Mountaineers offer advice on how not to get bitten — or eaten
Published 9:00 pm Friday, October 3, 2003
The Mountaineers have just come out with a trio of slim advice books that you may want to slide into your backpack for your next outing, or into a stocking when the holidays come.
"Don’t Get Eaten," "Don’t Get Bitten" and "Don’t Forget the Duct Tape" collectively cover the basics of avoiding death and dismemberment in the wilderness.
Whether it’s the right way to fend off a grizzly with pepper spray (wait until they’re within 25 to 40 feet and then hose away), the best way to treat a bark scorpion sting (a wet compress and painkillers should be enough to get through the worst of it in nine to 30 hours), or revive your Gore-Tex jacket (wash it, dry it, iron it), the little books are full of helpful tips.
While few hikers will ever tangle with a moose or wrestle a coral snake, wouldn’t it be nice to know what to do if you did?
"Don’t Forget the Duct Tape" is probably the most useful of the three, covering everything from zipper repair to sharpening a knife, but it’s considerably less exciting than stalking cougars and deadly spiders.
And, at $6.95 each and 5 by 4 inches, the books are small enough to take with you on the trail if you want a little expert guidance.
Reporter Andrew Wineke: 425-339-3465 or wineke@heraldnet.com.
