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The Great Outdoors

Launched Q&A site for people who love outdoor activities, excursions, and outdoorsmanship.

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27  
I think that geographically-specific questions are perfectly appropriate, as long as they are tagged as such. Think of how Stack Overflow is so successful in having vary narrowly-targeted programming questions, about obscure languages. I think that same success will probably apply to this audience as well. – pkaeding Jun 30 '10 at 23:00
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I suspect that when we get to 100 users with 200+ reputation, we should work on some of the larger reputation members re-committing. – PearsonArtPhoto Nov 7 '11 at 4:31

merged with The Great Outdoors, Camping, Survivalism May 4 '11 at 22:34
merged with Backwoodsmanship May 4 '11 at 22:33
merged with Hiking May 4 '11 at 22:31
merged with Mountaineering and Climbing (including Indoor… May 4 '11 at 22:30
merged with Fishing and Hunting May 4 '11 at 21:54

71 Example Questions (8 closed)

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up vote 0 down vote
What are best snacks to eat on the trail?
added by ashansky Jan 25 '11 at 20:38
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up vote 0 down vote
With the advance in tech is old school orienteering still an essential skill?
added by Russell Steen Jan 25 '11 at 17:40
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up vote 0 down vote
What should I do to prepare when going to a a risk malaria area?
added by Cornelius Jan 25 '11 at 7:08
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up vote 1 down vote
How do I make a fire using only stuff I can find in the wilderness?
added by Jan Hlavacek Jan 24 '11 at 15:42
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up vote 1 down vote
I am going for a winter backpacking trip. Should I use skis or snowshoes? What are the (dis)advantages of one compared to the other?
added by Jan Hlavacek Jan 24 '11 at 15:40
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up vote 0 down vote
What should I use as a waterproof container for my gear when going on a week long canoe trip?
added by Jan Hlavacek Jan 24 '11 at 15:37
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up vote 1 down vote
What rules should I follow when backpacking in a given location in order to minimize a risk of being shot by a hunter?
added by Jan Hlavacek Jan 24 '11 at 15:34
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up vote 0 down vote
Can you hike safely with only electronic equipment such as GPS, or should you always have paper maps and a compass?
added by Rob White Jan 24 '11 at 13:44
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up vote 0 down vote
I'm going camping in the summer in England, UK, what sort of tent should I take?
added by Rob White Jan 24 '11 at 13:43
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Do you even need a tent in the summer in England? – Jan Hlavacek Jan 24 '11 at 15:50
up vote 0 down vote
Best ways to find water in [type of environment]?
added by Jawa Jan 24 '11 at 8:55
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up vote 0 down vote
What are the best trail for inexperience person who like to go hiking for a week-end near [place]?
added by Guillaume Coté Jan 17 '11 at 23:17
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up vote -1 down vote
Are sleeping bag temperature ratings meant for comfort or survival levels?
added by goric Jan 17 '11 at 16:58
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Why was this marked as "not a good example"? In general, when marking something as "not a good example", it is a good idea to explain why. – Jan Hlavacek Jan 21 '11 at 22:21
up vote -2 down vote
What do you consider the most important first aid skills to learn for backpacking, and why?
added by goric Jan 17 '11 at 16:57
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Why was this marked as "not a good example"? In general, when marking something as "not a good example", it is a good idea to explain why. – Jan Hlavacek Jan 21 '11 at 22:21
up vote 0 down vote
Under what conditions are use of crampons and an ice axe recommended?
added by goric Jan 17 '11 at 16:56
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up vote 1 down vote
How many miles per day can an average hiker expect to cover when hiking [trail/area] in [season]?
added by goric Jan 17 '11 at 16:55
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up vote 1 down vote
What are the recommended ways to secure my food supply from wildlife while backpacking?
added by goric Jan 17 '11 at 16:52
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up vote 0 down vote
What do you carry for a first aid kit on a week long backpacking trip, and why?
added by PearsonArtPhoto Jan 16 '11 at 14:51
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up vote 1 down vote
What is the safest way to purify "wild" fresh water?
added by Seanland Jan 16 '11 at 1:00
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up vote 2 down vote
Are there recommended guides on wild edibles in Northern Ontario, Canada?
added by Seanland Jan 16 '11 at 0:58
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up vote 0 down vote
What are some precautions to take while staying at a hostel?
added by Seanland Jan 15 '11 at 21:50
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Why is this not a good example? It may be off-topic here, but in that case it would be a good example of an off-topic question. – Jan Hlavacek Jan 21 '11 at 22:23
After thinking about it again it may be off topic, I interpreted backpacking to including more urbanized adventures. But then again it does seem to suit the site description. – Seanland Jan 24 '11 at 0:51
It does fit the description, but I think that it would be more suitable in the area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/6591/travel group. – Jan Hlavacek Jan 24 '11 at 15:54
1  
On topic. In many parts of the world hostels are not just urban but are placed near hiking trails, so that people can hike from hostel to hostel without having to carry a tent. – DJClayworth Jan 25 '11 at 15:45
@DJ. Good point! – Jan Hlavacek Jan 25 '11 at 19:59
up vote 0 down vote
What kind of winch is best for my truck to get to cool places.
added by Ross Jan 14 '11 at 23:15
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up vote 0 down vote
Are two in a tent better protected from bears?
added by David Lambert Jan 13 '11 at 22:54
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Good question! Will a tent actually make any difference? Am I better protected in a tent than when sleeping outside without a tent? – Jan Hlavacek Jan 24 '11 at 15:56
I heard that the recommendation stems from a concentration of human odor in the tent + a buddy in the tent to help make some noise if necessary, but I'd love to have more input on this. – David Lambert Jan 24 '11 at 18:59
up vote 1 down vote
What are essential steps to prevent hypothermia after falling into cold water in a remote location?
added by Pekka 웃 Jan 11 '11 at 19:24
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up vote 1 down vote
In which countries/networks is it possible to use a mobile phone without a SIM card solely for emergency calls?
added by Pekka 웃 Jan 11 '11 at 19:23
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up vote 2 down vote
How should a camping frame's weight be distributed over the body for the best long-term hiking situation?
added by CharkAttax Jan 10 '11 at 3:03
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up vote 2 down vote
What are first aid essentials for a hiking trip?
added by Pekka 웃 Jan 10 '11 at 2:35
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up vote 5 down vote
How to keep warm in a life-threateningly cold environment?
added by Pekka 웃 Jan 10 '11 at 2:32
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up vote 1 down vote
How trustworthy is "maximum / minimum temperature" information on sleeping bags when push comes to shove?
added by Pekka 웃 Jan 10 '11 at 2:31
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up vote 6 down vote
What are the different ways to purify water?
added by Mark Rogers Jan 9 '11 at 16:25
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up vote 5 down vote
I've never gone camping before. What are some important things I need to know to survive?
added by John Jan 9 '11 at 2:40
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up vote 1 down vote
What criteria should I consider (apart from price) when buying a sleeping bag for summer camping trips in the UK and northern Europe?
added by gkrogers Jan 8 '11 at 10:37
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up vote 15 down vote
How do you cook fish over a fire with little or no cooking equipment?
added by Präriewolf, edited by gkrogers Jan 8 '11 at 10:30
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3  
This is one of those questions that, while on-topic, should probably be reworded, as it is currently worded as a closed question (i.e. instead of encouraging explanations, it seems to beg a "yes" or "no" answer). "How does..." would be better. – HedgeMage Nov 23 '10 at 0:23
up vote 3 down vote
How much time realistically would it take to hike the Pan-American Highway, between Mexico and Panama?
added by Aim Kai, edited by gkrogers Jan 8 '11 at 10:28
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I don't think that this is useful because it is too location specific. Could be useful IFF it was posted with a location specific tag. – sixtyfootersdude Jun 17 '10 at 19:56
I think this is off topic here. Much better suited for something like area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/6591/travel – Jan Hlavacek Jan 6 '11 at 20:38
up vote -1 down vote
I am a [US] citizen. Do I need a permit [or a visa] from [Colombia and/or Panama] to hike [the Darién Gap]?
added by Jaime Soto Jan 7 '11 at 20:20
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While this is a good question, it is similar to "Is it legal to wild camp in the UK?" (just change 'wild camp' to 'hike' and 'Darién Gap' to 'UK') – koiyu Jan 7 '11 at 21:24
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@koiyu There is a slight difference, since the Darién Gap is under the jurisdiction of two countries (Colombia and Panama) so there is also an immigration component to the question. I changed the question to clarify my intent. – Jaime Soto Jan 7 '11 at 21:37
up vote 0 down vote
What are the regulations regarding tent camping / sleeping outdoors without a tent / making fire / other backpacking related activity in [a region]?
added by Jan Hlavacek Jan 6 '11 at 20:53
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up vote 0 down vote
Why do people climb to the top of Mount Everest? [closed]
added by PearsonArtPhoto Jan 6 '11 at 14:13
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closed as off topic by Jan Hlavacek, gkrogers, Pekka 웃, CharkAttax, Seanland Jan 15 '11 at 21:46

