- 9 months ago
Join Martha as she embraces the great outdoors! Follow her adventures in Acadia National Park, the Yukon Territory, and the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska. Learn with Martha tips for safe hiking, including proper foot placement and trail etiquette. And enjoy the beauty of fly fishing in remote lakes and get a step-by-step guide to making delicious campfire bannock bread. Plus, Martha tackles ice trekking and learns the basics of canoeing and backcountry preparedness.
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00:00Acadia National Park has 147 miles of exquisite hikes and trails, and we are at the base of
00:12Beehive, one of the more challenging of the trails, and I'm very happy that today Charlie
00:17Jacoby is going to give us a primer in hiking and trekking and climbing. The rungs and the
00:23ladders await us as we are now on our way up what's called Beehive, and you'll see why it's
00:29called Beehive, because it looks like one.
00:33So I thought it would be really good if you could explain special ways to move your legs
00:39so you don't expend too much energy. Are there certain steps to take?
00:44That's what I've been doing right now behind this here. I don't know if you noticed, but if you take a
00:48step up and lock that knee into position just briefly, that gives you a chance to rest your
00:54muscles while the weight of your body is carried on your bones, and certainly also helps to have
00:59a sturdy pair of hiking boots as well. Vibram soles certainly are a good sneaker with a good
01:04rough red on it to grip on rocks and the soil and whatnot. The trails here, especially in the early
01:10part of this century, were really highly crafted in stone by the Village Improvement Associations and
01:16for the communities on the island. In a sense, they were almost competing with one another to
01:20build a more spectacular trail, and a lot of what you see is step after step after step like you see
01:27here. It looks like it's natural, doesn't it? Well, they do a good job in some cases of disguising it,
01:32but one of the beauties of Acadia's trails is that those early trail builders spent a lot of time
01:38taking the trails to interesting places. The trails are always twisting and turning,
01:43giving you a different view, and I think they're intimate. I think that's what's best about the park
01:48trails is you do get the grand vistas, but you also you get the small vistas of little chasms
01:52and the brooks that we have. Now, what about these blue marks? Well, blue blazes are actually pretty
01:58common throughout New England for most trails, with the exception of the Appalachian Trail, which is
02:02blazed entirely in white. Blues are usually the side trails for the AT, and it's the color of blaze that
02:08we use here today at Acadia. So to stay on the trail, you need to look for those blue blazes,
02:13and also if you're up, there's a faded one right here. If you're up above on the summits,
02:19you follow the rock cairns. We'll see some of those when we get to the top as well.
02:23And what about blazing off into a new part of the park? Well, there's nothing illegal about striking
02:30off cross-country in the park, but you need to have a greater level of understanding about what
02:34kinds of impacts you can cause when doing that. If you're going off trail, I would consider that to be
02:39a pristine area. And in pristine areas, anywhere off trail right down here, you want to spread your
02:46use and impact so that if you're traveling in a group, for example, the four of you or five of
02:51you would never take the exact same route because then it's going to look like there might actually
02:55be a trail there or a path, and someone else is more likely to follow, and then the next person
03:00comes along, and before you know it, you've got a beaten path that's leading off into the
03:05willy wax. Now, Charlie, there's an area here that I think is what you're talking about, about making
03:10a new trail. Yeah, this is a perfect and terrible example of the damage that can get done when people
03:16don't stay on the trail. Up above, people see hikers down below, and they decide they want to take a
03:21shortcut. This usually happens when people are descending, not when they're climbing. Oh, so that's
03:25much easier, yeah. Yeah, much easier to come down, but what that is now is a gully. When it rains, all that
03:29soil is going to wash down onto the trail here. You can see the fan of it there. Oh, I see some blueberries.
03:35Now, what about picking? Is this okay? Yes, it sure is. Blueberries are one of the few things,
03:40fruits and nuts and berries, that you can gather while you're in the park. That's perfectly fine.
03:43A little, tiny, plain blueberry. But there's a lot of other things that people don't leave behind
03:48in the park that we need to ask them to leave behind. Oh, like what? Well, for example, wildflowers
03:53and plants that folks pick, and stones from the beach. The old saying used to be, take only pictures,
03:59leave only footprints, but now we'd like people to take only pictures and leave no trace at all,
04:03or as little trace as possible. So let's keep going. Not that way. No. We have to get to the
04:10top, Charlie. I know. We have not even gotten to the steep part. No, we haven't. But we're getting
04:17there. It's much easier to climb than it is to descend. And I think a lot of hikers aren't aware
04:23of that. It's much better to go up the steep way and come down the easy way. Oh, I wanted to say
04:28something. There's a lot of different ages climbing this, from little kids to people in their 70s,
04:3480s. It depends on who you are. And we met some folks here the other day that decided to turn around.
