Blog
Here you’ll find our blog posts, listed by main category. To receive posts by email as they appear, sign up for updates on the homepage!
Bucket List Adventure: Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim (R3)
Have you been to the Grand Canyon? Well the name suits it. It’s big!!
Here is a great story about what some call "the great upside down mountain." You can walk down to the bottom pretty easily, but getting back up can be a different story. We are lucky to have Brian Roach, FNP-C here to tell us about his R3 adventure.
Hey, Don’t Get Lost!
If you have ever gotten confused and turned around in the wilderness, had that fog layer come down outta nowhere or somehow gotten on the wrong trail, you know what a deeply disturbing and dreadful feeling that can bring. How about we try to not let that happen?
Honestly, it probably will happen if you're out a lot over the years, but preparation can make it a non-issue or help you take care of yourself and find your way back to your happy place.
Angela Widler is back with more really important tips and information on how to keep from getting lost, and what to do if misfortune finds you. Read and absorb what search and rescue (SAR) teams want you to know to make your unplanned time in the wilderness short and successful.
We have much more to come in this series. In upcoming posts, we'll go deeper into these topics. We'll also have a handy tips card for you in the near future. So please read on, and let’s hold tight to each other and stay found. Jam Jam!
3 Ways to Prepare for Your Hike or Expedition
Is there anything worse than a leaking tent, broken shoelace or ripped rain gear when you are on an extended trip? There may be a few worse things, but unexpected happenings that come up on a climb or hike or expedition often make the difference between a no problem moment or really bad, foul time. So here to get you thinking ahead and being prepared (who said that?) is Grant Salisbury.
Grant has backpacked throughout the lower 48 states. He's done about a dozen river trips to remote parts of Alaska and the Yukon territory, primarily packrafting trips in the Brooks Range, as well as 1000+ miles of the Yukon river. He also spent about a decade living in developing countries running landmine clearance operations, typically in areas with little infrastructure such as rural regions of Angola and Mozambique and Colombia.
So as part of our Search and Rescue series here is a short and sweet tale about gear redundancy. Having what you need, something for repairs, and spares just in case. ("Oh my glove just flew off in the wind, off the cliff. Now a marmot has it!") Let’s make these memories good ones. Jam Jam!!
Travel Safer, Travel Smarter: Survival kits with Mykel Hawke
We are so excited to have Mykel Hawke work with us on on our SAR and safety series with this awesome article on survival kits. Mykel Hawke is well known in the survival and preparedness world for his television series on the Discovery Channel, "Man, Women, Wild," and "One Man Army." Mykel is the author of several books. One of them, "Foraging for Survival" written with Douglas Boudreau, is a favorite at Musa Masala and appears on our recommended books list. He has written several books on wilderness survival, as well as "The Quick and Dirty Guide to Learning Languages Fast."
Mykel is a former Special Forces Green Beret officer. He retired from the army as a Captain after originally joining as an enlisted man, rising to Sergeant First Class before taking a commission to become an officer. Mykel is also a paramedic and deputy sheriff. He has seen it, done it and written about it — and now he is teaching us how to survive it. Musa Masala is proud to have Mykel here to help keep us and you outta trouble. Jam Jam, Mykel!!
Musa Masala Hypothermia Cards are here!!
Available now in our store, this card is a simple tool to help you recognize hypothermia, prevent it and treat it.
When going on an outdoor adventure, planning is key to a safe and fun time. Be honest in assessing your skill level for the activity. It’s easy to overestimate your skills and get in trouble. When in doubt, ask a professional guide, ranger or coach for help and information.
Hypothermia: Scenarios and Management
Now that you know the signs and symptoms of hypothermia, let’s discuss potential scenarios when hypothermia can set in and how you would manage it in the field. But first, let’s review different ways our body loses heat.
Hypothermia Signs and Symptoms
We are back with more on hypothermia. In this post, we will define this condition. We want to give you some basic information on hypothermia. In the next post, we will deal with reacting to hypothermia signs and symptoms. Keep warm, keep active and stay safe!
#RecreateResponsibly and Layering Up in the Cold
In this post, we are going to introduce you to the #RecreateResponsibly consortium. A spectacular who’s who of the outdoor industry, #RecreateResponsibly is a nonprofit organization chartered to help people make good decisions in getting into the outdoors while regarding the significant risks of group activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Including such groups as the National Park Service, The Wilderness Medical Society, NOLS, The North Face and Musa Masala, #RecreateResponsibly is creating some great content for everyone, along with some wonderful partnerships.
