Camping Tips
Ways to get the most out of your camping adventure
Never venture out in the wilderness without a good map and a compass. If hiking, stay on designated trails and walk in single file in the centre of the path to avoid trampling trailside plants and grasses.
When in an area where poisonous plants grow, always wear boots, long pants and a long sleeved shirt. The three most common poisonous plants are poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac - learn how to recognize them. If you do experience a reaction, use calamine lotion to soothe the itch and avoid scratching!
Camping in high altitudes means you should drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration and high altitude sickness, which cause headaches, nausea and muscle cramps.
Be wary of food poisoning. If you do experience symptoms, drink lots of fluids and seek medical attention if symptoms last longer than two days. To avoid food poisoning, wash your hands before handling food, smell the food first and serve cooked food immediately. Sunscreen and a hat should always be worn. Heat exhaustion can lead to disorientation, and symptoms include blurry vision, dizziness, nausea and weakness. If this happens to you, lie down in the shade and drink lots of water or juices.
If you get sunburned, apply compresses of ice-cold water, or milk & water for 10 minutes every few hours. You can also use an anti-inflammatory cream to reduce inflammation and itching.
Mosquitoes bite early in the morning and just after sunset. Avoid perfumes, hair sprays, scented soaps, lotions and shampoos as these attract mosquitoes, and wear light colors. If you get stung, remove the stinger with tweezers, wash the area with soap and cold water and apply an anti-inflammatory cream to reduce inflammation and itching.
Set up your camping tent on well-drained, slightly sloped sandy or rocky sites or soft vegetation. Camp at lower elevations that are protected by surrounding rocks and trees. Camp at least 200 feet (60 m)from water to help keep pollutants out.
Campfires should be built away from your tent, trees and other flammable material. And remember, although a campfire may look like it's 'out' the core may still be burning. Water from any natural source should be treated before consumption. Disinfect water by boiling for a minimum of three minutes or using water purification tablets.
Never store camping food in your tent. Small animals will chew holes in your tent and pack and in bear country you might end up being the food! Hang food high above the ground or use a bear-proof container and make sure the food is away from where you are sleeping. Whether you are "primitive"camping or Rving at a camp resort, here are some tips on keeping the wilderness wild:
Leave no trace. Respect nature, and leave your campsite clean.
"Pack it in, pack it out" is another way of saying 'leave no trace,' this is especially important backcountry camping, because there are no garbage cans!
Old dishwater (known as gray water) must be dumped away from fresh water sources. Do not dump ashes from the grill on the ground. Dump in the campfire ring or in a bag that you put in the garbage can.
Restrooms: In the backwoods, dig a small hole away from water, use minimal toilet paper and cover human waste.
