The WildeBeat

Thu, Jan 05, 2006

Riding Outside the Lines

Posted at 09:00

/shows/wild_places [link ]

This wild places program is about motor vehicle intrusions into National Forest wilderness. This additional story came out of the interviews for our previous program number 23, Drawing Lines in the Snow.

The National Forest wilderness near Bear Valley, California, has a problem similar to a lot of wilderness areas. Some motorized recreation users, in this case snowmobiles, don't respect wilderness boundaries. This kind of thing happens with different kinds of vehicles year-round, but it's especially difficult to police in the winter. Find out how big this problem is, and what you can do about it.

• Show number 24 [MP3 format; length 8:14; 1,979,374 bytes]
• Show number 24 script

Sun, Dec 25, 2005

We want to hear from you...

Posted at 16:30

/blog/news [link ]

When we first conceived The WildeBeat, we wanted a big part of it to be listener participation. Thanks to those of you who sent us some good ideas. But we really want to encourage a lot more.

As an experiment, we'd like to launch a second podcast feed. This second feed, as yet unnamed, will consist almost exclusively of listener-contributions of news and ideas that you leave on our comment line, or e-mail to us as audio or text files. (Please see our contribute page for help on commenting by e-mail.) Shows based on these contributions will be published irregularly, whenever we collect at least a couple of minutes of usable content, or whenever that content contains important breaking news.

We need to hear from you!

Contribution ideas:

1. Tell us about your favorite, under-appreciated, wilderness or backcountry area.
2. Solicit volunteers for an organization that helps people discover wilderness recreation.
3. Announce an outing or other activity your club or group is sponsoring.
4. Tell us about a special outdoors skill you have or wish to develop.
5. Provide news about conditions or issues relating to one of your local backcountry or wilderness areas.
6. Add to, comment on, or correct anything you hear on our shows.

We're interested in any comments you'd like to make about the WildeBeat, or about wilderness areas or activities. When we have enough listener-contributed material, we'll announce the new feed.

Thu, Dec 15, 2005

Drawing Lines in the Snow

Posted at 09:00

/shows/wild_places [link ]

This wild places program is about conflicts over the use of winter recreation areas in national forests. Backcountry skiers and snowshoe hikers can be disturbed by snowmobilers. But are they actually seeking such different things?

Bear Valley, California, is popular with snowmobilers, skiers, and snowshoe hikers alike. The National Forest and the community are looking for ways that they can all get along. Find out what happens next...

• Show number 23 [MP3 format; length 9:56; 2,384,272 bytes]
• Show number 23, high-fidelity stereo [MP3 format; length 9:56; 9,537,537 bytes]
• Show number 23 script
• To find out more...

Thu, Dec 08, 2005

The Year in Gear

Posted at 09:00

/shows/gear [link ]

This gear program might give you some holiday shopping ideas. Steve asked three volunteer editors from Backpack Gear Test to pick their favorites: Rick Allnutt¹, Jim Sabiston², and Edward Ripley-Duggan³. Out of thousands of reviews published on BGT this year, they recommended these:

1. Orikaso Fold Flat Picnic Set¹
2. Outdoor Research Airfoil Gloves²
3. Princeton Tec EOS Headlamp³
4. Vargo Jet-Ti Stove¹
5. Bozeman TorsoLite Sleeping Pad²
6. MSR Lightning Ascent Snowshoe³
7. Tilley TH4 Hemp Hat¹
8. Black Diamond Lighthouse Tent²
9. Western Mountaineering Antelope Sleeping Bag³
10. Gossamer Gear Lightrek PLUS Poles¹

You can provide gear reviews as well. You'll start out by reviewing gear you already own, and then you might be able to get other free gear to review. Read: How to become a tester.

