Wilderness Leadership—on the Job

***

I enjoyed this article. It was a good story about how leadership. I think it will help a lot for people like me who need to work on their leadership and to start leading in a proper way.

Tori Murden  McClure is an amazing athlete who goes on many expeditions. She and other people have been in crises that leadership in reacquired. McClure mentions some of her first times going on trips and not being very prepared. Not setting a certain kind of rule or not knowing your group is a big problem, which Tori has had before. Although, these crises have taught McClure how to become a great leader. She learned five key principles practice leadership, lead from everywhere, behave well, keep calm, and disconnect to connect. This should apply directly to today’s business world. This article really emphasises how to become a leader anywhere. They talk about being a manager you sometimes have to let others do the work as well and lead if they need it. This will help make more leaders, which they believe we need more of in the world.

I think this article really showed how to be a leader and really put it into detail on what to do in certain situations. They say that not everyone is able to go out and lead in the wilderness, but the article really helps people who need to in the real world and I think everyone needs to learn. Although it was very helpful I feel like it was a little too long. There were many times where they would repeat themselves excessively, but other than that it was a educational read and I would recommend.

Reference

Harvard Business Review,. 'Wilderness Leadership—On The Job'. N.p., 2012. Web. 14 June 2015

Article #3 -Andrew Murphy

Ten Reasons Why Hiking Is Good For You

By: Kathryn Meininger

Rating:****

This article talks about ten reasons why hiking is good for you. The first reason that is mentioned is that it improves your overall health, it allows you to get out and be active as it allows you to have moderate-aerobic exercise and move at your own pace. Hiking also allows you to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease by hiking regularly which would keep your cardiovascular system in good shape, which can help reduce of heart disease and having a stroke. Hiking can help control and prevent diabetes because activity will help monitor blood sugars for diabetics and keep a stable blood sugar. It increases your energy level by bringing in extra oxygen to your muscles and tissues which gives you an extra boost of energy. Hiking burns calories, burning calories helps lower your weight and it is a great way to do so, this way you aren't stuck in a gym , inside. Increase of bone density; hiking for long periods of time can strengthen your bones reducing your chances of getting arthritis and osteoporosis. Hiking lowers your risk of cancer! According to this article it helps reduce chances of some cancer such as breast cancer, and colon cancer, it is reduced by a regular basis of physical activity. Hiking can brighten your mood, the scenic roots you may take can calm your nerves and relieve stress which is good for you body, and also you to forget about all of your worries you may have had before the hike. It alleviates insomnia, taking a  hike can help you get to sleep faster, have a refreshing sleep and not wake up in the middle of the night. Lastly, you get your daily dose of Vitamin D by just taking a small 10 minute hike. Vitamin D can come from many sources, however the bets source is the sun.

After reading this article I was surprised the benefits of going for a hike, and I was happy to hear some of the benefits. I gave this article a 4 star because even though it was educational I found that it just lacked in explanation for have benefit and didn't really give an example for each.I really enjoyed reading this article. I learned many things about hiking that I didn't already know about. The benefits of hiking are really great and I feel that everyone should get out and go for a small 30 minute hike for all the reasons listed above. This seems to me like the ultimate way to stay healthy and active, I think in my near future I will go hiking. Of course I will start off small and then work up to 2 hour hikes weekly which seems like a great idea. I know by reading this article my learning of the outdoors have grown since reading this article, and I can know inform friends and family to go hiking for these beneficial reasons.  I know that during the summer I will be going for a hike with my dog and any other family member that would like to tag along, this is a great way to stay active and have a health body. Hiking I think has never been so beneficial and I would like to hike for as long as can.

