Students Of Success

With fresh air in the lungs and boots on your feet hike along…

Beaver Ponds
One of Yellowstone’s shorter loop trails then wanders through both meadows and forest. Black bears and Wild Flowers usually dominate the flora and fauna of this part of the world.

Fairy Falls
197-foot Fairy Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in Yellowstone, The longest and most scenic route starts at the Fountain Flat Drive barricade.

Grebe Lake
A trail used mainly by fishermen and backpackers, the trail goes to Grebe Lake, which make up the headwaters of the Gibbon River system. Deer and moose are oftentimes spotted along the trail and at the Lake.

Grizzly Lake
Starting out in a meadow, then climbing 250 feet up a ridge and traveling through burned forest, the route offers excellent views of Mount Holmes and the Gallatin Range.

Lost Lake
An easy trail, which starts behind Roosevelt Lodge (Tower Junction) then, goes into the forested hillside, coming to a fork, going westwards to the Lost Lake which is about quarter of a mile away.

Monument Geyser Basin
This is short but steep hike, where you can see the stunning view of Elk Park meadow and the wandering Gibbon River leading to Monument Geyser Basin, a small geyser basin.

Osprey Falls
Whether you start south of Bunsen Peak on the Bunsen Peak road or north of Bunsen Peak on the other end, you will be traveling about three miles along the road to reach the breathtaking Osprey Falls Trail

Specimen Ridge
This trail takes us to the lip of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone at the one mile point, then to east reaching the top of 9614-feet Amethyst Mountain.

Storm Point
This trail offers a good view of Yellowstone Lake, off the beaten path.
Start from the Indian Pond parking area, then drops into the tree line until you reach Storm Point.

Yellowstone River
Starts at the Yellowstone River Picnic Area and rises up to the eastern lip of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. There are some spectacular views of the Canyon and River from this trail.

read more travel facts here.

If you are going to be kayaking you’re going to need to be able
to move your kayak when it is out of the water. You’ll need to
move the kayak to and from the water, or from body of water to
body of water. Here is a simple description of how to carry your
kayak.

One Person - One Kayak

- Find the center of gravity in the kayak (usually where the
seat is located) - To carry the kayak by yourself, place one
edge of the inside of the cockpit on your shoulder so the kayak
is hanging there. - Bend your knees while lifting and use your
legs, not your back, to lift. - Stabilize the kayak on your
shoulder with your hands. - Carry the kayak to where you need to
go - Place the kayak down making sure you bend your knees.

Two People - Two Kayaks

A nice little trick you can use when you are going out with a
buddy and have two boats to carry is to tie a paddle across the
handles on each end of the kayaks. Tie the two front handles to
each end of a paddle, then do the same with the rear handles.

Then have one person place the rear paddle across his shoulders
and the same in the front. Carry to your put-in spot, then untie
the boats and you’re on your way.

These are a couple methods to carrying a kayak. Simple yet
efficient. One more thing…watch out for stumps and rocks!

What is and how does a GPS work? The Global Positioning System
(GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a
network of about 18-24 satellites placed into orbit. GPS was
originally intended for military applications, but in the late
1970s, the government made a system available for civilian use.
GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world,
24/7. There are no cost for the use.

How it works

GPS satellites circle the earth twice a day in the same orbit
and transmit signal information to down to mother earth. GPS
take this information and use triangulation to calculate the
user’s exact location. The GPS receiver compares the time a
signal was transmitted by a satellite with the time it was
received. The time difference tells the GPS receiver how far
away from the satellite it is. Now, with this distance
measurements from a few more satellites, the receiver can
determine the user’s position and display it on the unit’s
electronic map.

