An Interesting Film Coming to PBS May 13, 2008

The well publicized "disaster" that took place on Mount Everest in 1996 has been the source of heated debates and controversies since its first appearance in the media. It has been the focus of many articles and books, including successful novel Into Thin Air by climber and author Jon Krakauer. David Beashears, quite a legend in his own light, now helps add the visual aspect of the event with this new film set to air on PBS Frontline on May 13, 2008.

BPA: Nalgene Bottles & Your Health

As a frequent member of the outdoors community, I tend to get a lot of use out of specific equipment I use on various excursions. As a result, I naturally figure out which brands I prefer for different gear, and sometimes share these personal opinions with others; whether it is on the trails during a casual discussion, or in something I write or openly commend on this blog. However, some concern involving an important health issue has been expressed about particular brands of liquid containers (Nalgene®, Camelback®, etc.), which I had previously recommended over the years. While this is unfortunate, the health concern can be greatly reduced with some research and care when purchasing a product from these companies. Subsequently, to help out my friends and fellow excursionists outdoors, I am writing this article to give you an overview of what you should know about this health risk and how to avoid it.

What is the Health Risk?
The health concern for specific water containers such as Nalgene Original™ is the use of Bisphenol-A (BPA), which has been the target of numerous claims which state that the material may cause health problems. These problems range from reproductive failures such as miscarriage, to hyperactivity and obesity. However, an even larger concern is the possibility of the material’s ability to increase the risk of cancer. Nevertheless, according to the Food and Drug Administration, the threat of these health issues is not great enough to place a ban on the material from its current use.

How is BPA Used and Why is it Relevant to the Outdoors?
The material is used currently in many different plastic products, including the Nalgene Original™ bottle, which is often recommended for hikers, campers, climbers, etc. Due to the demand for containers and bottles required for continuous use, these name brands have been trusted and recommended over the years for numerous outdoor activities.

What is Being Done to Address this Issue and Which Items are Safe?
Nalgene® has created an informative page dedicated to sharing information about BPA, and has also gathered links including the official FDA statement on the material. To access this page, click here. In addition to the informative page, Nalgene® has also released information on which of their products still contain BPA, which you can access by clicking here. Currently, the only bottle which does contain the material is their Original™. Camelback® has also recently started advertising their products which do not contain BPA via stickers and print on the side of their bottles. Taking some extra time to look for these indications may be useful when purchasing a container or bottle for continuous use.

In Conclusion:
Due to the concern over the health issues regarding the use of Bisphenol-A, I urge my friends and fellow excursionists to do a little research before buying products, especially if they intend on using them for an extended period of time. Of course, this applies to every piece of equipment you purchase for your trips into the wilderness. I cannot stress enough how important it is to invest in proper equipment that will serve you the way you expect it to, and the best way to do this is get background information before buying something. Some products may be worth the brand name, and others may not, depending on what you intend to use it for. Take the additional time before spending the additional dime!

Emergency Fire Starting Tips (Part I)

I would like to begin my series of lectures with a few quick emergency fire starting tips and procedures. This is mainly because starting and maintaining a fire is one of the most crucial elements to survival in the wilderness. Fire can provide heat, light, and means of cooking and purifying water.

First, some definitions:

1. Coal: This describes the initial flame you start with, often referring to the saw dust you create and ignite when bow drilling or hand drilling (I'll discuss those later in Part II).
2. Coal Extender: This is what you use to keep your coal lit. Good examples you can find include cattail "fluff," fine saw dust, dead wood, or the ground up inside of Tinder Fungus.
   
3. Tinder: This is what you'll light with your coal when you're ready. This can be made out of Cedar bark, or something along those lines.
   
4. Kindling: This is what you'll light with your tinder once it creates a flame. It starts the fire off with smaller wood so that the larger wood can be added later.
   
5. Fire Wood: This is the larger wood you'll need to finish building the fire, and to keep it burning for a long time.
   

Preparation:

• Preparation is not necessarily "everything," but still makes up a good 90% of the "ingredients" for a successful fire. Keep in mind that if you take the time to prepare a fire pit and gather and assemble your wood in advance, even if your first attempts fail, you at least have that part out of the way and nothing to worry about when you are finally successful; not being prepared may cause your fire to die out while gathering and assembling after you've ignited a coal or tinder bundle, leading you to repeat that process once more.