For the full article you can find it here:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/556850-ten-reasons-why-hiking-is-good-for-you/
Written by Kathryn Meininger, December 18th, 2013

Survival 101 Bad Attitude Can Kill You-Allen Macartney

Rating: **** This article demonstrates the risks that will be taken when you are in the outdoors and to make sure how to stay prepared for them. Similar stories to this were explained in our risk and crisis management unit. Survival 101 Bad Attitude Can Kill You tells the story of a middle aged man who went into Alberta's Northern back country and planned to canoe solo for 3 months. He planned to live off the land and water, with only a couple handfuls of rice. His canoe had dumped and he had been visited by a bear shortly after. Months later, a rescue team had found him in the bushes barely alive. The rest of the article explains short stories of examples when a bad attitude has resulted in severe consequences in the wilderness. When arrogance takes over and our minds assume others are ones to get hurt and die, but it won't be us. This mindset is what leads to the death of many campers and hikers taking unnecessary risks assuming they can handle them. This article has made me think back to our risk and crisis unit where we would hear similar stories of risks taken as they were not prepared for the consequences. It has also made me realize how much planning had been put into our canoe trip that I would not have even realized. For example knowing where the nearest hospital is located or making sure all first aid equipment is brought. Macartney, Allen. "Ottawa Outdoors - Summer 2014." Issuu. Web. 25 May 2015.

Biking with the Family

Author: Don A'Hern

Rating: ***

By: Erin James

“Biking with the Family” is a great article written by Don A’Hern that describes the joy of spending time with your family in the outdoors and how to prepare for the journey. “You don’t need to spend a lot of money on fancy family activities; a simple bike ride to the park or bike ride in the country can be a fabulous way for the family to spend some quality time together.” This is a good article to read if you enjoy exercise in the outdoors while spending quality time with your family. 

This article thoroughly explains how to have a fun trip with little to no stress. First, it gives tips on what to bring such as: a first aid kit, water bottles, snacks, and other important things you may want to pack. It also describes things you may need to do before the trip like planning your route so you don’t get lost or setting up rules such as how far someone can be ahead of the group. The article talks about how it is important to keep the happiness level up so that the trip is not ruined. There is also a section on biking with children and how to accommodate their needs and assessing their skill level. 

I gave this article three stars because it was short but long enough to explain everything you would need to know about biking with your family. It did not get more because the author failed to provide personal or specific examples from a biking experience. I have not been biking for a few years now but reading this article has tempted me to get my bike out of the garage and take a bike ride with my dad. If i ever decide to go on a bike ride i will make sure to check back to the list in this article to make sure i have everything i need for a non-stressful experience. This article brought back memories of when i used to go biking with my sister all the time, but we always forgot to bring the necessities such as water and snacks or a cellphone if we got lost. This would be a great article for outdoor ed students to read before they start the mountain biking unit. Although it is different from family biking, it still discusses the important things to do before and during a bike ride. 

A'Hern, Don. 'Biking With The Family'. Adultbicycling.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 25 Apr. 2015.

Beginner's Guide to hiking

A Beginner's guide to hiking by Steve Kamb

Rating: ****

     This article outlines the basic essentials for a first time hiker in order to achieve a safe and enjoyable experience. The main points of advice include what you ca do to prepare for the hike, what to wear, what to pack, and some additional tips and tricks. In preparation for the upcoming hiking trip experience, I feel this is a good article to read up on if you are unsure about an aspects of the trip. 

     A lot of the information found in this article overlaps what we have already discussed in class regarding hiking essentials. However, I did find some relatively new tips that I find noteworthy: wearing pants is always the safest option is a forest environment as stumbling across reactive plant life, such as poison ivy, can spoil an trip. Although it's pretty basic advice, it was also strongly suggested to bring bug spray. This is something I definitely do not want to forget when packing my back pack. A menu plan is best to have lots of proteins, and a reasonable amount of healthy fats and carbs. 2 major components that can help achieve this are beef jerky and nuts. 

     I believe that Steve's article can prove useful for me in my future endeavors as a lot of the information is logical and relative to my situation. The author based all of his opinions off of his own experiences, and what went well and what didn't to cause him to form his opinions. 

