The complete idiot's guide to hiking, camping, and the great outdoors
Book - 1996
Saved in:
- Subjects
- Published
-
New York, NY :
Alpha Books
[1996]
- Language
- English
- Main Author
- Physical Description
- xx, 332 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
- Bibliography
- Includes bibliographical references (page 318) and index.
- ISBN
- 9780028611006
- Part 1. The First Time Around
- 1. Preparation and Planning
- Teaming Up and Setting Out
- National Parks and Public Wilderness Areas
- Camping in the Lap of Luxury
- Making Lists and Checking Them Twice
- Checklists, Checklists, and More Checklists
- Don't Be Bothered by the Bears and Bugs
- Ground Rules
- Gauging Your Abilities
- Safety on the Trail
- Expect the Unexpected
- 2. Different Strokes for Different Folks
- Two's Company, Seven's a Crowd
- Family Camping
- Guided Trips
- Traveling Solo
- Car Camping
- Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
- Stop and Smell the Roses
- 3. More About When and Where to Camp
- Camping from Your Trunk Versus Backpacking
- Choosing a Quiet Location in a Crowded Campground
- Hiking for 20 Minutes Gives You an Advantage
- Look for Lakes, Trails, and Other Diversions
- Getting Away from It All--Or Most of It, Anyway
- Staying Warm Off-Season
- Talk to Those in the Know
- 4. Nighttime Under the Stars
- Tents and Tarps
- Beg, Borrow, or Steal the First Time Around
- Choosing the Portable Cottage
- Washing Your Wigwam
- A Tent for All Seasons
- Pitching Tents--Practice Makes Perfect
- 5. What You Need for the Slumber Party
- The Lowdown on Sleeping Bags
- Down Fills Versus Synthetic Fills
- Sleeping Bag Construction
- Care
- Cleaning
- Blow-Up Bedding
- 6. How to Be an Outdoor Gourmet
- No-Muss, No-Fuss Culinary Skills
- The Weekend and Week-Long Picnic
- Menu Madness
- Recipes for the Galloping Gourmand
- Rounding Out the Three Squares
- Puttin' on the Ritz
- Recipes for the Trail
- Understanding Nature's Waterworks
- Grills
- Having a Gas--Choosing and Using Stoves
- Setting Up Your Outdoor Kitchen
- Other Stuff for the Shopping List
- 7. Fishing for the Camper
- Choosing a Packable Rod-and-Reel Set
- Tackling the Fish
- Using Squiggly, Wiggly Things
- Spoons
- Spoonfeeding Your Spawn
- Plugs
- Plastic Bait
- An Amateur's Guide to Hooking
- Tying a Trilene Knot
- Landing the Catch of the Day
- Who Said There Was No Homework?
- Rivers, Streams, and Lakes
- Reeling in the Big One
- Cleaning the Fish
- Having Fish for Dinner
- Don't Count on Your Fishing Skills Alone
- 8. Practicing Low-Impact Camping
- Be Kind to Mother Nature
- Selecting a Campsite
- Leaving the Campground the Way You Found It
- Dealing with Noisy Neighbors
- Shedding the Hordes
- Trail Etiquette: Traveling in Groups
- How to "Go" in the Woods and Other Pressing Matters
- Daniel Boone Was a Man, but Women Like Camping Too
- The Bonfire of the Backwoods
- Not So Wild Animals
- Part 2. Skills and Thrills
- 9. A Quick Lesson in Map Reading
- Types of Maps
- Reading Your Map
- How to Figure Out Your Route
- Looking for Helps and Hazards on Your Route
- What Your Map Won't Tell You
- The Final Decision
- 10. Compass Basics: Definitely Worth Learning
- What Is a Compass?
- True North and Magnetic North
- Adjusting for Declination
- Orienting Your Map
- Taking a Bearing Using a Map and Compass
- Using a Compass to Stick to Your Path
- Carry Your Compass
- Going Global
- Features, Features, Features
- Getting Lost and Unlost
- 11. Weather Matters
- Reading the Weather
- Weather Reading on the Scene
- Typecasting the Clouds
- Winds of Change
- Barometric Pressure
- Humidity and Fog
- Red Sky at Night, Sailors' Delight--The Proverbs and What They Mean
- Taking Cover in Serious Weather
- Tips for Avoiding a Lightning Strike
- 12. Handling Heavy Weather
- First Things First: Listen to the Weather Report
- We're Not in Kansas Anymore
- Slip Sliding Away
- The Skinny on Skis
- To Wax or Wane?
- Tips for Getting Into and Out of a Bind
- Shake, Shake, Shake Your Booty
- Grip and Grin: Don't Forget Your Poles!
