INLAND NW ROUTES |
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BLOG #14
DETERMINING FIRES, SMOKE PLUMES, AND WHERE NOT TO GO. You will find a way to determine where to go hiking because there is no smoke, fires, or pollutants. The catch to using this system is it’s not simple, but doable. There are four websites to use to plan your trip. They tell you about the 2.5 particulate matter, wind direction, wind speeds, fire locations, closures, satellite views from space, smoke plums, weather, and much more. When the fires kick up, and we still want to hike, these tools can help us to determine our hiking location. Now it’s up to you. Days before your planned your hike, go to each of those websites and do your research. Do screenshots of changing data, each day leading up to your trip, check these site and compare yesterday to today. This will form a pattern. One you can use to plan a successful hike. Take the time to learn which features on each website are useful to you. And remember something that Benjamin Franklin once said… “IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN…YOU ARE PLANNING ON FAILING.” InlqandNWRoutes.com Chic Burge David Crafton
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THE IMPORTANCE OF CARRYING A PACK & 13 ESSENTIALS
This BLOG is designed to plant a seed. Often times when I’m on a hike, I notice that one of the hikers isn’t carrying a pack, I cringe. Every year we hear about people getting separated from their group. If only one is carrying a pack, how is the other to survive? I stress that every hiker must be prepared for any circumstance they are thrusted into. Each person should carry the following items in their own pack. 13 ESSENTIALS. See our drop down menu, or go to MEDICAL INFO In RESOURCE. Rain gear….A technical jacket. Umbrella. Large Lawn Bag.
Have you ever had a blow out with toilet paper in the mountains? A two way radio is an option, but I rarely use them. But for newbies, it may be wise. Use it only for 10 minutes an hour, on the hour, to preserve the batteries.
Something that I carry in a handy place is a dozen or so 12” survivors tape strips. If a junction or a faint trail may be a question later, these retractable strips could be a life saver. By retractable I mean, easily taken off the branches. Do this by folding in half. Then wrap the halves around the branch and pass the two tails thru the loop, and pull tight. As you walk past them later, all you have to do is grab the loop end and pull it off the branch. But after reading all this, keep in mind, the most important item is your own 13 ESSENTIALS. THE 13 ESSENTIALS These item can save your life. But if you find yourself without any of them, you will never go out again without them. My 13 ESSENTIALS fit into an old zippered bank deposit bag. Carrying these is very important. But there is something about them that is more important If you use any of its contents, when you get home, you must replace the used items. I learned the hard way, that restocking your first aid kit is critical. SPENCO 2nd SKIN BURN DRESSING In the old days, we used Moll Skins to patch over blisters. But it still hurt to walk. When 2nd Skins came on the market, blisters became very manageable. The dressing is a medicated pad that not only cushions the blister, it eliminates the pain entirely. After cutting to size ( larger than the blister), and peeling one side’s protective layer off, you apply directly over the blister. Then remove the other protective layer off. DO NOT TOUCH THE DRESSING. Then I apply athletic tape over the 2nd Skin to hold it in place. A few years ago, a girl on my hike walked with severe blisters to the top of a mountain. When she got there, the look of grimace open her face, let me know she was suffering. She said it would be painful walking down. After I applied 2nd Skins to both blisters, she walked off as if nothing bothered her feet. SPENCO 2nd Skin Burn Dressings are a must in all First Aid Kits. Practice applying one on your heel before you go out. It can be difficult, and you will need the following items. Athletic tape Scissors Alcohol Cleaning Pads. And the paper towels mentioned above. SPENCO 2nd Skins also come in patches. Altho they work, they don’t hold a candle to a the Burn Dressings for blister relief. There is a catch to using the Burn Dressings. You may only use one half of a pad. The remainder, put back into its protective packaging and tape it shut, air tight. If you don’t, it will dry out. This one item has saved many people over the years from hobbling out in pain. InlandNWRoutes.com Chic Burge David Crafton GEOLOGY, GEOGRAPHY, AND HISTORY When I was in school decades ago, I had zero interest in what happened centuries or even years ago. But now, a main goal in our website is to offer this information for those who desire to learn about the areas they are visiting. All SUBTITLES, like Cabinet Mountain Wilderness, Washington Scablands, American Selkirks, ETC., offer such information. Just type them into our search engine, and DOUBLE CLICK. For instance, did you know that the average population density in Montana is just 6.2 people per square mile? And in some counties the density is .03 people per square mile. Along with supplying our readers with hiking information, we want you to be informed about the spectacular region we live in. InlandNWRoutes.com Chic Burge Chic Burge PLEASE CALL THE RANGER DISTRICT OFFICE, AS YOU PLAN YOUR TRIP.
As stated above, we encourage you to call the Ranger District of the area you wish to visit, at least three days in advance of your outing. It takes agencies a few days to post alerts, closures or fires. This simple call could save you time, money, and disappointment. We have listed, in our hike data, the phone numbers for the managing agencies of the area you are planning on visiting. Please call them. Do keep in mind, the USFS is experiencing staff shortages. If the Ranger District doesn’t answer, please call the Supervisors Office. All managing agencies are listed in RESOURCES under MANAGING AGENCIES. Also listed below the MANAGING AGENCIES, is the Sheriff’s office. PLEASE call 911 first. The other phone number is their office number. And please evaluate your emergency before calling 911. Only call if the emergency response is absolutely needed. InlandNWRoutes.com Chic Burge David Crafton Hi hikers.
Today’s BLOG is about our responsibilities to inform you about ALERTS, and details you need to know, before you venture into Nature. Our hopes is that you have fun, and success on your planned visit. But as Benjamin Franklin once said…. “IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN….YOU ARE PLANNING TO FAIL” THANK YOU for visiting our local website, InlandNWRoutes.com Chic Burge. David Crafton FOREST CLOSURES The USFS as well as other agencies, often close areas, not only for the preservation of land, water and trees, but to keep the lands safe, intact, and accessible. When the USFS closes an area, they may restrict any and all activities. That includes hiking, mt. biking, camping, rafting and more. For instance, Forest Road #634 in the American Selkirks, that leads to Trout Lake, Big Fisher Lake, Fisher Peak, all of the Pyramid Lake area, and more is closed until 9.30.2023. In the Kootenai National Forest, Rock Lake and St.Paul Lake are closed to camping at the trailheads. If you hike there, and they catch you, you may be fined or jailed. To this point, we try to include all forest closures, and list them on our HOME PAGE, the URL’s for each forest, FOREST ALERTS, so you can read for yourself what, why, and when, there are closures. We also list nearby hikes to the area you are visiting, so your trip can be salvaged. Look at “COOL THINGS CLOSE BY” in every write up we have done. This will save you time and expense of having to drive to another area. Our desire is to show you the cool places to visit in our region. But more importantly, we want you to be aware of any condition that may keep you from hiking in your chosen area. InlanNWRoutes.com Chic Burge. David Crafton |
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