     

     

A Beginner's Guide to Hiking. Kamb, Steve. 2007. nerdfitness.com

A Tale of Two Schools - Reflections on Risk Management – Rachel Corbett

Rating: ****

There is never a complete absence of risk, especially where the outdoors are concerned. However, there are ways for us to minimize and/or partially eliminate some potential hazards and obstacles that we could face. This is a thought-provoking article that emphasizes the importance of proper planning, and yet the unpredictable nature of exploration in the outdoors even with careful organization and preparation.

Corbett compares two unfortunate stories in her article. First she describes the horrific events of the St. John’s School Lake Temiskaming Canoe Tragedy that took place in 1978. 12 boys aged 12-14 and one teacher drowned while on a school-sanctioned canoe trip. This was a direct result of many contributing factors including but not limited to: poor physical, medical and emergency training, a lack of experience, poor planning, untested equipment and bad weather. Secondly, Corbett illustrates the story of fourteen grade 10 students from Strathcona Tweedsmuir School who were trapped in an avalanche in Roger’s Pass on an Outdoor Education trip in 2003. Seven students perished, but no one could find fault in the protocol followed, or the preparations made.

The part of this article that struck a chord with me the most was the fact that the one story was about an Outdoor Education class just like ours, and that they “executed a perfect rescue” and yet still seven students perished. It is frightening to think about the possibilities of what seems like a simple trip skiing with your class. This planning-and-risk-management comparative article definitely enlightened me and made me stop to think. You can never be too prepared! It also reminds me that sometimes there are factors that are out of our control when we are in an outdoor environment. However, learning to manage and prepare for these risks the best possible can sometimes help to prevent disasters such as these, or at least remove the “what if I had…?” questions afterwards. This article made me realize the true importance of taking trip planning seriously, even for a small trip such as our end-of-April hiking trip.

This article was highly effective at highlighting the importance of preparation for anything when enjoying the outdoors. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the outdoors as it is eye-opening, thought-provoking, and a very interesting read.

Corbett, Rachel. 'A Tale Of Two Schools – Reflections On Risk Management'. Sportlaw.ca. N.p., 2015. Web. Apr. 2015. URL: http://www.sportlaw.ca/2010/02/a-tale-of-two-schools-reflections-on-risk-management/

Future of camping: Boris Issaev

Rating: ****

By: Brianna Griffin

The ted talk Future of Camping is informative and interesting. It wasn’t an extremely long video therefore, it was easy to watch and listen too.

The ted talk is about the future of camping and how the younger generation isn’t focusing on the outdoors, they are staying put inside with their electronics. The barriers of camping are a big part of this ted talk, the speaker mentions specific barriers such as; new experiences/new canadians, the need for comfort since most people rather stay home in a comfortable bed, no equipment since its too expensive, no transportation and no interest. The baby boomer generation is losing interest in camping and the other generations aren’t interested in the outdoors therefore, the number of people that are going camping has dropped throughout the years. Things that have increased are trail running, climbing, adventure racing etc. which, is good since people are looking for a challenge. Finally the speakers goal is to bring younger people out because studies show letting them experience the outdoors at a young age is beneficial.

I enjoyed this ted talk because it made me realize how our generation is getting lazy and we need to go outside and experience the outdoors which, is why I took outdoor ed. Also, the barriers of camping made me think about ways to overcome them, for example the barrier of having no interest when you just need to prepare physically and mentally.

I recommend watching this ted talk if you're interested in learning about the barriers for camping.

Boris Issaev. Future of Camping. TEDx Algonquin Park

Ingredients for the Perfect Trail

By: Author at BikeAddict.com

rating: ***

 



 

Have you ever been mountain biking, but just aren't fully satisfied by the trails you're riding. Well an article was posted on BikeAddict.com about what to look for when picking the perfect biking trail.

