Ask Buck

Can altitude increase the effect of thyroid medications? I recently hiked four days in the Grand Canyon and had an experience which felt like an overdose of my thyroid meds. I skipped a dose and all the symptoms went away, even after climbing another 3,000 feet. What's up?

The day after a long, tough, hike I often feel like my head is filled with cotton and like my eyes won't fully open. What can I do to prevent or cure this? I drink a lot of water, but that doesn't seem to help.

Is an ultraviolet light, like a SteriPen, better for treating filtered water than iodine tablets?

I was recently introduced to "wicking" blisters--putting material under the skin to drain the fluid. I am a certified Wilderness First Responder, but I couldn't recall any mention of "wicking" blisters in my training, and I didn't find any in the Wilderness Medical Institute's training book. I think it is a great way to get a very bad infection. What do you think?

What would be the best snack to eat just before going to bed to help stay warm? Would it be something high in fat and high in calories or something high in protein because you burn more calories digesting protein, which would increase your metabolism?

Why do I get the shivers about 20 mins after along, hard winter hike, even after changing into dry clothes and blasting the heat? What can I do to prevent this?

I have two questions about cramps: How can I avoid or prevent cramps just above my knees, in my quads? And how can I stretch out cramps in that area?

If I had to survive on bad water for several days (say I fell in a canyon with no water) would enemas of the bad water actually keep me from dying of dehydration and not give me diarrhea? I heard of a family lost at sea with a hydration bladder was able to survive this way.

I tore tendons in my left ankle when I was younger, and as a result, don't have the most stable of ankles while hiking. Braces tend to be too hot and irritating inside a boot - is there any specialty boot or aftermarket product to help?

My dog joins me on many of my hiking trips. Is there anything short of giving her a bath that will remove the oils from poison oak/ivy?

Does bleach repel Rattlesnakes?

What do you recommend including in a medical kit for a five-day hike with four (middle age) adults?

Sometimes drugs that help with attention deficit problems help with acclimatization to altitude—and sometimes they don't...

What’s the SPF of a deciduous forest?

Why is it advised to leave odor free deodorant or antiperspirant behind in the backcountry when sunscreen and bug spray are considered ok? Wouldn't the same premise apply to all?

My grandfather told me many years ago that using rubbing alcohol on your feet a few weeks before a backpacking trip will help prevent blisters. Have you heard this before?

I am leading a crew to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico next summer. We are covering 115 miles in 10 days and summiting four peaks around 12,000 ft. What workouts would you recommend to prepare 12 guys around the age of 16 for this trek

What is the fastest way to recover for hiking from a sprained ankle? What exercises can I do to strengthen my ankle muscles?

Can hiking with an aluminum external frame pack pose a hazard during an electrical storm?

I've had Lyme disease now for three years, misdiagnosed at first, I am a hiker and a climber and continue to do so even though the pain in my shoulders and knees is sometimes bad. I’m going to climb Mts. Whitney and Rusell soon. Will the high altitude affect my Lyme disease?

I recently went on a seven-day 100 mile hike. My knees where killing me on the down hills. What exercise can I do to prevent this from happen?

You run out of water on a long, hot dayhike. You find a full water bottle trailside, and also find a clear running stream. Drink from the stream, drink from the bottle, or abstain?

How long should water boil at 14,000 feet altitude where it boils at 60 degrees Celsius?

Why is it that wild animals can drink water that's unsafe for humans?

Just standing flat footed and lifting my toes I get a sharp pain shooting from the ball through the underside of my toe and my hiking has ceased. What could the problem be?

My boots seem to fit me well, but after about three hours of backpacking the balls of my feet become sore. Friction probably plays a role, so I duct tape the balls of my feet to slow down the pain process. Eventually they do get sore. Any suggestions?

I am a backpacker and mountain climber and am trying to find out more information specific to diet and keeping up my endurance, energy and strength. I have celiacs disease and there doesn't seem to be a lot of information on obtaining the right carbs.

As a CO native, hiking Fourteeners in the summer is a favorite activity of mine. I'm excited to introduce my one-year-old to an easy one this summer (carrying him in a baby backpack, of course), but am a bit concerned about him and altitude sickness. Should I be?

