Intense Camping Trivia Quiz

Answer: Wool

Felt is made from woolen or wool fibers and can be created in many different ways, the most common of which involves soaking the fabric in water and pressing it under moving or rolling objects. Although early felt items were made using mercury for several centuries, this was stopped when it was discovered to be dangerous.

Most regular sleeping bags are made of cotton and wool insulation with their outside shells being made of synthetic materials. Who needs that though? For Intense Camping, we don't WANT real sleeping bags. In fact, throw them on the fire- we're sleeping on rocks...in the snow. RAW CAMPING POWER!

Answer: Himalayas

The Yeti, while not confirmed as an actual creature, is said to live in the high peaks of the Himalayas. He's often put into the same boat as Sasquatch and Bigfoot, both of which are commonly regarded to thrive in the Rocky Mountains of Canada and the United States. Many have also referred to the Yeti as the Abominable Snowman.

Suffice to say, these creatures don't come along everyday, but I assure you that I brought it down within a matter of seconds. We rolled down the mountain to the edge of a cliff in Tibet where I subdued it; the Sherpas call me a hero. That was one of my less-extreme camping exploits though. I assure you.

Answer: Pillow lava is only formed underwater

Pillow lava is one of several different types of lava. Unlike A'a and Pahoehoe, both different types of lava which flow on land and have specific characteristics therein, Pillow lava is only found underwater. Since so many volcanoes operate in the ocean, it's not uncommon either. Because pillow lava is underwater it also cools (on the outside) at a faster rate than its above-the-sea counterparts. That doesn't mean you can't find pillow lava without a snorkel though; some of it was formed eons ago and is now found above-ground

ROCK ON! Sure, it's dangerous as a shark made of poison and razor blades, but pillow lava is the perfect thing to poke around in on an awesome camping adventure. In fact, some of my best excursions have involved sleeping in/around/overtop of active volcanoes.

Answer: It's the northernmost town in Canada

Alert is the northernmost town in Nunavut, one of Canada's northern territories, and although it's only home to a handful of people on a regular basis (you could count them on your hands) it's about five hundred miles from the North Pole, making one of the closest inhabited locations to the top of the world. The spot is home only to a single weather station manned by scientists on the northern tip of Baffin Island. Iqaluit, Nunavut's capital city, is over two thousand kilometers away.

Bitter cold is no match for encouraging slogans and raw energy! Packing up and heading to Alert may be intimidating for your everyday campers (and their young children) but for intense, extreme campers, it's just another stone in the proverbial road. Road RAGE!

Answer: Hemlock

Taro can be dangerous to eat if ingested uncooked. By steeping the roots or soaking them for a long period of time, they can become safe to eat without prior treatment. Taro is most seen in Asia though it can be grown in similar climates around the world. Xigua is from China; it's another word for watermelon (which is perfectly edible if ripe). Hemlock is always poisonous. Do not eat it. Found in Europe and Africa, this plant is highly toxic even in small quantities.

It shouldn't need to come to this, of course (because plants are for sissies!) but if we have no choice we'll find something safe. Luckily, I bring an artillery belt of Powerbars on every trek.

Answer: Duct tape

"The Red Green" show first premiered in 1991 and lasted fifteen seasons on the Canadian television network CBC. A satire on redneck and Canadian cultures, Red used duct tape to mend almost anything in his do-it-yourself sketch scenarios. A strong adhesive tape made with plastic particles, duct tape has many uses, especially in quick-fix situations. Also called 'Duck Tape' in some countries, the tape is not commonly used for either ducts or ducks.

Sometimes, all I go out into the woods with is the clothes on my back, a bowie knife, and a minimal roll of duct tape around my wrist. Nothing says journeyman like building a a lean-to where I can sit and sharpen my mind and my blade. Such is the way of the true camper.

Answer: It's the terminal velocity for average descents

When performing a regular, solo jump and descending through the sky on your stomach, the average jumper will achieve a terminal velocity of approximately one hundred twenty miles per hour, and this number actually rises the more aerodynamic you can make yourself in flight. While jumping from a plane would allow wind resistance to carry you to the ground, a jump from a helicopter would really feel like a drop. When the parachute is deployed, the speed is reduced by more than 90%.

The terminal velocity would likely change if I jumped in tandem, but I don't need someone to hold my hand when I jump with little more than a parachute on my back. In fact, I have yet to find someone who wants to try my skydive-roulette. People just aren't ready for this intensity.

Answer: China

Mt. Huashan Trail is quite notorious. While visitors to Mt. Hua, one of China's most important mountains (from a religious and historical standpoint), can take the lift to the top, some choose to make the trip by climbing up the steep, narrow precipices alongside the mountain's tricky slopes. At some points, the trail consists of nothing more than strategically-placed boards and tall stairways. Many people have died attempting the climb, over one hundred per year, but safety measures are frequently added.

Don't worry- I know the guys that maintain this one. They let me into the closed-off trails so that I can face the mountain one-on-one and prove that it can't best the likes of me, a TRUE outdoorsman.

Answer: Poison Dart Frog

The Poison Dart Frog is indigenous to the jungles of Central and Southern America and while they're often quite beautiful creatures (noted by their bright, vibrant colours) they're also some of the most deadly creatures on the planet. According to many, the amount of toxins secreted from the skin of one of these frogs needed to kill a full-grown human being could fit on the head of a pin. Allopumiliotoxin 267A is one of many neurotoxins found in their skin; they do not actually shoot darts.
King Cobras are found in Asia, Platypuses are found in Australia, and the Little Shrikethrush is in Indonesia. All of these creatures are poisonous as well.

I'm probably the only person immune to the toxins secreted from these charming frogs, but hey, it didn't come easy. Only from extreme camping could I manage such a feat! Maybe I'm just that INTENSE!

Answer: The local waters contain high levels of arsenic

San Pedro De Atacama is notable for being nearly completely unable to receive rain due to its geographical locale in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile. Quite arid and quite high in altitude, this spot in South America does contain underground water supplies, but with high arsenic contents. While locals can drink it without any issues because of long built-up tolerances, visitors need to drink purified or bottled water to avoid a risk of any side-effects. Nevertheless, the Atacama Desert is an interesting tourist spot because it boasts the continent's clearest starry skies almost every night.

Even the harshest, most foreboding landscapes can kneel before me. Bah- arsenic water boosts my immune system because, like the desert, I too am too intense! RAW POWER!