• Show number 22 [MP3 format; length 9:49; 2,359,194 bytes]
• Show number 22 script

Thu, Dec 01, 2005

Sierra Backcountry Ski Trails

Posted at 09:00

/shows/skills [link ]

This skills program is an interview with Marcus Libkind. Marcus wrote the most comprehensive and widely used trail guides for backcountry ski tours in the Sierra Nevada:

• Ski Tours in the Sierra Nevada, Volume 1: Lake Tahoe
• Ski Tours in the Sierra Nevada, Volume 2: Carson Pass, Bear Valley, Pinecrest
• Ski Tours in the Sierra Nevada, Volume 3: Yosemite, Huntington and Shaver Lakes, Kings Canyon, Sequoia
• Ski Tours in the Sierra Nevada, Volume 4: East of the Sierra Crest
• Ski Tours in Lassen Volcanic National Park

If you want to explore the backcountry on skis, Marcus recommends getting lessons and practice at groomed-track cross-country ski resorts first. The Cross Country Ski Areas Association has a directory of them. One good beginner's guide to winter backcountry skills is Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book.

• Show number 21 [MP3 format; length 9:50; 2,360,239 bytes]
• Show number 21 script

Fri, Nov 25, 2005

Marijuana Plantation Pictures

Posted at 13:00

/blog/outings [link ]

In program 19 we reported on the clean-up of a former marijuana plantation in Big Basin State Park. The organization who provided the labor for that clean-up have posted some pictures:

• Marijuana Garden Pictures: Big Basin State Park

Thu, Nov 24, 2005

The Cucamonga Wilderness

Posted at 09:00

/shows/wild_places [link ]

This wild places program explores Southern California's most undiscovered National Forest wilderness, the Cucamonga Wilderness. The Cucamonga straddles the border between the San Bernardino National Forest, and the Angeles National Forest. It's the least-visited wilderness in the greater Southern California region.

Steve got into the wilderness with wilderness ranger Sharon Barfknecht, and district ranger Gabe Garcia. They met at the Lytle Creek Ranger Station, and then day-hiked from the Middle Fork trailhead. They hiked a few miles up the canyon of the middle fork of Lytle Creek.

There's another trailhead on the west side in the Angeles National Forest. This trailhead is in Ice House Canyon. It's a much more popular way to access the Cucamonga Wilderness.

The California Wilderness Coalition has proposed some additions to the Cucamonga. They publish a map of their proposed additions. Gabe Garcia provides some news on that effort.

• Show number 20 [MP3 format; length 9:57; 2,389,311 bytes]
• Show number 20, extended high-fidelity stereo [MP3 format; length 11:26; 10,983,177 bytes]
• Show number 20 script

Fri, Nov 18, 2005

More about Drug Cultivation in National Parks

Posted at 17:50

/blog/news [link ]

The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) published a press release titled, Congress Examines Drug Trafficking in National Parks. Here's an excerpt:

Illegal marijuana cultivation within Sequoia National Park, for instance… has had serious consequences on the safety of park staff and visitors, the experiences of visitors, and the park’s already-tight budget,” NPCA Central Valley Program Manager Laura Whitehouse testified before the Parks Subcommittee of the House Resources Committee. “The parks are in desperate need of increased backcountry patrols, and helicopter time to patrol and conduct surveillance of these hard-to-find growing areas. Without further investigation of marijuana activities within the parks, park resources—as well as visitors and park rangers—are in danger.”

It's interesting that the NPCA testified before congress on this issue on the same day we issued our edition on the subject.

Thu, Nov 17, 2005

Restoring a Park Gone to Pot

Posted at 09:00

/shows/outings [link ]

Photo by Paige Falk

Marijuana cultivation is a growing problem in public lands, especially in the Pacific west. Marijuana demand is increasing, our borders are tightening, and budgets for managing our public lands are being cut. National Parks, National Forests, and State Parks are increasingly attractive to organized crime for use as cultivation sites.

You can help in two ways: 1) By refusing to fund the black market for marijuana production, and 2) by volunteering for or donating to volunteer organizations who provide labor to restore these damaged ecosystems.

