Wilderness Basics: Hiking, Backpacking, Mountain Biking (Mountaineers Outdoor Basics) Review

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(More customer reviews)I found this to be a decent source of information on basic hiking and backpacking skills, but felt it was somewhat lacking in detail. I picked up a few good tips here and there, but anyone looking for detailed information on the topics covered in this book would be better off looking elsewhere. Also, the book is starting to show signs of age, especially in the chapter on equipment - example; GPS navigation is not covered in the book. A revised or new addition should solve this problem. A good book, but not outstanding.

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A classic handbook for the outdoor novice--extensively updated to reflect new trends in wilderness recreation. *New chapters on mountain biking, Leave No Trace strategies, and avoiding dangerous encounters with wild animals *Wilderness instructors address the real questions of people heading into the backcountry for the first time Instructors for the Wilderness Basics Course of the San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club have taught tens of thousands of people how to enjoy the wilderness. Now they have updated their indispensable guide to backcountry adventure--from planning a trip and selecting gear to fitting a backpack and practicing first aid. Additional new material includes GPS use and sample menus utilizing the latest food products on the market.

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Minus 148 Degrees Review

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(More customer reviews)It is clear from the beginning of this book that trouble was looming on the horizon for these intrepid, but somewhat reckless, climbers. The loss early on of one of their comrades to a fall into a crevasse was predictable. How they could think of walking unroped, on a glacier that they knew was ridden with crevasses, is almost unbelievable. This was due, no doubt, to youthful inexperience and a lack of leadership necessary to set the parameters of what would be acceptable in terms of safety. These factors combined were to cost them dearly. It was not until near the end of their forty two day stay on the mountain, that they coalesced into a team.
Notwithstanding the sheer recklessness of their initial, bumbling efforts at a winter ascent of Mt. McKinley, the fact remains that they did achieve the first such summit, no mean feat any time of year, but almost inconceivable in the dead of winter. Coming off the summit, their thermometer recorded the temperature at a quite bone chilling minus fifty eight degrees.
Caught in a whiteout on their descent, however, the three summiteers were forced to dig a snow cave, where they were to spend endless days, in weather which saw temperatures plummet to an almost mind boggling minus one hundred and forty eight degrees with the wind chill factor, hence the name of the book. That they could survive this, is a testament to their fortitude.
In their snow cave, it was a relatively toasty minus thirty five below. That snow cave was the only thing that stood between them and certain death. With virtually no food, frost bitten, and suffering from disorientation due to the altitude, they waited out the storm and lived to tell the tale.
This gripping chronicle, of the forty two days they spent on the highest and coldest mountain in North America, is a classic in mountaineering literature and one of the best books on McKinley climbs. Those who love this genre will certainly enjoy this book. It is made all the more interesting by the author's new afterword, which gives a retrospective of what happened to all those who participated in the first winter ascent of Mt. McKinley.

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The Ultimate Guide to U.S. Army Survival Skills, Tactics, and Techniques Review

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(More customer reviews)First lets deal with the book. The military information is outdated. Also they took out important parts and added parts from other books to make this book look bigger. The out come is outdated content, a mix of content that will confuse you!
A very poor way to produce a book!
Now look at the reviewer: Floyd Jackson (Oklahoma City, OK) The "first" review; LOOK at all of his reviews 121 of them. All 121 of the reviews are for the publisher of this book Skyhorse Publishing or Lyons same people: I really don't like when someone trys to mislead me with book review, and want to talk me into buying a book becuase of how good it is. This guy has given 121 reviews for the same company, sorry I will not buy anything published by Skyhorse again because of this and this book has a lot of outdated and incomplete information any way!

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Here for the first time in one place is everything you will ever need to know in order to survive just about any difficult or dangerous situation. Drawing from dozens of the U.S. Army's official field manuals, editor Jay McCullough has culled a thousand pages of the most useful and curious tidbits for the would-be soldier, historian, movie-maker, writer, or survivalist—including techniques on first aid; survival in the hottest or coldest of climates; finding or building life-saving shelters; surviving nuclear, biological, and chemical attacks; physical and mental fitness, and how to find food and water anywhere, anytime. With hundreds of photographs and illustrations showing everything from edible plants to rare skin diseases of the jungle, every page reveals how useful Army knowledge can be.

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Fundamentals of Search and Rescue Review

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(More customer reviews)As a technical mountain search and rescue team member and trainer, I believe there is no better investment than this manual for anyone interested in search and rescue. It is worth its cost simply in the document resources. If every team member doesn't have one, at least have a couple copies for any SAR team!

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Fundamentals Of Search And Rescue (FUNSAR) Is The Only Resource That Covers Search And Rescue Technician (SARTECH) III & II Requirements.Providing An Overview Of All Aspects Of Search And Rescue Procedures And Equipment, FUNSAR Teaches The Essential Techniques Employed By Nearly All Search And Rescue Personnel.FUNSAR Offers An In-Depth And Practical Approach To Search And Rescue And Is Recommended For All Emergency Responders.Ideal For Both Paid And Unpaid Professionals, This Resource Is Recommended For Any Person Who Functions On Search And Rescue Missions As A Field Searcher.FUNSAR Offers An Excellent Mix Of Photos And Illustrations, Pullout Boxes, Key Terms, Survival Methods, And Numerous Forms And Checklists.