04:39They got a little nervous. They had a couple of kids with them. And it all depends on your level of
04:43comfort with it. Right. You should read the warning signs and make up your mind. Find out before you
04:48go. Read a little description of the trail. Talk to a ranger so you know what you're getting into
04:52before you get there. We're coming to the famous chicken head. This little rock formation here.
05:00It's nice. Oh, nice. Good handhold to grab a hold of before you. The chicken head. Yeah, that's a
05:05climber's term for a formation like that. That's very nice. And we got a little, little iron bridge to
05:11cross here. This is where my friend Memory started to cry last year. Well, like I said,
05:16everybody's got their own comfort level for heights. And yet she skis every Black Diamond
05:20at Aspen. So we have to not trip on the little bridge here.
05:34Oh, the view is getting more spectacular. Yeah, we've just turned towards the beach.
05:39Which you can't see through the fog. You can see the lagoon behind the beach. Yeah, beautiful.
05:48Well, we've come to our first set of ironwork on the trail here.
05:52Got three little runs and a handrail to help folks get up the trail here.
05:56Oh, look. One must have broken off.
05:57They do break on occasion and we do have to replace them. So one of the rules of thumb that I tell people
06:03when they ask about how hazardous this trail is or the precipice is, the rule of three is always try
06:07to have a hand or a foot on three of them all the time. And that way, if any one of them fails,
06:12you've still got two stable points. These might have been here since when? 1916?
06:16Yeah, I think these probably are original rungs. Over 80 years old now, still going strong.
06:21So rule of three, that's a good thing to know.
06:23Now, this is where memory really started to cry.
06:30Well, if you look down, you can kind of see why.
06:33But she made it to the top.
06:35Well, the great thing about the Beehive Trail and a few of the other trails we have that have
06:39the iron on them is it does give people a real sense of exposure and thrill as if you were
06:45a rock climber.
06:47Charlie, what do you think about this white wall of fog that's coming in?
06:51Well, I don't mind it. I think it's nice to be able to enjoy Acadia in all different kinds of
06:55weather. And that includes the fog. Sometimes the fog makes the sound go down. All you hear
07:00is the birds chirp.
07:01It might envelop us and we won't get to see the top of Beehive.
07:04Well, we might not.
07:05So we should speed it up a little.
07:06Well, let's go then.
07:09Here, there's a spot where if you're not keeping your head up and looking for the next blaze,
07:14you'd think the trail went off to the left here.
07:16Definitely.
07:16All you have to do is look right up and there's the blaze to follow. You know, the trail goes right.
07:20So it is important. You need to look at your feet to keep your footing, but you need to
07:23look up every now and then to check for the blazes and cairns so that you can stay on the
07:27trail.
07:31So I hug the walls, Charlie.
07:34Well, I don't blame you.
07:37A lot of people, I'm sure, do.
07:42This is a beautiful spot.
07:44This is good, Tureen, also to think about your balance when you're climbing a steep trail like
07:49this. The tendency of people that are scared is to want to hug the rock and stay right up
07:55close to it. Bad for your balance, bad for the friction of your feet. You really want to try to
08:00stay almost upright and stay, keep your chest away from the cliff so that you do have proper balance.
08:08So, Charlie, it looks like we're almost here.
08:14I think we've made it.
08:16And what are these little semi-circular marks?
08:18These are marks from the glacier.
08:20They're called chatter marks and they usually come in a series of them as the glacier slips
08:24and grinds its way up the rock.
08:25And solid pink granite.
08:27Yes, beautiful granite.
08:28Well, here we are on the summit of Beehive in 1604.
08:34Samuel de Champlain discovered this beautiful island, which he called Mont Désert, which is
08:41the desert mountains.
08:43And behind us, Champlain, I guess, Dor and Cadillac Mountain, where reputedly the sun hits
08:49America first in the morning.
08:52It's a beautiful, beautiful place and we should protect it for generations to come.
08:56Thank you, Charlie.
08:57You're a great hiker.
09:05I think it's a very good idea for everyone to get this kind of instruction or at least
09:11have a list or follow some rules before embarking on a trek in Acadia National Park, don't you
09:17think?
09:18I couldn't agree more.
09:19I like to always be prepared to spend at least one night out overnight by myself in case I
09:24get in trouble.
09:25I get hurt, I get lost, whatever happens.
09:27If I can spend one night out comfortably, then it's pretty likely that somebody's going
09:32to be looking for me in the morning.
09:33But wouldn't you say rule number one, if you're a novice, is don't go alone?
09:38Certainly, if you're hiking alone, there are some things that you need to do a little bit
09:42better.
09:42You need to have higher skills for sure.
09:44You need to know how to use your compass.
09:46I always take a compass with me.
09:48At Acadia, it's very hard to get lost because you can always stumble across a trail or a carriage
09:53road somewhere, but people do get temporarily disoriented at times, and sometimes that compass
09:57will point you in the right direction pretty quickly if you do get lost.
