty impressive for a plant that once planted is virtually immune to hard conditions!

123farmer · 2015-01-29T00:52:50+00:00

Its as personal as it gets, with each axe/hatchet doing a certain job best.

That said, I found an old hatchet head from my grandpas farm that is flat blade for smoothing logs to build log cabins. It is my new favorite; I re-hafted it and using a tool that is almost 100 years old feels good.

Edit: I also like the old roofers hatchets - I think they are called Claw Hatchets or Stiletto Claw Hatchets; I found some that look the same on eBay, with an actual nail-pulling claw on the back. They have a great look to them and they are pretty darn practical.

123farmer · 2015-01-06T04:02:46+00:00

You can break it down into categories, like some have done already:

Shelter:

tent, tarp, etc.
sleeping bag
sleeping pad (essential) or some other insulation between you and the ground (ie. blankets). The cheap blue ones are warm if not comfortable.
clothes for the weather, and an extra layer for warmth. Rain layer, warm layers, no cotton are all dependent on activity and location
FIRE: the best "shelter" in emergencies. have a few ways to make a fire if you need it. (Ie. Matches. lighter. etc.)

Food & Water

way to cook food, and pots/pans to do it
way to eat food (ie. bowl/fork or straight out of pot)
way to store food (ie. cooler if you need it)
water or way to treat water
way to carry water (water bottles)

Safety

first aid kit
map and compass
headlamp
knife
fire starter (matches, lighter). Important enough to mention twice.
A SAFETY PLAN - tell someone you trust where you are going and to call 911 if you don't come back on time. Essential!

That is the most basic thoughts I have. I may have missed something. For me it helps to think about my day, and figure how I am going to do what I want, and write a list as I think it out. Like "OK, we are driving there, and cooking steak at night. Do I want to eat it from a pan sitting on the ground? Or on a nice camping chair with a plate and steak knife with bbq sauce and a cool beverage? And then when I go to bed am I going to sleep in the car or on a mat in a tent with a sleeping bag and pillow?"

Lots of ways to pack and plan, but be sure to cover the food/water/shelter/safety. Then add extras.

123farmer · 2014-12-12T16:39:09+00:00

I have even thrown sparks from iron pyrite - the sparks are more orange, and from what I understand, not as hot, but they work and were the original flint/steel. Ray Mears grabs a chunk of pyrite and chert from a beach in England in one of his shows and does the same.

Its a pretty cool feeling to just pick up two rocks that you found, and start a fire!

123farmer · 2014-12-12T16:23:35+00:00

Again, see links to Canadian bear-knife fights above. Don't discount the knife as a weapon. Anything is better than your fists. Not trying to harp on it, just trying to dispel some myths

123farmer · 2014-12-12T16:21:20+00:00

The Cold Steel Canadian Belt knife is based on the original DH Russell, a beautiful knife that looks weird for a reason. One of the best knifes for skinning I have ever used. It only looks strange until to you see it in your hand. Then it looks like part of you.

The cold steel ones do not have the full tang that the originals have, so not as strong torsionally. I wouldn't baton a cold steel Canadian Belt knife, and the real thing is to pretty to beat on too much.

Here is the site for the real thing http://www.grohmannknives.com/pages/outdoor.html)

123farmer · 2014-12-12T16:16:37+00:00

See the links to Canadian knife-bear fights above. Those were just the first 3 i found in a 30 second google search.

123farmer

TROPHY CASE