View Full Version : Skills you can use on the AT for first timers...
Wise Old Owl
10-28-2009, 19:28
There isn’t really a good way to start this thread, we have all done it, we buy things thinking “I need that” Well after a few years of messing around I came to a conclusion that we don’t need this or that. But when you are on the trail there is one thing we all need to survive and that is fire making skills in a downpour. And look at all the confusing things that are floating around out there. I have played around a lot in the field and watched some of those survival shows to dismay. I have watched hundreds of scouts collect firewood in the field and they just don’t get it. There is not a right or wrong answer; there is a bottom line…. Can you start a fire in a downpour? Have you tried? On the AT that in my mind will make the difference. No I am not testing survival skills here, but you need to know a few things that might make a difference. I think this is an important skill that needs to be posted here for first time readers. First the scout that got off trail in the whites made fire with hand sanitizer in snow. Could you do that? Some of us can, others can’t.
First when gathering wood does something unusual! Collect pine if you can. Not hardwoods. We are not going to screw up a chimney with creosote. Pine is loaded with pitch a natural source of turpentine, the “maple syrup” of pine trees and it’s highly flammable, the bark protects the pine tree to a degree from exploding in a fire. You are making a survival fire not a cooking fire.
Second you need to collect large quantities of ½ inch dead fall or smaller. (No logs) If you find a working log that’s great, but this is useless for the first hour in a storm. When I say a large quantity I am talking about collection the size of your car engine – not a bread box collection. Collecting a fallen branch or two makes collection easy, drag the whole thing to your camp spot, otherwise remove all the deadfall from the site and pile it up make sure you collect large amounts of twigs.
So you are going to need to remove the bark in a rain storm and keep the wood dry until you light it. Yep your poncho or tarp needs to go up first, not the fire. Shelter is number one. You pitch that before anything else. Then you can work with a rain jacket or Gortex Jacket and collect the pile you need to start with. Keep in mind if you are successful you are going to be able to dry things out! But you need to carry a lightweight very sharp knife (hopefully not a China knockoff) Small and lightweight such as a easy to find CRKT Drifter.
So now we reach for a starter out of the pack – here again I take opposition to what is available. Today there is so much more than doing old stuff like Vaseline covered cotton balls to catch a spark. 200 years ago it was patches of carbonized cotton to light a candle with flint & steel. Today we have chemicals! Science! Before you go out and buy another flint and magnesium block, wax soaked wood shavings, paper, junk matches, strike anywhere blue and a host of other fire starting stuff. I am going to narrow it down for you. The GI use a cooking chemical in a pinch that is found at some Army Navy stores, I have a few packs but they are not easy to find. So a good starter would be something that lasts five minutes and dries out the wood and gets it going under all circumstances. Esbit is such a chemical that does the job. Storing it in a 35 mm can with some wind matches from REI and a striker is a better answer than any magnesium block striker. And can be lighter in weight. This is over and above a second runner up of the liquid Heat or wood grain alcohol as we don’t have to wait a minute or two for the alcohol to soak in before lighting. The bigger danger is adding alcohol when it somewhat goes out. Tossing in a second Esbit is far more safer. So I will open it up for safety skills and other thoughts on this subject with a caveat-If you have never had to try to make a fire in a down pour tell us so. I just hiked some 18 miles yesterday on the AT in a downpour so know you know why I was thinking about this…
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg275/MarkSwarbrick/DSCF2707.jpg
Jack Tarlin
10-28-2009, 19:40
Nice photo, but in my experience, Coghlan "waterproof" matches are pretty much worthless, as ANY degree of moisture whatsover, despite how well you wrap them, will render them worthless.
My guaranteed firestarter has worked like a charm for many years now, and it isn't made by Coghlan.
It's made by the Zippo people of Bradford, Pennsylvania.
If it ain't broke, don't mess with it. :D
Wise Old Owl
10-28-2009, 20:00
Nothing wrong with a Zippo, but dunk a Bic or have a high humidity and Bic won't light, I was including a picture of a Wind Match and recommended the Rei version not Coglans. But for photography all I had was Coglans lying around. This is for folks just joining up....