10:00Probably the first thing I would take with me would be water.
10:03It's nice and cool and foggy here this morning, but the temperatures today are predicted to
10:08go up to 85 to 90, and it's going to be hot and humid.
10:11For a hike today, that's probably going to take us a couple of hours.
10:13Two quarts wouldn't be out of the question.
10:15And then, probably, I would take some extra clothing.
10:18I have here some rain gear.
10:20Even at Acadia, you can find cold and windy conditions coming up on you pretty quick because
10:24we do have some mountains here, even though they're small compared to Western standards.
10:29And after that, probably, I would want to bring a light.
10:33Even though we're hiking in the morning, who knows what's going to happen?
10:37We often, here at the park, end up having to go in and walk people out at night because
10:42they haven't brought a simple flashlight along with them.
10:45And certainly, a first aid kit to doctor yourself up or anybody else that you meet.
10:50A small one for a short day hike is fine.
10:53I think a good thing to carry along would be an ace bandage because if you do sprain your
10:57ankle, the bandage wrapped around your ankle, inside your boot, will probably give you just
11:01enough support to get yourself out.
11:04A map, yes.
11:05A map.
11:06Yeah, you wouldn't believe how many people go hiking in Acadia Park without a map.
11:10You've got to know how to read a map, too.
11:12I know, because these are often at the beginning of the trails, but they are not along the trail.
11:17Yeah, I would not use this map at the trailhead exhibit as something to try to memorize in
11:21your head and then go off for a hike.
11:23Now, in Maine, don't leave home without it.
11:27Bug juice.
11:27Fly dope.
11:28That's what I call it.
11:30You want to have something that has about 33% of what's called deed in it.
11:33The best stuff ever, though, is not on the market anymore.
11:36Pine tar?
11:37Yeah.
11:38Old-time woodsman is the best stuff.
11:40Oh, indeed.
11:40I soaked on a little kerchief.
11:42Oh, boy.
11:43I wish they still made that stuff.
11:45It's foggy, but sunscreen is not a bad idea to bring along with you as well.
11:50Maybe lip balm for really hot conditions.
11:53What else we got here?
11:54Matches.
11:56Another thing not to leave home without.
11:59You should know how to build a fire in case you get yourself in trouble.
12:02It can keep you warm.
12:03I have a trowel.
12:05Probably a lot of hikers today don't think to bring a trowel to deal with human waste if
12:11they have to go.
12:12It's very lightweight.
12:13It weighs hardly anything at all.
12:15And finally, if you are doing your business in the woods, we recommend that you pack out
12:22your toilet paper.
12:23It's a very easy thing to do.
12:24And the reason to do that is because wildlife will often dig up that site and make a mess.
12:29Well, good.
12:30Well, I want a little bit of gorp, I see.
12:32Yes.
12:32You can never bring too much food on a hike.
12:35Let's go.
12:35Let's pack up.
12:36Gin Cup Lodge is a phenomenal place.
12:44It's in the middle of nowhere.
12:46We're in the remote Nukon territory.
12:48I've never been in such a really remote place before in my life.
12:53I'm here with the lodge's owner, Larry Nagy.
12:55And Jose Jansen, who's in charge of the kitchen here at the lodge.
12:58Jose gave up her life as a caterer and as a chef in Whitehorse to cook for, oh, about
13:0514 guests a week.
13:07Yee-haw!
13:08Oh, beauty!
13:10It's a nice size, too.
13:11Look at this guy.
13:12Oh, what kind of meal is that?
13:14That's a good mealing.
13:15That's one of the nicest ones I've seen.
13:16Just bring him up closer.
13:18Beautiful.
13:18Oh, had a bite?
13:19I just got a bite.
13:20Oh, fantastic.
13:22No, he's fine.
13:24Oh, the fin.
13:25Master?
13:25Master.
13:26Oh, my one.
13:28Oh, fantastic.
13:32I think I caught a dead fish.
13:33No, you didn't.
13:35He's coming back.
13:36I caught it in his tail.
13:37Oh, he got a...
13:38I got a fish by its tail.
13:40Maybe it's the one he just threw back.
13:41No, no, not really.
13:43There we go.
13:43It's a big grail in queue.
13:44Now, how did I catch one by its tail?
13:47I don't know.
13:47He probably followed you right up.
13:49Here at Tin Cup Lake, you can probably catch a fish by its tail or by its mouth.
13:54We're going to put it back gently in the water.
13:57I just got to get my...
13:58Oh, I think I got hooked here.
14:00No, I got a man on my head.
14:02No problem.
14:03Is it in your head?
14:04No, no, it's just right there.
14:05My hat.
14:05That's why I wear the big hat.
14:07So you can catch a fish, you can catch a man.
