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PostWed Dec 13, 2006 1:21 pm 
Any member can edit this post What is the point of this post? For everyone to add an emoticon one edit at a time. biggrin.gif

Wiki summmary last edited by zimmertr on Tue May 14, 2019 6:34 pm (this post can be edited by any member)
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rino
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Joined: 01 Aug 2004
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Location: Bozeman, Mt
rino
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PostSat Dec 16, 2006 9:16 pm 
.
When leaving on a trip, especially when solo I leave a gazetter on my desk with a bookmark of the page I will be at. On the bookmark I write details of where on that map page I will be at (page 64, A2, Mt Si trail etc) If going backcountry or farther in...I email my wife and Dad a topo file with waypoints. I mark waypoints of peaks, saddles etc for reference. Sometimes I mark a grid with waypoints (using the 1 mile grid lines on topo). By making that grid it helps me determine where on the map I am. I remind them in the email that if I have a problem and can't get out...I'll try to get to/ near one of the waypoints. This give them a hand-full of "starting points" for the search. If I venture off away from the area, I can leave a note near the waypoint with a description of where I am going. By emailing my family this file...they can easily forward it to SAR teams.

CMRD
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markq
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Location: Bothell
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PostMon Dec 18, 2006 5:14 am 
Lessons learned: Don't get stuck off trail after dark; at least not without a good flashlight, a map and a compass and knowledge of how to use the map and compass. And, yes, you really can walk round in circles and not have a clue you are doing it. This happened when I was hiking with my mother more than 20 years ago. After passing a marshy spot that looked very familiar three times I told her I needed to check the map. My compass was telling me to go in a completely different direction than my "common sense". I resisted the urge both to panic, and not believe the compass. Followed the compass directions and soon realized they were correct. Rather than spending a cold night unprepared in the woods we were soon back to the road and found our car.

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Helix
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Location: Snohomish Co
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PostTue Dec 19, 2006 12:56 am 
Leave a note
📎Blank Hiking Note.doc (30 KB)

Such is life in the West. And the farther West the more the such.
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tennessee treader
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PostTue Dec 19, 2006 5:56 am 
Two pieces of advice. Never think it uncomely to use the parallel bun stop manuever and be careful hiking in the dark. Last year hiking out from the Enchantments I almost fell off the trail. I came to a tricky part of the path on the way back down to Snow Lake that required the the manuever, but decided to just step because "I have long legs". Well I ended up taking a fall and the only reason I didn't fall off the ledge was that my foot got wedged in some rocks (the good news), which wrenched my ankle and knee (the bad news). It was two months before I could start running again after the accident. On the same hike I was late getting out at the Snow Lake trail head somehow I took a wrong turn and ended up on the road to Leavenworth rather than the TH parking lot. It was funny, because I had several other groups that I ran into that had taken the same wrong turn in the dark. Also, I kayaked/hiked into the Smokies in 2005 and got into camp after dark; it is easy to miss the designated campsites, even with a GPS. Not to mention when I spooked a flock of turkeys from a tree I walked under; talk about dodging the bird bombs...

baseball and hiking ... that's life!
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Spotly
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PostFri Dec 29, 2006 8:00 pm 
Lessons learned from previous years that I got to make use of this year. Eat and drink before hunkering down for an unplanned bivy. Digestion creates warmth. Always bring a warm hat.

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Snowbrushy
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PostFri Dec 29, 2006 10:47 pm 
In the 1960's I was
(troop 186/06)
(troop 186/06)
a member of Cub Scout's/Boy Scouts/ Explorers - just like this pic. of a young mountain man from Troop 186, Seattle. I had fun Scoutmasters who were tall (to me), good looking vets. who had been in WW2. I was in Troop 186 in the 1960's and I was taught a lesson by a Scoutmaster. This is not my lesson, it's just an old Scoutmasters message to me when I was a kid. It was at a ceremony for my compass merit badge. The Scoutmaster pinned the badge on me in front of the Troop, as always, with some applause and smiles. I wanted the merit badge as a matter of rank, and to learn. They clapped their hands as I got the badge. The Scoutmaster pinned my compass merit badge on my sash, and then he put his arm around me and walked me a few steps back. My Scoutmaster was a no-nonsense guy. The Scoutmaster leaned down to me and he said, " Listen-up, If I ever catch you going off-trail without your compass and topo I'll personally hike down there and wring your little neck!" wink.gif

Oh Pilot of the storm who leaves no trace Like thoughts inside a dream Heed the path that led me to that place Yellow desert stream.
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Dslayer
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Location: Home:  Selah  Work: Zillah
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PostSat Dec 30, 2006 12:51 am 
Always check the weather forecast; never trust it. Always have fire starting reduntancy. Always have light reduntancy. Carry one day's extra food and give thought to how/where you'll be able to get water. Make sure you packed toilet paper or a really sharp knife to cut up whatever you're going to use if you forget.