DaveJohns
10-28-2009, 20:41
Good start! are you going to make this a "step by step" instruction? I have had the fun of trying to get a fire going in nasty conditions, it is a challenge when everything goes right. Possibly a list of things to do/things not to do, would be useful. BTW, good point about getting the twigs and such under cover. When I am hiking in the rain, I will start grabbing a few twigs and putting them in my pants or jacket pocket a couple of hours before I plan to stop. My body heat will help get them dried out as I move. When I get to my campsite, I know I at least have dry tinder in my pocket.
for anyone who is reading this who has never had to light a fire in bad weather, this is absolutely essential knowledge that can save your life! Next time it is raining at home, go outside and see what kind of luck you have getting a small fire started... It can be a humbling experience.
Also, for those who say "I have an alcohol/coleman/whatever stove, I dont need to make a fire" -- those won't dry you out and keep you warm in an emergency. Its worth having the knowledge and practice under your belt just in case.
DaveJohns
10-28-2009, 20:43
Argh for not being able to edit posts. Another critical thing is CARRY 3 WAYS to make fire. (and be skilled at all 3!) I carry a bic or two, a firesteel with cotton balls and esbit tabs, and waterproof matches.
my never-fail fire starter is my pocket rocket and a light my fire -fire steel. The fire starter sends a spark no matter what. Fresh out of the river it took me 2 flicks and i had sparks spraying. The pocket rocket does the rest. Just make sure you have collected your twigs, branches and whatever else you intend to burn handy and make a nice tight bundle and put it above. DON"T LEAVE THE STOVE UNDER THE FIRE!! as soon as it is burning under its own power remove the stove so you don't become a victim of tank explosion.
Very good suggestions and thank you. I am not a good firestarter in bad conditions. However, a damp lighter? Shake it hard upside down and rub the starter, the thing one flicks two or three turns quicly on dry clothes and it will usually start right up. That is an old smoker's tip. I do carry those starter sticks and the waterproof matches for safety. I would like to learn how to use a firesteel. I have stuffed sticks in my pockets to have dry tender only because I learned that from someone else. Good tip. I have never been in a situation to need a fire for survivial, but the above poster is correct. I need to learn how, just in case.
A little add..... once you have finally nursed a little fire before a real downpour you might be able to save it if you can find a couple of support rocks and one cover rock. Make a little oven, so to speak, and roll the top rock off after the big rain. Still may need to tend it well if there is a lot of "tree rain" later though. Funny how that tree rain can last hours after isn't it......
SunnyWalker
10-28-2009, 22:03
Pitch wood is what you need for a fire in bad weather.
Wise Old Owl
10-28-2009, 23:49
Pitch wood is what you need for a fire in bad weather.
I mentioned that, However you do not need to bring your own in you pack....you can collect that on the trail.
Pitch Wood is from very old pine stumps where the pitch has dried up to a very fragrant solid wood that lights with a single match.
Dave Jones - starting a fire with a Pocket Rocket is an excellent idea, only I take that on long trips, not the short ones.
Wise Old Owl
10-29-2009, 00:08
Between a micro bic and a couple of windmatches and single esbit in a 35mm can - the flint & steel & magnesium bars can stay home.... The bic will give you hundreds of lights and if it fails you still have a few wind matches. total weight 1oz vs the several oz's of the other suggestions..
DaveJohns
10-29-2009, 01:10
I mentioned that, However you do not need to bring your own in you pack....you can collect that on the trail.
Pitch Wood is from very old pine stumps where the pitch has dried up to a very fragrant solid wood that lights with a single match.
Dave Jones - starting a fire with a Pocket Rocket is an excellent idea, only I take that on long trips, not the short ones.
Sorry, t'werent me. I go woodburner all the way.
...and while you are all getting a fire going in the pouring rain I'll be in my shelter, tucked in a warm sleeping bag (insert a wonkish discussion on secret Army manuals that discuss fiber construction of the baffles of down or some crap like that) and writing in my journal. Why? Because I carried my shelter and sleeping bag! And that's going to keep me warmer than a fire....
:sun
vamelungeon
10-29-2009, 01:44
my never-fail fire starter is my pocket rocket and a light my fire -fire steel. The fire starter sends a spark no matter what. Fresh out of the river it took me 2 flicks and i had sparks spraying. The pocket rocket does the rest. Just make sure you have collected your twigs, branches and whatever else you intend to burn handy and make a nice tight bundle and put it above. DON"T LEAVE THE STOVE UNDER THE FIRE!! as soon as it is burning under its own power remove the stove so you don't become a victim of tank explosion.
I have a Light My Fire steel as well, and they are great. I'd rather have it than a Bic or my old Zippo.