14:10Hey, how about that?
14:11Tin Cup Lake.
14:12Finding anyone out here in this part of the Yukon can be a challenge.
14:19Villages, lakes, and towns can be separated by hundreds of miles of wilderness.
14:24It's a place where walking and dog sledding are the only alternatives to the bush plane.
14:28Larry picked me up for the hour and a half flight to his home.
14:32The terrain is so beautiful.
14:35Those neanderthic streams and rivers are gorgeous.
14:37I think bush planes are terribly important to the history of exploration here in the Yukon.
14:43Tell us about that.
14:44In my experience, the bush plane goes back to, I guess, 1960,
14:47when I suddenly realized how important they are because there's really no way you can drive in.
14:52You can dog team in the sun in the wintertime,
14:54but in the summertime, you're pretty well restricted because the soft, foggy ground,
14:58you just can't drive anything over.
14:59So people use boat planes a lot.
15:02It was the daring aviators of the 1920s and 1930s,
15:05seeking adventure and profit with their cloth-and-wire planes,
15:09who began to connect the remote outposts and villages of Canada and Alaska.
15:14These planes carried passengers, furs, gold, the mail,
15:18anyone or anything that would pay the freight.
15:22From a collection of pioneering air operations, an international airline was born.
15:28Descended from a spirited group of flyers
15:30that loved this wild and beautiful country.
15:37To really appreciate this land, you have to reach out and touch it.
15:41Ron Chambers is an experienced guide
15:43and worked as a warden with the Canadian Park Service for 20 years.
15:47Ron knows this wilderness well.
15:49Oh, looking back at that lake, it's so extraordinary at this time of day.
15:54We have our handy walking sticks.
15:56Now, did you make these?
15:58Well, they were made by the beavers have been working on them,
16:02and I just rounded the tops off a little bit for the handholds.
16:05And the beavers are not a family that live on Tin Cup Lake.
16:07These are animal beavers, right?
16:09That's right.
16:10Well, I'm looking forward to our walk.
16:12Okay.
16:13Okay, when you're hiking with a walking stick, Martha,
16:16the thing to do sometimes is put the stick on the uphill side,
16:19and that gives you a little bit to lean into.
16:21Oh, and your natural inclination is to put it down there and fall.
16:25That's the part where else below you, and then you tip over.
16:28A good thing from our friend, Ron Chambers.
16:31Now, this is a real animal trail, isn't it, Ron?
16:34It's mainly made by moose.
16:35There is some bear sign that's been along here.
16:38But yeah, it's an animal trail, that's for sure.
16:40They want to get from one place to the other,
16:42the easiest, most comfortable way,
16:44and you find a game trail that's usually the best way to go.
16:47So what do you look for on a trail like this, Ron?
16:50Well, I look for signs of one thing,
16:53and I guess priority would be anything to do with bears traveling around.
16:56You just have to be aware.
16:58Tin Cup Lake is surrounded by unspoiled wilderness.
17:02The Yukon backcountry is teeming with wildlife.
17:05In fact, there are so few people here,
17:07the animals live much the same as they have for thousands of years.
17:13Ron's native ancestors made their home here living off the land
17:16and reading nature's moods.
17:18This knowledge of the wilderness was so important
17:21that native tribes often named themselves after animals or animal traits.
17:26Ron's clan name, Ashia, means caribou tail hanging down
17:30for a very good reason.
17:32When you're a hunter and you're living off the land
17:34and you see a caribou with the tail down,
17:36that means they're relaxed and calm.
17:38That's the way you want to see them.
17:39If the tail is up and running,
17:42then it's usually they're gone.
17:44Considering how far north we are,
17:45I'm amazed at the variety of plant life to be seen on the trail.
17:49Mosses, flowers, and mushrooms are very abundant.
17:53Oh, these are beautiful.
17:55Now, do we know if they're edible or not?
17:57My first assumption is if I don't see where animals have been eating them,
18:00I certainly won't eat them.
18:01I think I'll take a picture and look them up in my mushroom book.
18:05That would be a handy thing to do.
18:08There's so many of them too.
18:09Yeah, it looks just absolutely primeval.
18:12Oh, let's go.
18:13Okay.
18:13See how far we get.
18:15After my wilderness hike,
18:17it was back to the lodge for Jose's campfire treat.
18:21I'm getting the pan ready for bannock bread.
18:24This is beer bannock bread,
18:25and Jose Jansen is going to show us how she makes it.
18:28And so you have two cups of flour or three?
18:30Three cups.
18:30Three cups of...
18:31Sulfurizing flour.
18:32Sulfurizing flour.
18:33A little bit of salt.
18:34Teaspoon.
18:35Four tablespoons of sugar.
18:37Four tablespoons of sugar.
18:38Right on.
18:39Give it a stir.
18:40Okay.
