47
votes
Accepted
Are wheelchairs allowed in US Wilderness Areas?
According to Section 508 (c) of the American with Disabilities Act, Title V,
(1) In general. - Congress reaffirms that nothing in the Wilderness Act [16 U.S.C. 1131 et seq.] is to be construed as ...
- 2,530
34
votes
How to temporarily mark a trail?
Today GPS systems are relatively cheap and widely available. You don't even need a dedicated GPS receiver. For example, I often use a Android tablet with a built-in GPS, and software that can record ...
- 21.4k
26
votes
Accepted
Why did the wolf-pack withdraw from attacking me?
So, first of all there is no alpha male! An alpha male only exists in captive wolf packs but never ever in the wild. Further reading about this topic here for example. The pack you've encountered was ...
- 23.5k
21
votes
How to protect a body in the wilderness?
Most importantly, the living are more important than the dead. Check your scene safety, something killed that person and you want to make sure that it won't kill you as well.
I can't imagine that ...
- 69.2k
20
votes
How to protect a body in the wilderness?
The other answers seem good, however there's an extremely important step they have missed.
Make sure the person is dead!
(And no I don't mean by stabbing them).
Some injuries are clearly fatal but ...
- 947
19
votes
How to temporarily mark a trail?
In the wooded forests near me a practice I've seen is to lean a small stick (maybe 1 or 2 feet long) against a live or standing tree. The stick is natural to the area so it blends in. It will ...
- 557
15
votes
How can I signal for help in the wilderness?
WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?
You have three main choices:
A dedicated PLB (Personal Locator Beacon)
A satellite messenger with added rescue facilities (DeLorme or Spot)
Conventional measures such as a ...
- 11.7k
13
votes
How to defend from animals while camping (golden jackals, boars, foxes)?
Real life is not a video game. In most places in the world you don't have to "defend" from animals attacking you or your camp. Unless maybe if you count mosquitoes or other similar pests.
...
- 12.7k
12
votes
How to check if a fence or cable has electricity without having special tools?
Very easy, get a pair of headphones and put them on your ears, then holding only the rubber part touch the fence with that headphone jack. You should hear a click if an electric current is in the ...
- 129
12
votes
Accepted
Possible to transform (at least two) smartphones into walkie-talkie like devices?
The answer is, you can do this, but I don't recommend it at all. Wallow talkie apps for the iPhone and android phones should be considered nothing except toys.
Firstly, the range of wifi and ...
- 4,802
12
votes
How to temporarily mark a trail?
For Search and Rescue work, we use GPS to keep track of what has been searched. Each searcher has a GPS, and after every search assignment we give the GPS to command to download the recorded tracks. ...
- 221
12
votes
Accepted
Help identifying this animal
The Bengal slow loris is found in the extreme north east of India, including Arunachal Pradesh. Most of the slow lorises are found further east.
I've seen other slow loris species in zoos, and the ...
- 26.1k
11
votes
Accepted
Under what wilderness conditions is becoming infested with lice a possibility and what precautions should one take to avoid it?
Lice are passed on by one of two manners. Either by direct contact or indirect contact with someone who is infected with lice.
The chances of coming in contact with lice in the wilderness is ...
- 9,619
11
votes
Accepted
What to do if someone gets impaled in the stomach?
To quote from the Wilderness First Responder manual,
Large objects found impaled in a wound should be left in place if you can get to a medical facility with relative ease. Yanking on an object can ...
- 69.2k
10
votes
Accepted
What are lawful wilderness activities in Canada?
In Ontario, the relevant terminology is "Crown Land". This is land that is not owned by any private entity, and is essentially free for use, however there are some rules. Most of the province is ...
- 540
10
votes
Accepted
I am torn between axe or hatchet, what would you recommend?
Personally, I usually take neither. Instead, I bring a sturdy knife and a saw. The knife wouldn't be replaced by hatchet or axe: it is anyways needed for cooking and it is at least as good as a ...
10
votes
Do wolves hunt on moonless nights?
There are usually some light sources, even on a moonless night there are stars. Even with thin cloud cover it is not that bad, it blocks some light but also reflects some. Only a really overcast night ...
- 1,297
9
votes
How can I tell if a plant is poisonous?
There are no foolproof ways to tell if something you picked in the woods is edible. Figure out what species it is and look it up. If you've got time to wait 8 hours for a reaction you've got time ...
- 91
9
votes
Accepted
Is it within Leave No Trace to spread someone's ashes in a wilderness area?
It is, however there are some guidelines to follow, and if it happens inside a national park in the United States, a permit may be required.
The guidelines are,
The ashes should be scattered and ...
- 69.2k
9
votes
Accepted
What group of people call themselves "Outdoor Influencers", and what do they do regarding natural areas of land?
Basically it's people with large social media followings who use their influence on those platforms, especially Instagram, to influence people to visit outdoor places, buy outdoor things and support ...
- 69.2k
9
votes
Camping alone in the wilderness in the USA
The short answer is Yes, but.
I will confine my answer to the California Sierra, because that is the area I know best.
You can certainly camp for days without seeing anybody, except possibly in the ...
- 23.4k
8
votes
How to process iron in the wilderness?
Iron ore is called hematite. It's pretty simple to identify, just look for red rocks that appear to be rusting. Iron is the 4th most abundant element on earth, so it's pretty common in most areas.
...
- 53.5k
8
votes
What are the arguments for and against allowing bicycles in wilderness areas in the US?
I'm a cyclist on the side of people being allowed to ride on trails in National Parks. The arguments for are simple: allow bikes so cyclists can enjoy nature while doing a healthy activity they also ...
- 53.5k
8
votes
What are lawful wilderness activities in Canada?
It really depends on which province you are moving to and how far you are willing to go from urban centers.
First off, stay away from any private property. While my activities can sometimes bring me ...
- 5,045
8
votes
Is there clay soil in the Adirondacks suitable for earthen primitive building?
I read the question more as "Does what I want exist here?" rather than "Is the stuff here going to be good enough quality?" So my answer was initially in that light. OP shows in comment that what was ...
- 3,526
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