Grizzly attack with a unique ending

I just came across this great story and thought that I would share it here for anybody that hadn’t seen it yet. It was a grizzly attack outside West Glacier, Montana. Nobody was injured and it has an interesting twist.

Read the story here!

October 2, 2011  Tags: ,   Posted in: North America, Wildlife  No Comments

First Attempt at a Bow-Drill fire

While I was hiking last week I gathered some materials to attempt making a bow-drill set. I have never tried to do this before, so I wasn’t entirely sure what types of wood I should choose. For my spindle I selected a piece of mule fat. It was long and straight and the only thing I had to do was strip the bark. My hearthboard was a nice dry piece of California Sycamore that I found snagged in some brush a few feet off the ground. Both of these woods seemed to be of a medium hardness which is what I was looking for. The bow was made from an unidentified piece of wood, and my bearing block was a chunk of Eucalyptus.

A few minutes with a knife had all of the wood debarked, and the spindle and hearth carved into the correct shapes. I used a length of parachute cord for the bowstring, and had a terrible time getting it to stay tight. The string kept loosening up and then the spindle would slip.

My first attempt went well, but the spindle started slipping (this was due to the knots I had tied loosening up and putting slack in the line). I produced lots of smoke, and some black and brown powder. I don’t know for sure, but I believe the brown powder was from when the spindle began to slip and I wasn’t generating enough friction to heat the wood up sufficiently.

Results of my first attempt.

I went back to the drawing board and found a better knot setup: a bowline on one end and a taut-line hitch on the other. The taut-line allowed me to adjust the tension on the spindle, but once i had tension on the line it wouldn’t slip. I also noticed that I had trouble holding onto the bearing block, so I carved a new socket in the center to give me more control. Once these adjustments were made I decided to have another go at it.

Original socket on the left, and the improved location on the right.

I got everything set back up and started working the bow. I probably would have benefited from a much longer bow, my strokes were very short and I think it took a lot more effort than was necessary. In any event the new socket and bow setup were vastly superior to the first setup. I was able to keep tension on the spindle and constant downward pressure with my socket. The wood quickly started to smoke and I gave it everything I had. I decided to stop and see if I had made any progress, being careful to slowly extract the drill from the hearthboard.

Smoldering ember, notice the wisp of smoke on the right side.

My bow-drill set had worked! My first attempt to make a set and it produced an ember. Beginners luck was definitely on my side. I had shut off the camera, not anticipating that I would actually get this far. I frantically turned it back on to take a picture. Then I grabbed the tinder bundle I had made beforehand.

My ember and the tinder bundle.

I picked up the leaf and carefully tipped the ember into the pocket of milk thistle fluff. I pinched the bundle and slowly began to blow. Unfortunately I didn’t take any pictures of this part… I was terrified that I would make a mistake and waste the ember. The more smoke the bundle produced, the harder I blew. After a few minutes I was successful in coaxing an open flame out of a few pieces of wood and grass.

The proof is in the pudding.

The finished set, after making my fire.

I dropped the fire into a bucket of water that I had waiting. Then took this final picture. I am extremely astounded and (justifiably) proud of the results. My first attempt at friction fire and it was successful in the first notch in the hearthboard. Perhaps I will try a fire plow or a hand drill next.

September 5, 2011   Posted in: Primitive Skills  No Comments

Usher in the warm summer nights by watching June’s Lyrid meteor shower

This year should be a good one for viewing the June Lyrid meteor shower, the meteors will be arriving only two days after the new moon,. Although on a few rare occasions there have been ninety or more meteors per hour observed, you can generally expect to see about ten. The new moon was yesterday (the 12th) and the shower will be peaking between the 14th and the 16th so all three days should be good.

If you live in the country just put on some warm clothes, grab a cup of whatever your preferred hot drink is and sit on the deck. For us city dwellers it is more prudent to head out away from urban areas where the lights tend to drown out the night skies.

You should dress in layers, bring a chair and/or blanket and snacks and drinks. A flashlight is always a good idea. If you have a red filter for your flashlight that is even better (using a red filter at night preserves your night vision) so you can look at maps or other things and still see the shooting stars.

The last thing you want to do is make sure you have an ample supply of coffee at home. You may need it if you have to get up and go to work early the next morning!