A GPS receiver must be locked on to the signal of at least three
satellites to calculate a 2d position (latitude and longitude)
and track movement. With four or more satellites in view, the
receiver can determine the user’s 3D position (latitude,
longitude and also altitude). Once the user’s position has been
determined, the GPS unit can calculate other information, such
as speed, track, trip distance, distance to destination, sunrise
and sunset time and a lot more. How accurate is GPS? Today’s GPS
receivers are extremely accurate, thanks to parallel
multi-channel design. Garmin’s 12 parallel channel receivers are
quick to lock onto satellites when first turned on and they
maintain strong locks, even in dense foliage or urban settings
with tall houses. Certain atmospheric factors and other sources
of error can affect the accuracy of GPS receivers. Garmin® GPS
receivers are accurate to 15 meters on average. Newer Garmin GPS
receivers with WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) capability
can improve the accuracy to less than three meters on average.
No additional equipment or fees are required to take advantage
of WAAS. Users can also get even better accuracy with
Differential GPS (DGPS), which corrects GPS signals to within an
average of three to five meters. The U.S. Coast Guard operates
the most common DGPS correction service. This system consists of
a network of towers that receive GPS signals and transmit a
corrected signal by beacon transmitters. In order to get the
corrected signal, users must have a differential beacon receiver
and beacon antenna in addition to their GPS. The GPS satellite
system The 18-24 satellites that make up the GPS space segment
are orbiting the earth about 12,000 miles above us. They are
constantly moving, making two complete orbits in less than 24
hours. These satellites are travelling at speeds of roughly
7,500 miles an hour. GPS satellites are powered by solar energy
only. They have backup batteries onboard to keep them running in
the event of a solar eclipse, when there’s no solar power. Small
rocket boosters on each satellite keep them flying in the
correct path. Here are some other interesting facts about the
GPS satellites (also called NAVSTAR, the official U.S.
Department of Defense name for GPS): * The first GPS satellite
was launched in early 1978. * A full constellation of 24
satellites was achieved in late 1994. * Each satellite is built
to last about 10-15 years. Replacements are constantly being
built and launched into orbit. * A GPS satellite weighs
approximately 1,500 pounds and is about 16 feet across with the
solar panels extended. * Transmitter power is only 50 watts or
less. What’s the signal? GPS satellites transmit two low power
radio signals, designated L1 and L2. Civilian GPS uses the L1
frequency of 1575.42 MHz in the UHF band. The signals travel by
line of sight, meaning they will pass through clouds, glass and
plastic but will not go through most solid objects such as
buildings and mountains. A GPS signal contains three different
bits of information — a pseudorandom code, ephemeris data and
almanac data. The pseudorandom code is simply an I.D. code that
identifies which satellite is transmitting information. You can
view this number on your Garmin GPS unit’s satellite page, as it
identifies which satellites it’s receiving. Almanac data, which
is constantly transmitted by each satellite, contains important
information about the status of the satellite (healthy or
unhealthy), current date and time. This part of the signal is
essential for a good position view. Sources of GPS signal errors
Factors that can degrade the GPS signal and thus affect accuracy
include the following: * Ionosphere and troposphere delays –
The satellite signal slows as it passes through the atmosphere.
The GPS system uses a built-in model that calculates an average
amount of delay to partially correct for this type of error. *
Signal multipath — This occurs when the GPS signal is reflected
off objects such as tall buildings or large rock surfaces before
it reaches the receiver. This increases the travel time of the
signal, thereby causing errors. * Receiver clock errors — A
receiver’s built-in clock is not as accurate as the atomic
clocks onboard the GPS satellites. Therefore, it may have very
slight timing errors. * Orbital errors — Also known as
ephemeris errors, these are inaccuracies of the satellite’s
reported location. * Number of satellites visible — The more
satellites a GPS receiver can “see,” the better the accuracy.
Buildings, terrain, electronic interference, or sometimes even
dense foliage can block signal reception, causing position
errors or possibly no position reading at all. * Satellite
geometry/shading — This refers to the relative position of the
satellites at any given time. Ideal satellite geometry exists
when the satellites are located at wide angles relative to each
other. Poor geometry results when the satellites are located in
a line or in a tight grouping. * Degradation of the satellite
signal — Selective Availability (SA) is an intentional
degradation of the signal once imposed by the U.S. Department of
Defense. SA was intended to prevent military adversaries from
using the highly accurate GPS signals. The government turned off
SA in May 2000, which significantly improved the accuracy of
civilian GPS receivers.

Boating and hunting are certainly two of the most popular outdoor activities. In the following article we will take a look at each of them and discuss some of the safety risk involved.

Boating
The term boating usually refers to the recreational use of a pleasure craft. Fishing and waterskiing are two common boating activities along with many other sports. Millions of boaters can be found all around the world as it is an incredibly popular activity.

Boating Safety
For most people when they go out boating on the water the last thing on their mind is emergency preparation. This is a mistake which over time has cost many people their lives. Being prepared for an emergency is absolutely vital if you are going to go out boating. Common boating emergencies include someone falling overboard, boat breakdowns, boat leaks and capsizing.

Proper safety equipment is not only recommended but is mandatory in most places. Boating safety equipment includes life buoys, life jackets and ladders. A horn and bailer are also recommended and/or required in most areas. Survival suits are also recommended especially when boating in cold water where the risk of hypothermia is greater.

Proper maintenance of your boat is essential to ensuring a safe trip. Without proper maintenance your boat has a much greater risk of breaking down which will put the lives of everyone on board including yourself at risk.

Hunting
Hunting can be defined as the practise of pursuing some type of animal while attempting to capture or kill it. Hunting dates back many, many years and is a very celebrated pastime.

Hunting Safety
Unload all firearms when not in use. Although you may know that your firearm is loaded, the people around you may not. Never hop over a fence or climb into your tree stand with a gun that is loaded. When travelling on an ATV or other vehicle unload the gun as well.

Be sure that not only do you know what is in front of your target before shooting but also be aware of what is behind it. Many hunters leave this part out as they assume that they will not miss. That however is not the case.

The most important safety tip that we can offer you is to use common sense at ALL times. While hunting, do not at any time allow your emotions to override common sense.

Taking a compass and map with you will aid if you get lost. Even a flashlight is a good idea in case you become lost in the dark. The flashlight will also help in avoiding snakes and other potentially dangerous animals.

