Life+Gear 6-in-1 PSD
camping gear review – The Life+Gear 6-in-1 Personal Safety Device is a dynamo powered flashlight that gets its energy from hand cranking. A handy device for emergencies and disaster situations,…
Calling for Help Revisited
This skills program is an overview of some of the ways you can call for help from the wilderness. Have you ever thought about how you’d get help if you needed it? Out of all the different ways you could let somebody know about your situation, some of them work better than others. This is an updated version of our program number 37 of April 13, 2006. Steve talks about simple signaling techniques, like whistles, signal mirrors, and smoke signals, and then discusses various phones and radio technologies. He talks to Caroline Semerdjian at Sprint-Nextel. She mentions a page to find out their network coverage by zip-code. We replay a comment by Sgt. Phil Caporale of the Fresno County Sheriff’s search and rescue unit from A Winter Storm Warning (our editions #15 & #16), where he talks about problems with satellite phones. Steve talks to Bill Jeffrey about amateur (or “ham”) radio. Bill created and maintains a web site called the Pacific Crest Trail Repeater Guide. Amateur radio is still the primary choice for most volunteer search and rescue organizations. We also hear about Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) from Doug Ritter, a survival skills consultant and journalist who operates the Equipped to Survive Foundation. Laurel Boyers, who recently retired as Yosemite National Park’s wilderness manager, talks about how easy access to rescue services makes the wilderness less wild. Finally, we hear from Tim Kovacks of the Mountain Rescue Association. Links to more information about a number of these communication and signaling options are listed in the pages linked below, under To Find Out More… Show number 122 [MP3 format; length 9:57; 2,393,099 bytes] Show number 122, extended version [MP3 format; length 10:32; 5,059,684 bytes] Show number 122 script To find out more… JOIN NOW — Help us help more folks to appreciate our wild public lands.
Stir-Fry Turkey
camping Recipe of the WeekHere’s a quick and easy skillet entree.Stir-Fry Turkey – a recipe from Patsy:”I worked for a turkey company for many years, and a co-worker gave this…
Winter OR 2008
This gear program is a report on the Winter 2008 outdoor Retailer’s Expo. What’s cool in next year’s winter gear? Jason Boyle and Christopher Nicolai report on the most interesting gear they hope to test for BackpackGearTest.ORG. They comment on products by: GoLite, Rab, Patagonia, Mountainsmith, MontBell, Cilogear, Aspen Aerogel, Easton, Garmont, and Teko Socks. As a wrap-up, Backpack Gear Test founder Jerry Goller tells us that they get more gear to review than their reviewers can keep up with. You might be able to get free gear to review. Read: How to become a tester. Show number 123 [MP3 format; length 9:58; 2,394,028 bytes] Show number 123, extended version [MP3 format; length 11:24; 5,473,242 bytes] Show number 123 script JOIN NOW — Help us help more folks to appreciate our wild public lands.
Desert Roadless Traveled
This wild places program examines the problems of trying to designate new wilderness areas in the central Utah desert. If it gets overrun by off road vehicles, can it still become new wilderness? This story was provided to us by guest reporter Kurt Repanshek, creator of the National Parks Traveler web magazine. Kurt tells this story of the struggle for wilderness designations in the desert canyonlands of central Utah with the help of: Heidi McIntosh, conservation director for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance Wayne Ludington, assistant field manager for the Price district of the Bureau of Land Management Liz Thomas, attorney for the Moab office of the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (A spokesman for the Blue Ribbon Coalition, the dominant advocacy group for off road vehicle enthusiasts, didn’t respond to our e-mailed requests for an interview.) Taking a wilderness-friendly adventure in these areas is not as challenging as it might appear. You should check with the BLM for maps, routes, and conditions. Our program number 34: Desert Backpacking Tips, can get you started. We welcome your story contributions about outings, skills, or wild places that matter to you. Please see our Contribute page for details. Show number 113 [MP3 format; length 9:58; 2,394,874 bytes] Show number 113, extended version [MP3 format; length 12:14; 5,875,538 bytes] Show number 113 script JOIN NOW — Help us help more folks to appreciate our wild public lands.
Scared Indoors, part 2
This wild places program is part 2 of an exploration of how mass media might be affecting people’s interest in getting into the wilderness. (Part 1 is here.) They came, they saw, they almost bought it; are these the kind of stories that inspire you to get into the wilderness? Do they represent the normal experience of a wilderness visitor? Steve answers this question with the help of: Fitz Cahall, creator and producer of the podcast, the Dirtbag Diaries. Tom Mangan, a newspaper editor, and hiking blogger. Scott Graham, author of the book Extreme Kids. (Scott also appeared in the WildeBeat editions 46 and 47.) Emily White, marketing and publicity specialist for Wilderness Press. Andrew Skurka, noted long-distance hiker, the first to hike the 6,875 mile Great Western Loop. Ryan Jordan, founder and publisher of Backpacking Light Magazine, and participant in the Arctic 1,000 Expedition. Our thanks to Fitz Cahall for supplying the recording of his interview, and for permission to use an excerpt from his show, No Big Deal. WildeBeat members can download extended bonus interviews with Andrew Skurka and Ryan Jordan from our WildeBeat Insider’s web pages. Show number 127 [MP3 format; length 9:57; 2,391,424 bytes] Combined show numbers 126 & 127 [MP3 format; length 18:17; 8,777,628 bytes] Show number 127 script Show number 126 & 127 combined script JOIN NOW — Help us help more folks to appreciate our wild public lands.
Three Three-Season Bags
This gear program presents reviews of three-season sleeping bags. Three-season bags are those that you would typically use in spring, summer, or fall. Edward Ripley-Duggan reviews the Valandre Mirage. Kevin Hollingsworth reviews the Montbell UL Alpine Burrow Bag. Andrew Buskov reviews the Big Agnes Lost Ranger. If you’re interested in reviewing for Backpack Gear Test (BGT), read: How to become a tester. Manufacturers provide more gear than the volunteers at BGT can keep up with. By becoming a tester, you can help your fellow wilderness travelers find out what gear will work for them. Show number 115 [MP3 format; length 9:58; 2,397,276 bytes] Show number 115 script JOIN NOW — Help us help more folks to appreciate our wild public lands.