Assembling a Fire Ring/Pit:

• Find an open area, and clear out any debris on the ground, including leaves and plants.
• If you choose to dig out a section of the ground to make a "pit," do so, if not, ignore this step.
• Find fairly large rocks (give or take 1 square foot ideally) and assemble them around the perimeter of your fire ring or pit. This is to stop the fire and/or embers from escaping, and to give a little resistance against the wind.
  
• Prepare a spot for your tinder, and build up your kindling into either a "cabin style" foundation (placing two pieces of wood parallel to one another horizontally, and then two more on top of those vertically, creating a log cabin effect) or in a "tee pee style" foundation (propping the pieces of wood against one another diagonally to create a cone shape or a tee pee effect) inside your ring of rocks.
  
• Continue the same pattern you have chosen (either the "cabin" or "tee pee") with your fire wood and larger sticks also inside the ring of rocks.
• Make sure you construct these foundations sturdy enough, but also keep them spaced apart enough so that the fire can "breathe" (the fire needs oxygen to burn, and a little room between your kindling will help fuel the fire).
  

Items Necessary or Useful When Starting an Emergency Fire:

• Lighter (anything from a Zippo to a cheap Bic)
• Matches (preferably waterproof)
• Magnesium Fire Starter (make sure you have a steel knife too)
• Swedish Fire Starter
  
• Steel Wool and a 9Volt Battery
  
• Cotton Balls and Vaseline or an Alcohol Based Hand Sanitizer
  

*Make sure you read the instructions of how to use these items, most of which can be purchased at a local outdoors store or WalMart.

Fire starting tips and instructions:

• Steel Wool and 9V Battery:

1. Use a piece of steel wool and place it somewhere safe, near to where you want to start the fire but away from other flammable items.
2. Place both ends of the 9V battery on the piece of steel wool, and the electricity should create the heat required to turn the steel wool into a coal.
3. Blow onto the steel wool, providing your fire with air to extend the coal.
4. You should have a large enough coal to start your fire, just be careful when moving the steel wool.
5. Enjoy your fire that only takes under a minute to start! Just make sure that don't leave it unattended!

• Cotton Balls and Vaseline/Hand Sanitizer

1. Take your cotton balls and coat the outsides with a layer of Vaseline or an alcohol based hand sanitizer.
2. Using your finger nails, pull apart the cotton ball to make a slight opening (so that the part opened doesn't contain any Vaseline or hand sanitizer)
3. Using a lighter, match, or magnesium/Swedish fire starter, ignite the opened part of the cotton ball.
4. The cotton ball should catch and then slowly burn (as the Vaseline/hand sanitizer acts as a candle to keep it lit for much longer)
5. Use the cotton ball to start your fire, but no need to rush as it will burn for a while! Just keep an eye on it and make sure you keep your fire attended at all times!

Safety Tips:

• As I have stressed before, which is often stressed by anyone discussing fire safety, NEVER LEAVE YOUR FIRE UNATTENDED. Of course, in the wilderness when one's surviving, it is sometimes necessary to slightly ignore this rule in order to maximize daylight use and to complete numerous tasks at once, but one should never venture further than they can see from the fire.
• Be cautious as to where you build the fire. Make sure you clear out other flammable materials that may catch easily, including dry plant roots scattered through the ground. Even after building a fire pit, if dry roots exist under the rocks you have built around the fire, the flame can simply spread under the "barrier" of rocks (coming from first experience).
• When building a fire inside a shelter, ventilation is the key. One must make sure to have enough ventilation to allow oxygen in, for both the fire and the occupants. Also be sure to give the smoke somewhere to go, you don't want to smoke yourself out of your own shelter. Obviously, the previous advice to keep flammable materials still apply.
• Always keep sand or water close by to extinguish the fire. It is beautiful and useful in many contexts under the right circumstances, but the dangers are too harsh to ignore. Therefore, don't be ignorant, respect the fury of the flame and use it as safely as possible.

