Tuesday, October 25, 2011

My First Trip to Killarney: Hiking Silver Peak in the rain


A few weekends ago I made a trip out to Bell lake in Kilarney Provincial Park with my girlfriend and her family on a 3 day trip.  Our goal was to hike up to the summit of Silver Peak, the third highest peak in Ontario.  This would be my first time in Killarney, and attempting Silver Peak, though most members of our group have made this climb numerous times before.


Killarney is known for it's picturesque scenary (members of the Group of Seven were known to paint here) and on the eastern side of the park, Silver Peak is a big part of that.  The exposed white quartzite on it's peak is known to glow brightly in the sunlight, giving the mountain it's name and at 1782ft up, it represents the highest point of the La Cloche mountain range.  The view from the top must be spectacular on a clear day; I wouldn't know, but more on that later...

We started our trip early Friday morning and by the time we reached Kilarney it had already been raining for a full night, and it wasn't letting up.  We packed our canoes and began paddling towards the site which would make the next day's hike the easiest.  



After paddling through the rain for 20 mins we made our approached and were disappointed to find that it was occupied by another group.




We turned around and paddled to the other side of Bell lake where we could search for other available sites.  On our trip to the other side, we passed by an island connected to the mainland by a walking bridge.  As we paddled by we were spotted by a curious dog who saw us from the shore, and to our surprised he made the trip out from the mainland across to bridge to come say hi to us.



As we came to free sites we began scouting them out to compare which fit our needs the best, finally settling on #88.  We unloaded the canoes and began to set up camp, with the rain letting up enough for us to set up our tents and base area without much wetness.  It always surprises me how quickly camp chores can be completed when there are enough people who are experienced and know what tasks need to be completed.





With plenty of free time left in the day took the opportunity to collect and dry firewood while exploring the area.  As it turned out there was a small waterfall not too far from our site, and the kids with us wasted no time in exploring the local fauna.






This time of year the sun sets by 6pm, and it's a strange feeling to be tired because of the darkness only to find out it's 7:30pm (stranger still is to hear kids who planned on staying up until midnight ask to go to bed at 8pm).




I find that being in the bush and disconnected from technology is like hitting a reset switch for my body.  It knows when to sleep, what time to wake up, how much to eat and how much to drink.  As a result I actually tend to get more restful sleep, wake earlier, eat less, drink more water...all while performing more work than usual. So taking cues from my body, I headed to bed (turns out it was around 9pm).


The next morning we woke up to more rain, and this time it didn't let up.  We ate a quick meal of breakfast sandwiches and coffee and began paddling off to the trailhead.  We paddled exposed on the water for about 40 mins with the wind and rain blowing on us the entire time; even with rain gear it was clear this was going to be a wet and cold climb.

When we got to the trail, we pulled the canoes on shore.  In the time it took to get everyone out of the water and secure the gear, we had all chilled because of the blowing wind and wet conditions- the only option to stay warm was to keep moving and so we headed off.



2 1/2 hours of non-stop hiking.  That's how long it took to reach the summit.  The entire trail isn't long, only about 5.7 km, but the trail is rocky and last 1km-1.5km is straight up steep exposed quartzite, which tends to get slick when wet.  








With the constant rainfall and the nature of water taking the path of least resistance, the trails we were on literally turned into small streams, and the the steep sections into miniature waterfalls.



More than once we found ourselves jumping from wet rock to wet rock in order to cross areas that had become flooded out.



We took minimal breaks to hydrate and snack, because the moment we stopped moving our core temperatures began to drop.

Once we reached the summit we spent 5 minutes "enjoying the view" while we were hit with 50km/hr winds and sprays of mist.  The peak of Silver Peak is about 60ft shorter than the CN Tower so I have no doubt the view would have been spectacular on a clear day, but we just didn't have the kind of luck.




The climb down turned out to be more treacherous than the climb up.  Not only were we more tired this time, but I suspect that we may even have been a bit dehydrated due to the lack of hydration breaks.  Ironic that we were so wet and yet were lacking water.  I took two falls on the slick rocks, the first time injuring my leg and the second time barely catching myself on a standing tree as I slide off the slick quartzite and almost down a steep muddy drop.




The paddle back was an adventure of it's own.  With the winds having picked up while we were on our hike up the mountain, we were treated to high waves out in the middle of Bell Lake.  Already exhausted after the hike, our saving grace was that the wind was blowing in our favour, coming at our backs.  I kept my canoe tighter to the shoreline when the waves got rough, but we were still treated to swells strong enough that we could continue forward without even needing to paddle for certain stretches.

Back at camp we built a fire to dry out our rain soaked clothing.  Once we changed into dry clothes we were treated to hot bowls of chili and mugs of warm mulled wine.  There's nothing quite like a hot drink by the camp fire to breath life back into you after a cold, wet day.


I think it's safe to say everyone slept very well that night.

