Pre-Camping Lessons

Posted: October 18th, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Outdoor Activity | Tags: , , , , | No Comments »

Have you ever had a backpacking trip that was a disaster – even though you brought everything you needed? Maybe you had matches, but couldn’t get that fire going. You need more than good gear to assure a safe and enjoyable wilderness experience. You need to know how to do a few things, and the following list will get you started.

Practice fire-making. Practice in your yard if you have to, but try to start that fire with one match. Try to do the same when it’s raining, also.

Learn how to pitch a tent properly. A tent that isn’t pitched properly will be of no use to you when there’s wind and rain. Learn how to set up your tent properly and quickly.

Find out how a person stays warm in the wilderness. Try camping in your yard, and see how effective blocking the wind, wearing a hat, and eating fatty foods can help maintain your body temperature normal.

Learn to cook over a fire. You might think it’s a piece of cake, but it isn’t. You have to block the wind, cover the cooking pan, and keep the fire small. Practice, and time yourself. The quicker you are the better.

Learn all you can about the plants that you can eat. Learn how to identify cattails and some wild edible berries.

Know how to walk. You should learn how to pace yourself and how to move over rocky terrain so you won’t tire easily and lessen the risk for injuries.

You’ll also need to know about animals. Can you tell if a bear is “bluff charging” or stalking you? If it’s the latter, playing dead will make you a bear’s supper. Hint: lots of noise usually means he just wants to frighten you, but you need to read up on this one.

Learn to watch the sky. Is that a lightning storm coming or not? That kind of knowledge is very useful when you’re camping. You’ll be a lot safer if you know how to predict weather.

Learn basic first aid. Can you recognize the symptoms of hypothermia? Can you treat blisters properly? These are all first aid things that you should know.

Learn how to navigate. Maps don’t help if you don’t know how to use them. The same is true for compasses.

You don’t need to be an expert about survival to go on a camping trip. It’s just good if you at least know something about it. Use the backpacking skills list above, and learn something new.

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