This article is a brief compilation of tips and methods thrown together to give you an understanding of how to start a fire in the wilderness. Knowing this information in advance will help save time when you need to make a fire in an emergency situation. If you do decide to look into fire starting in more depth, there are plenty of resources available containing various methods and other tips not covered here. Also, keep at least two of the materials listed with you at all times while venturing into the outdoors, you never know when you'll need a quick fire, or when your first fire starting item may get lost or ineffective. Be safe and have fun!

A Brief Update

I know it has been a significant amount of time since I have written on the site. Well, to be honest my first year in Maine has been quite interesting, but I have still yet to overcome the paralyzing effects of the harsh winters. This, of course, is not to be confused with a struggle, but rather with a lack of motivation to tackle the outdoors during my first winter this far North. Instead I have been getting a feel for the season, so I can know what to expect next year. In the mean time, as the months of 2008 progress, it almost being the third of which, I have began to consider the excitements of the warmer season. Once the predicted snowfall of April clears, hopefully providing me with enough good weather for some interesting hikes, I intend to get as much outdoor experience as possible before returning to New York for the summer. I intend to summit a local mountain, organize a camping trip, and make another trip across Lake Winnecook before the end of May.

In the mean time, as I wait for the second half of the season to end, I have discovered a new way to keep you all updated and educated. I have recently joined a Primitive Skills Club, and will be documenting some of the activities and experiences on the site. Subsequently, I hope to regain the regular attendance of my audience, while providing you all with survival techniques, and fun activities for the outdoors.

I intend on describing the following lessons to you, and encourage you to participate and attempt these at home if possible:

• How to make a alcohol stove burner from a can
  
• How to hand drill and bow drill
• Emergency fire starting techniques
• Basic ice climbing techniques
  

Along with the lessons, which I intend on beginning soon, I will also do a brief gear review. Check the site soon for more updates, and hopefully I will have the instructional articles completed and some dates prepared for the first outdoor activities of the season.

Acadia National Park Summary (Oct. 9)

This trip included the following destinations:

• Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, Maine
• Seal Harbor, Acadia National Park, Maine
  

It was already shortly after noon on Tuesday, October 9th, when we departed from campus and headed towards Acadia National Park. I, along most of the others in our group, had never been to Acadia before, so we didn't know what to expect. Nicole, however, had been before, as she navigated us East for about two hours. As we approached the park, numerous mountains and hills came into view. As it was still fairly early in the afternoon, the sun was relatively high, making for a bright and sharp view of the beautiful scenic coast. The weather was fairly warm for an autumn day, and none of us needed much more than T-Shirts as we got closer to our destination.

When we entered Acadia National Park, we headed towards Cadillac Mountain, which stood 1,532 feet above the surrounding waters. Despite the fact that I had been to much taller peaks, I had to admit that the mountain was quite impressive. The accessibility to the summit made me feel as though we cheated the climb, however, the flat rocky terrain made for an enjoyable walk. In addition to the interesting landscape, the sight seeing was quite beautiful, as around each turn a new view made its stunning appearance. The warm sun shining down on us combined with the fresh air made the walk into another relaxing scenic trip.

At the true summit of the mountain, there was a small gift shop with plenty of souvenirs; despite the fact that I wasn't fond of commercialized tourist attractions, I decided to buy a patch for my weekend pack. I figured it wouldn't do any harm, as I already had a collection going anyway. Besides, the store was quite convenient for families and hikers, like us, who didn't have time for a full day's hike. However, I intend to do some trails around the park the next time I get the chance, particularly when I have a number of disposable hours to really enjoy the hike.

Our next destination was Seal Harbor, which wasn't too far away. This, however, wasn't the issue that caused our delay. We accidentally ended up on the wrong road after passing the harbor, and spent roughly 45 minutes driving around in a loop. Our navigator soon corrected the error, though, and within minutes we were on the right track. Regardless, the drive wasn't boring. The mountains divided the rays of light like a dusty serrated knife blade, cutting the days in half. As one side of the mountain appeared to glow in an autumn haze, the other was buried within an endless blanket of shadows.