 

The article touches on what sort of terrain is better for different riders. Looking out for obstacles in the path is also important as too many jumps and bumps for new riders can be quite tricky and frustrating. The article also mentions that scenery is important as more little things that are better make an overall better ride.

 

I would recommend this article if you are unsure of certain terrain and obstacle choices for your trail or simply for inspiration on picking a new place to ride. The article was not as in depth as it could have been, but is still a great source of information on the subject.

 

The  next time you pick a new trail to ride you mountain bike on, take a look at BikeAddict's various articles on the topic.

 

Author Unknown. (2006). Ingredients for the Perfect Trail. Bike Addict, http://www.bikeaddict.com/articles/

Muskota River X ( Family Camping & Canoeroots )

       

                                              Muskota River X (Family Camping & Canoeroots)



I've read the Muskota River X which is about all around camping. This magazine covers many tips and talks about many facts all around camping. During this piece of writing i will be mostly covering the advertisements/products this magazine talks about and the tips its giving and how/when there useful.

Tips, this magazine covers the Know how to as in what to pack, technique and expert tips it talks about Campfire. It also talks about the family camping and the tumpline. All of these pages with information and *pro tips* contain about 40 pages of the magazine and the magazine is 60 pages long. Inside these topics they cover smaller topics inside them like for campfire it covers the Canoescapes, contributors, community and tutorial on campfire. On tumpline they talk about tumblehome, headwaters, trends and wild Rice. for the know how they talk about in the pack, campcraft, expert tips, camp kit, food, technique and canoe trees. In the family camping they talk about base camp, little explorers, betcha didn't know about...bears and bubble street.

Advertisements/products, This magazine contains about 15 pages on luxurious places to camp/canoe and another 5 consist of just advertisements that don't really talk about anything camping or canoeing related, like the new android tablet. for the 15 pages of the great places you can camp and canoe 10 of them are just full pages of just great pictures of families enjoying themselves canoeing, and having a good time by the fire. The other 5 just talk about these places.

I hope that i have helped you all by learning a bit more about this magazine, it is a good read for people that are none the less new like me to camping in the sense it teaches you how to maintain a good fire and stuff like that. Now you just have to read it for yourself. enjoy!

How To Become A Super Human: Cross Country Skiing edition

                           The jaw-dropping benefits of cross-country skiing  - Alex Hutchinson

Rating: ***

You know the popular saying, don't judge an online article by its banal, and unimaginative title, this article is the perfect example on why you shouldn't. "The jaw-dropping benefits of cross-country skiing" is quite an informative and interesting piece on how the health advantages are a huge bonus for playing the fun sport.

    Hutchinson begins the article with an experiment between two groups: Cross Country Skiers and "regular people" who live ordinary lives without formal exercises. The study showed that the Cross Country skiers had nearly double the cardiovascular and muscle fitness than the untrained group. The article stretched on and continued talking about how men in their 80's were 40% fitter, which makes the sport "uniquely effective." According to Hutchinson cross country skiing gives you an incomparable cardiovascular workout, and the thing that makes it the most unparalleled is the fact that unlike running and cycling, your upper body plays a huge role. Also the hilly terrain forces you to use bursts of energy to overcome it, this short but intense workout is said to make your training more efficient

    This article has further enriched my knowledge on the health benefits of cross country skiing. The article has really made me think about how vastly the cross country skiers benefit health wise compared to those who are idle. Also it has revealed how partaking in this fun sport has given the skiers such a tremendous perk to their life potentially adding a few more years to their own. The article relates to our class since we are soon going to go cross country skiing. Now going into it, I believe I will have a much more open mind towards the sport, which I hope will make my experience better and more worthwhile.

Layering Basics

Layering Basics

By Steve Tischler

***

This is a very informative article which is great to learn more about the layering of clothing.
The author explains the function of each layer in detail and gives different examples for fabrics and activities. Because it is an article which belongs to an online shop website, it also provides links which lead you to the perfect gear for the particular layer.

