What To Consider When Camping In The Wilderness
Camping is much like survival and requires some very basic components: shelter, food and water. The question you need to ask yourself is, “How rugged do I want to get?”. When camping you have to work for your survival and the more time you spend at work the less time you have for play.
Let’s start with shelter. You’re probably bringing a tent. But there’s more to shelter than that. Where are you putting your tent? Do you need electricity? What is the weather like? Do you need something to act as a wind block? What does the terrain look like? All of these problems can be answered with a well setup campsite. You have to pay to camp usually but it’s a lot easier and less work.
The next obstacle is food. This is a big one because a lot of people don’t like to leave the comforts behind when they think about what they want to eat. Hot dog on a stick doesn’t cut it for everyone. You have to consider more factors when packing it tho like trash, method of preparation and storage. I have found some great recipes online for easy campfire meals. One time we made a roast with potatoes and veggies wrapped in foil in individual servings. All we had to do was set it near the fire for 30 minutes then pull it out and eat it! But it never hurts to make sure civilization is a quick jaunt from your campsite incase you need to run to your favorite fast food joint.
Lastly we have to think about water. A lot of people take water for granted. With pesticides and natural bacteria in most rivers and streams we can’t just go scooping handfuls of the stuff into our mouths anymore. If you’re using a fresh water source always boil your water. If you are at a campsite they usually will provide water to you. Otherwise, I reccomend hauling it in by the gallon.
Keep these things in mind the next time you are planning your trip. It could mean the difference between a relaxing weekend with your family or having to work overtime just to scrounge up a meal!
