WILDERNESS CAMPING

Camping in the wilderness brings about different things that you will need to be aware of. You will still need your personal equipment and some of the train equipment depending on when and where you go. Some places have remote camping locations about a mile from a parking space where you can leave the vehicles and carry in just what you need.

The term wildness camping has two meanings.

1 – Camping at a location where the vehicles are not permitted on or near by 2 – Camping in a location where wild animals may frequent more often.

Wilderness camping is the second step in the camping arena leading to backpacking. You will need to know how to pack just the bare essential and you will need to take care of what you bring.

Tents:

You will need to bring tents with you to sleep in or to stay dry in the case of rain. You will need to determine the minimum size tent you need for the camp site chosen. The rule of thumb is to pack in the smallest tents that cater to the human need. The usage of these tents is for sleeping and staying dry. You will need to determine how to keep everything else you normally store in a tent safe and secure. Tent rule, no food in the tents, must be strictly enforced.

Food:

Food needs to be kept safe and dry. Refrigerated foods need to be kept in a cooler on ice. Place them in the shade during the day to conserve ice or even place them in a tent when the tent is not being used for its main purposes.

Coolers can also be used for keeping non-refrigeratables secure, like a kitchen cupboard. Placing breads and snacks in coolers keep them secure and out of the sun.

Coolers that are kept outside and especially outside at night need to be securely closed and either tied shut or strapped shut. Raccoons can usually untie knots and skunks will be attracted to anything that smells.

If you are in bear country all food supplies will have to be hung from trees at least 10’ off the ground and 8’ away from the trunk of the tree. No food, or food smells can be in the tents because animals of all sizes will be attracted to them and we do not want any furry friends in the tent with us.

Candy is considered food. Also lip balm has smells similar to food and needs to be treated as such.

Equipment:

Camp equipment will need to be cleaned and then securely tied to something like a tree trunk or picnic table. The smell of food will attract animals to them and this way the equipment will not be able to be moved about.

A rule of thumb when wilderness camping is, if you do not tie it down, it will be gone in the morning.

Water:

Many times water will have to be transported in to the site. Water is heavy, ~6 pounds to the gallon, so you will have to plan accordingly. Raccoons like water, actually they will wash their food before they eat it. Raccoons have been known to open spigots on water containers and drain the containers overnight. Turning the containers up right and covering the spigot will help keep your water supply safe. The preferable option with your water jugs is to wash them off and bring them into a tent. Water does not smell.

Garbage

Garbage is bad. Everything that was around food or touched food needs to be burned. If it can’t be burned it needs to be bagged and hung from a tree higher than the food. Garbage has many odors and nothing you do short of burning it removes all odors.

Camp Site Level 3 Requirements

1 – What do you do with food? 2 – What do you do with water?

3 – What do you do with garbage?