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How to Make an Improvised Splint

Broken Bones, Hypothermia and a Bee Sting

The most important thing you can bring on a hike is knowledge. Scenario You and a buddy are hiking through the woods and you come across another hiker who’s lying on his back below a huge boulder and moaning. What should you do? Backcountry Medical Assistance You have a couple of options: You could walk [...]

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Learning How to Navigate with a Compass

AMC Compass and Navigation Clinic

I spent last weekend co-leading the Appalachian Mountain Club’s (Boston Chapter) Compass and Navigation Course at Harvard Cabin which was taught by our Jedi Master Joe Comuzzi. Joe is a very well known hiker and bushwhacker in the White Mountains who has completed more peak lists in the Whites than anyone I know by a [...]

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Andrew Skurka gives a lesson on Fire-Starting

Andrew Skurka’s Ultimate Hiker Course in the White Mountain National Forest

Two weeks ago I co-led Andrew Skurka’s 3 day/2 night Ultimate Hiking Course in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It was my first time working with Andrew on a trip, but it all went quite smoothly even though we’d only met a few times before. We had 13 students on the course who’d flown or [...]

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Hikers on the Mount Pemigewasset Ledges

Beginner Hiking Trip/Leave No Trace Workshop to Mount Pemigewasset

I led an Appalachian Mountain Club Beginner Hiking Trip and Leave No Trace Awareness Workshop on Mount Pemigewasset (also called ‘Indian Head’) in Franconia Notch on Saturday that was a lot of fun. We had great weather and clear views from the open ledges on the Mount Pemigewasset summit. This is a fairly short 3 [...]

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Tarps in the Rain

AMC Beginner Backpacking Trip to the Hancocks

As we were breaking camp, my friend Ian said “This would be a good day to take a Zero.” He got that right. The weather forecast was for 2-6 inches of rain in the next 36 hours with temperatures in the 40′s and 50′s. Perfect hypothermia weather. Overhead, the clouds were blowing from east to [...]

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Red Cross CPR Practice Dummies

Taking a Red Cross First Aid/CPR/AED Class

My wife and I took a five hour First Aid/CPR/AED class from the Red Cross last weekend on our 21st wedding anniversary. That might seem like a funny day to take a First Aid Class but it makes all then sense in the world. You get to do something together on the day of your anniversary that might [...]

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Very Low Impact Camping at an Already Impacted Site

Pass the Donuts Left My Rasta Brother

Last week I took a 5-day Leave No Trace, Master Educator class in the White Mountains. This is the highest level of training provided by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and enables me to train people who want to become Leave No Trace trainers as well as children, teens, and adults who want to [...]

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