I’m not sure where I’m going with this post? I just figured this might be a nice place to post useful traveler info on anything from correctly patching a hole in your tent to medical how to. Right now it’s just a random bit of stuff I picked up from doing a few classes this fall. If you’ve got anything good to add let me know. This will be a work in progress blog post.
Random Medical Info
Altitude Illness
Go down or wait it out
Rx Acetazolamide can also take the edge off but should medicate before assent
No alcohol or sedatives
Cough & blood in bile you NEED to go to the hospital
Prevention 10,000 ft (3048 m) or above take 2/3 rest days, Assent 1000-1500 ft (305-610 m) per day above 10,000 you need to rest often
Diet of 70% cards above 16,000 ft (488o m)
Aspirin or Gingko might be a preventive
Bug Repellent
Vitamin E or Garlic pills (unconfirmed)
Signs of Infection
Redness 1/4 inch from wound
Mild = red, hot and angry
Severe = fever, red streaking, swollen lymph nodes
Water Purification
Rolling Boil
Chlorine to Water ratio is 1 tablespoon to 1 gallon
Hypothermia
Mild = confused
Moderate = violent shivers
Severe = stops shivering, decreased pulse, stopped talking
Replace wet clothes, eat and drink if can, warm sweet fluids, get into a sleeping bag and do moderate exercise like sit ups, alone!
Misc.
Only pop blisters on hands and feet
Keep sleeping socks in your sleeping bag
Lighting
Spread out the group, stay in the tent, say out of both the high and low spots
How I Learned to Stop Worrying 
Bug repellant – Garlic – On my trek, I talked with several people throughout the USA (locals spread across the USA) about bug repellants. Garlic works for some bugs, not for other bugs. The essential oils of strong smelling plants can be made into a Do It Yourself bug spray. The oils we spray on our skin also make it hard for the bugs to land on.
BUT, DIY bug spray needs to be applied often, feels sticky and essential oils are volatile – the working part of the spray evaporates quickly, even evaporating from the sealed bottle.
DEET is poison, that is why bugs don’t land – they know better. But we spray it on us. Who is smarter, us or bugs?
I asked people for directions for several reasons: 1) I was bored, 2) someone said “go THIS way” but someone else said “go THAT way”, 3) I wanted a lead in to ask “Is there someplace I can camp for the night, for free, without getting shot or arrested?” 4) were there resources or attactions in the area I did not knnow about?
I preferred asking Fire Prevention people for places to camp. They have a mentality of ‘how can we do this?’ as compared to police who have a mentality of ‘is this illegal?’ But, if the police (memerized their name, badge number and description) said I could do this (camp or whatever) then I won’t get arrested, right, right? Maybe. 🙂 And, police LOVE public service as compared to crime fighting.