Camping

All kinds of ways to camp

• Primitive

• Tents and some services

• Tents or a camper and full services

• Recreational vehicle

Sleeping Bags

• Best bags is– One made of down– The nylon will wear out

first

• Avoid cotton materials

• Pad is recommended– Air mattress– Other material

Care of sleeping bag

• Packing– Best practice is stuffing it into a nylon sack– Then place sack into plastic bag

• Washing– Warm or cold water only– Half as much detergent– Use extractor (high speed centrifuge)

• Drying– Low setting– Terry cloth towel will speed drying

Tent

• A shelter made of:– Nylon– Canvass

• Has sides and a top• Different types

– Dome– Ridge– Frame

What size of tent?

• To be comfortable, the average person needs:– 2 ½’ by 7’ to stretch out– Additional ½’ headroom to dress

• For example a 3-4 person tent is ideal for two people.

Where should you set up tent?

• Avoid meadows– usually a low area

• Avoid flat mossy areas– will attract water from miles away

• Be aware of ground surface– Look for potential trouble due to

rain– Glass, sharp objects, low

branches

Ground Cloth

• Should be placed inside the tent– Outside under the tent will trap water

• Should be plastic-type

Rain Tarp

• 10’ X 10’ nylon or plastic tarp strung between trees

• Is great as a “dry area” in wet weather

Camp Stove

• Types:– Gasoline

• Most reliable• Very volatile

– Kerosene• Same BTU as gasoline• Less volatile

– Propane• Relatively inexpensive• Good heat• Packaging can be problem

– Butane• Cute• Unreliable in cooler

temperatures

What to look for in a stove?

• Stability: you don’t want it to tip over

• Ease of starting: built in pump is best

• Adjustable flame: especially fine adjustments of the flame

• Susceptibility to wind: avoid aluminum windscreens, they tend to be flimsy

Knife

• A good camping knife is:– 4” to 5” blade– Thin (1/8”) is best

• Use a sharpening stone– Raise back of blade 15 to

20 degrees– Push blade down into

stone– Maintain a light film of

cutting oil or water

Camping Saws & Hatchet

Bow SawHatchet

Folding Saw

Fire

• Collect all needed materials before beginning

• Butane lighters work best

• Have matches available

Building a fire

• Patience

• Lay a good foundation of fine tinder

• Above that: crisscross a few larger twigs

• As tinder catches, slowly add larger pieces of wood

• Wet conditions

• Types of wood

Extinguishing the blaze

• Where there is smoke there is fire

• Thoroughly douse everything with water

• Check the fire with your hands

Ecological Concerns

• Leftover foods– Either pack it out or burn it

• Garbage– Burn all garbage– Pack out anything that won’t burn

• Fish entrails– Bury them as far from campsite as possible

• Human waste– Dig a “cat hole” (4” to 8” deep) and bury it– Burn the toilet paper

• Washing dishes– Do at least 100’ from water source

If obtaining water from lake/river

• Go well away from shoreline

• Go to deepest point

• Avoid greenish tinge

• Avoid stagnant areas

• From incoming source not outgoing source

• Not near a beaver dam

Field water purification process

• Boiling– Must boil the water for at least one minute– Allow water to cool

• Portable filters– Won’t remove Giardia

• Chemicals– Don’t work well in the cold

Animals

• Bears– Don’t confront an

aggressive bear– Don’t run away– Back away slowly and

calmly– Make yourself appear

as “big” as possible– Suggestion: climbing

nearest tree??• Remember black bears

are very good climbers

Other animals

• Raccoons– Are very good with

their “hands”– Are very inquisitive

• Skunks– Will sniff out anything – Potent defense!– But also claws and

teeth!

Repelling insects

• DEET• Bugs are attracted to

dark colors

• Repellents can dissolve plastics

Your clothing

• Avoid cotton – a pair of wet jeans could take 14 hours to air dry

Best to wear:– Wool– Polypropylene– Gortex– Acrylics– nylon

Hypothermia

• Hypothermia – killer of the unprepared– Remove wet clothes – “sandwich” victim

between two people is the best warming method

– Radiant heat will work well too

• But intense heat can burn sensitive skin

Footwear

• Lightweight• Flexible• Wear two pair of socks

– Outside layer – wool– Inner layer – lightweight wool

or polypropylene– Secret

• Wear inner layer inside out

– Change inner layer daily– Outside layer may be worn 2-3

days

Other gear suggestions