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and Goingoutside.com

Outdoor Life of Brian

Hello hikers, I am Brian Johnson, on this site I will tell you some things you need to know before you get into hiking.

If you bring all the things listed below you'll be in pretty good shape.

FLASH LIGHT
Light is a very important thing to have wherever you are since you can't see without it.

SLEEPING PAD
Make sure you bring something to shield you thermally from the ground, comfort is a plus too.

WATER
Always make sure you're bringing enough water or have access to water where you are going.

DUCT TAPE
If you don't bring duct tape you might regret it. It's great for securing broken legs and arms.

RUBBING ALCOHOL
I'm not a great proponent of chemicals but rubbing alcohol is an exception. It's very important to have some handy.

TENT
Don't pay more than $25 for a two person tent. I've been using a $20 tent from Target for the last five years, sometimes in snow storms, it's starting to get a bit faded but it's still OK. Unless you're going to the Himalayas an expensive tent is a complete waste of money, unless of course you're one of those people that buy expensive gear to impress people.

CAMPSTOVE
If you look at almost every back packing stove on the market you will find that they all brag about their weight and their thermal output (how fast they can boil a quart of water). They're right about the weight, it's very important, but they never include the weight of the fuel you need to carry with you. If you include the fuel for a long trip your 3.5 ounce super light stove suddenly becomes a 2 pound monster. As far as the thermal output is concerned it makes absolutely no difference if it takes 3 minutes or 10 minutes to boil a quart of water. The perfect stove in my opinion is the Stratus Trailstove, it weighs a little bit less than 1 pound and it runs on wood. You pick the wood up yourself on site just like people did in the old days before fossil fuels so the total weight of the stove and the fuel you carry is always below a pound, no gas stove in the world can beat that. It takes about twice as long to boil a quart of water on it than on a gas stove but so what.

Make emergency snowshoes

Making a pair of emergency snowshoes to get to safety is extremely simple. It's surprising how many people try to get to safety in knee deep snow and drop from exhaustion.

Find two stocky branches about 3 feet long with plenty of small branches and plenty of green, preferably from a fir tree but other trees will do if there are no firs in the area.

Tie one branch to each foot at the front end of the branch. Thread the string through something on the front of your boot otherwise your foot will slip out of the binding. Make sure your foot can swivel enough to walk, the snowshoe should drag on the snow slightly in the back.

That's it, you're ready to go!

Fossil Butte National Monument

Kemmerer, WY

This 50-million year old lake bed is one of the richest fossil localities in the world. Recorded in limestone are dynamic and complete paleoecosystems that spanned two million years. Preservation is so complete that it allows for detailed study of climate change and its effects on biological communities.

Visitors discover that this resource displays the interrelationships of plants, insects, fishes, reptiles and mammals, like few other known fossil sites. The relevance and challenge of study and preservation of this ancient ecosystem are equal to those of a modern ecosystem.

The surface topography of Fossil Butte is now covered by a high cold desert. Sagebrush is the dominant vegetation at the lower elevations, while limber pine and aspen occur on the slopes. Pronghorn, Mule deer and a variety of birds are commonly seen. Moose, elk and beaver are sometimes observed.

CONTACTS

Email - FOBU_Superintendent@nps.gov

Fax- 307-877-4457

Write to
P.O. Box 592
Kemmerer, WY 83101-0592

Phone
Headquarters - 307-877-4455

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
June-August, Visitor Center Hours 8:00a-7:00p; Winter Visitor Center Hours 8-4:30 (September through May). Closed winter Holidays.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
FOSSIL BUTTE NATIONAL MONUMENT
Free!

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
FOSSIL BUTTE VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year
Phone - 307-877-4455
Location - 1 mile from entrance
Special Programs - fossil preparation demonstrations 20 minute interpretive programs weekend fossil quarry visits (these programs offered during summer)
Exhibits - Over 75 fossils are on display including a 13-foot crocodile, the oldest known bat, and a mass mortality of 356 fish. Video programs are also available.
Available Facilities - Handicapped accessible

Some content donated by Hikercentral.com and the National Park Service

FLASH LIGHT		Light is a very important thing to have wherever you are since you can't see without it.
SLEEPING PAD		Make sure you bring something to shield you thermally from the ground, comfort is a plus too.
WATER		Always make sure you're bringing enough water or have access to water where you are going.
DUCT TAPE		If you don't bring duct tape you might regret it. It's great for securing broken legs and arms.
RUBBING ALCOHOL		I'm not a great proponent of chemicals but rubbing alcohol is an exception. It's very important to have some handy.
TENT		Don't pay more than $25 for a two person tent. I've been using a $20 tent from Target for the last five years, sometimes in snow storms, it's starting to get a bit faded but it's still OK. Unless you're going to the Himalayas an expensive tent is a complete waste of money, unless of course you're one of those people that buy expensive gear to impress people.
CAMPSTOVE		If you look at almost every back packing stove on the market you will find that they all brag about their weight and their thermal output (how fast they can boil a quart of water). They're right about the weight, it's very important, but they never include the weight of the fuel you need to carry with you. If you include the fuel for a long trip your 3.5 ounce super light stove suddenly becomes a 2 pound monster. As far as the thermal output is concerned it makes absolutely no difference if it takes 3 minutes or 10 minutes to boil a quart of water. The perfect stove in my opinion is the Stratus Trailstove, it weighs a little bit less than 1 pound and it runs on wood. You pick the wood up yourself on site just like people did in the old days before fossil fuels so the total weight of the stove and the fuel you carry is always below a pound, no gas stove in the world can beat that. It takes about twice as long to boil a quart of water on it than on a gas stove but so what.