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No way on this earth, regardless of my condition, would I support in any way any part of that industry. My feeling on that is a large part of my upbinging, my career requirements, and my firmly held beliefs. Even when I have ibuprofen with me, I hesitate strongly to give in to its use. I was...

Exactly. Any level of basic or wilderness first aid instructor should caution you that administering drugs is not within your level of training. If you did so and the person had some kind of allergic reaction, you could be held legally liable for any lasting negative effects. You are allowed to...

As I was growing up, the rule of best practices said that if you get "mixed up' or "lost" in the woods, then you sit down, have a sandwich, look at your map and figure out what you did to get where you are and make plans to get yourself out. Have some skill in self-preservation. Even the Boy...

The DEC simply gave up after not being able to control the rush of people's critical need to place their junk at random places in the woods. At least now, a "legal" geocache must have the owner's name and address attached and in theory they can be tracked down. If not, then it is illegal trash...

Be sure you fully and properly digitally eject a GPS card, or the GPS itself if it is directly connected to your computer. I have had major problems with a Garmin 60 when I did not do that properly. It took me a while to discover the cause of the problems I was having.

During a recent swift water rescue training I did over a 4 day period, students were given a kind of NRS water rescue gloves (rubbery but not fully neoprene) that went with the drysuits we were given to wear. I took my soggy gloves home each night and they dried pretty well opened up on a...

I think the OP was asking about keeping warm hands in rain, not complete submersion under water. I have a couple of different types of gloves for paddling that keep my hands warm enough while paddling in colder, but still above freezing conditions. As a canoe paddler, my hands are never...

I am not a large person but I have to use XL nitrile gloves to fit these racing paddler's size hands and they are barely large enough. I have not tried to wear them under insulating gloves in cold weather , but I have to wonder... anytime I have worn them for First Aid training sessions (indoors...

If just in the rain, you might want to try what cold water paddlers use. I have a couple of different kinds of gloves that work pretty well for race training in colder shoulder seasons. Mits are also available for more protection and warmth. Do a search for "cold water paddling gloves". Most are...

rescues, mainly the dreaded "lower leg injury" or "turned an ankle" continue unabated in the Adirondacks. Some failure to adequately judge time an get caught out after dark with nothing more than a cell phone as a flashlight. I get the weekly DEC ranger reports and it is as busy as ever or...

There was a time in the 1970s when REI and EMS were practically equivalent mail order suppliers, except that REI was a co-op and offered dividends to members. I used to save REI catalogs which contained lots of useful outdoor skills tips, as well as the financial statements and outdoor trip...

I'm partial to heavens-above.com for what is visible, including not just natural astronomical objects, but also satellites and prediction of Iridium flares. I like to have an exact time of a flare in my pocket when I am guiding a group, then arrange a night hike while I subtly point to that...

I grew up outside of a very rural small town on the western edge of the Adirondacks. I remember extremely dark skies as a kid. So much so that I bought my first telescope at age 12, and went to college majoring in astronomy and physics at a large university on Long Island NY (yuck). But I had a...

I have never put as much stock in actually reaching a remote bushwhack location as I have in the process of actually using my own brain and developing the skill of getting there using traditional methods. I do have a GPS, several of them as a matter of fact, necessary tools for SAR, and as a...

I have a fairly large high ceiling garage. I have rigged as many as five canoe supports up high using a couple of pulleys for each one. I support each canoe upside down from webbing straps and can lift all except the heavier guideboat by myself with a single rope. For the guideboat I either...

Of course you can. Not always, but this is part of map study and experience, fun to learn. Look for lowlands where water may accumulate, especially in areas known to be inhabited by beavers. Avoid intermittent streams with little slope or gradient in the area where they begin or terminate in...

Did I say that Lewis County is free of infection, or will remain at a low rate? Only that it was slower than surrounding counties to either get tested, and as a very rural community to report cases. Cuomo did make a statement that some counties have more cows than people. Lewis County is...

OK, If you want me to get technically accurate I will amend what I said in my post to: There were zero officially confirmed cases reported in Lewis County as of Saturday last weekend, when every surrounding county had multiple cases already confirmed and reported. Two were confirmed by test...

Amen to that. same here. I will add to your last paragraph to include those who travel from hotspots to less dense populations where there are practically no virus cases to date (my home county with a number of vacation residences had zero cases until last weekend, now has only 3). I will...

it has always been my practice to draw magnetic north lines on my maps, and teaching my land nav students how to do it as an educational exercise. At the same time, drawing lines lends itself to necessary map study, particularly for bushwhack routes. Not every student has an adjustable compass...