Snocross!

Outdoormash was at the East Coast Snocross race which was in Lake George, NY this past weekend. If you have never been to an event, please go, it is a great spectator sport!

Fish Through the Ice

Icefishing is in full gear. But there are dangers when icefishing, following are some tips to make that fishing trip enjoyable and safe;

Icefishing Tip #1 - Always communicate your fishing plans with someone. By letting someone know where you are fishing is common sense. This way, in the event that there is a problem they will know where to look for you.

Icefishing Tip #2 - If you own a cell phone, CB, or other communications device, take it with you! 

Icefishing Tip #3 -  Always take along more clothing than what you think you'll need. If the wind picks up or you slip and fall in slush and water, it will be nice to have an extra set of clothes.

Icefishing Tip #4 - Before gearing up, wait to hit the ice until there is a minimum of 4-inches of solid ice. A wise man once said " If the ice is white, your all right. If the ice is clear you better fear". Make sure you have enough ice!

Icefishing Tip #5 -  Always hit the ice with a friend. This gives you and he/she a way out, should disaster strike.We've heard this since we were kids, safety in numbers.

Be safe and catch the big one!

 

Let It Snow

We're in the heart of the winter and following are some interesting snow facts;






Snow Fact #1 - Snow-based recreation contributes $67 billion annually to our economy.





Snow Fact #2 - Snow capital of the world? Stampede Pass, Washington State - avg. snowfall 430 inches per year!












 Snow Fact #3 - All snowflakes have 6 sides. Have to check this out next time it snows!








Snow Fact #4 -  Buffalo holds the record for snowfall in a city for one season - 199 inches!

Snow Fact #5 -  A blizzard is defined as blowing snow of at least 35mph, one quarter mile visibility for a minimum of 3 consecutive hours.

Cabin Fever...Nah!

 Winter sports are some of the best activities during the year. Outdoormash ventured to Cranberry Lake, NY this past weekend for a fantastic snowmobile ride.

Be Prepared

Winter is here and with that, many outdoor activities have begun. Today we'll talk about the sport of snowmobiling and what you'll need to have in the event of a breakdown.

1. GPS/Phone -Obviously, to know where you are and navigate to a road or point, however if you were able to use a phone or at the least send a text for help you can give you coordinates.

2. Portable Phone Charger -they sell for about $20

3. Compass-$5.00

4. Whistle-Much better than screaming with little effort, in the middle of the woods a whistle is distinct -  $3.00

5. Fire Starter- Lighter, water proof matches and small fire starter blocks. The blocks are 2 inches by 2 inches and can burn for 30 minutes, they are $5 a piece and are amazing for starting a fire (dry twigs may be hard to find if there is snow on the ground.) Another fire starting idea is you can disconnect your gas line and use a small amount of gas to start a fire.

6. Small Multi Tool-with knife, pliers etc....$10.00 

7. Water Bottle- preferably a metal one which can be used for multiple purposes.

8. Optional but worth it, I use SPOT, its a Satellite emergency beacon. SPOT has GPS responder built in, in case of emergency you hit the button, it notifies search and rescue and 5 pre-determined friends with your GPS longitude and latitude coordinates. It sells for $149.00 and the first years service is included  If needed its priceless.

9. Solar Sleeping Bag-$7.00, the size is about 6 inches by 4 inches and will save your life, reflects 90% body heat, you will not be toasty warm but you will live!

10. Snacks- things that last, don't really freeze and can be easily rationed and are in small portions- beef jerky, nuts, cashews, grain bars.

11. Map- topo map of the area you are exploring.

12. Two Way Radio- Cost about $30, for the five to 10 mile range, if people are looking for you, you maybe able to catch them on a channel.

13. Tow Strap-$15

14. First Aid Kit-$10.00 Small kit, either you or a buddy could get hurt and any of the items might make a difference.

15. Flashlights -$20.00 A head lamp, being hands free key. A small handheld will be good also, preferably the wind up kind or shakeable with no batteries needed.

16. Sharpie Marker to write on any surface, a few sheets of paper in a ziploc bag.

17. Gas Tank - a portable 2 gallon gas tank will save the day.

 Have a fun and safe season...brrrrrrp!