Why do I get headaches nearing the end of hikes? I drink enough water, eat enough, but the last two miles of so of any hike I get a killer headache.

Does hiking and sleeping at altitude for the weekend one to three weeks prior to taking a hike at 14,000 help acclimating? I would be back at sea level for the work weeks in between.

How soon after exposure to poison ivy do I need to wash my skin? If I apply an alcohol-based hand sanitizer after contact with poison ivy, will it reduce my reaction, or stop it altogether?

When I through-hiked the PCT a number of people I was hiking with came down with giardia. We drank from the same sources for weeks. They treated their water and I never did and I still never got sick. Why?

Are giardia issues now greater than they were, say, in the 60s? In the 60's I often drank out of remote streams, with no ill effects.

What is the mosquito's hunting range?

How can reduce the pain from knee arthritis so I can still hike?

Will bleach make water safe to drink?

Will trekking poles help prevent my hands from falling asleep and getting itchy when I hike?

How many quarts of water per person per day should you carry when packing in the desert Southwest in the middle of May?

Is it true that placing a rope around your sleeping bag will discourage snakes from crossing it?

What can I do to prevent getting numb hands and arms when I'm sleeping in the backcountry?

Is it safe to drink untreated ground water?

I like sleeping under the stars. Is the fabled "rattler joins camper in his sleeping bag" tale at all a meaningful risk?

What is the shelf life of chlorine dioxide tablets?

How long does it take for human feces in a cathole to break down into soil?

Because of a toe injury, my index toe now bends to the left. Should I do anything about it?

I have always used the "Potable Aqua" pills to treat water in the wilderness. Now I hear that they won't kill one or two specific water-borne diseases. Is this true, and if so, what can I do to kill the extra germs?

Three days into a five-day hike, your knee blows up to the size of a softball, despite there being no fall and no trauma. Why, and what can you do to help the knee?

Is QuikClot a friend or foe?

I want to do some backpacking in Florida, but I know that the water in the Everglades and most streams is high in tannins. Is it safe to drink after filtration or purification pills?

How can I treat this condition on the trail?

My understanding is that the maximum amount of sodium you should have in your diet is about 2,400 mg. Is there a minimum amount you should have? I perspire excessively and get headaches without salt replenishment.

Is there a medicine that will treat leg cramps?

I have very poor circulation in my fingers and toes. What is the best way to keep them warm consistenty without overheating?

Is it true your body swells at high elevations?

How can I keep glucose near me at night without attracting bears?

How should you purify water in the desert, since it is often high in heavy metals?

Is it safe to put icicles in my drink?

I have a friend going to an altitude much higher than where he lives. Is there any way to train to be better prepared?

I heard that the salt in sweat crystalizes and that's what causes chafing on your inner thighs. Have you heard this

How to decrease knee pain and stay on the trail

Will bear spray work on a mountian lion?

Am I too old to take up hiking?

Does going to higher altitude make it difficult for your lungs to clear moisture?

What should you do when the ground is frozen and you have to dig a cathole?

Should ibuprofen be thrown away after the expiration date, or is it really still OK to use?

Do you need to worry about water purity when doing activities like shaving?

Will my ankle pain worsen at altitude and can I take anti-inflammatory drugs for it?

I'm bringing my one-year-old camping. What meds and ointments should I pack?

I have Reynaud's syndrome. How can I keep my fingers warm?

Can I use nonpurified water to rinse my dishes?

How can I keep from losing my toenails during long backpacks?

Should people with high blood pressure eat freeze-dried meals?

I had my L4 and L5 vertebrae fused. Is there special equipment I should bring, or things I should modify when hiking? I know that Denali is out, but would like to hit some 14,000-foot peaks in Colorado.


Will an EpiPen help treat a snakebite?

If I've had a spinal fusion in my lower back, can I still backpack?

Somebody recently told me that climbing a Fourteener kills brain cells because of the low oxygen levels. Is this true?

What are the best trekking poles to use if you have arthritis in your hands?

Do you know any stretches that will help?

What goes on first, sunscreen or bug repellent?