Following these tips will allow you a much better chance of having a safe and enjoyable time boating or hunting.

Our Boating section provides articles and safety tips for boaters, while our about
Hunting section contains the same for hunters.

Some people simply overlook boat insurance. They think that nothing bad is going to happen, when in reality, bad things often happen involving boats!

If you own a boat, you need boat insurance. In fact, many states now require boat owners to carry Watercraft Liability insurance before they transport or operate a boat. If your boat has been financed, your lender will almost always require you to carry full coverage boat insurance.

Again, most people don’t think anything bad will happen – but bad things do indeed occur!

Vandalism is one problem that you may encounter. This is especially true if you dock your boat in a marina. Vandalism can also occur when you park your boat at your home, or at a hotel when traveling.

When you shop for insurance, make sure that vandalism is covered on your policy. Most issuers of boat insurance will only offer you the Watercraft Liability – but in most cases, you need more coverage than that! Theft is another possibility. Cars are stolen all the time – but boats are stolen as well. In fact, stealing a boat is easier than stealing a car!

Boat insurance should cover you in the event of vandalism, theft, sinking, fire, storms, capsizing, stranding, collision, and explosion. Furthermore, the insurance should cover the boat, the motor, and the trailer used to transport the boat. The boat should be covered no matter who is operating the boat, as long as they are legally allowed to operate the vessel.

Boat insurance will typically cover you in the event of malfunction as well. If something happens to your motor, it should be covered by your insurance. It should also cover you in the event that your boat needs to be towed back to shore.

What you are covered for depends on what type of coverage you purchased through your insurance agent. For this reason, it is important to know what type of coverage is available. Not all insurance companies will offer all types of coverage, but they will offer Watercraft Liability and Watercraft Medical payments.

Watercraft liability covers you just like car liability insurance protects you in the event of an accident where you are found to be at fault. Medical payments will cover medical expenses incurred by you and the occupants of your boat that are the result of a boating accident in the covered water vessel.

Optional insurance usually includes coverage for reasonable repairs, emergency services to your boat, motor, or boat trailer, and wreck removal. Wreck removal is very important coverage to have. If you boat sinks, it will need to be raised before an insurance company can access the damages and pay your claim. This is very expensive, and in most states, the law requires you to remove wrecked or sunken vessels.

Boats may be luxury items – but they are very expensive luxury items.

Repairing or replacing a boat may not be something that you can easily afford – but in most cases, you will find that boat insurance is quite affordable. However, if you are thinking in terms of cost, and you think that you cannot afford the boat coverage, you can be certain that you will not be able to afford to repair or replace the boat either!

No matter how you look at it, you need boat insurance, even if you just purchase the watercraft liability coverage. Again, most states now require this liability coverage for water vessels, and if the boat is financed, the optional coverage may be required as well.

Discuss your boat insurance coverage needs with your insurance agent to determine what coverage is right for you and your boat.

Ian D. Major makes it easy to understand Boat Insurance, quickly and easily. Learn all you need to know by visiting

www.the-boat-insurance-directory.com

an entirely FREE source of information about Boat Insurance.

Held in Cordova, Alaska, the Copper River Delta Shorebirds
Festival is a bird watcher’s dream come true. Hundreds of
thousands birds migrate to the delta for your sighting pleasure.

Copper River Delta Shorebirds Festival

Held every May, the Copper River Delta Shorebirds Festival is
the place to be if you want to view shorebirds. Literally
millions of birds migrate to the delta on the way to breeding
grounds throughout the Arctic. The little town of Cordova knows
a good thing when it sees it.

The Copper River Delta is essentially a refueling spot for the
migrating birds. As you probably know, migrating birds will haul
tail when the migration urge overcomes them. Many of these birds
will fly for days on end until they must have food. In the grand
plan, Mother Nature has arranged for the river delta to be the
fast food stop for these birds.

Due to the frenetic pace undertaken by the migrating birds, food
becomes a major issue. As they arrive at the Copper River Delta,
they land and eat…and eat…and eat. It is the rare
opportunity where you get to see so many birds grounded for such
a long period of time. Put another way, it is a deluxe bird
watching opportunity.

Birds

So, what can you expect to see on the delta? With so many birds,
I’m not going to go into specifics other than to say you can see
a wide variety of Loons, Grebes, Herons, Swallows, Yellowlegs,
Tattlers, Sandpipers, Swans, Chickadees, Wrens, Ducks, Thrushes,
Magpies, Warblers, Alcids, Finches, Jaegers and Turns to mention
only a few. Put another way, you won’t run out of things to see.

Getting There

Getting to Cordova isn’t the easiest of things to do. You’ll
have to fly in from Anchorage, Juneau or Seattle. Alternatively,
you can hop on one of the Alaskan ferries, but need to look into
the specific mechanics involved.

It is the rare day indeed when a birder can view millions of
birds in their natural habitat. The Copper River Delta
Shorebirds Festival offers you that day every year.