Helpful post. If someone wants a fire steel, the small Lite My Fire version weighs 14 grams (0.5 oz) and strikes 3000 times before it wears out. The small Sparklite weights 6 grams for 1000 strikes.
fredmugs
10-29-2009, 08:35
1,580 miles hiked so far and I've yet to build a fire. Tell me why I need this skill in order to survive?
Lone Wolf
10-29-2009, 08:44
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]There isn’t really a good way to start this thread, we have all done it, we buy things thinking “I need that” Well after a few years of messing around I came to a conclusion that we don’t need this or that. But when you are on the trail there is one thing we all need to survive and that is fire making skills in a [B][I][U]downpour.
huh? i don't think so. you need a good brain to survive
Lumburg54
10-29-2009, 10:02
fredmugs - If you hike that many miles chances are that you may find yourself hiking or camping, maybe even hunting somewhere that could put you in a survival situation. If it were a planned event, it wouldn't be survival. In my humble opinion, anyone stepping foot into the woods should at least know basic first aid and have the ability to start a fire.
I don't wish a survival situation on anyone but it should would help if we all had these two basic skills, just in case.
Who knows, maybe someday you save MY life on the trail with a survival fire:-?
Okay - Preaching done
...and while you are all getting a fire going in the pouring rain I'll be in my shelter, tucked in a warm sleeping bag (insert a wonkish discussion on secret Army manuals that discuss fiber construction of the baffles of down or some crap like that) and writing in my journal. Why? Because I carried my shelter and sleeping bag! And that's going to keep me warmer than a fire....
I tend to agree with Mags although following this thread has been interesting.
BTW, someone in another post mentioned construction adhesive (carried in a small bottle) was a great fire starter. They said even if it dried out the stuff would burn hot, long and crazy. Who'd a thunk.........
Slo-go'en
10-29-2009, 10:55
This only works in New England, but the best fire starter is White Birch bark. There never seems to be any near a shelter, so pick it up along the trail, but don't peel it off of live trees!
On my little LT/AT Vermont hike this fall, one day it drizzled all day. I had a nice little fire going at the shelter when a collage group showed up at about dusk. Since there were already 4-5 of us in the shelter, the collage group went off to set up tarps. A little while later, three of the kids came over and asked me "Sir, where can we find dry fire wood?" It was real hard not to say "What, you didn't carry some with you?"
Wise Old Owl
10-29-2009, 11:08
A little add..... once you have finally nursed a little fire before a real downpour you might be able to save it if you can find a couple of support rocks and one cover rock. Make a little oven, so to speak, and roll the top rock off after the big rain. Still may need to tend it well if there is a lot of "tree rain" later though. Funny how that tree rain can last hours after isn't it......
It is absolutly critical you get the right rocks, two years ago a boy scout was severly injured when a peice of slate exploded and a fragment entered his eye.... The steam from the heat caused it to happen.
Wise Old Owl
10-29-2009, 11:22
I tend to agree with Mags although following this thread has been interesting.
BTW, someone in another post mentioned construction adhesive (carried in a small bottle) was a great fire starter. They said even if it dried out the stuff would burn hot, long and crazy. Who'd a thunk.........
If you are going to carry construction adhesive, you can also carry firepaste, the stuff works as a primer for the Seva stove... I was looking for lightweight solutions.
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:2M_gmyvFR6tVOM:http://www.campman.com/images/firepaste.jpg (http://www.campman.com/images/firepaste.jpg)
As for Mag's post, If you go back I did say raising the shelter first is the best skill. However, you just put in 15 -20 miles in rain and the sweat builds up under the best of gortex, wet & cold will set in when you stop for any length of time. You have to dry off with a shammy before jumping into a down bag to warm up. So long as you are moving and collecting wood and keeping your mind occupied, that too will keep you warm. And you get to dry out those wet socks with two stick pushed into the ground just beside the fire... IMO
Wise Old Owl
10-29-2009, 11:31
Helpful post. If someone wants a fire steel, the small Lite My Fire version weighs 14 grams (0.5 oz) and strikes 3000 times before it wears out. The small Sparklite weights 6 grams for 1000 strikes.
Ok this isn't an argument from me - would you be able to get this fire of yours going in a downpour? What would you carry to catch the spark? do you strip the bark off the catching twigs?
I have used flint & steel, and fire pistons at Rendezvous very nostalgia. If you are comfortable with that, and thats the way to go, because I am not creating this thread to change opionions. The thread was to get new hikers to get this one skill down pat before they go. To practice in the backyard in a rain storm, to test their foul weather gear.
Or as LW put it your brains!