By reading this article I could enlarged my knowledge of layering and clarify the importance of each of the three layers. I learned from it which layer I would have to take off in a certain condition. It made me think how I can improve my own layering and that I will have to pay more attention to the fabrics I use. The article made me realize that if I know how to layer properly I don’t necessarily have to buy a super thick winter jacket. So if you are usually freezing even if you have a thick jacket, you should probably read this article. The article reinforced and added to what I learned in class.

Tischle, Steve. "Layering Basics"

http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/layering-basics.ht

How to handle different obstacles on the bike-Scott Adams

Rating:*** 

 This article talks about how to maintain control of your bike going over different types of obstacles that you might see on biking trails.

When going over logs, it is important to have a good speed coming at the log. If not, you're front wheel will likely not make it over or your back wheel will not have enough momentum to climb the log. Once, you're close enough to the log, jerk up on the handlebars while your weight is shifted back, then shift your weight forward so that the back wheel can climb it. Do not apply the brakes or you will probably not make it over. When traversing rocks, you want to keep a steady speed as well, with lots of weight on your peddles. Stay seated to keep the centre of gravity low and your bike more steady. Try to stay on the smooth and more gradually sloped part of the rocks rather than the steeper and bumpier parts. Going through water and mud are pretty similar; keep pedalling while you're in the liquid and go straight to prevent slippage. Scott also brings up a good point in his article; be courteous and try not to go around the mud, because it just makes the mud spread out more. When driving a car, wet leaves are actually more slippery than then ice! Generally, ice is more dangerous however on a bike, but when biking over leaves, especially when they're wet, it is important to not apply the brakes too hard or make any sudden turns because you could easily slide off the path. These are all very useful tricks, and if executed properly, you will rarely wipeout. 

 S.Adams. How to handle different obstacles on the bike. http://www.active.com/mountain-biking/articles/how-to-handle-different-obstacles-on-the-bike

What Makes A Great Trail? By: Mike Chang

Rating:***

This article demonstrates the four most important aspects to what the author thinks makes the best hiking trail. The first one is that the trail has a good view and scenery, to make the trip even more worthwhile. The next thing the author says makes a great trail is a variety of terrain so that you can challenge yourself and to keep you entertained as every turn could be a different terrain. The third aspect is that the trail is not too busy. Going hiking on a weekday could make the trails less busy. The last thing the author looks for in a trail is a challenge, to get a good workout and not have to go to the gym.

I agree these four aspects that the author thinks makes a good trail because the hike will be more fun and interesting with a better view and a little bit of challenge.

Chang, M. (2011). What Makes A Great Trail? | Vancouver Trails. [online] Vancouvertrails.com. Available at: http://www.vancouvertrails.com/articles/what-makes-a-great-hiking-trail/ [Accessed 8 Nov. 2014].

Article - choosing the right bicycle

Bicycles : how to choose by Shawn Carkonen

Rating ***

Bicycling lets you have fan and also get exercise while your at it. It can also be a benefit to you such as biking to work or school. Bicycling can be a great way to enjoy the outdoor and experience a backcountry trail, also if your advanced into bicycling , you can do more serious adventures such as touring or racing.

Whatever you like to do while biking, there is a number of bicycles that fit into what you do while biking.

Road Bikes

Road bikes are pretty common and really self explainable with the name ''road bikes.'' Road bikes are usually the lightest out of all the kind of bikes and is used best for the pavement. When your parents sometimes yell about almost hitting a biker along a road usually made for cars, the bike that was being used was properly a road bike with skinny bars and a unique handlebar. Price ranges from $400 to $3,000+.

Mountain bikes

Mountain bikes are the best for off road bicycling and usually have the biggest size of wheels on them. Mountain bikes are the best for trails and hill climbing terrains because they have the best braking systems then other bikes and have shock absorbing features. Price ranges from $400 to $2,000+.