18:41Have a sip of beer.
18:43Mmm.
18:44This is the most fun, is the sip of beer.
18:45Right, and you have to have one too.
18:47Okay, I'll have one.
18:48And then we'll add the rest.
18:50Mmm.
18:51Excellent.
18:52So the beer is kind of yeasty too.
18:54That's right.
18:54And flavorful.
18:57Great.
18:58Mix it up.
18:59And melted butter.
19:00One whole stick?
19:01One cup.
19:02Oh, one cup of butter.
19:03Right.
19:04In the olden days when the campers were out,
19:06this was just a staple bread,
19:07something to eat with their bacon grease.
19:10Right.
19:10They're baked beans.
19:12Exactly.
19:12And if they were lucky enough,
19:13a piece of meat or a fresh fish.
19:15Right.
19:16Right.
19:17And it's quick.
19:18So it should be sort of like a bread dough, right?
19:20Oh, yeah.
19:21Excellent.
19:22So this goes in the pan.
19:24Now, use our hands.
19:25Yeah, I think we have to.
19:26Dip the hands in butter,
19:28and then just pat it down here.
19:32Pan shouldn't be hot.
19:33Melt the butter,
19:34and spread it out.
19:37Mmm.
19:37Excellent.
19:38Mmm, yum.
19:39Delicious.
19:41So, and then we pour the melted butter over top.
19:50And then do we cover it, or?
19:51No.
19:52We just start singing our campfire songs while we wait.
19:56The bannock branch of brown.
19:58That's right.
19:58There we go.
19:59Oh, looks so good.
20:01It's so simple, huh?
20:02Just 10 minutes, and then flip it over,
20:05and then the bottom.
20:08Nice and puffy.
20:09Nice and puffy.
20:17Mmm.
20:19Looking good.
20:20Very good.
20:24So if you're really hungry and starving like I am,
20:27I can't wait to taste it.
20:29The slathering of blueberry jam.
20:35The slathering of blueberry jam.
20:43Camfire bread at its best.
20:46Bannock beer bread.
20:48Jose style.
20:50Tastes good, huh?
20:50Mm-hmm.
20:51Excellent.
20:52I'm on the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska, outside of Juneau,
21:01and I'm here with Doug Wesson.
21:02He and Sean Janes are going to show me ice trekking and ice climbing,
21:07along with Bob Engelbrecht of North Star Trekking.
21:10We're dressed for the trek.
21:12Got a pair of coflaxed double plastic boots,
21:15and then strapped to that are your crampons.
21:17They look like bear's paws.
21:19Ten-point crampons.
21:20Ten points.
21:21And how many points do you have?
21:22I've got 14.
21:24Yeah, see?
21:2514.
21:25You have to always check on this kind of stuff.
21:28The guides always have a little bit more.
21:30Then you have a climbing harness right here,
21:32and attached to your harness.
21:33And this is quite complicated.
21:35Your legs are in little loops,
21:37and you're feeling quite secure in this harness.
21:39And I have my, what do you call this?
21:41Ice axe.
21:42Ice axe.
21:42It's an excellent tool.
21:44And carrying it on a regular basis,
21:46you carry it with your thumb underneath.
21:48They'll point to the back.
21:49Now, Bob, are you to show me, or Doug, or...
21:51Well, let's have Sean show you how to go downhill,
21:53and then I'll show you how to go uphill.
21:54Okay.
21:55Going downhills, you know, I heard that you're a skier.
21:58Of sorts.
21:59Of sorts.
22:00And I am, too.
22:01So that means the both of us have bad habits
22:04for walking in crampons.
22:05When you ski, to slow yourself down or stop yourself,
22:08you get up on edge, like that.
22:10Basically, what happens is the crampon points lift up.
22:13So you want to point your feet straight downhill.
22:15You want a flat foot down.
22:16You want to bend at the knees.
22:18Get that ice axe back behind you.
22:19That way, when you do get to a steeper slope,
22:22your center of gravity isn't leaning forward.
22:24It's all about balance.
22:25Okay, so show me how you go down this hill.
22:27Okay, so it looks kind of weird, but it's effective.
22:29You get your stance nice and wide,
22:31about a shoulder width apart.
22:33And instead of going with your heel first,
22:35flat foot it.
22:36You just stomp right down.
22:37So take nice short steps.
22:41Feels great.
22:42Yeah, just like that.
22:43No slipping, no sliding.
22:46And if you didn't have these crampons on,
22:48I guarantee you'd be on your fanny, right?
22:50That's correct.
22:52Okay, now to get up.
22:54We'll have Doug show you how to do those techniques.
22:56Okay, gone down.
22:58Now we've got to go up.
22:59Right.
22:59Okay, so we want to turn around
23:00and face up the hill.
23:02And I'm going to show you
23:03what's called the German technique.