Gray Blazer
10-29-2009, 11:38
huh? i don't think so. you need a good brain to survive
Oh, SNAP! I'm in big trouble.
Wise Old Owl
10-29-2009, 11:49
Good topper - Great post GB...
Small limbs or twigs close to the trunk of a pine, spruce or hemlock tree
make good tinder and usually stay dry.
Pine Knots are good to start fires with, they are loaded with resin and can be found in dead trees that are on the ground.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7243&stc=1&d=1256839863
I like to use a couple of cotton balls with vaseline on them. Burns for 5 minutes on their own. I timed them.....
Wise Old Owl
10-29-2009, 15:01
I like to use a couple of cotton balls with vaseline on them. Burns for 5 minutes on their own. I timed them.....
There have been a couple of posts about that, but we are talking about wet wood and -:confused:- I guess I have to snap a utube together.
Vaseline & cotton does not compare to the burn and temperature reached by a single Esbit.
I know a lot of people here don't like to carry knives, at least knives of a decent size anyways, but I do. I have an SOG seal pup that has been used several times to split wet branches to get to the nice dry inside. You can then shave it into kindling. A good fire in a downpour takes some prep and you definitely need a dry place to do the prep work. Setting up shelter first is a must.
Cannibal
10-29-2009, 15:29
Vaseline & cotton does not compare to the burn and temperature reached by a single Esbit.
Doesn't need to compare. It is long burning and compared to the cost of Esbit tablets, basically free! They also weigh a whole lot less when you compare the number of fires that can be started with them.
Wet wood is rarely 'wet wood', it's usually just wet bark. If you start by stripping the bark off the wet wood, you're results will be much better and you don't need any kind of intense heat to get the fire started. Once it is started, the fire itself provides all the heat you'll need to combat damp materials.
I regularly started fires in the rain using damp wood on the AT by using 1/4 of a Vaseline soaked cottonball. Not to mention the fact that you can also use them and a piece of aluminum foil to make an emergency candle that will burn for a long time. Nice to use the soft glow of that to play a game of cards in a shelter when others are sleeping.;)
When it comes to making a fire in difficult conditions, patience is the greatest tool to have in your arsenal IMO.
:D
You could use one of these.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/28/Usafl_notes.jpg
Wise Old Owl
10-29-2009, 16:37
Veteran - I deserve that - thank's:D
Wise Old Owl
10-29-2009, 16:46
I know a lot of people here don't like to carry knives, at least knives of a decent size anyways, but I do. I have an SOG seal pup that has been used several times to split wet branches to get to the nice dry inside. You can then shave it into kindling. A good fire in a downpour takes some prep and you definitely need a dry place to do the prep work. Setting up shelter first is a must.
I misplaced my Shrade UL (on my gallery) and went to EMS yesterday to replace it thinking I was never going to see it again, a WB member recommend in the past a CRKT and although a little shorter and 2.5 oz its sharper and very easy to work with for making kindling. (Drifter)
I remember the swiss army micro nail file post... I am not going to mention any anti - knife names:D
As for Mag's post, However, you just put in 15 -20 miles in rain...
I must be doing something wrong then on previous hikes... I only use a fire for ambiance. :)
Lone Wolf
10-29-2009, 20:16
I must be doing something wrong then on previous hikes... I only use a fire for ambiance. :)
yeah i don't the "make your shelter first" then spend an hour lighting a survival fire to live. huh? get in your freakin' bag and boil up some water for a hot drink. boy scout "training" is severly lacking
JoshStover
10-29-2009, 20:31
I have to agree the Esbit tabs are the way to go if the wood is wet or damp. Anyone ever try Fritos Chips? They work pretty well when you have decent fire starting conditions.
I have an old external frame pack that I would like to turn into a flamethrower like that. The pyro inside me would fall in love with something like that!!
Wise Old Owl
10-29-2009, 21:32
yeah i don't the "make your shelter first" then spend an hour lighting a survival fire to live. huh? get in your freakin' bag and boil up some water for a hot drink. boy scout "training" is severly lacking
This isn't in any handbook I ever read so this has nothing to do with BS!:D
BS does not recommend anything other than natural starters,
Gathering hardwoods,
Using Matches,
:D
You could use Napalm, but it burns kinda hot and might require a
flamesuit when you light it.
The best backcountry matches are the windproof, waterproof wooden matches sold by REI. Not cheap, but they work when others fail.