Thriving Outdoors with Type 1 Diabetes
Whether you’re climbing, hiking, camping or even trekking in the Himalaya, wilderness travel can be a challenging experience. Add in controlling your blood sugar as a type 1 diabetic as your body adjusts to new foods, environments and stress levels, and you can have your hands full.
We reached out to a special adventurer, Svati Kirsten Narula. Svati is a writer, runner and hiker with a lot of experience in managing her diabetes care as she travels far and wide.
How to Properly Fit a Backpack
Have you ever gone through the totally miserable experience of hiking or climbing with a poorly fitting, overloaded or falling apart pack? Guilty of all the above. What misery, and usually it seems to be raining whenever this happens, just to add to the mix. Well we have come across the solution to your problems, except the rain part.
Musa Masala at Everest Base Camp: The Everest ER Interview
Once again the Musa team visited Everest ER, the medical tent run by the Himalayan Rescue Association to treat climbers, porters, guides and staff at Mt. Everest Base Camp.
The following video features an interview that Lakpa Sherpa and Dr. Jennifer Konopka did with Dr. Suvash Dawadi and Dr. Subarna Adhikari while they worked at the clinic during the 2018 climbing season. A great footnote is that this was the first year two Nepali doctors worked together at Base Camp. They were joined by Dr. Brenton Systermans from Australia.
Rattlesnake Safety Tips: A Venomous Snake Tutorial
Welcome to the Good Trekker, Safe Climber series of educational tutorials at Musa Masala! In the below video, Jules Sylvester of Reptile Rentals shares valuable insight into the three venomous snakes of Southern California. In the 10-minute video, you will get an overview of these snakes, how avoid getting bitten, what to do if you do get bit and a quick view of the treatment plan at the hospital if you wind up there. These treatment protocols are basically the same for all pit viper envenomations in the United States, so this information is standard nationwide. Every bite is unique though, so there will be adjustments to treatment for every bite.
Rock Climbing Safety: 5 Proven Ways to Prevent Accidents
Welcome back to Musa Masala's Good Trekker, Safe Climber series! As we are concerned with all aspects of mountain safety, we are introducing our first post on safe climbing. Here to help show you the ropes is Michael Wu. Mike is an emergency room physician in San Diego, California, an avid climber and a fan of the sport. He enjoys all aspects of climbing, from bouldering to trad wall climbing. Mike volunteered at the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) clinic in Manang, Nepal, in 2014. He worked there with Tatiana, aka Dr. Yak. They recently took a climbing trip to Joshua Tree National Park in California.
Trekking in Nepal: A Gentleman's Guide on What to Bring
The Good Trekker welcomes one of the great trekkers, Brendan Barrett, to Musa Masala. Brendan was on the WMS fundraising trek via Pikey Peak to the site of the Wongchu Sherpa Memorial Hospital in November, 2016. For an example of Brendan's fearless trekking style, he introduced himself as a medical malpractice lawyer to his fellow Trekkers, most of whom were doctors! He made few friends but quite an impression. We have been waiting eagerly for this post and we hope you like it. It's full of important information, priceless hygenine tips and his own unique view of the world. Sit back and have a good read before packing those bags.
Myths About Altitude Illness Debunked
Welcome to part two of our altitude tips post for our Good Trekker series! This time Dr. Yak tramples over some of the most common myths of traveling to high altitude.
If you are trekking in Nepal this spring, make sure to stop by for the daily altitude lecture given at the HRA clinics in Manang and Pheriche. Cards are also available at Everest ER at base camp. You may not only learn something, but you may be able to help others from getting sick.
Altitude Illness: Tips to Stay Healthy
Welcome back to the Good Trekker Series. We're pleased to introduce our newest expert, Dr Yak! No one knows about living at high altitude like a yak and this yak has all the answers. We are also introducing our new Altitude Tip cards. A version of the card will be distributed to all three clinics this spring run by the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) in the villages of Manang in the Annapurna region and Pheriche on the Everest trek. They will also be available at Everest ER at Mt Everest base camp. Make sure you visit these hard working doctors at the clinics and ask for your Musa Masala Attitude Tips card!
Ten Considerate and Thoughtful Tips For Trekking In Nepal
Welcome to the second post in the Good Trekker series! We are using the words considerate and thoughtful because we believe these are key approaches to make your trek more, fun, safe and memorable. Thinking about and being considerate of your surroundings and the people you interact with is essential for a successful experience.