Estimating hiking time
How do you estimate the time it will take you to cover a certain distance on a hike? The answer can only be based on your experience over time. For me, I allow about 20 minutes per mile if I’m carrying a 10-20 pound day pack. I then add time for other factors. For example, I add one hour for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain. I also allow about 30 minutes for lunch and additional time if I’m traveling with a group or if want to stop and enjoy water features, wildlife or spectacular views. I also factor in temperature, knowing that if I’m hiking in 100°F temperatures, I’ll be taking more time for resting and hydrating.

Making these calculations in advance of any outdoor adventure can avert many problems, like being caught on a difficult stretch of trail at sundown. But making accurate calculations only comes as you combine your experience with solid information found on topo maps and in discussion with other hikers of similar skill level.

Havasupai
I just returned from a few days at Havasupai in Arizona. Set deep in the red cliffs of the Grand Canyon and famous for its waterfalls and travertine pools with blue green water, Havasupai is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I was able to hike to the Colorado River and to the major waterfalls in the area. While birding wasn’t my primary interest in the canyon, I was captivated by seeing several great blue heron and a Bullock’s oriole. July is a great time to enjoy the pools, but the temperatures in excess of 100°F made daytime hiking difficult. I look forward to returning in the spring and fall.

Havasupai offers some great outdoor adventure in a splendid setting. For those interested in Havasupai, watch for Steve Hirst's book I Am the Grand Canyon, coming out in November 2007. Based on what I know about the author and his previous work among the Havasupai, it should provide some outstanding insights into the history and culture of these keepers of the Canyon.

Off to Havasupai
I’ll be away for a few days in Arizona’s splendid Havasu Canyon. I’m going there with a book in the back of my mind. There really isn’t a great guide to Havasupai that brings into play the history, lore, culture, hiking options, and water features. What would you like to see included in such a guide? Would you want to see this as part of a series (like a Falcon Guide), or as a stand-alone book? Let me know.

Self-deflating air mattress.
This may be obvious to most of you. Maybe you’ve noticed occasions where you fill your air mattress in the afternoon or evening then climb in your sleeping bag only to find it needs another several puffs of air. Or worse, you awaken at midnight with your butt touching bedrock, and you need to reinflate your mattress. Why?

When you fill your air mattress initially, you are inflating it with 98.6 degree air. But after the sun sets and temperatures cool, the air in your mattress cools and contracts. The contracting air can be enough to turn a comfortable mattress into an under-inflated mattress.

Cheese on the trail.Cheese has always been a favorite trail snack, but did you know it’s also a great backpacking food. Even though it’s generally refrigerated at home, it’s one of those foods that can actually travel well for several days without refrigeration. You can pull it out as a lunch snack or use it in prepared dinner dishes.

The best backpacking cheeses are some of the harder cheeses like Parmesan or medium hard cheeses like Gouda, Ementhaler (Swiss) or Jarlsberg. Soft cheeses like brie, or oily cheeses like Cheddar are the least packable, but still make a nice treat for the first day or two.

Best way to clean a tent?
Tents should never be put in the washing machine, or even worse, dry-cleaned. Yet you never seem to see care instructions printed on the label of your tent.

Next time you’re washing your car, pull out your tent and set it up on your lawn. Give it a good hosing off and if there are especially dirty spots or stains, use some of the mild soap and warm water you’re using on your car. Rinse, then brush or soak up any standing water with a towel. If you wash your tent on a warm summer morning, it should be dry enough to put away that afternoon.

Fit or Fat.
A recent study for the Nature Conservancy found per-capita visits to national parks have been declining for years. Americans are less interested in spending time in natural surroundings like national parks because they are spending more time watching television, playing video games and surfing the Internet.

National park visitation data starting in 1930 peaked in 1987 at 1.2 visits per person per year. But by 2003 it had declined by about 25 percent to 0.9 visits per person per year. Researchers tested more than two dozen possible explanations for the trend and found that 98 percent of the drop in national park visits was explained by video games, movie rentals, going out to movies, Internet use and rising fuel prices. Other possible explanations such as family income or the aging population were ruled out.

