Author Archives: Roy Scribner
State Parks Still Under Pressure
In December I wrote about how across the country, state parks were coming under pressure from dwindling budgets due to the recession (Across the Country, State Parks under Pressure). Six months later, we are in no better shape than we were at the start of the year, with a number of states still contemplating the closure of their state parks in order to help close budget deficits.
How to use Sierra Club Trails
Something that tends to hold us back from camping in unknown areas is the fear of the unknown. What kinds of activities are available in the area? Will there be any interesting places to explore or hike to? The Sierra Club has launched a new interactive site that seeks to answer some of these questions for you, using actual user-content that is accurate, fresh and based on the actual experiences of outdoor enthusiasts just like you.
The Backcountry Essentials
The “Ten Essentials” is a list of emergency items that is supposed to support you through an unexpected overnight stay in the backcountry and has been around for nearly 80 years. I was first exposed to the ten essentials as a Paratrooper in the Army, where the typical mission was 36 to 72 hours long and the only supplies we had was what we could stuff into small “butt packs,†or hip packs as they are known in the civilian world.
How to Start a Fire with Magnesium, Cotton and Petroleum Jelly
A warm fire on a crisp Fall evening - photo by Steve Wall on Flickr
For starting fires in our campsite, I use dryer lint and wax for tender (see How to make your own campfire starters) which is a quick and easy way to get a campfire going. Anytime I venture out from the campsite, however, I carry a number of emergency items in a small daypack, including a fire starter kit.