2 scenarios where lighting a fire makes a difference: wet bag and lost/stolen pack. Basically, gear isn't 100% fail-proof and neither is your judgment. If my bag was nice and dry I wouldn't bother making a fire in the rain, either. But its a last resort, that doesn't really require anything that you don't already carry, but does require some practice and knowledge.
Most of the suggestions I've seen here are good, but I'll add a few of my thoughts. A lot of the "firestarting aids" like lighter fuel, alcohol, gasoline, etc., don't work as well as people expect. I mean they make a big fireball, but people assume you can just throw any old wood on there and have it catch, only to see it die out within minutes. Of course its not the fault of the flammable substance, but of the wood and its preperation; i.e rotten wood, half-green wood, too much wood, wood peices too large, etc.
You want to find the dryest wood. There is no such thing as "dry" wood, just different degrees of wet. Dead limbs on conifer trees are good sources, as are limbs caught up in branches. Anything on the ground will probably be rotten and/or soaked through.
When its wet out, you want very small stuff. The smallest twigs you can find. Or even better, split a wrist-sized piece into quarters to expose the dry insides, and shave down the v-shaped insides with a knife into long curls. What you're after is surface area relative to the mass of the wood. With more surface it will dry out and reach cumbustion temperatures quicker.
Don't put too much wood on, especially while getting it going. Once you have your vaseline or esbitt or birch bark or whatever going, add the twigs and curls slowly, almost one at a time (don't plop a whole bushel of damp twigs on there), and make sure they are stacked in such a way that they are in the path of the flame (sloppy pyramid or birdsnest works for me). Keep adding twigs/shavings for far longer than you normally would. Once your initial kindling is burned to coal, start adding larger peices, say thumbsized sticks split in two. Add these very slowly, since larger peices soak up more heat from the fire to dry out. Keep adding these until the fire is going well, meaning you have a decent bed of small coals. Then just keep on adding slightly larger peices for as long as you want the fire to burn. It pretty much requires constant attention, and will lose heat fast.
In wet conditions I split anything I put in the fire; to me it makes all the difference.
One last trick: once you've got the smaller sticks going, take some larger peices (maybe ankle sized on up) and stack them closely around the perimeter of the fire. This does several things; dries out the larger peices in advance, insulates the small inferno from the outside, and if done right it creates a chimney effect that kind of supercharges the fire. You could take this a step further and build up a tall wall of larger logs on 3 sides of the fire so that you can sit at the open side and the heat radiates towards you.
Mainly, practice it before hand. You'll get better at identifying which twigs will burn better than others, how to nurse that first flame, when to blow on it and when not to, etc. It's challenging, but satisfying when you can pull it off. Impresses the ladies on a cold, wet canoe trip if nothing else.
-Rob
pafarmboy
10-30-2009, 18:54
Forget all the advice given before this post. Just buy a SPOT and push the 911 button. Local emergency services and S&R squad will be more than happy to bring you anything you need.
mrhughes1982
10-30-2009, 19:15
Forget all the advice given before this post. Just buy a SPOT and push the 911 button. Local emergency services and S&R squad will be more than happy to bring you anything you need.
Will they deliver pizza?
pafarmboy
10-30-2009, 19:42
Will they deliver pizza?
Heck yeah. They'll even guarantee delivery in under a half hour or the next rescue is free.
I carry a small piece of the right kind of pine. It's called "fat", "fat lightered", "lightered knot" or "lightered" around here. It's concentrated in the stump, but in other parts of the tree too, like the 'rose cone' in the picture in an above post. Used to be easy to find in 2x4's back in the day but not so much anymore because the trees get whacked down earlier.
It can be soaking wet, and a sliver will ignite readily.
Wise Old Owl
10-30-2009, 23:58
Quote:
Originally Posted by pafarmboy http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/wb_style/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=913831#post913831)
Forget all the advice given before this post. Just buy a SPOT and push the 911 button. Local emergency services and S&R squad will be more than happy to bring you anything you need.
Will they deliver pizza?
Priceless!
[quote=Wise Old Owl;913048] But when you are on the trail there is one thing we all need to survive and that is fire making skills in a downpour. /quote]
I know I'm just adding a vote, but I've got a brain and a pack full of shelter and food. Making a fire would just be entertainment.