23:05And basically, the German technique
23:07is to front point
23:08and kick your points into the ice.
23:10And what's important to remember
23:11is that it's not just these front points here
23:14that are grabbing,
23:15but also your secondary points.
23:17Oh, I see.
23:17So you don't want to get your heel
23:18up too high like this.
23:20Okay.
23:20Because you can fall out of the ice.
23:21So you want to kick in
23:22and just imagine that there's a set of steps
23:24and you want to keep your foot level.
23:26You want to get your feet
23:27a little wider apart
23:28and keep your ice axe in front of you
23:29and just kick in
23:30and walk up the hill
23:31and take some smaller steps
23:33to help with your bounce.
23:34Okay.
23:35Just kick in hard to the ice
23:36as you go
23:36and keep your heels down.
23:38Oh, smaller, better.
23:39Oh, fast.
23:41Okay.
23:43As we travel over the different terrain,
23:45we'll have to do that
23:46from time to time
23:46for about 10 feet or so.
23:48Okay.
23:48And then when we get ready
23:49to ice climb,
23:49we'll do more of the front points.
23:51And again, the same technique.
23:53You want to remember
23:53to keep your heel down.
23:54Okay.
23:55Just remember what you're walking
23:56on the sides of slopes
23:57not to do what you're doing skiing
23:59and get that edge up
24:00because you get your points out
24:01of the ice.
24:02But just gently roll your foot down
24:05so that you get all the points
24:07into the ice.
24:10There you go.
24:11That looks good.
24:12Okay.
24:13I think we're ready to go.
24:15Okay, great.
24:21Martha, switch your ice axe
24:28to the left hand.
24:29Oh, yes?
24:30Yeah, you want it
24:30on the uphill side.
24:31Oh, okay.
24:32Anything that goes up from you.
24:33Oh, okay.
24:34Yeah, and then like right
24:35around this corner,
24:35then you switch over to the right.
24:37Okay.
24:51I love that marble.
24:54Yeah, it's gorgeous.
24:56Now, the water is blue.
24:57The ice is blue because why?
25:00The ice is blue
25:00because it's not so much frozen water.
25:03It's snowflakes
25:04that have been compressed together.
25:06I see.
25:06And it reflects only the blue
25:08of the molecular structure?
25:09Yeah, snowflakes have
25:10the ice crystals in them
25:11so all the colors
25:12in the spectrum are absorbed
25:13except for that shorter blue wavelength.
25:15That's pretty vertical.
25:17This is,
25:17but we showed you
25:18those techniques earlier.
25:19All right, let's see you do it.
25:20Remember to keep your feet flat.
25:21I'm going to heel first
25:22and we'll try out
25:23some steeper stuff.
25:26This is almost
25:27straight up and down.
25:33Oh, so if you keep
25:34your crampons in there.
25:36Exactly, yeah.
25:37Oh, good.
25:38I did it.
25:38Great job.
25:40Now we're going to
25:40cross this stream here.
25:42Now this doesn't look
25:43so terrifically exciting.
25:46Keep.
25:47Sean, why don't you go ahead
25:48and cross and I'll give her a hand.
25:49Okay.
25:49We'll get your cross here.
25:50Go ahead and stick foot.
25:51Okay.
25:57That's perfect.
25:59Woo!
25:59Get it.
26:04Originally made out of birch bark,
26:06the canoe is an ancient
26:07and beautiful vessel
26:08that has evolved
26:09over hundreds of years.
26:11Streamlined and silent,
26:13canoes glide through the water
26:14with a simple stroke
26:15of a paddle.
26:16But there is an art
26:18to making the boat
26:18dance on the water.
26:19Bob Myron
26:21from the L.L. Bean
26:22Outdoor Discovery School
26:23is going to not only
26:25be our guide
26:25on Long Pond
26:26this afternoon,
26:27but he's also going
26:28to tell us
26:28the basics
26:29of fine canoeing.
26:31First is the kip
26:31and there's certain things
26:32that we must have
26:33before we embark
26:34on a journey
26:35down Long Pond.
26:36Absolutely.
26:37Absolutely.
26:38So to start right out,
26:39what we like to do
26:40is pack up a dry gear bag
26:41just in case anything happens.
26:42So let's show the dry gear bag
26:43first because that
26:44is an important thing to have.
26:47This is a bag
26:47that does not allow
26:48anything to get wet, right?
26:49Exactly.
26:50Open it right up
26:51and starting out
26:52what we can put
26:53is probably what
26:53we're going to use last
26:54which is going to be
26:55a wool jacket
26:55which will keep us warm
26:56even when it's wet.
26:57So we'll slide that
26:59right down here
27:00in the bottom.
27:00Oh, I have one of these.
27:01I love that.
27:02And a fleece vest
27:03does the same thing for you.