June 13, 2010  Tags: , ,   Posted in: Astronomy  No Comments

Why You Should Buy A National Parks Pass

For those of you who don’t know, the Federal Government offers an annual pass that can be purchased at the entry station of almost any Park, by telephone (1-888-ASK-USGS, ext. 1) or through their website. The pass (the official long-winded name of which is “America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass”) is a steal. It only costs eighty bucks for a year. The pass includes free entry into any day-use fee sights that are administered by the following agencies:

• Bureau of Land Management
• Fish and Wildlife Service
• Forest Service (a branch of the USDA)
• Bureau of Reclamation
• And of course, The National Park Service

With very little use the pass will pay for itself, mine is currently expired (it doesn’t benefit me much since I have been out of the country!) but during the last year that I had one (2008) I visited the following parks:

• Yosemite- $20 admission
• Glacier- $25 admission (I believe it is $15 in the winter)
• Yellowstone/Grand Teton- $25 for admission to both parks
• Denali- $20 admission
• Joshua Tree- $15 admission
• Sequoia and King’s Canyon- $20 admission to both parks

Some quick math shows us that my total costs would have been $125 just to visit each park once. (Some I went to multiple times, so that is even more I saved!) There are also many other federal lands managed by the agencies I previously mentioned that it would save you on as well. This last year I spent a lot of time in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in Southern California, so I didn’t use my National Parks Pass to its utmost.

Then there are the hidden benefits of purchasing a pass that are overlooked by many people. More passes being sold, and more people visiting the parks, shows our elected officials that we do appreciate our wild places. This helps them when they decide how to vote on bills that effect our National Lands. The park service is horribly underfunded, and higher use rates gives them a better platform to argue for funding for new projects, and to renew the funding for existing projects.

The biggest benefit though, in my opinion, is that when you shell out the money for the pass instead of the $20 or so admission fee to a single park it makes you want to go out more and “get your money’s worth.” Anything that gets me up off my butt and out among the trees (or cactus as the case may be) is a good thing! So the next time you pull up to a park fee-collecting station think about the added value of an annual pass. It will pay for itself, and you will regret not having purchased one sooner.

If you aren’t sure that there are any Federal lands near you (there are, I promise) take a look at the Nature Event Finder or the NPS website and see what nearby treasures you never knew about.

May 21, 2010  Tags: , ,   Posted in: North America, Parks  No Comments

Nature Event Finder Makes Finding a Local Venue to Enjoy Nature a Breeze

Sometimes (especially for those who live in the city) it can seem like a real challenge to find the time to get outside. Often a huge factor is the time that has to be spent getting to the destination. Yosemite is great, but the 5 (or more) hour drive from the Los Angeles area relegates Yosemite to a weekend trip at a minimum. Especially for those with children, having some local escapes to introduce the kids to the wonder of the natural world would be something of a godsend. With a little help from the Natural Wildlife Federation and their Nature Event Finder finding a venue to get you out and immersed in the natural world is just a click away. The interface is very straightforward and easy to use.

I generally leave all of the activities boxes checked, and then check the site types that are closest to what I am looking for. Make sure that you have at least one activity type checked, or the search will return no results!  The results will show up on the map, with an icon on which type of place/activity it is.

Mouse-over the icon and it will display the name of the Site, click on the icon and you will get a brief summary of the venue, and its contact information (if applicable).

All in all the Nature Event Finder is  a great tool. You can use it to plan an afternoon getaway, or help decide where to go and what to do on your next vacation. It is also a tremendous resource for people who are new to an area and may not know the local hideaways.

When you are done finding your next place to explore head on over to the National Wildlife Federation’s main page. They have tons of ideas to get you outside, and are always looking for volunteers if you have some spare time on your hands!

May 7, 2010  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: Hikes, North America, Parks  No Comments

Build your own Wildlife Preserve

So you read my post on how even small wildlife sanctuaries can be very beneficial and effective, and now are debating turning your yard into a safe haven for creatures great and small. But what are the pros and cons of the project, and where do you start? Well, dear reader, read on so that I may assist you.

First the cons. You won’t have a lawn. For some people this is a big deal, for most it is just wasted space anyway so this is less of an issue. You are also unlikely to find native plants at your local Home Depot, so it will be slightly more work to locate a nursery that carries the plants you need.

The pros are many. After the initial outlay to landscape your yard (no way around that one!) the maintenance costs for a natural landscape are extremely low. The plants are adapted to the naturally existing conditions. You don’t need to water them (once they have taken root) and pesticides/fungicides are unnecessary- the plants and insects have coexisted for ages and are well adapted to life with the other. You also will be saving money on gardening expenses; not having a lawn means not needing to mow one!

But the biggest reason to plant a native landscape is the diverse wildlife it will attract. The most visible, and usually most desired, are the birds and butterflies that will be frequenting your yard for food and water. By providing them with food and shelter they will provide you with countless hours of viewing pleasure.

Chalcedon Checkerspot butterfly sunning.

For more information on how to design and build your native landscape, and to find sources for local native plants, check out PlantNative.com. Another great resource for those of you living in California is the Las Pilitas Nursery. They have a great resource to help you choose specific plants based on the animals they attract. They also have a great selection of California natives.

April 25, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: Wildlife  No Comments

Borrego Palm Canyon Trail Review

There are tons of great hikes in Anza Borrego. One of my favorites, and one of the most popular in the park, is the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail. It is located near the visitor center and, not surprisingly, the Borrego Palm Canyon Campground.

