February 26th, 2010
California Condors at the Grand Canyon
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Test results released Monday revealed that three California Condors died last month in Northern Arizona as a result of eating lead pellets while feeding on carrion. Condors generally feed on dead animals and that includes the entrails of deer, elk, and other big game killed by hunters. The high levels of lead cause the bird’s digestive system to shut down which causes it to eventually starve to death. Since the reintroduction of the California Condor into the wild back in 1996, 15 birds have been killed as a result of [...] Continue Reading…
Tags: California Condor, Condor, Condor deaths, Condor lead poisoning
Posted in Arizona Stuff | No Comments »
February 24th, 2010
This month’s desert plant is called Globe Mallow. It is a beautiful plant that is easily defined by its bright orange flowers that are shown in the spring and summertime and grows anywhere from 6 inches to 3 feet tall. Globe Mallow is also commonly known as Desert Mallow, Sore Eye Poppy and Sore Eye Mallow. The “sore eye” common name serves as a warning to anyone who may see this plant along the Arizona trails. The stems of this plant are covered with fibrous hairs that can be very irritating if you come in contact with the plant [...] Continue Reading…
Tags: Arizona Desert Plants, Desert Mallow, Globe Mallow, natural remedy for blisters, Sore Eye Mallow, Sore Eye Poppy
Posted in Arizona Stuff, Backpacking & Hiking, Health & Fitness, Special Series | No Comments »
February 18th, 2010
Every time I drive to Grand Canyon, I see this billboard (pictured left) and finally remembered to stop and take a picture and comment on it for its absolute absurdity. Based on this billboard, it appears that Papillon Helicopters believes that hiking, walking or simply using one’s own two feet is more invasive to the environment than taking a tour in a helicopter. Yes, walking, hiking, backpacking, etc. does leave literal footprints, and if you stay on established trails, you are not doing damage. But what about the carbon footprint left by any gasoline and oil fueled vehicle?
Let’s look [...] Continue Reading…
Tags: Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon carbon footprint, Grand Canyon helicopters, Grand Canyon hiking, helicopter noise, helicopters carbon footprint
Posted in Backpacking & Hiking, That's F-d Up | No Comments »
February 16th, 2010
Katadyn Pocket Water Purifier
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I’m going to state the obvious here. Clean water is an absolute necessity when backpacking. Whether we are camping along a mountain stream or searching for a flowing spring in the desert, treating the water we drink is the best practice because not doing so can result in some nasty stomach viruses that will ruin your trip. There’s a lot written on this subject already so my intent is not to restate everything out there but to just make you aware of the types of purification systems available so you can research [...] Continue Reading…
Tags: Aqua Mira, backpacking water filters, backpacking water purifiers, MSR MIOX, Steripen
Posted in Backpacking & Hiking, Gear | No Comments »
