DOUBLE FEATURE: Camping Alberta’s Rocky/Clearwater Forest; Knots and Whatnots

Both of the books I’m reviewing today are fairly short, so I figured I should wrap them both into 1 review!

Camping Alberta’s Rocky/Clearwater Forest by Lesley and Randy Witte is a somewhat dated book. The copy that I have was published in 1998. The map at the beginning of the book lays out where the Rocky/Clearwater area is located, west of Drayton Valley and Rocky Mountain House, centered around Nordegg. Some area businesses are referenced and contact info is provided, but likely out of date. There is a map of several available campsites, mainly along Highway 11. The descriptions for the campsites are clear and concise, outlining the nearby hiking trails and fishing opportunities. Prices for campsites are, again, outdated. One campsite that stuck out was Em-Te-Town, which is styled like an abandoned frontier town, currently rated as a 3.5/5 on TripAdvisor. It appears that is has closed and re-opened a few times over the years, likely due to financial difficulties. Overall, I would have to rate this book 1 greasy pan out of 5. It may have been useful when it was originally published, but the information is so outdated as to be useless now.

Knots and Whatnots is a book published by St. John’s Ambulance. If I recall correctly, I received this book as a supplement to my Wilderness First Aid course. The book is broken into 4 sections: getting ready; wilderness skills; animals to avoid; and medical evacuation. This book is an amazing entry-level survival guide. It is full of lists and easy-to-understand pictures. Lists include the most important things to bring when going into the wilderness, first aid kit/survival kit basics, and easy fire starters. “Wilderness Skills” touches on ropework, basic knots, simple survival shelters, how to start a fire, water collecting, and basic trapping. Animals to avoid is a short chapter, since most animals in Alberta are harmless. Nevertheless, don’t mess around with bears, cougars, and wolverines. Finally, the medical evacuation page touches on what information you want to know in an emergency, when to stay and when to leave, how to signal for help, and what are some search-and-rescue basics (listen to The Ranger Gareth Podcast Episode 3 for more search and rescue info). I would give this book 5 backcountry compasses out of 5. While it is not as in-depth as other survival guides, it provides an introduction to a wide range of topics without overwhelming a novice outdoorsman.