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Survival Wisdom & Know How: Everything You Need to Know to Thrive in the Wilderness Review

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(More customer reviews)I spend my summers working for a Boy Scout camp, so I figured this would be a handy reference when I picked it up. And indeed it is! It's a thorough and detailed account of every little survival or outdoor skill you could possible want to know without writing a thesis on any one particular idea. I love the old-fashioned organization and appearance--true handbook style save for the size! Excellent resource! My camp boss is actually looking into picking up more copies.

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Survival Wisdom is a large-scale practical guide, jam-packed with information on every aspect of outdoor life and adventure. Survival Wisdom & Know-How is the most complete, all-in-one volume on every aspect of outdoor adventure and survival ever, from orienteering to campfire cooking to ice climbing and beyond. Culled from dozens of respected books from Stackpole, the industry's leader in outdoor adventure, this massive collection of wilderness know-how leaves absolutely nothing to chance when it comes to surviving and thriving in the wilderness—and appreciating every minute of it. Topics include Building Outdoor Shelter, Tracking Animals, Winter Camping, Tying Knots, Orienteering, Reading the Weather, Identifying Edible Plants and Berries, Surviving in the Desert, Bird Watching, Fishing and Ice Fishing, Hunting and Trapping, Canoeing, Kayaking, and White Water Rafting, First Aid, Wild Animals, Cookery, and much more. Useful illustrations and photos throughout make it easy to browse and use. With contributions by the experts at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) as well as the editors of Stackpole's Discover Nature series, Survival Wisdom & Know-How is the definitive, must-have reference for the great outdoors.

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Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why Review

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(More customer reviews)Laurence Gonzales has written a riveting book, not about survival technique, but survival philosophy. The points he makes can be applied to any situation in which you find yourself endangered physically, mentally, or emotionally. He weaves together the tao te ching, chaos theory, musings on Roman military tactics, biological lessons on how the brain works to help us preserve the species by preserving ourselves, true-life experiences from people who have endured some of the more bizarre "accidents", and his own taste for thrills.
Gonzales bookends the essays with the story of his father, a scientist who, as a young flier during WWII, was shot down over Germany. He FELL out of his plane--he didn't parachute, he literally fell--and lived through a harrowing recovery as a POW.
Why did his dad make it when the rest of his crew was killed?
Some of this has to do with events you can't control, and some of it has to do with how to control yourself so that you can find a way out of dire straits. He points out that some people can make every correct decision and end up being killed, while others make every wrong decision and walk out of the woods (or off a mountain...) unscathed. But, you can learn to THINK like a survivor, and greatly increase your chances of getting through what may seem, even to others in the same sinking boat, like a no-win situation.
Gonzales's dad taught him, "Plan the flight. Fly the plan, but don't fall in love with the plan." Being prepared is only part of the equation; being able to adjust to changing circumstances is what a lot of us forget about.
Reading this book is an adventure in itself. If you're a city dweller, like me, and don't anticipate not having the Sears Tower in your line of sight if you get disoriented, it's still enjoyable, and applicable to what you will eventually experience.
This book should be on every high school reading list. (Preferably BEFORE the kid takes driver's ed.)
I also recommend Gavin DeBecker's books, such as THE GIFT OF FEAR. He discusses some of what Gonzales does, insofar as honing your inner resources so they work FOR you, but he is also very specific regarding cases of direct threats from other people. Gonzales does discuss how non-survivors can compromise a survivor, but most of what he talks about is environmental.
If you are planning a wilderness trip or just a seemingly innocuous weekend hike, this book is a great reality check. It's also an inspiration. Some of these stories are just amazing, and they prove how tough, and sometimes dumb, a species we are.

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U.S. Air Force Survival Handbook Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is packed with useful information. It makes a great study guide or even just as an informational book. It includes illustrations and surprisingly detailed instructions for just about everything in the wild. It has everything from lashing and knots to wild plants and maps.The back of the book says it includes "First aid for illness and injury, finding your way without a map, building a fire, finding food and water, using ropes and tying knots, mountain survival, concealment techniques, signaling for help, survival at sea, building shelters, animal tracking, predicting the weather and much more"... and I've looked through the book, there really IS much more.

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A comprehensive manual of proven wilderness survival tactics for every situation.
Written for use in formal United States Air Force survival training courses, the U.S. Air Force Survival Handbookiis the bible for pilots who want to stay alive-no matter what.Assuming, as the Air Force does, that flight personnel may be faced atany time with a bailout or crash landing in hostile territory withoutsupplies, the advice here is superlatively practical, but alsosurprisingly readable and interesting. Detailing specific survivalthreats at sea, in the tropics, in the desert, in Arctic conditions,and the psychological perils of imprisonment and torture, this handbookis replete with fascinating and useful (if unsettling) information.Precisely written, profusely illustrated, and completely authoritative,this is an essential book for anyone-soldier or civilian-looking forknowledge that could prove to be the difference between life and deathin a dangerous situation. 1000 black-and-white illustrations

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