A similar correlation has been found linking television viewing with childhood obesity. Surprise, surprise.

Life expectancy of a hiking boot.
How long should a pair of hiking boots last? I've had people tell me their leather boots have lasted 10 years or more. But boot life is primarily a function of mileage. Although the type of trail, your weight and the characteristics of your gait may affect boot life, it probably makes the most sense to talk about boot life in terms of miles.

A good mid-weight pair of all-leather boots should last 1000 to 1500 miles. A lightweight pair of leather and fabric boots should last 800-1200 miles, and a pair of sneakers is probably only good for 500-800 miles.

Of course, as they say, your mileage may vary.

Colorado Running Low.
We had a couple of good water years in the Colorado River Basin but we are still coming off a 5-year drought. Even though we had a positive start to the 2006 water year (which begins October 1) Lake Powell will wind up with less than 75 percent of its normal runoff - and could still go lower - because of a warmer and drier than normal spring in the upper Colorado River Basin.

As of mid-June, Lake Powell's overall water level stood at 51 percent of capacity. And the drought in the Colorado River Basin may not be over—in spite of a couple of good years. It's common to have one or two above-average years in a multi-year drought.

So far, so good on Rainier
Mike Gauthier at Mount Rainier Climbing (mountrainierclimbing.blogspot.com) notes that "accident-wise," things have been REALLY QUIET on the rescue front. We've had a few minor issues, but nothing too serious. One frustrating event did occur this weekend that required our attention. A climber took 15 hours to reach Camp Muir (with the help of his partner and the climbing rangers). So he said he wasn't going to climb, but two days later, the Camp Muir ranger was notified about two climbers having an argument at the base of the Disappointment Cleaver. Seems the faster partner couldn't handle the stumblingly-slow pace and decided no ascent was better than a 24 hour one-way ascent. The tenacious one, however, continued uphill at a snails pace until guides and rangers convinced him otherwise.

Do mountain goats fall to their death?
As I climb mountains locally in the summer I’ll frequently see mountain goats jumping along rocky ledges and grazing in alpine meadows. A few years ago we came across a heard of about 30 mountain goats apparently protecting their turf near an 11,000 foot summit. That led me to wonder, do mountain goats ever fall?

With their low center of gravity, strong calf muscles and gripping hooves they have amazing climbing ability, but yes, they do fall. Gayle Joslin, a wildlife biologist with Montana's Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks reported in Outside Magazine, "You'll find their carcasses at the bottoms of avalanche chutes or see live ones with their horns facing the wrong way—an indication of a fall." Falls are often the result of a turf battle or dodging an aerial attack from a golden eagle—a predator of their young—on steep slopes. "The amazing thing," says Joslin, "is how infrequently they fall."

When should I retire my carabiners?
Here, courtesy of Black Diamond (www.bdel.com), are suggestions on what to look for when retiring aluminum carabiners:
1) Check for good gate action: The open-gate strength of carabiners is roughly 1/3 of the closed-gate strength. If a biner has a gate that rubs or sticks open, it should be cleaned and lubed. If this does not improve gate action, the biner should be retired. The same holds true for the any gate locking mechanism.
2) Check for excessive wear: If you can feel that the rope-bearing surfaces of the biner are significantly worn (wearing off the anodization is normal after a few uses) the biner should be retired.
3) Check for deformation: If a biner has been loaded such that the body or nose has deformed—or the carabiner gate rivets have been bent (this usually results in poor gate action)—the biner should be retired.
4) Check for nicks or deep scratches: If a biner has nicks or deep gouges beyond the normal light scratching that occurs in use, it should be retired. Carabiners are more susceptible to surface damage near the nose hook or within an inch of the bending radii of the body.
5) Has the carabiner been exposed to extreme heat? If a biner has been exposed to "Extreme Heat" (i.e. a fire) it should be retired and destroyed due to possible negative affects to the heat treatment the carabiner underwent when it was made.
6) Has the carabiner been exposed to harsh chemicals or excessive corrosion? If your carabiner has been exposed to aggressive chemicals (like battery acid, petroleum based fuel, ect.) its a good idea to retire the biner. Likewise, any corrosion beyond the normal thin gray/white oxidation layer that forms on exposed aluminum should be retired, especially if it starts to affect gate action (see #1).
In closing: Keep in mind is that only YOU know what your gear has been through. If your instincts tell you that the gear is dubious, retiring it is a good idea. Confidence in your equipment is not only key to climbing at your limit but helps you stay relaxed and having fun.