The trail is one of the easiest to access, and the scenery is beautiful. The hike starts in a dry and sandy canyon and is not very awe inspiring to begin with. As you progress a little ways up the canyon you encounter the stream that feeds the palms and lush vegetation further up the trail. For hikers who are more accustomed to riparian areas the stream will seem a little bit strange. Instead of getting larger as you move downstream from more tributaries, this desert stream gets smaller as the water evaporates and is absorbed by the ground. The further you go up canyon towards the spring, the source of water, the larger the stream gets.

A look up the canyon near the start of the trail.

Once you are hiking next to the trickle of water keep an eye out for the peninsular bighorn sheep. They can be seen bounding about high up on the canyon walls. This is one of the best places in the park to see them.

After a few miles and a few wrong turns (don’t worry, it happens to everybody on this trail) you will reach your destination, the palm grove. By now a complete transformation from the barren desert you started in has taken place. Waterfalls flow freely into the rock pools below and the landscape is green with vegetation. Though perhaps not visible many animals are present and signs of their passing are there for the observant.

The idyllic setting under the shade of the palms makes for a great place to stop and have lunch. This is the turn-around point for most hikers, although you can follow the stream further up the canyon.

If you decide to go further be forewarned that the hiking gets a bit harder from this point. There is a fair amount of boulder hopping, a few stream crossings, and the palm fronds that litter the ground are EXTREMELY slippery when wet. (Note: they almost always are wet!)

In the spring time you can find frogs throughout the canyon, but they seem to multiply exponentially once you pass the turn-around point. The first time I saw them I was somewhat shocked. Tree frogs aren’t exactly what you expect to find on a desert hike! There are scattered groves of palms up the canyon, more waterfalls and plants, but the best part of this section is the solitude it provides.

Pacific chorus frog in Borrego Palm Canyon.

Frog hiding in plain sight in the Borrego Palm Canyon.

Any time you hike in a desert canyon (or any canyon really) check the weather conditions and stop by the ranger station or visitor center to see about flash flood warnings. Check out this article on Zion National Park’s webpage. It lists the signs of flash floods, and what to do if you find yourself caught in one.

April 10, 2010  Tags: , , ,   Posted in: California, Hikes, North America  One Comment

Why Dogs Aren’t Allowed in Many State and National Parks

Recently a friend was complaining to me that she couldn’t take her dog hiking with her anywhere. All of the local State and National Parks restrict the areas a dog can be, both on and off leash. She was fed up with taking her dog for a long walk through her neighborhood before heading out to get some hiking time in for herself.

I don’t currently have a dog (R.I.P. Jessica and Cinnamon), I am very much a dog person and I understand and have felt the frustration of not being able to take my dogs with me when I go hiking. That being said there are actually good reasons why dogs are not permitted in most California State Parks and restricted to campgrounds in National Parks. While part of the reasoning I am sure is that some people are terrified of dogs and even having a toy poodle run up to them could ruin their day, there are other concerns as well.

The biggest problem with allowing dogs in a park, from a wildlife management perspective is that dogs disrupt the natural behaviors and habits of other animals. Although you may not see your dog as a predator, the scent he leaves behind is a predator’s. This makes animals wary of crossing a trail and can bar them from accessing places they would normally go. An example of this is the Peninsular Bighorn Sheep in Anza Borrego. I often times see people bringing their dogs into the Borrego Palm Canyon with them. The sheep get by drinking very little water, most of their water intake is provided by the plants they eat. Sometimes (in the hotter summer months for example) they use the springs to provide the necessary water they need. When the area smells of dogs they are prevented from accessing their water supply, which can adversely affect the population.

The Park system is provided not only for humans to enjoy, but also to preserve the wild lands that are quickly disappearing. A lot of the rules that seem ridiculous at first glance do have valid reasons, so don’t be too quick to dismiss them as rubbish. While there are a lot of places that restrict where you can take your furry best friends, there are a number of resources to help you find dog friendly hikes. Check back, I will be covering some of them in the future.

In memory of Stella.

April 3, 2010  Tags: ,   Posted in: North America  No Comments

Gore-Tex Do You Really Need It?

With the expiration of the patent on Gore-Tex there are a bunch of new waterproof-breathable materials on the market. These materials all use the same principals and technology as the original Gore-Tex, which has become the name used to collectively refer to them all. While these fabrics are a vast improvement over previous foul weather gear, there are some things to keep in mind when deciding if a waterproof-breathable piece of gear is right for you.