- These Shoes Were Meant for Walking (Across the Snow, That Is)
- Snowshoeing Boots
- 13. How to Identify Trees and Other Green Things
- Look at the Big Things First
- Tiptoeing Through the Leaves
- Wild for Wildflowers
- Magical Mushrooms
- Wild Berries
- Part 3. Gearing Up
- 14. The Dirt on Hiking Boots
- The Hook on Hikers
- If the Shoe Fits, Wear It
- Caring for Your Boots
- Rocks Around the Socks (and Liners Too)
- Treating Blisters
- 15. Choosing the House for Your Back
- Getting the Best Backpack
- Fit, Form, and Function... Putting It All On
- Cubic Inches or Liters: A Matter of Capacity
- Suspension Systems
- A Matter of Construction
- Fine-Tuning the Rig
- Day Packs
- Ways to Pack a Backpack (Say That Five Times in a Row Out Loud)
- Backpack Packing (Essentials)
- 16. Ways to Dress for Success in the Outdoors
- Layering--Peeling for Pleasure
- Waterproof Breathables
- A Smorgasbord of Materials
- Fills and Insulators
- Singing in the Rain--A Heavy-Weather Alternative
- Suiting Up for Colder Weather
- Don't Join the Cotton Club
- Pants
- To Top It All Off
- Fun in the Sun
- 17. Comfort Gear for Your Home Away from Home
- Spotlight on Flashlights
- Choosing Alternative Lighting Methods
- Portable Outhouses
- Portable Showers
- Chairs and Cushions--Supporting Bottoms and Brains
- Part 4. Getting There
- 18. Trailblazing Made Easy
- Defining True Wilderness
- Backcountry Rules
- Tiptoeing Through the Wilderness
- Preparing for Your Trip
- Simple Hiking Techniques
- Easy Route Finding
- The Bear Facts
- 19. Planning an Outdoor Vacation on the Water
- Everything I Own Is Rented
- Canoes Versus Kayaks
- Gripping Matters: Paddles
- How to Pack Your Vessel
- Things to Consider When Choosing a Canoe or Kayak
- Your Backpack on the Water
- Different Strokes for Different Folks
- Holding and Handling the Paddle
- Rescue Techniques
- 20. Exploring the Outdoors on Two Wheels
- Bikepacking--Mountain Bikes Rule!
- Shake, Shimmy, and Roll
- Wheels...Tires and Tubes
- The Hubbub on Hubs
- Have Bike, Will Travel
- Gearing Up and Gearing Down
- Putting Pedals to the Metal
- The Basic Bike-Camping Tool Kit
- Packing Up and Moving Out
- In Praise of Tight Black Shorts and Other Gripping Matters
- The Tour de France: Not!
- Safe Biking
- Part 5. The Big Trip
- 21. Limbering Up for the Big One
- Getting Fit for Your Trip
- Stomping Around the Neighborhood with a Pack Loaded with Books
- Designing Your Own Fitness Program
- Warm-Up and Cool-Down Exercises to Increase Flexibility
- Strength-Building Exercises
- Consider the Abilities of Those Going with You
- 22. Things That Fly, Slither, and Go Buzz in the Night
- How Not to Go Buggy
- Discouraging Mosquitoes and Other Flying Insects Naturally
- Building Your Own Arsenal
- Location, Location, Location
- Lyme Disease: No Citrus Here
- Treating Insect Bites
- Little Miss Muffet Sat on Her Tuffet
- Snakes
- Treating Snake Bites
- 23. Critter Watching
- Animal Voyeurism 101
- Choosing Binoculars, Cameras, and Other Optics
- Binoculars
- Smile, You're on Candid Camera
- In Praise of Automatic Cameras
- Swinging Single-Use Cameras
- Tips for Seeing and Photographing Wildlife
- Identifying Animal Scats and Tracks
- Part 6. Outward Bound and Beyond
- 24. Safety and First Aid--Dealing with Major and Minor Bummers
- Checkups Before Checkout
- Take a Course in First Aid, CPR, or Emergency Medical Treatment
- Assembling a Basic First-Aid Kit--The Virtual Pharmacy
- To Evacutate or Not?
- Treating Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac Rashes
- What to Do When Faced with a Major Bummer
- Preventing and Treating the Big "H"
- Dealing with Frostbite and Preventing It
- Dealing with Animal Bites
- 25. Not-So-Advanced Boy and Girl Scout Skills
- Surefire Bets for Building a Fire
- The Unconfusing Guide to Knot Tying
- Erecting and Building Alternative Structures
- Signaling for Help
- 26. Going Farther Afield
- Matters of Passports and Visas
- Tips for the Worldwide Wanderer
- Get the Right Immunizations and Shots
- Health Insurance
- Finding Fuel: Camp Stoves and Cooking
- A. Sources and Resources
- The National Parks of the United States
- State Tourism Offices
- The National Parks of Canada
- Bibliography
- B. Glossary
- Index