• Show number 19 [MP3 format; length 9:58; 2,392,317 bytes]
• Show number 19, extended high-fidelity stereo [MP3 format; length 13:22; 12,844,848 bytes]
• Show number 19 script
• Supplemental links and information

Thu, Nov 10, 2005

Lightweight Stove Reviews

Posted at 09:00

/shows/gear [link ]

This gear program presents reviews of three lightweight camp stoves. The reviews are provided by volunteer reviewers from Backpack Gear Test.

Rebecca Sowards-Emmerd reviews the Jetboil Personal Cooking System. Will Rietveld reviews the Brasslite Turbo II-D alcohol stove. Leesa Joiner reviews the Brunton Raptor stove.

• Show number 18 [MP3 format; length 9:51; 2,367,344 bytes]
• Show number 18 script

Thu, Nov 03, 2005

Lightweight Backpacking Reading List

Posted at 17:48

/blog/letters [link ]

Ryan Jordan, who I interviewed for this week's show, wrote to remind me that he edited and published a more advanced book on lightweight backpacking techniques than any I mentioned in the show notes. Ryan's book is titled LIGHTWEIGHT BACKPACKING AND CAMPING: A Field Guide to Wilderness Hiking Equipment, Technique, and Style

If you want to read all of the books mentioned in this post and this week's show, I recommend doing it in this order:

1. Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backpackin' Book, by Allen O'Bannon
2. Lighten Up! by Don Ladigin
3. Beyond Backpacking, by Ray Jardine
4. Lightweight Backpacking and Camping, edited by Ryan Jordan

Lighten Your Backpack!

Posted at 09:00

/shows/skills [link ]

This skills program explores lightweight backpacking. Ryan Jordan of Backpacking Light: The Magazine of Lightweight Hiking and Backcountry Travel talks about the lightweight backpacking movement.

Steve interviews Don Ladigin, the author of Lighten Up! (A complete handbook for lightweight and ultralight backpacking.).

Here are some other useful sources of information about lightweight backpacking:

• Book: Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backpacking Book by Allen O'Bannon
  If you're new to backpacking, read this before Lighten Up!.
• Book: Beyond Backpacking by Ray Jardine
  The original guide to lightweight backpacking, by one of it's earliest proponents.
• Mailing List: Backpacking light Yahoo Group
  A high-traffic mailing list with a very large subscriber list.

• Show number 17 [MP3 format; length 9:53; 2,375,808 bytes]
• Show number 17 script

Thu, Oct 27, 2005

A Winter Storm Warning, part 2

Posted at 09:00

/shows/skills [link ]

This skills program tells the rest of the story of backpacker Mike Bargetto and his three relatives, who were caught in an unexpected snow storm in October of 2004. The story describes their rescue from their Rae Lake camp site, in California's John Muir Wilderness.

The rescue was lead by Leutenant Phil Caporale, of the Fresno County Sheriff's Search and Rescue unit. He and Mike tell the story of the rescue from both perspectives.

Steve wraps up the show by talking about how you can be better prepared for unexpected mountain storms, and how to stay safe in such conditions. See the supplemental links, below, for lots of additional information.

• Show number 16 [MP3 format; length 9:41; 2,328,821 bytes]
• Show number 16 script
• Supplemental links and information

Mon, Oct 24, 2005

NEW! Our listener Comment Line

Posted at 14:00

/blog/news [link ]

You can now give us news tips and reports, or tell us what you think about the show, on our new toll-free listener comment line:

866-590-7373

To find out how to leave a message that we're most likely to play on the show, visit our Contribute page.

Thu, Oct 20, 2005

A Winter Storm Warning, part 1

Posted at 09:00

/shows/skills [link ]

This skills program tells the story of backpacker Mike Bargetto and his three relatives, who were caught in an unexpected snow storm in October of 2004. The story describes their hike in California's John Muir Wilderness from Courtright Reservoir to Rae Lake, and the conditions they encountered there.

