I was reminded of this just a few days ago. No, not on a camping trip or even in the wilds. It was, nonetheless, a good reminder to review my medical supplies. This is not the sexy side of wilderness medicine. What attracts most of us to the austere or wilderness medical setting is the…
Category: Hiking
Spinal Protection in the Wilderness: What We’ve Been Doing Wrong for Decades
The latest Wilderness Medical Society Guidelines for spinal cord protection have been released (SCP Guidelines). The results are nothing short of dramatic. If you have been a victim of a traumatic injury over the past 50 years, you have been quickly placed in a cervical collar and strapped to a backboard to “protect your spine”….
What’s in a Name: Docwilderness
Why use the name Docwilderness for your blog? You don’t just write about the woods or camping, after all. In general, I answer that there is so much wilderness around us; why should I restrict what I write or talk about to just one area of the proverbial forest? More specifically, Webster’s dictionary defines wilderness…
Foraging
Have you or anyone you know ever gone out into the wild to pick blackberries, honeysuckle, rabbit tobacco or mushrooms? If you have, you have been foraging. A time honored tradition and, for millennia, one of the few ways humans could sustain themselves. It has not been, historically speaking, long since humans started farming and…
Altitude: It May Not be as High as You Think
For many, the thought of going “to altitude” brings images of Mt. Everest or similar mountaineering peaks. Physiologically, however, nothing could be further from the truth. Depending upon susceptibility, humans can begin to experience symptoms of altitude illness as low as 1500 meters above sea level. The chances increase after 6,500 feet and further still…
New Trangia 25-8 Stove
We had an excellent oatmeal breakfast with the Trangia 25-8 stove this morning. This is a new purchase for us. We decided to move into the bigger size to make meal preparation for 2 a bit easier. It is a bit heavier than our previous mini-Trangia but much faster when cooking for more than one…
Providence Canyon Hike
My wife and I went for a hike today at Providence Canyon State Park in Lumpkin, GA. We had a great time. We were trying out our new packs from Gregory. I have the Baltoro 75 and she was carrying the Deva 70. Despite just being out for a short hike, we went ahead and…
Pre-trip Medical Planning
Planning your trip of a lifetime? Or just a short getaway in a far away place. Or even not so far away? So many things to do to get ready. Get the passport, travelers checks, pack your bags, etc. Unfortunately, we too often forget one of the most important aspects of travel preparation, a trip…
Improvised and Multi-Use Gear
There are any number of pieces of hiking equipment that can be improvised or turned into multi-use products. Some hikers just enjoy seeing what they can get away with as far as the lightness of their pack. But there are good reasons to lighten the load, if possible. The lighter the load, the easier the…
Be Prepared…Be Very Prepared
This past weekend, my wife and I set out for a short 7.4 mile “out and back” hike. We had a great time even though she did sprain an ankle due to a concealed rock at the end of the trail. Thankfully, she was prepared and used her trekking poles to save her from much…