Duration : 0:1:2

Technorati Tags: aid, Expert, first, first aid, foot injury, free, Hiking, how, injury, outdoors, to, treatment, Village

Duration : 0:6:29

Technorati Tags: backcountry, Backpacking, band aids, blisters, Camping, first aid, foot care, Hiking, trail

Make your own homemade First Aid Kit to take on every hiking, camping or backpacking trek. All wilderness trekkers should carry one!

Click HERE:

http://www.squidoo.com/makeyourownfirstaidkit

Technorati Tags: first aid kit, hiking first aid, make your own first aid kit, survival, Wilderness Trekkers

I live in Decatur, Georgia, next to Atlanta, and am planning a solo 5-day camping trip in early October within 100 miles of Flagstaff. My criteria are: –water –seclusion –much beauty –strenuous is OK, maybe preferred –bonus: good side trails, especially historic ones. I’ve looked at 3 AZ trail books, & narrowed my choices to 5: Fossil Springs, West Clear Creek, Secret Canyon, Bell, and Kelsey-Dorsey. (BUT, I’m VERY open to other suggestions.) I’m an experienced backpacker, with little experience in the West. Last fall, I spent 3 days with a buddy at Phantom Ranch–down North Kaibab, back up Bright Angel. 1st time at G.C. & 1st AZ trip ever. I understand that some of these 5 are popular, but secluded on weekdays, especially in Oct. True? I’d appreciate any suggestions you have–the more broad and detailed, the better. Thanks so much.
Men’s Clothing at Basspro.com

I’ve backpacked both Secret Canyon, Fossil Creek and West Clear Creek. Both are very pretty places and meet most of your criteria above. While Fossil Creek is one of the prettiest areas in the state, the distance from the trailhead to the springs is pretty short, so it would be more of a hike in and stay put for a few days trip – rather than covering a lot of ground. Also, Fossil Creek has got a LOT of attention lately due to a recent documentary about it. I don’t know about week days, but it is pretty popular on weekends. If you do go there, be sure to take a little side trip down to Verde Hot Springs which is just up-creek on the Verde from where Fossil Creek empties into it. When I backpacked West Clear Creek, it was by coming in the mouth of the canyon near Camp Verde (Bull Pen Ranch). There were a lot of day trippers (and trash) near the trail, but we had the canyon (which got progressively more pretty) to ourselves after a few miles. While I liked that route, the upper portions of the canyon (going in near Clints Well) are probably more pretty, dramatic and have more solitude (certainly more strenouous). I’ve only day hiked a small section of the upper portion, but it was great (by the way, this section of the canyon was recently featured in Arizona Highways – including the cover photo).

Be warned, that the upper portions in particular require some deep wading in places which could be cold that time of year. One additional route that you should look into (it is on my list) is do a segment of the Highline Trail that runs just below the rim NE of the Payson area. It is one of the few that is long enough that you could do 5 days on the move. You will be moving from one spring or drainage to the next, so you need to plan camps around water. I have day hiked segments of it, and it looks like a great place for an extended backpack. Can’t tell you much about Bell or K-D. Enjoy! That is a good time of year to be hiking in AZ. Be warned that the northern parts of state will be getting cold (especially at night) by that time.

Technorati Tags: Arizona, Arizona Highways, Backpacker, Bell, Fossil Creek, Fossil Springs, Hiking, historic trails, Kelsey-Dorsey, Secret Canyon, Verde Hot Springs, West Clear Creek

Magnum Bear Spray and Hip Holster – 7.9 ounces by UDAP

ATTENTION Wilderness Trekkers – Hikers – Backpackers!  Be Prepared in Bear Country!