In part two, we'll present the rest of Mike's story, and some advice for safely enjoying late season wilderness travel.

• Show number 15 [MP3 format; length 7:33; 1,814,593 bytes]
• Show number 15 script
• Map of Mike's route [PDF format; 3,653,574 bytes]

Thu, Oct 13, 2005

The Wilderness at Night, part 2

Posted at 09:00

/shows/wild_places [link ]

This wild places program is about the science of night time in wilderness. How does the sky glow from cities, and light pollution in general affect wilderness areas?

Steve interviews Chad Moore, a physical scientist with the National Park Service, and leader of their night sky research team. He talks about measuring light pollution in the parks.

Steve talks with Dr. Travis Longcore, the science director of the Urban Wildlands Group. Along with Catherine Rich, they edited a book, Ecological Consequences of Artificial Night Lighting, which contains the definitive collection of scientific papers on the subject.

Both Chad Moore and Dr. Longcore mentioned that the International Dark Sky Association is a good place for all kinds of information related to light pollution, it's prevention, and dark-sky science in general.

• Show number 14 [MP3 format; length 9:49; 2,358,881 bytes]
• Show number 14 script
• Supplemental links and information

Thu, Oct 06, 2005

The Wilderness at Night, part 1

Posted at 09:00

/shows/wild_places [link ]

This wild places program is about places where the wilderness is particularly good at night. Steve talks to some amateur astronomers about their passion for the darkness of the backcountry.

Chad Moore, a physical scientist for the National Park Service, tells us about National Parks where the sky is really dark:

• Natural Bridges National Monument (Utah)
• Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
• Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
• Death Valley National Park (California)
• Great Basin National Park (Nevada)

Mike Koop, president of the San Jose Astronomical Association, gives us some tips for exploring the night sky. He suggests printing a star chart from SKYMAPS.COM, and using binoculars.

Part 2 will be about the science of darkness in The Wilderness at Night.

• Show number 13 [MP3 format; length 7:17; 1,748,765 bytes]
• Show number 13 script

Tue, Oct 04, 2005

The WildeBeat Reviewed by Vox Monitor

Posted at 19:28

/blog/recognition [link ]

The WildeBeat was the subject of Episode 56 of Vox Monitor, a podcast review podcast. [Warning: Contains adult language]

Eric and Cohry, the hosts, have some fun at our expense. They say that the show is not their cup of tea (or pack of smokes?). But in spite of whatever they're smoking, they generally praised the show overall.

Thu, Sep 29, 2005

Ventana Vox Pop

Posted at 09:00

/shows/outings [link ]

This outings show is our first Vox Pop. Does the average person value getting into the wilderness?

Steve recorded the candid thoughts of these hikers on the Pine Ridge Trail, in the Big Sur River Canyon of California's Ventana Wilderness. They hiked ten miles each way to visit the popular hot springs at Sykes Camp.

• Show number 12 [MP3 format; length 7:45; 1,864,017 bytes]
• Show number 12 script

Thu, Sep 22, 2005

Wilderness Ranger Experiences

Posted at 09:00

/shows/skills [link ]

This skills program is about the job of being a backcountry ranger in national forest wilderness. It's a frequently romanticized job with lots of responsibility. Three rangers talk candidly about their experiences.

Sendi Kalcic and Brent Carpenter are professional backcountry wilderness rangers who have worked in the Desolation Wilderness of the Eldorado National Forest near Lake Tahoe, California. Amy McElvany is a volunteer wilderness ranger in the Sierra National Forest, working out of the High Sierra Ranger District.

At the end of the show, there's a correction from last week's show, and a request to offer your feedback and suggestions for the show.

• Show number 11 [MP3 format; length 9:55; 2,383,854 bytes]
• Show number 11, high-fidelity stereo [MP3 format; length 9:55; 9,535,865 bytes]
• Show number 11 script

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