"The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights is my concealed weapon permit."-Ted Nugent
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Kat
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Joined: 05 Oct 2003
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Kat
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PostSat Dec 30, 2006 1:09 am 
Dslayer wrote:
Make sure you packed toilet paper or a really sharp knife to cut up whatever you're going to use if you forget.
lol.gif lol.gif Now that made me laugh! Heck, lots of nice soft stuff over here on the west side of the mountains, but you're right - east is tuff. btw - I was inbetween Selah & Ellensburg, on the Umtanum/Wenas Rd on Xmas day. Did a quick one hour snowshoe, luckily didn't have to avail myself of the um, facilities clown.gif

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comedown_ALIVE
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Joined: 29 Dec 2006
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Location: Central Oregon
comedown_ALIVE
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PostSat Dec 30, 2006 3:09 am 
Dslayer wrote:
Always check the weather forecast; never trust it. Always have fire starting reduntancy. Always have light reduntancy. Carry one day's extra food and give thought to how/where you'll be able to get water. Make sure you packed toilet paper or a really sharp knife to cut up whatever you're going to use if you forget.
These are all very good tips! Checking the weather I see is the first tip, here in the NW THAT is the most important tip! 1 tip Id like to add to this list, which has saved me time and time again, is always carry a few Bic lighters in various pockets. Even if they have no fuel, the flints last a VERY long time, even YEARS, after the fuel is gone. cool.gif

When the power of love Over comes the love of power The world will know peace.
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Dslayer
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Location: Home:  Selah  Work: Zillah
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PostSat Dec 30, 2006 10:11 am 
Nice 4 beer spelling of redundentcy (probably didn't spell it right this time either) I see this morning. Kat-that Selah-Ellensburg is a nice area for a snowshoe. Usually a good place to see a critter or two as well.

"The Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights is my concealed weapon permit."-Ted Nugent
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comedown_ALIVE
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Joined: 29 Dec 2006
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comedown_ALIVE
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PostSat Dec 30, 2006 12:09 pm 
Snowbrushy wrote:
My Scoutmaster was a no-nonsense guy. The Scoutmaster leaned down to me and he said, " Listen-up, If I ever catch you going off-trail without your compass and topo I'll personally hike down there and wring your little neck!"
LOL! agree.gif We would have a lot less deaths on the mtn if everyones scout leader said somthing, just like that to them! up.gif

When the power of love Over comes the love of power The world will know peace.
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Helix
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Location: Snohomish Co
Helix
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PostSat Dec 30, 2006 8:28 pm 
Rock!
Yell Rock when you kick something loose. I got hit in the knee today, by a rock that weighed about 100 LBS, that fell about 30 feet. It could have killed me. I just got back from the ER. If the guy that had kicked it loose had yelled I may have had a chance to get out of the way. As it is I have a pretty good laceration and had to get xrays to rule out a break. Thank God its not broken or torn up worse. Also it's good to try to avoid situations where you have someone climbing above you on a loose slope but it happens.

Such is life in the West. And the farther West the more the such.
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Helix
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Helix
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PostSat Dec 30, 2006 8:31 pm 
knee
It should be ok. It doesn't hurt any worse to stand on it than not. I think thats a good sign. I'm just glad I was able to drag my butt down to the aid unit that we had standing by at our location.

Such is life in the West. And the farther West the more the such.
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comedown_ALIVE
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Joined: 29 Dec 2006
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Location: Central Oregon
comedown_ALIVE
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PostSat Dec 30, 2006 8:45 pm 
Snowbrushy wrote:
comedown_ALIVE wrote:
!"
"LOL! agree.gif We would have a lot less deaths on the mtn if everyones scout leader said somthing, just like that to them!" Hi, if that same Scoutmaster were to say the same thing now (2006) as (he) said to me in the 1960's, he would be thrown-out and sued by some overly politically correct family ....
No dout! But its ok to discriminate over sexual orientation?! shakehead.gif I also was a Boy Scout years ago, almost made Eagle Scout as a matter of fact. wasnt a big deal back in the early 90's anyway.

When the power of love Over comes the love of power The world will know peace.
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comedown_ALIVE
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comedown_ALIVE
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PostSat Dec 30, 2006 10:26 pm 
You'll get the idea if you go back one page and read. thanx cool.gif

When the power of love Over comes the love of power The world will know peace.
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