27:04Extra layers
27:05for protection
27:06against the elements
27:06and a rain jacket
27:08is probably
27:08one of the most
27:09important things
27:10and the thing
27:10that we'll need
27:11probably the quickest
27:12while we're out there.
27:13So we'll pack this
27:13on top a little later.
27:15First aid kit
27:16also wants to be
27:17somewhat near the top
27:18for repairs of yourself
27:19out there
27:20if you should have a mishap
27:21and some duct tape
27:23also is an important
27:24thing to have.
27:25Oh, for what?
27:25Well, in case you run
27:26your canoe ground
27:27somewhere depending
27:28on the material
27:28you may want to have
27:29this along
27:30so you can do
27:30a quick patch of it
27:31and it's also good
27:32for patching a splintered
27:33paddle or even a hole
27:35in a dry bag.
27:36A good snack to have
27:37out in the backcountry
27:38is a good thing
27:39and sun protection
27:42is very important.
27:44So as you've got on
27:45a great sun hat
27:46and a long sleeve shirt
27:47some bug dope
27:48which we may need
27:49when the sun goes down.
27:51Here's a light
27:51should we decide
27:53to come back
27:53a little bit late
27:54and fire starter
27:55is a good thing to have.
27:56Now here I've got
27:56some waterproof matches
27:57and a candle
27:59and some of nature's
28:00best fire starter here.
28:01I've got some
28:02shredded birch bark
28:02and some super dry
28:04old man's berry
28:05which is the growth
28:05that grows on the trees.
28:07We'll keep all this
28:08in a waterproof
28:09Ziploc bag
28:10and that can go in also.
28:13So there, we're all set.
28:15So I say we've got
28:16our gear ready.
28:17Most important piece
28:17that we're going to have
28:18to carry with us today
28:19of course will be
28:20on our bodies
28:20and that'll be
28:21our personal
28:21flotation device.
28:23Good.
28:23And should be
28:26Coast Guard approved
28:27and proper fitting.
28:28How do you know
28:29it's Coast Guard approved?
28:29Well, it'll say
28:30right on the inside
28:31of the label
28:31and this is a Type 3
28:33personal flotation device.
28:35We'll zip it up,
28:36snap the buckles in place,
28:38then reach around
28:39to the side
28:39and grab these
28:40and cinch them up
28:41nice and snug.
28:43And ideally
28:43when we grab the PFD
28:45and pull up on it,
28:46our body won't move
28:47as opposed to
28:48if it's loose,
28:49what'll happen is
28:49we'll start looking out
28:50through the armpit
28:51and that won't
28:52float our nose
28:53high enough
28:53in the water
28:53as we want.
28:55So let's talk
28:55about the anatomy
28:56of a canoe.
28:57Great.
28:57Canoe like this
28:58is made of wood canvas.
29:00The wood just
29:00provides the structure
29:01and the canvas
29:02provides the waterproofing.
29:04Beautiful.
29:05And it's made
29:06by the famous
29:07company Old Town.
29:08Old Town canoe,
29:09absolutely.
29:11These are called
29:12thwarts
29:12and a lot of times
29:13when we kneel
29:14we'll put our butt
29:15right against them
29:15as we're paddling.
29:17When you look
29:18at a canoe,
29:18lots of folks look
29:19and say,
29:19gee whiz,
29:20which end
29:20is the front
29:21of the canoe
29:21and which end
29:21is the back?
29:22And the easy way
29:22to tell
29:23is to look
29:24at the two seats
29:24and you'll notice
29:25there's less room
29:26between the end
29:27of the canoe
29:28and the seat here
29:30than there is up there.
29:31So that one there
29:31was the front
29:32of the canoe
29:32and if we had
29:34two tandem paddlers
29:35actually we'd sit here
29:36but we're going
29:36to be paddling
29:37these boats solo today.
29:39Now,
29:39what'd you fold
29:40this part?
29:41These are called
29:41gunnels
29:42and you notice
29:43the ribs come up
29:44between the gunnels
29:45here
29:45and why that is
29:46is when you flip
29:47the canoe over
29:47at the end of the day
29:48if there's any water
29:49in it.
29:49The water will drain
29:50out through these
29:51holes in the gunnels
29:52right here.
29:53And what about
29:54the paddles?
29:54The paddles are made
29:56of ash.
29:56They're very nice
29:57and it's a one-piece
29:58paddle,
29:59you'll notice,
30:00and because it's
30:01a one-piece
30:02it's got some flex
30:03to it so it's nice
30:04and easy on your joints
30:05as you're paddling.
30:06That's a beaver tail
30:07paddle and if you look
30:08at the top,
30:09which is what we call
30:10the grip right here,
30:11you'll notice
30:11there's no varnish
30:12on that and that's
30:12to keep your hands
30:13from getting blistered.
30:14Nice.