The next day we packed up out camp and made the short paddle back to the outfitters.  The wind was still in force so a 20 minute paddle ended up being  almost half an hour


After going through what we did to make it to the top of Silver Peak the day before, it only makes sense that the day we were leaving we'd be graced with the "mildest" weather of the trip.  Fairly clear skies, with no rain...and what that in the distance?  I believe that's Silver Peak, with a clear view of the park.


Hopefully the next time I come we'll have better weather.  I'd like to come a few weeks earlier, before all the leaves fall so that we can see the colours.

Monday, October 17, 2011

A Summary of my 5-Days with Mors Kochanski (Part 2)

My last post gave a more structured summary of the course.  There are however, bits and pieces of knowledge I gain that Mors brought up, which I felt were important and hadn't been addressed in anything else I've read.  This concepts didn't fit into any particular category, so I'll make a point to mention themhere.
  • The distinction that primitive living IS NOT the same as survival. In his experience Mors has found that indigenous people know very little about teaching survival, since from their perspective the skills that they know are just what it takes to live day-to-day. A true survival instructor will be able to recognize and emphasize the areas you are deficient in and would need to address if put in a survival situation.

  • 75% of the knowledge encompassed by a person living 1000 years ago would be solely dedicated to the flora present in the areas they live in. The usefulness of each plant, which parts to utilize, the seasons they are useful, etc. The remaining 25% would be devoted to fauna, shelter, fire, and other skills. This was particularly humbling to me as I am particularly weak in this area.

  • Reflector fires are a misnomer and should actually be known as re-emitter fires.

  • Your clothing is your primary shelter. Dress properly and you can spent a winter night in the Boreal forest with nothing more than a large (correctly built) parallel log fire.

  • Diamond Willow fungus, Calamus (Ratroot/Sweetflag), and Balsam resin are what Mors turns to in the forest to remedy any illness or injury he encounters.
  • (1) Diamond Willow Fungus (2) Ratroot (3) Balsam

  • You have mastered the flint and steel fire when you can build a fire from striking a sewing needle on the bottom of a tea cup

  • The importance of fasting. It's funny that more often then not people fixing on methods of acquiring food in survival, whereas Mors exalted the benefits of not eating. By not eating you put yourself into starvation mode that allows your body to use stored fat. Eat something, even small and the insulin surge takes you out of that mode and your body tries to burn glucose again. This forces your body to metabolize muscle tissue until it switches back to burning fat, actually worsening your situation.

  • In a survival situation the sole goal is to last until rescue. If you've done your trip planning properly, someone will notice you're missing and will likely send rescue to look for you. Survival and wilderness living are not the same.

  • A stone ring placed around a fire isn't very useful at prevent forest fires and actually prevents you from utilizing the fire to it's full potential. A properly built fire is built on TOP of a stone platform, so that oxygen and freely flow through the fire from underneath.

  • A properly made survival fire in the Norther Boreal forest requires hug sized pieces of wood, laid out in a parallel log fire configuration. The heat radiating out from it should force you to stand 1 meter away from it to be comfortable. Mors found this fire setup to be optimal for fuel usage and utility because the heat that reaches you is strong and uniform enough to warm your whole body or dry wet clothes (ie. no singed clothing).

  • Through his own testing Mors claims that the heat that reaches you from a fire follows an inverse cubed law. That means the heat that reaches you at 2m from the fire is 1/8 the warmth as if you were 1m from the fire.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

A Summary of my 5-Days with Mors Kochanski (Part 1)

Photo courtesy of School in the Woods

It's been almost a month now since I spent almost a week learning from the man who literally wrote the book on Northern Bushcraft.

The course was held by School in the Woods and took place on 40 Acres by the Credit river in Norval, ON.



This visit marks the second time they've hosted him here in Ontario.  In the 5 days I spent with Mors there was no want for more information.  The man always had something to say, and it was not uncommon to stop every 15-20 steps on a hike for him to explain some useful plant or tree that caught his eye.  This of doesn't mean the course was haphazard, we had plenty of structured lessons, both lecture and hands on work to gain experience with.

Photo courtesy of School In The Woods


In no particular order:

Emergency Whistle
  • Made from a single thin strip of aluminum- you don't carry the aluminum with you, it can easily be salvaged from an empty pop can, soup tin or any other garbage you might happen to find or have on you
  • A whistle can really save your voice if you're trying to signal for rescue, and these things can get wicked loud.  I was surprised at how functional they are.

Folded containers
 
Photo courtesy of School In The Woods

  • We used butcher paper as a stand in, but these folded containers are just as easily made from Birch Bark
  • The usefulness of a device to boil water or a container to hold items should not be overlooked, as without one you aren't able to stay hydrated safely

Netting

  • Craving a netting needle an gauge out of any suitable wood means you're able to travel light and produce a tools when the need arises, rather than carrying it with you
  • Traditional netting techniques are simple once shown and can readily produce a gillnet, throw net or even impromptu hammock depending on the tensile strength of the available cordage.
  • Nets are a passive technique, meaning they can catch food while you're away, focused on another task

Grass cord / rope

  • Mors produced this grass rope right before my eyes in less than 5 mins.
  • No one was able to break it, and it's made from simple grass.
  • One trick to making stronger, more reliable cordage is to keep tension on the two ends while twisting.
  • Mors told us a story of a school bus running into a ditch when he was on a field trip with kids. Before a tow truck even arrived, 21 students collecting grass and twisting it into rope were able to produce a cord strong enough to pull the bus out of the ditch using the Kochanski flip-flop winch.

