Winter Workshop Gives Women the Chance to Learn Outdoor Skills Such As Ice Fishing, Snowshoeing, Cross Country Skiing, and Winter Camping New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today announced the second annual winter “Becoming an Outdoorswoman” workshop will be held the weekend of Jan. 29-31, 2010, at the Rensselaerville Meeting Center, Albany County. This is 17th year that DEC has offered these types of workshops; more than 2,500 women hav... Read Full Story

Outside Magazine published their Outside Survival Quiz.  It asks 14 general purpose survival questions covering being lost, water crossings, 1st aid situations, poisonous plants, search and rescue, etc. I am not sure the subway or car repair situations belong in an Outdoor Survival, but these quizzes are always fun to take.  I did poorly and would have died in several of the scenarios but at least I didn’t wipe my butt with a poisonous plant. You can take more Survival Quizzes at the W... Read Full Story

Beep over at Hammock Forums had a great post on gear assessment as he was getting started winter camping.  I contacted him to allow the post to be duplicated here.  You can read the original post and commentary here. Beep’s post goes thus: “I want to set the record straight from the start. Though I live in Minnesota I am NOT a native Minnesotan, though I confess to having adopted the state as “home”. The locals consider me a bit strange, however, when I tell them that snow is a no... Read Full Story

The main functions of using a compass are: - to tell which direction you are traveling – your heading - to tell which direction an object is from you – its bearing - to keep you following a straight line of travel - to help orient a map and align it with the actual land - to perform triangulation and determine your exact location on a map - to plan routes and determine directions and distances of  travel I found a great site called Compass Dude with information about reading a compass.  The ... Read Full Story

Snow shelters such as igloos, snow caves and quinzees other an alternative to tents for winter campers.  Snow shelters are quieter and offer the benefit of warmth, as body heat causes temperatures to rise in the cozy interior. In the article “How to build an igloo with West Coast style” Jackie Christie reports on a technique for building an igloo using wet snow. Unlike the Arctic technique of carving snow blocks from the surrounding tundra, then configuring a spiral of thick brick... Read Full Story

Wednesday, Nov 11 7:00p at REI Arcadia, Arcadia, CA The Winter Camping Season is here! If you are planning on heading out in cold or snowy conditions, there are  things you need to know before you head out on a winter excursion.  An REI Expert will share  must-have gear for extra comfort and tips that will make your next trip safe and enjoyable. Read Full Story

What to do with your Winter Camping poo?  Burying it in the snow isn’t acceptable.  The best solution is to pack it out.  There are a couple of options: A Wag Bag or colored ziploc bags. The Wag Bag is now called the Go Anywhere Toilet Kit.  It is designed to be used on its own to pack-out human waste. Wag Bags are required items at certain locations to lessen environmental impact. The kit is a double bag system made from spill-proof, puncture-resistant material. An inner waste bag come... Read Full Story

Snowshoe Magazine is located in Denver, Colorado and promotes the growth of the sport of snowshoeing by bringing snowshoeing to a mainstream audience, plucking people from their couches and placing them in snowshoes, and providing a reliable resource. They provide PDFs of how-to articles and trail reviews.  A useful article to check out is Snowshoeing 101: Techniques With a Short Learning Curve By Jim Joque. Jim’s article states “When it comes to learning to snowsho... Read Full Story

Snowshoeing is strenuous exercise and one will likely sweat despite the low temperatures-especially if carrying a heavy winter backpack. Heavy exertion in cold, dry air uses up to 2-4 quarts/liters of water per day. Pack plenty of water and stay hydrated by drinking often.  If you wait till you are thirsty you are already dehydrated, and dehydration can accelerate fatigue, hypothermia and frostbite. Checking for signs of dehydration. Dry winter air can dehydrate you without you noticing unti... Read Full Story

Hot or cold tenting?  Each style of winter camping has it’s proponents. Hot tenting usually involves packing a wood stove along with a more substantial tent – since one is spending time in the heated tent and it is not just a sleeping berth.  Hot tenting may entail bringing your gear on a sled, toboggan or pulk. Advantages include lounging in comfort, the ability to dry out clothes and cook in the shelter.  Disadvantages include an increased weight, set up time and the need to cut... Read Full Story