30:14This is called
30:15the shaft.
30:17This is the throat.
30:19This is the blade
30:20and this is the tip.
30:22As you slide up
30:23and grab the grip
30:24with your hand,
30:25that'll be called
30:26your control hand
30:27and this will be
30:28referred to as
30:28your control thumb
30:29and we'll refer a lot
30:31to having your control
30:32thumb out and rotating
30:33your control thumb
30:34out and forward
30:35and down
30:36as we get on the water.
30:38And what about
30:38the height of the paddle?
30:40The height of the paddle
30:40or how you size the paddle
30:41depends on who you talk to.
30:43There's lots of different
30:43schools of thought
30:44but a real down
30:45and dirty way
30:45is you're starting out.
30:47So hold your arm out
30:48at a right angle
30:48just like that
30:49with the tip on the ground.
30:51If the grip hits your palm
30:53just like that,
30:54you're a great place to start.
30:56And then personal preference
30:57and paddling time
30:57will decide whether you
30:59want to go a little longer
30:59or shorter.
31:01When I enter the canoe,
31:03I'm going to place my paddle
31:04right across the center
31:05of the canoe right here
31:06and wash off my left foot
31:09a little bit
31:10so I don't get any sand
31:11in my boat.
31:11I'm going to step in
31:12across the center line
31:13of the canoe.
31:15So notice right here
31:16I've got my blade is out
31:18so if I start to tip
31:18a little bit
31:19there's a little bit
31:19of an outrigger for me.
31:22And kneel right into the canoe
31:24just like that
31:25and put my butt
31:26right against that thwart
31:27behind me
31:27and I'm ready to go.
31:29Why don't you climb in
31:29and while you're doing that
31:30I'll go grab our bag.
31:34I'm going to set the bag
31:36right inside the boat
31:37and just kind of take a quick second
31:40and fasten it in
31:41so that should a mishap happen
31:44while we're out there
31:44on the water
31:45it's going to stay
31:46with the boat
31:47because that'll be one
31:48of the most important things
31:48to remember
31:49if you ever get into
31:49a capsized canoe
31:50on a lake
31:51is to stay with your boat.
31:55Now Martha
31:55as you grab your paddle
31:57you'll notice that
31:58there's a definite indentation
32:00so try it both ways
32:01with your grip
32:02and spin the grip around
32:05one way
32:05and then the other way
32:06so that there you go
32:07hold it that way
32:08whichever way you like
32:09so you're comfortable
32:10and then we'll refer
32:11to the two different blade size
32:12as the power face
32:14and the back face.
32:15The power face
32:16is the one that you're
32:17actually putting pressure on
32:19when you're pulling the paddle
32:20through the water
32:21to move the canoe forward
32:21and the back face
32:23is the other side of the paddle.
32:26First thing we're going to do
32:26is learn how to turn
32:27the canoe around
32:28in a circle.
32:29We'll be using
32:30our full body
32:31as we do the strokes
32:31and using our torsos
32:33and a paddler's box
32:37right here
32:37if you're going to envision
32:38having a box
32:39on your chest
32:39so each time I move
32:40through a stroke
32:41keep my body position aligned
32:43and that's a position
32:44of strength
32:44in really good paddling technique
32:46and I'll do it
32:48on this side
32:48so you can see it.
32:49I'm going to wind my body up
32:51this is called
32:52a forward sweep
32:52I'm going to go
32:53from this tip
32:54all the way
32:56to this tip
32:57keeping the shaft
32:59as horizontal as I can
33:00because that'll allow me
33:00to get as far away
33:01in the boat
33:02as I can
33:02the reverse sweep
33:04starts at the back
33:05and goes all the way
33:08to the front
33:09so from stern
33:10to bow
33:11on the reverse sweep
33:13and from bow
33:14to stern
33:16on the forward sweep
33:18think about going
33:20from tip
33:21to tip
33:23in a solo canoe
33:24when you get
33:26to the stern
33:26feather your paddle
33:28by rotating
33:28by rotating
33:28your control thumb
33:29forward
33:30slice all the way forward
33:33and then go from
33:34tip
33:35to tip
33:37again
33:38so let's just try
33:41a forward sweep
33:42nice torso rotation
33:44as you do that
33:45very nice
33:46and a longer boat
33:49like that
33:49it's a little harder
33:51to get the boat
33:51to spin in a nice circle
33:53for you
33:53I'm gonna let you
33:54in on a little secret
33:55if I'm to tilt
33:57my canoe a little bit
33:58notice how the ends
34:00come up out of the water
34:01a little bit
34:01yes
34:02now if I do
34:04the same stroke
34:05I've got less
34:06resistance on the water
34:08this is not
34:10an entry level move
34:11by any stretch
34:12of the imagination
34:13but it is a way
34:17to get the canoe
34:18to spin easier
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