Comfort and hybird bikes

These kind of bikes are basically two in one because they are meant to be cycled on pavement and off road. The best places to ride comfort and hybrid bikes is in the neighbourhood and on mini park trails. Price ranges from $450 to $1,000+.

Urban and commuting bikes

These kind of bikes were built with city streets in mind and are the best kind of bikes for someone who likes to cruise around the city with a bike. Price ranges from $500 to $1,500.

This article talks about the many kind of bikes there is to purchase and what there really meant for.

The main goal of this article is to help beginners choose the right type of bike that matches there riding areas. I can relate to this article because I'm a big fan of biking and in the future I'm sure in the future i would be purchasing some kind of bike that matches my liking and preferred riding area in the future.

Carkonen, S. (July 19, 2014). Bicycles:how to choose. In REI retrieved November 7,2014 from

http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bicycle.html

29er Mountain Bikes Basics By John Higgins

Rating ***

 

A common type of bike wheel is spreading nowadays, which is 29-inch bike wheels. Especially in the field of mountain biking, many people prefer a 29-inch bike tire rather than 26 inch. A benefit of having a 29er includes better momentum when rolling, meaning that less effort is put in but more progress is produced or basically faster moving. Another benefit is that there is a larger tire contact causing more traction and control over the bike; this could help when climbing and cornering. The final benefit is a higher attack angle, which means there is less impact when wheels roll over obstacles. The tires are easier to follow through when rolling on obstacles like tree roots or just a difference in height of land. As there are some advantages, there are some disadvantages which include, more weight is added to the bike due to the larger wheels, slower acceleration from a stop, and it is more difficult to make sharp turns. Many types of frames are made for 29ers so it would fit many different sizes of people, but generally it is better for a person who is shorter than 5’6 to stick to 26 inch wheels. People who are 5’6 or taller have the choice of choosing what tires they prefer.

This article gives an idea of advantages and disadvantages of having larger wheels. I can relate to this article, because I won a 29er bike and knowing what my bike can perform in use is essential. The article is also a helpful source of knowledge to compare and contracts different types of bikes. Looking at the beneficial side of 29 inch bike wheel is provided and explained in this article.   

Higgins, J. (March 27, 2014). 29er Mountain Bike Basics. In REI. Retrieved November 6, 2014, from http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/29er-mountain-bike.html.

Going Long: Leadville Legends. ( Jonathan Lemieux)

Going Long: Leadville Legends Share their top tips

by:  Molly Hurford

rating: **

When I first saw the title I had no idea what Leadville was. I assumed it was a type of race for mountain biking. So I decided to look it up before deciding to read the article. It sounded very interesting so I decided to read this article. Unfortunately it wasn't what I was expecting.

The Leadville 100 is a long race of 100 miles in the mountains of Leadville Colorado. In this articles some of the top Leadville 100 bikers talk about some of the techniques they used to be able to complete the course. The first tip they give is "volume counts" they say that to even be able to finish the race (cut off time of 12 hours) you need to train hard, and get the miles/Km's in. the next tip they talked about was " Sliming Down" they talk about how they're is over 11,000 feet of climbing to do in the 100 miles of biking. and having a good power-to-weight ratio is something that will definitely improve your time. They're were many tips. Some I agreed with and some I just wouldn't want to do.. 

Overall I didnt really enjoy reading this article. But if you are ever interssted in trying the Leadville 100, there may be some tips you'd want to check out to help you in your adventure biking through the race.

The Way I See It

 

               This artic is going throw the mine if Mike LeBlanc and the way he see snowboarding and how meeting Gigi Ruf completely changed the way he hits his lines.