Truer Words Were Never Spoken.
In 1908 Lord Robert Baden-Powell published Scouting for Boys, a worldwide bestseller which led to the founding of the Boy Scout movement. Here are a few pearls that never survived past the first edition
"Fried snake, like fried eel, is not half bad"
"Scouts do not snore at night, and so give themselves away to an enemy"
"Every boy ought to learn how to shoot and to obey orders, else he is no more good when war breaks out than an old woman, and merely gets killed like a squealing rabbit."

Which reminds me, fried rabbit is not half bad, either.

Can a PLB Save Your Life?
A PLB is a Personal Locator Beacon, and while thousands are currently in use by outdoor adventurers, the great majority of hikers, backpackers, and wilderness paddlers are still unfamiliar with the technology. It’s a hand-held device weighing in at 12 ounces, although a new model being released in August 2006 will bring the size down a bit. In an emergency it sends a signal enabling rescuers to pinpoint your location. This all but eliminates the need for the manpower and time required to mount large backcountry searches.

The PLB produces two signals. The first is a 406 MHz satellite-detectable signal monitored by NOAA and the US Air Force. The second is a 121.5 MHz signal which provides excellent local homing capabilities. Users can enter their trip plans in a database before departure to provide additional helpful information to rescue workers. The battery-operated device will generate a signal for over 24 hours, even in temperatures below -20°C. The device, known as the TerrraFix™ PLB, is made by ACR Electronics (www.acreletronics.com). We recently had a local mountain rescue of a fallen climber using a PLB. If you have personal experience using a PLB in a rescue, please let me know.

World’s Most Popular Rock Climbing Destination?
So what is it? Yosemite? The Dolomites? Zion? Nope. It’s Joshua Tree National Park—odd, that a destination named after a tree which can’t be climbed is best known for its rocks which beg to be climbed. Located just 140 miles east of Los Angeles, Joshua Tree draws thousands of rock climbers of all skill levels from around the world who come to practice their passion on over 5,000 established climbing routes. Summers in the California desert are hot, but from September through May, JT is the perfect three-season climbing destination.

Joshua Tree’s appeal lies not only in the quantity and variety of routes, but also in the quality of the rock. It’s a largely exposed, beige-to-orange quartz monzonite, a type of coarse granite, which provides a higher coefficient of friction than Yosemite granite or desert sandstone popular among climbers in the western United States. That means you’re climbing on a more secure surface, generally free of rockfall and loose, crumbly rock. For guided climbs and instruction call my friend Mark Bowling, Director of the Joshua Tree Rock Climbing School, tel 760-366-4745; www.joshuatreerockclimbing.com.

Let’s be honest.
Sometimes it’s difficult to talk about, but every outdoor adventurer has to deal with it sooner or later. You know what I mean—tender erogenous body parts that, when inflamed, can really put a damper on romantic expression in the backcountry. I’m talking about chapped lips. For most outdoor activity a simple swipe of lip protection, preferably with an SPF of 30 or higher offers adequate protection. Most people are aware that UV exposure causes skin cancer, but very few people know that it’s also a major risk factor for lip cancer.

Topping my list of the best lip protection is…a hat. That’s right—a wide-brimmed hat does the best job of blocking harmful rays. But there will always be unusual conditions where a hat doesn’t provide the protection you need. My two worst cases of burned, chapped lips came after extended glacier travel while mountaineering. In both instances, I applied adequate sunscreen on my face, but the glare coming up from the ice and snow did major damage to my lips. Now I apply more frequently and look for products that combine antioxidants with SPF for greater protection and moisturizing benefits. I avoid products heavy in petroleum jelly and oils that intensify the sun’s damaging effects.

