Category: Health and Safety
To slow the spread of COVID-19, countries around the world now require citizens to practice “social distancing.” Many are confined to their homes for most of the day, with offices, schools, gyms, bars, restaurants, and public spaces closing for weeks. Daily lives and routines have been upended, and we seek creative ways to stay […]
Dr. Tom: How do I recognize and treat waterborne illness in the backcountry? Safe drinking water is a vital component of any successful outdoor trip for proper hydration. While it may be necessary at times, anyone who drinks surface water in the backcountry is at risk to develop a waterborne illness, regardless of how […]
When Aaron North greets a new group of teenage volunteers to serve on one of AMC’s trail crews for a week, he’s sympathetic. For some, it’s their first outdoors experience, and supporting these adolescents as they navigate new situations is one of North’s primary concerns. “Being a teenager is complicated enough,” says North, AMC’s southern […]
When Itzamary and Noe Caban attended their first Outdoors Rx event three years ago in Chelsea, Mass., they assumed the AMC program’s primary beneficiary would be their young daughter, Khalani. After all, it was Khalani’s pediatrician who’d referred the family to Outdoors Rx—which organizes free, structured outdoor experiences for families living in several under-resourced Greater […]
Dr. Tom: If I encounter someone in the backcountry showing signs of hypothermia, what should I do? Anyone who enjoys the Northeastern outdoors should possess basic knowledge in recognizing and treating hypothermia. While we sometimes think about hypothermia as a winter problem, it can set in any time of the year. There have been documented […]
Solo hiking in the wilderness can intimidate anyone. If you get lost or injure yourself, help could be hours, or even days away. If you find yourself underprepared in bad weather, there’s no one to turn to for extra gear or shelter. But for female hikers, there are often additional mental hurdles to overcome on […]
Terri Werning’s biggest fear while hiking isn’t elevation, bears, or losing the trail. It’s men. Werning, 47, who has completed several sections of the Appalachian Trail (AT) over the past four years, says that were she to be attacked by a man while hiking in a remote area, she easily could be overpowered. It’s why, […]
If a hiker, skier, or cyclist is seriously injured in New Hampshire, Vermont, or Western Maine, there’s a good chance they’ll be cared for by Dr. Thomas Trimarco. An attending emergency department physician, Trimarco is the emergency medical services director for Dartmouth–Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H.—the North Country’s only level 1 trauma center. He […]
The scars of domestic violence are not always visible. One traumatic act can have a lasting effect on a survivor, with the road to recovery requiring time and attention. For families, part of that healing involves regaining a sense of hope—a process AMC is helping nurture by offering survivors and their children a safe place […]
Vigorous hikers in their mid- to late-60s are as abundant as black flies on New Hampshire’s Cohos Trail in June, while hikers in their 80s can be rare enough to draw (usually unwanted) attention. Each person ages differently, with the possibility of accidents and illness affecting anyone at any time. So what, exactly, can mature […]
A fitness revolution is afoot, and it has nothing to do with the gym. Wellness aficionados around the world are spurning the pricey monthly memberships, terrible music, and iron-pumping meatheads filling so many gyms. Instead, more and more people are opting to join friends for fun outdoor fitness routines that capitalize on the natural and […]
The Swiss Miss Fire started on a hot August day in 2017. Deep in the 100-Mile Wilderness, 300 feet from the Appalachian Trail, someone had stopped to make cocoa on Columbus Mountain. “It was in one of those high, dry areas where you get deep layers of decayed leaf matter and moss,” explains Steve Tatko, […]
If you’re planning on backpacking with young kids, you really want them to enjoy the experience so they’ll keep coming back for more. After multiple trips taking my two young backpackers into the woods over the past two years (when they were between the ages of 4 and 8), here are a few key tips […]
Say you take a bad tumble on the trail and end up with a nasty scrape or cut. Even worse, dirt and debris are ground into the wound. To minimize the risk of infection, you need to thoroughly clean the injury site and get all of that debris out of there, especially if you are […]
We’ve all been there: You’re opening a can of baked beans when—bam—you cut your finger. Fortunately, a good backcountry first-aid kit comes stocked with the necessary supplies to treat a small cut or abrasion: adhesive bandages, occlusive dressing, gauze, adhesive tape, antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly, tweezers, a syringe, and nonlatex gloves. By knowing how to […]
Temperatures are set to plummet later this week in the Northeast, with lows in the single digits or even below zero across much of the region. All that bitter air doesn’t mean that you have to stay inside—it just means that you need to dress appropriately to stay comfortable (and safe) in winter’s icy embrace. […]
If you’re out camping or backpacking in this shoulder season, you need to prepare for some cold nights. If you’re pushing a summer-weight sleeping bag into the fall, here are 10 ways to sleep warmer each night. 1. Fully close your sleeping bag and use the hood Duh. Zip your bag all the way […]
The best defense against tick-borne disease is a good offense. Here’s how to avoid ticks in the first place. 1. Treat Your Shoes and Clothes with Permethrin Ticks die quickly when they come into contact with this powerful toxin. You can apply it yourself with over-the-counter sprays and washin treatments (be sure to closely follow application […]
If you’ve ever squatted awkwardly by a stream with a pump-operated water filter in hand, you know the drill: wayward hose, wobbly bottle, muscle-clenching workout. Maybe it’s time to try one of the other water-treatment methods that have proliferated in recent years. But first, you have to know your enemies. The biggest risk in the […]
In the event of a backcountry emergency—such as a debilitating injury, unexpected night out, or severe weather event—a simple lightweight tarp can provide crucial protection from the elements, if you know how to use it. Covering the Basics Tarps come in a variety of dimensions. An 8-by-10 foot tarp can provide full coverage for up […]