Wise Old Owl
10-31-2009, 11:21
I don't doubt that Deadeye, but most folks accidental get hypothermia in Spring & Fall and frequently make mistakes. Fire is for entertainment and it's an important skill should things go wrong. For years we learned that making a round fire weather TP or Log is the way to go. In a survival situation making a fire 6 feet long a foot wide to warm you all night is the "new"knowledge in staying alive. Or if you remember the movie Jeremiah Johnson where Clint Eastwood heated rocks and buried them to sleep on warm ground in winter conditions. The first time he got it wrong and set fire to his hide. When we show a new skill to a group of young men only 10 percent get it right the first time, the rest need some practice. Some might not need the ideas in this thread, others may find something very helpful.
Slo-go'en
10-31-2009, 11:56
Q. Say you get caught in a late season snow storm in NC and need to make a fire with one or two feet of wet snow on the ground. How you gonna do that without it putting it's self out?
A. First, stomp down the snow the best you can. Then make a platform with pieces of the largest diameter wood you can find. Build your fire on top of this platform.
[QUOTE=Wise Old Owl;913280]If you are going to carry construction adhesive, you can also carry firepaste, the stuff works as a primer for the Seva stove... I was looking for lightweight solutions.
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:2M_gmyvFR6tVOM:http://www.campman.com/images/firepaste.jpg (http://www.campman.com/images/firepaste.jpg)
LOL!!!!!!!! I wasn't talking about carrying a WHOLE TUBE of construction adhesive silly.
Heck, all you'd need is a couple small squirts of the stuff carried in a medicine bottle. That'd be even lighter than a magnesium firestarter block.
Now pass me the pocket rocket. I've got to heat up some hot cocoa............
Do people on the AT experience a lot of survival conditions where building a fire is a necessity?
Do people on the AT experience a lot of survival conditions where building a fire is a necessity?
I doubt it happens " a lot". With appropriate gear and planning you should never have to build a survival fire. But sometimes things happen, and even on the AT conditions can be bad enough and help far enough away that a fire can make the difference.
They say the most likely conditions for hypothermia are actually warmer temps (like 50 degrees) during wet weather. Those conditions are pretty common on the AT.
To me going into the woods without knowing how to make a survival fire in bad conditions is kind of like driving a car without knowing how to steer out of a skid. Most won't need it, but if they ever do the straits are dire and there isn't really any substitute for that knowledge.
-Rob
There is a more fun way to survive hypothermia. It involves nakedness and sleeping bags.
Pedaling Fool
11-03-2009, 10:30
There is a more fun way to survive hypothermia. It involves nakedness and sleeping bags.
There are times when hypothermia could be a good thing:sun
Monkeyboy
11-03-2009, 11:32
Do people on the AT experience a lot of survival conditions where building a fire is a necessity?
Only when the shelter mice get out of control.........:D
Monkeyboy
11-03-2009, 11:34
http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/universal_pictures/the_thing/kurt_russell/thing3.jpg
ShelterLeopard
11-03-2009, 16:23
Wait, he's carrying a flame thrower and he has dynamite strapped to his chest? I think someone needs to take another dynamite safety course...
Rocket Jones
11-03-2009, 18:41
Wait, he's carrying a flame thrower and he has dynamite strapped to his chest? I think someone needs to take another dynamite safety course...
It's OSHA approved, as long as you're Dan Haggerty, who happens to be the only person that Chuck Norris is afraid of.
Starting a campfire with a Flamethrower
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7348&stc=1&d=1257345780
Wise Old Owl
11-04-2009, 12:55
Well this wasn't supposed to be in the Humor Forum
Yes SBhikes Hypothermia is a real possibility on the AT
Jayboflavin04
11-04-2009, 14:09
I had to deal with really wet conditions this past week. I managed to get a fire going. When it started dying out I threw a green pine limb (not cut from the tree by me) that was laying in the mud an water. I must have stepped on these things 20 times. Threw them on my fire....and holy crap. Instant fireball.
Jayboflavin04
11-04-2009, 14:15
Another thing...people think survivor man, and everyones favorite ole Bear are stupid. Bear is my least favorite of the two. But you can learn alot of little things that are useful in the backcountry. I wanted to try the birch bark. I couldnt find any downed trees.
Wise Old Owl
11-04-2009, 14:48
Jayson,
Both of the guys were doing that for a paycheck and entertainment. But it was interesting to watch. Both went very hungry....
sheepdog
11-04-2009, 14:53
http://content9.flixster.com/photo/10/91/75/10917599_gal.jpg
maybe fireball could help start a camp fire
http://www.mymariogames.com/games/images/mario-fireball2-pv.jpg
Works for self defense, too.
I don't think fireflowers grow on the AT though Mags...