The Kochanski Flip-flop Winch


  • 2 logs used as levers, 1 rope with one end tied to the object to be moved and the other to a stationary object.
  • One lever "flips" the cordage over the second lever, and the the second lever "flops" back over the first.
  • You have a winch with can move a tremendous amount of weight with very little effort from the operator.


Bucksaw


  • The bow saw can be made in the field with a saw blade and natural materials, or the frame can be packed as well.
  • Extremely efficient at processing larger sized pieces of wood.  Staying warm in the Boreal forest requires wood of hug sized diameter, and lengths 1.5x the distance from nose to outstretched finger tip.
  • The 4ft bow saw shown above was gifted to Carl Chambers, instructor and owner of School in the Woods by Mors.
  • My own bow saw made after the demonstration.


Roycroft Pack


  • The Roycroft pack is a simple way of carrying a large amount of gear with minimal equipment.
  • The tarp can be used to set up shelter at camp once you arrive at your destination, and then used to bundle the gears again when you break camp again the next day.
  • Mors provided us anecdotal evidence of students he taught who stopped using their own packs and switched to the Roycroft pack because they found it much more comfortable and effective.

Skii Shoes


  • The skii shoe is a functional snowshoe than can be made in the bush.  
  • To most people, the traditional snowshoe is tennis racket shaped shoe with sinew or cord criss-crossed throughout to hold the weight.  Indigenous people did not use these as field expedient shoes, and to build a functional pair actually took many weeks by skilled craftsmen.
  • The skii shoe offers a soluation if you need quick method to walk a long distance through the bush in deep snow.
  • Estimate each support to hold 15-20 lbs of load (if I remember correctly), and then build the shoes accordingly.
  • One of the tests to become an instructor for Mors is to build a complete pair of skii shoes in less than 2 hours start to finish.
Principles of a bush knife
  • Mors cutting down a live sapling using nothing but a knife.  I've read about and tried this method before but was never really successful until I saw him down it right in front of me.
  • Mors favors traditional Scandinavian styled knives, 4-6" and fairly thin blades.
  • A longer upsweep on the belly of the blade gives more cutting surface 
  • The knife must be able to produce 4 distinct curls on a single stroke of feathered wood.  If it can't do this, find one that can.
  • A Kochanski feather stick.  This used to be a baseball bat sized piece of seasoned Aspen.
  • A razor edge takes wood carving from being a chore to an enjoyable task

Kochanski Scarf
  •  Made out of parachute material, the Kochanski scarf is a folded rectangle sewn on all edges except 12" in the middle of one side.  Length spans outstretched fingertip to fingertip
  • The scarf can be used as a neck protector, a bivy, a bed, a quilt, a head wrap, a wind screen, face mask, snow blindness filter and more.

Lean-to

Photo courtesy of School In The Woods
  • Mors took to time to inspect a lean-to shelter that we found on the property and point out a few key things to note (which visible in the picture above)
  • The horizontal brace supporting the roof should be on the other side of the trees.  If the cordage holding it up was cut or snapped, you would be sleeping in a deadfall trap.
  • The pitch on the roof needs to be steeper in order to shed rain efficiently
  • A wind break should be created on one side only.  If both sides are open, a breeze can pass through, but if both sides are closed then a vortex of air is trapped between.  Choose the side which blocks the prevailing wind 
  • Build the shelter in forested areas which exhibit patches where nothing grows.  Typically it means no moisture makes it down from the tree canopy and you'll benefit from this
  • The fire should be 1m away from the bed.  Further than  that, and it burns too much wood to maintain; closer and it isn't hot enough to sustain itself without you constantly adjusting it.

Super Shelter



  • The Kochanski super shelter is Mors' attempt to recreate the benefits of an igloo using modern materials which can be packed in a kit.
  • Igloos (1) insulate  (2) provide shelter  (3) block wind (4) reflect warmth within the structure
  • The super shelter pictured above was built by 4 people in 30 minutes.  It requires bedding, a reflective mylar sheet, clear poly tarp and parallel long fire to be considered complete.  The exercise was to demonstrate building the structure.
  • A coffin shape is more effective at retaining warmth than a rectangle.
  • The whole shelter can be moved without being disassembled if the Flip-Flop winch is employed.

Signal Fire


  • Mors claims that this method shown to him by Tom Roycroft is superior to the standard tripod method that is known to most people.
  • The thick bundle of kindling and the closer proximity to the ground created a heat column that pushes the signal smoke through the tree canopy better than the common tripod
  • The downside I found was that it took much longer to collect the necessary material.  It took 8 people close to 20 mins to create a bundle the size in the first picture.  
  • I think this is great method for a signal fire, but I would spend the time to work on it only after first creating a tripod, which typically can be erected in around 20 mins by one person.