Are these materials really waterproof? There are plenty of naysayers that claim they don’t keep water out. Science, clinical trials, and my own personal experiences all point to the fact that they are waterproof. The Gore-Tex membrane is riddled with billions of tiny pores. These pores are 1/20,000 the size of a drop of water, yet 700 times bigger than a molecule of water vapor. This is basically the same way a window screen works, allowing air in and keeping flies out; it is just on a much smaller scale.

There is a drawback that comes with this technology, however. While the membrane is waterproof and does breathe, it won’t breathe as well as a non-waterproof material. As a result, if you were to wear a pair of shoes, one waterproof-breathable and one traditional shoe and go for a hike, the waterproof shoe will retain more heat. If you are in the Alaskan panhandle in May this isn’t a problem. For a Death Valley hike in July it can be problematic.

While these materials are a godsend for some conditions, carefully consider what you are going to be using the item for. I know people who have Gore-Tex trail running shoes, yet they live in Southern California and don’t run if it is raining. Why spend an extra twenty bucks or so to buy a shoe that won’t perform as well for your needs?

For clothing the choice is simple: if it is going to be wet you need a waterproof breathable. For footwear it can be a bit more complicated. In the summer I love to trek throughout the Sierra Nevadas in California. It is generally pretty warm out, and while thunderstorms are common it doesn’t rain too much. However there are plenty of creek and stream crossings. I want to keep my feet dry so I choose Gore-Tex boots, and I bring spare socks to keep my feet happy.

If I am in the desert I wear my boots if I am going to be carrying a heavy pack, regardless of conditions. If, however, I am just going for a day hike I typically wear my trail running shoes. They are very lightweight with lots of mesh to promote airflow. With a good pair of socks they can’t be beat. This also means I don’t need to purchase an extra pair of boots, since the trail shoes are what I wear casually nearly every day. (Of all the shoes that I have ever owned, the Salomons are my favorites. I think they may have discontinued this particular model, so when I find out which model is the replacement and get a pair I will review them here.) If my trail shoes weren’t sufficient for desert day hikes, I would opt to get a lightweight boot that was extremely breathable; Gore-Tex wouldn’t serve me well in this environment.

So assess what you are most likely going to be using the item for, and then use that to base your decision on whether or not to get a breathable-waterproof. In most conditions they are the better choice, but not always.

March 30, 2010  Tags:   Posted in: Gear  No Comments

State Park Overview: Anza Borrego Desert State Park (California)

Located mostly in San Diego County, with a few parts overlapping into adjacent Imperial and Riverside counties, Anza Borrego Desert State Park is California’s largest State Park. With over 900 square miles to enjoy you will be hard pressed to explore it all. The park is named for 18th century Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and the Spanish name for the bighorn sheep (Borrego). The sheep still inhabit the area (although they are endangered) and if you are lucky you may catch a glimpse of them. A good spot for seeing the sheep is the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail, which is located near the visitor center.

A photo I took of a ram while I was hiking on the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail. I apologize for the poor quality, he was very far away and I was at the utmost limit of my lens.

Other wildlife that can be found in the park include roadrunners, rabbits, jackrabbits, quail, coyotes, kit foxes, bobcats, as well as various reptiles, rodents and birds. There is a variety of plant life, the most notable of which is the spindly-armed ocotillo. In the spring the desert bursts into color with countless wildflowers blooming.

Since the park is located in a desert it is best avoided during the summer months. I would recommend visiting October through May. If you head out in the spring to see the wildflowers, check the website to see the dates that the flowers will be blooming, and make a stop at the visitor center; they can provide you with directions to the various flower hotspots, and the most current information about which to visit.

A barrel cactus in bloom.

For those who would like to go camping, Anza Borrego is a real treat. They do have developed campgrounds, for a fee, but I have never stayed in them so I can’t offer any advice other than to check with the visitor center to see about availability and reservations. One of the delights of the park is their camping policy. The entire 600,000 acres are open to camping. The only restrictions are that you camp at least 100 feet away from water. With over 500 miles of dirt roads throughout the park, you can easily find a beautiful campsite with nobody else in sight. If you want to build a campfire you need to bring your own firewood, and ALL fires must be confined to a metal container. It is not permitted to build a fire directly on the ground, and you will be cited if you are caught. This is because in the dry desert environment it can take centuries to wash away the traces of a campfire (there are still traces of Indian campfires in some places).

Speaking of Native Americans, Anza Borrego is home to a number of petroglyphs and pictographs. Again stop by the visitor center for more information on how to get to these locations. Many are only accessible by 4 wheel drive vehicle, but if you don’t have one it is ok- there are tour operators in the area that the visitor center can recommend.

For more information you can view the Park’s website as well as the website of the Anza Borrego Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports the state park. ABF also hosts lectures, workshops, guided hikes, star gazing gatherings, and a lot more. I always check their site before I head out to the desert to help me decide when to go, and what to do while I am there.

March 20, 2010  Tags: , , , , ,   Posted in: California, Wildlife  No Comments