You think it’s hot here, wait until you hear my suggestion for a place to go this summer….OK much later this summer. In fact ,let’s say fall. But the point is, I just read about this place and it seems cool (in the “neato” sense) so I figured I’d write about it. There is more than wonderful scenery to be found in the deep canyons at the Northern tip of the Sierra del Carmen. This wilderness area along the border of California and Mexico provides sanctuary to some 400 bird species as well as 70 mammals and 50 types of creepy crawly reptiles and amphibians. The area is under the watchful eye of conservation groups ,even though Mexico doesn’t have the best reputation for protecting its natural resources. But CEMEX ( yes ,the cement company) says it’s taking steps to preserve the place. Anyway, the El Carmen Wilderness Area recently opened and is inviting all…as I said, though ,in the fall.
National Parks Endangered
Let’s talk tragedy a moment. Let’s take a look at how hot things are getting, and how uncomfortable this makes us each day during the summer, and how much it costs to use the AC on full blast and all those things…sucks, huh? Now forget the ice caps melting and Manhattan going underwater and the Maldives disappearing. that likely won’t happen in our lifetime. Our kids will have to deal with that. But there is a very real tragedy due to global warming that, says Outside Magazine, might be happening right now. As they put it: “Imagine Glacier National Park with no glaciers, Joshua Tree barren of Joshua trees, Yellowstone absent of grizzlies, and Yosemite even more crowded than it already is.” Yosemite more crowded than it is!? We’ll have to call it Disney Yosemite.
But seriously, as a rabid fan of the National Parks, I shudder at the thought that they might have more problems than just poor administration. The Outside piece takes this bit of doomsday news from a new report issued Tuesday by the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The report is called “Losing Ground,” and it discusses a wide array of problems that could occur if these warming trends continue. The interactive here is actually quite well done.
Anyway, each park has its own problems from Glacier Park no longer having glaciers (will they rename it?) to an infestation of mountain bark beetles at Yellowstone which would devastate the forests.
We should take this stuff seriously. The parks are the crown jewels of our national natural heritage. It would suck to see them permanently harmed.
Penny Stove
I’ve used many a camping stove in my lifetime. Currently I own three of them :a monster two-burner Coleman stove that I bought at a garage sale in Seattle for $5; a smooth burning Whisperlite that I bought at REI and use all the time, and a JetBoil, a new, handy-dandy “portable cooking system” that I have become quite attached to.
With all these stoves available to me, it’s unlikely that I’d ever take the time to build a stove fro scratch, but this piece teaches you how to do just that. Called the Penny Stove, this handy apparatus seems like a cinch to put together. All you need is some tools, a couple of Heineken Beer cans, a penny and some fuel. Given the fact that a good stove will set you back almost $150 – 200 ,this might be worth checking out. I mean, the worst case scenario is you finish off a sixer of Heineken.
And BTW: If you’re in the market for a new stove, you first might take a look over at Outside Magazine and their survey of camping stoves available.
Tied in Knots
Chances are when you need to bind two thing together with rope, you simply do the old granny knot and leave it at that. The granny know works, but as a former Boy Scout, I can tell you that finding the right knot can save a lot of hassle and can often be of immense use depending on what you’re doing. That shouldn’t presuppose that I know a lot of knots, but at least I can tie a decent half hitch or can lash two pieces of rope together. I can also make a nice noose, should the occasion call for it (heh heh).
If you’re looking to improve your know tying prowess, you might be interested in netknots.com, which offers a wide array of different knots to learn that can make your camping, kayaking, hiking expedition a little better. You can also amaze your friends at apres-adventure bars and pubs with all the great new knots you know. And depending on how naughty you want to get, you might also find some uses for good, solid knots in your apres-apres adventure adventures with your significant other. If that lame joke makes any sense.
Climb Again Mt. St. Helens
Many of us have birth dates that correlate with big events. Myself, it has always been interesting to me that the date of the Mt. St. Helen’s eruption falls on my birthday, May 18. I was a wee lad, but I remember it, and of course having lived in Seattle for several years, it is a big part of that region’s history. Well since that time, there have been restrictions on climbing the mountain…restrictions that just changed. According to this piece over at Outside, permits to summit Mount St. Helen’s became available on July 21.
They will be in high demand and low supply at first with only 100 climbers allowed per day until Oct. 31, when the climbing season typically ends. But if you’re one of the lucky ones to get a pass, well, how cool would that be?
I climbed the Villarica volcano in Chile and fondly remember wearing a gas mask and looking down into the churning guts of the earth. It’s an experience I will never forget. If you want to learn more, or to purchase a pass ($22 on the Internet) go to this Web site and give it a go.