This segment provides information on camping basics, including some of the basics on selecting and pitching a tent and setting up camp. When you embark on a hiking and camping trip, check your position periodically using a compass and trail-map (figure A). Some proficiency with reading and using trail maps is essential for a safe and enjoyable outdoor adventure. A standard compass works by aligning the compass needle -- which points north -- with the north arrow on your map. This will orient you so that you can determine and follow the right directions. A more advanced compass uses a sighting mirror to assist in lining up with landmarks as you navigate. These are particularly useful when hiking in open areas. The mirror can also be used as signaling device in case of an emergency. For shorter hikes on well-established trails, the map and compass may be less essential. Frequently used trails in parks and recreation areas are typically marked at junctions and other locations with trail signs (figure B).
Campsites
- Qualities of a good campsite include a flat area for pitching tents, an established fire-ring and a nearby water source. In some parts of the country, established campsites also offer bear-proof food storage.
- Once you arrive at your campsite, select a good location for pitching your tent. A good spot is one that is flat, and without roots, rocks or holes. Avoid placing your tent anywhere with evidence of pooling water.
Pitching a Tent
A myriad of tent styles and brands are available, but set-up is similar with most of them. Following are some basic steps for the typical tent set-up.
- Lay out a ground cover -- sometimes called a footprint -- or tarp. This will provide a moisture barrier beneath the tent.
- Lay out the main part of the tent on top of the ground cover (figure C).
- Insert the tent-stakes through the loops, and into the ground, at the corners of the tent. If the ground is hard, you may need to use a rock or other hard object to drive the stakes into the ground.
- Assemble the poles used to erect the tent. Once the stakes are in place, lift the tent poles into position (figure D) and attach them.
- With the poles in proper position, you can raise the tent (figure E) and fasten it using the attached clips or hardware.
- With the tent erect, you'll still need to put on the protective fly that covers the top of the structure (figure F).
- Fasten the fly to the tent using the attached clips or hardware, and stake it out as well (figure G).
- Make sure there is enough tension on the lines to keep the tent and fly taut (figure H).
Tent Styles and Features
- Tents designed for back-country camping are lightweight and easily packable.
- Some incorporate a vestibule (figure I) that provides sheltered space for keeping your pack and gear out of the rain and weather.
- Larger family-style tents are heavier and not suitable for backpacking, but they're fine for car-camping and family excursions that don't involve packing into the wilderness.
Bears and Camping
- When camping in areas where bears are a native species, it's important to keep food out of reach. Food left exposed and on the ground may attract bears and other wild animals. Established campsites frequently have devices for storing your food out of the reach of bears and other wildlife. A system of cables and pulleys allows you to elevate your packed food so that it is inaccessible by animals.
- If you're camping in a location without this type of storage, you can create a system yourself by suspending a rope high up, between two trees (figure J).
- Hoist another rope over the horizontal line to suspend your food where it's out of reach at least 10 feet above the ground (figure K). Tie off the other end of the rope to the base of the tree to secure your supplies.
- If bears appear near your campsite, never feed them. In the event that one approaches your campsite, make loud noises by banging cooking utensils together to frighten it away. If one approaches you closely, avert your eyes and slowly back away. (Bears and some other wild animals interpret eye contact as aggression.)
RESOURCES :
Parents' Guide to Hiking & Camping: A Trailside Guide
Model: 0393316521
Author: Alice Cary
Volume from The Trailside Guide Series from W.W. Norton and Company.
W. W. Norton & Company
Backpacker's Handbook, 2nd Edition
Model: 0070653151
Author: Chris Townsend
McGraw-Hill Companies
Website: www.mcgraw-hill.com
Outside magazine
Magazine covering outdoor activities including adventure travel, hiking, backpacking, camping and the environment.
Backpacker magazine
Magazine covering outdoor recreation, hiking, backpacking, camping, equipment, etc.
A Guide to Happy Family Camping: A Little Help to Get Started Camping With Kids
Model: 156148248X
Author: Tammerie Spires
Good Books
Website: www.goodbooks.com
Simple Tent Camping: The Basics of Camping from Car or Canoe
Model: 0070730210
Author: Zora Aiken
McGraw-Hill Companies
Website: www.mcgraw-hill.com
Bear Aware: Hiking and Camping in Bear Country (A Falcon Guide)
Model: 1560444568
Author: Bill Schneider
Falcon Publishing Company
Website: www.falcon.com/
Backpacking Tips (A Falcon Guide)
Model: 1560446617
Author: Bill Schneider (Editor), Russ Schneider (Editor)
Falcon Publishing Company
Website: www.falcon.com/
Camping: Have Fun, Be Smart
Model: 0823931730
Author: Jacqueline Ching
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Rosen Publishing Group
New York, NY 10010
Phone: 212-777-3017
Fax: 212-253-6915
Email: rosened@mailrosenpub.com
The Best in Tent Camping: Smoky Mountains
Model: 0897322339
Author: Johnny Molloy
Full title:
The Best in Tent Camping: Smoky Mountains: A Guide for Campers Who Hate Rvs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos
Menasha Ridge Press
Day and Overnight Hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Model: 0897323815
Author: Johnny Molloy
Menasha Ridge Press
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