This question does not relate to the topic of the proposal.
It was closed as part of an automated migration of off-topic to close votes on September 29, 2011.

I don't think this is a good question for a Q&A site like this. It does not really have a correct answer. – Jan Hlavacek Jan 7 '11 at 3:13
I was going for off topic, so I'd say I've about got the mark then:-) – PearsonArtPhoto Jan 7 '11 at 4:40
This is a question for forum like /b/ not for stackexchange – Guillaume Coté Jan 18 '11 at 14:53
up vote 0 down vote
How much more water should I carry in the summer than the winter?
added by PearsonArtPhoto Jan 6 '11 at 14:11
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Do you really have to carry more water in the summer? In some places, winter is dryer. In some places summer is fairly cool, while in the winter you sweat more because of the extra clothing you are wearing and stuff you carry on your back. It will probably vary from person to person, too. – Jan Hlavacek Jan 7 '11 at 3:17
up vote 2 down vote
What are the 5 most useful pieces of luggage you'll want to never miss on a tour and why?
added by NES Dec 23 '10 at 16:40
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Why 5? What kind of tour? Are you saying you need any other luggage besides this: toulavci.com/obrazky/usarna1.jpg or this: tinyurl.com/23po29u :) – Jan Hlavacek Jan 7 '11 at 3:31
up vote 0 down vote
Which type of tent to use for which purpose/destination?
added by NES Dec 23 '10 at 16:26
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up vote 2 down vote
Which is your preferred technique to pack your backpack and why?
added by NES Dec 23 '10 at 16:23
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Why is this not a good example? Would the person who voted it as such please elaborate? – Jan Hlavacek Jan 21 '11 at 22:27
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