 For the first 15 years of Mike’s career he always planed all of his runs before he hit them. One day when he was hitting some lines with, living legend, Gigi Ruf, Gigi asked Mike what his plan for his run was, Mike had his plane thought out from start to finished. Mike than asked what Gigi was planning to do, Gigi than said “I don’t know, I just go and see what the mountain tells me is coming, and then I do what comes up.”  After herring that, it has changed on how much he enjoys riding and enjoying life in total. Now when Mike rides what he thought he was going to do before his run, was throw out the window, and juts when with what the mountain gave hem and never asks anymore from it. When he rides he pushes the fear he once had riding and just lives in the moment, enjoying all the runs he hits.

This is a grate article about Mike LeBlanc meeting Gigi Ruf, changing the way Mike rides and sees life as a hole.       

http://snowboardmag.com/stories/mikey-leblanc-way-see

Avalanches, Part 1: The Basics

 Avalanches, Part 1: The Basics by Julie Eiselt

Rating: ****

“Avalanches, Part 1: The Basics” is an article worth the read. It teaches you how to be calm during the event of getting caught in an avalanche, how to be prepared for one and how it can be prevented.

The article starts off by letting you know how important it is to be efficient with an avalanche receiver so that you can be found. Being caught in an avalanche is a very serious thing and that if you’re stuck under snow; you don’t have a lot of time. Around 70% of avalanche fatalities are due to suffocation. Secondly, it tells you about the types of avalanches and the difference between them. Lastly, the article gives detailed descriptions about the contributing factors of an avalanche.

I like this article a lot and I think the only way it could have been improved is with some pictures. I would definitely recommend this article to people and to read part 2 and 3 about avalanches in case of the unfortunate event that they get caught in one. 

Eiselt, Julie. "Avalanches, Part 1: The Basics." Published by rei.com. 2012

8 Homemade Firestarters-Kevin Callan

8 Homemade Firestarters

Jessica Thomas

★★★★

Another article from Kevin Callan takes us through our homes to pick up any items that could be used to make a fire starter. Don't throw away your dryer lint and egg cartons because you might just be able to put them to good use for your fire. 

Many campers, including myself, don't always have direct access to a fire-starter in their homes. Author, Kevin Callan, writes about the many advantages to already in-home items such as vaseline, dryer lint and cotton balls that you can bring along to help assist you when your sticks and dried grass fail to bring you a fire. A simple few pumps of hand sanitizer could provide you with enough alcohol to get your logs dry and to get your fire going. The articles also mentions items that include charcoal, egg cartons, waxed paper, potato chips, duct tape, and rubber tubing. 

I found this article the most intriguing because I know that I don't have firestarters laying around my house so it could be beneficial to me as a camper. The next time I'm digging through cupboards to find items to pack for camping, I might think twice before tossing aside a bag of potato chips because they could act as a light alternative to a fire starter.

Kevin Callan, "8 Homemade Firestarters", Jan. 30 2012, Explore Magazine, 

http://explore-mag.com/2866/camping-2/the-happy-camper/homemade-fire-starters

Winter Camping and Backpacking Tips

                                               Winter Camping and Backpacking Tips

Rating: ««««

                This article tells you everything you need to bring when going winter camping.  It talks about clothing layers, winter accessories, and important items to bring.

                The article starts with some pre-trip planning.  It recommends to not go alone, study the maps, leaving a trip plan so others know where you will be and when you will come back, things like that.  The next section is about layered clothing.  It talks about the base layer, (wicking) the middle layer, (insulating layer) and the shell layer. (Outer layer)  Then it recommends that you get winter or mountaineering boots, but you can use normal hiking boots, but is not recommended.  The next section gives you a list of ten items that are very important to bring while camping.  You should bring a map and compass, extra clothing, a flash light, first aid supplies, fire starters, extra food, and water, and sun protection items like sunglasses.  The article recommends bringing a sleeping bag that is rated 10°F lower than the coldest temperature you expect to encounter.

                I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys camping during the winter, or is planning to camp in the near future.

        URL:http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/winter-camping.html