My thoughts are with the families of three American climbers whoose bodies were found this week in a 100-foot deep crevasse on Artesonraju peak in Peru's Cordillera Blanca range. One of the climbers, Brennan Larson, was a student here in Provo, UT. A report from my friend Chris Benway in Huaraz speculates that the three climbers may have been taking a rest, roped together, but not clipped in. They were on Artesonraju's "standard route", the southeast face, when one of the climbers fell and pulled the others. The sets of ice tools were found set on the route, about halfway up, and an empty tent was on the glacier.

On my climbing trip to the Cordillera Blanca last summer we were fortuante to connect with Chris Benway and his company La Cima Logistics. He and his wife also own the famous Cafe Andino in Huaraz. Chris does a phenomenal job of arranging services for climbers, including transportation, cooks, mules, porters and guides. He also gave us some very pointed counsel on routes and timing. Quite simply, I wouldn't consider climbing in the Blanca without at least talking with Chris. He will save you days, many dollars, and potentially, your life. You can call Chris in Huaraz at (43) 721203 or contact him by email at cafeandino@hotmail.com. Chris also works closely with Brad Johnson who has been guiding in the Blanca for over 20 years. Brad is the author of Classic Climbs of the Cordillera Blanca, far and away the best climbing guide for the area and one of the finest and most beautiful climbing guides ever published.

Compression Stuffsack Tip.
I’m not much of an early adopter when it comes to backpacking gear innovations, especially when it comes to ultralight goodies that may shave off an ounce or two. But I purchased a Granite Gear Air Compressor compression sack for my new -25°F down bag which I used on a climbing trip to the Cordillera Blanca in the Andes last summer. The compression sack material has the feel of a plastic grocery sack, but it’s waterproof, puncture resistant, and self-sealing in the event you run a tent stake or nail through it. The Granite Gear Air Compressor sack (small size) weighs in at 4.8 ounces and it has put up with some tough usage over the past year. At $25 it’s rather pricey per ounce, but worth every penny. It gets my top recommendation.

Biodegradable? Think again.
I’m surprised at the number of people who think that Leave No Trace principles don’t apply if the litter is biodegradable. Even in a typical four-season backcountry setting, an orange peel takes two years to biodegrade. That’s the lifespan of a rabbit. In a dry alpine environment, that orange peel may take hundreds of years to biodegrade, if at all. The same is true of a banana peel. A glass bottle can take over 1 million years to biodegrade. The message? Leave No Trace means just that, and biodegradability doesn’t figure into the equation.

No Better Rim to River
In most rim-to-river hikes in the Grand Canyon, water is the focal point of all plans. Water availability determines where I camp, how far I hike each day, when I hike, and where I rest. A few weeks ago we hiked the Thunder River/Deer Creek loop, a trip of about 30 miles in 3 days. We ended up caching one gallon per person on the waterless Esplanade plateau so it would be ready to retrieve on our last day. Grand Canyon hikers should plan on drinking at least one gallon of water per day, and probably more in the heat of the lower canyon. In our case, temperatures at the Colorado River were 104 degrees. We stayed close to perennial sources of water and scheduled our toughest dry stretch in the cool of the evening. Our plan unfolded perfectly and we always seemed to have plenty of water when we needed it.

The Thunder River/Deer Creek loop is one of the most strenuous, yet most rewarding hikes in the Grand Canyon. We noticed the water flow from Thunder Springs was significantly less than last year, but that didn't make our stay there any less refreshing or enjoyable. Thunder River is the world's shortest and steepest river as it gushes from a limestone cave and drops over 1,000 feet in a furious half-mile run. The head of Deer Creek Narrows is a great place to spend the afternoon on day two. Don't miss the half-mile detour to the river, passing the dramatic narrows and enjoying the falls as they plunge into the Colorado River. This loop is a must-do for any dedicated Grand Canyon hiker.