When we reached the harbor, the sun was beginning to lower itself behind the massive bodies of land that covered the region. It was my understanding that the harbor was no stranger to a few local seals, so when there was an absence of these fascinating creatures I was slightly disappointed. Nevertheless, the stretch of sand that was left exposed in low tide was smooth and comforting to walk on. The view of the coastline was also beautiful; however, slightly different from our other trips, the view was enough of a contrast to keep us interested. As the sun began to dip even lower, casting a golden glow across the sand, we decided it was time to head back. It had been a successful scenic experience at Acadia National Park, and we'd be sure to return again with a more eventful schedule and additional time to explore the region.

I would recommend Acadia National Park to a wide range of people for the following reasons:

• The park is filled with various activities including hiking, kayaking, mountain biking, etc.
• There is plenty of territory to explore, including various mountains, lakes, harbors, trails, and friendly villages.
• The public accessibility and numerous free parking locations make it a fun and easy trip for inexperienced hikers and families.
• There is plenty of information available in local towns, making it easy to plan a fulfilling day at the park.
• The views and scenic locations make it the perfect destination for photographers and those whom appreciate nature.

Acadia National Park Pictures (Oct. 9)

Jon on the top of Cadillac Mountain

Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, Maine

The view was amazing

Large rock on the side of the mountain

Seal Harbor

Cape Elizabeth Summary (Oct. 8)

The trip to Cape Elizabeth in southern Maine was by far the shortest journey so far. Nevertheless, not once was there a lack of beauty or interest. Amanda, Rob, Nicole, Liz, and I traveled a couple of hours south on the interstate until reaching Portland. It was our first time in a large city for quite some time, so naturally the excitement level rose immediately. We soon left much of the tall buildings and shopping centers behind, however, as we approached Cape Elizabeth. Our first destination was the "Portland Head Light." Shortly after parking, the gorgeous lighthouse came into view. Even though the sunshine was not in our favor, the coast was still as breathtaking as ever.

After spending a few moments admiring the lighthouse and browsing the gift shop, we headed out on a small trail along the edge of the coastline. The simple trail naturally wasn't satisfying to us, so we often found ourselves scurrying across rocks and making our way down to the water before continuing. We, obviously not thinking, hadn't brought hiking shoes; thus making the steep and slippery rocks an interesting challenge.

We continued our trek down the scenic trail, encountering the remains of old military buildings. However, these images weren't rare in my eyes, as I often visited a similar park just 20 minutes from my hometown. Nevertheless, I found the public accessibility to be quite interesting, especially as I entered one of the old concrete buildings used to accommodate large defense weapons during World War II.

We finished our small hike at a small beach, where we came across a small rock tower built by visitors of the park. After walking along the soft sand, giving our feet a break from the jagged rocks, we headed back to the car to drive to our next location.

We reached the second lighthouse only 15 minutes later. However, unlike our previous stop, this park lacked any interesting trails that we could see. Regardless, we walked out onto the edges of the cove. The rocks here were a little trickier to cross, but their characteristics were significantly more interesting. They seemed to crack and crumble in large flakes, and when they were crushed further they resembled wood chips. At some points they were quite high off the ground, making for an interesting walk. Unfortunately, a thick fog began to roll in quickly, cutting our trip short. Nevertheless, our trip to Cape Elizabeth had been a relaxing and successful one.

I would recommend Cape Elizabeth and the Portland Head Light to families and nature photographers for the following reasons:

• Parking is cheap, if not free.
• There are plenty of scenic places to have a picnic.
• The trails are easy, making for a fun walk with the children.
• The local history makes for a good educational experience.
• The various sights and abstract rocks make for interesting photography.
• The atmosphere of the town is friendly.
• It's an interesting location for a relaxing day away from home.

Cape Elizabeth Pictures (Oct. 8)

An interesting rock formation on the beach

A cove view from the rocks

Amanda sitting on the edge of a cliff-like rock

Jon on the edge of a cliff-like rock (it's higher than it looks)

A compass drawn on one of the rocks

Maine's rocky coastline

More of the coastline

Portland Head Light

Some local history

An old building used in WWII along the cape