Bears attack for four main reasons: to protect their young, protect a food source, protect their territory, or they have become predatory. Many bears may and will false charge or bluff. This is their way of scaring off the animal or person who they consider a threat. The problem is how to tell a false charge from a real attack. The bear may stand up right on its hind legs and swing its head back and forth. This a clear sign of two things one its becoming stressed and two its attempting to see and smell exactly who or what has upset it. They do not have great eyesight but can smell very well. In any event regardless of the reason for the attack it is not advisable to play dead. If the bear is predatory it intends to eat you. Your nothing more then a fresh meal to it. And laying down simply makes it easier to enjoy a nice tasty warm meal. You should throw your arms in the air and yell as loud as you can scream stomp your feet kick up the surrounding area. In other words like a wild man. Make yourself look bigger and louder then the bear is. Convince it that your not worth attacking or the meal it wants. There are many great books on the subject of bear encounters and attacks. I suggest you find and read any of the one written by Mr. Gary Sheldon

Magnum Bear Spray and Hip Holster – 7.9 ounces by UDAP

Technorati Tags: bear attack, bear encounter, bear warning, beware of bears, do not feed the bears, hikers beware, predatory bears

I always carry my firearm….I’m not relying on some pepper spray while hiking to fend off a bear… I understand attacks are rare, but still…
I just finished reading ‘The Grizzly Maze’, the story of how Timothy (Dexter) Treadwell, the ‘famous’ Bear Whisperer and leader of the ‘Grizzly People’ of the 90’s, and his female companion were killed and eaten by an Alaskan Grizzly/Brown inside Kodiak Federal Sanctuary area in 2003, where firearms are not permitted. Get your own copy & read it, it will answer ALL your questions

Magnum Bear Spray and Hip Holster – 7.9 ounces by UDAP

Technorati Tags: bear attack, bear country, bear warnings, bears, beware of bears, grizzly bear

Magnum Bear Spray and Hip Holster – 7.9 ounces by UDAP

“Between 1900 and 2003 there were about 52 recorded deaths due to black bears, 50 due to brown bears and 5 due to polar bears” Steven Colbert is constantly saying how dangerous bears are.

Magnum Bear Spray and Hip Holster – 7.9 ounces by UDAP

Technorati Tags: bear attack, beware of bear, brown bears, don't feed the bears, Hiking, survive a bear attack, wilderness bears

Iceland warned of polar bear attacks Jun 24 2008 MARAUDING polar bears could cause terror on Iceland after experts claimed global warming could bring the killer beasts across the sea. The alert came as police there shot two bears in just two weeks. The animals – which are not native to Iceland – are thought to have floated across the Arctic Ocean on ice platforms which broke free from Greenland. Climate expert Thor Jakobsson said: “Since two have reached the shore, more could be on the way.” may I have your comments please.
It doesn’t take a PhD in logic to figure out that the decreased arctic ice will drive the polar bears toward civilization in search of food. As for the uninformed who think we’ll simply shoot the polar bears and everything will be OK, they obviously don’t understand the balance between species. As bear populations decrease, seal populations will increase. Seals eat fish and without one of their natural predators, they’ll eat more fish. The human harvesting of fish from the ocean is already falling on hard times. Do we really need one of our competitors for food to increase in population?

Technorati Tags: bear attacks, Hiking, polar bears, wilderness hikers, wilderness survival

Thanks.

That depends on the species of bear that is attacking you, but you never run you always hold your ground and slowly back away.

In black bear attacks it is advised that you fight back. Fight as if your life depends on it.. gouge eyes, ect. Black bear attacks are often predatory and playing dead will be a fatal mistake because the bear wants you dead so it can eat you. I dont know of any competent wildlife expert that advises playing dead with a black bear.

With all other bears it is advised that you hold your ground but if they start to attack you then you should play dead. Grizzly bear most often attack only to neutralize the threat and once you are down on the ground and stop moving then the attack will most likely end.

Of course the best thing to do is to have a magnum revolver and know how to use it.

Technorati Tags: Backpacking, bear attack, Hiking, wilderness survival, Wilderness Survival Skills, Wilderness Trekkers

Expert: kevin Barrett
Bio: Kevin Barrett is an experienced outdoors man who has been honing his survival skills for many years.
Filmmaker: Nili Nathan

Duration : 0:1:32

Technorati Tags: food, Hiking, hunting, purification, skills, survival, water, wilderness