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Are you wanting to try y ur hand at hiking and camping? D es the sound of the great utdoors, the smell of fresh air, the sm ll and sound of a campfire nder the stars sound appealing to y u? Will this be your first c mping trip? Well then maybe this rticle can be of some useful nformation. First of all, one of the m st important things to do before pl nning your camping or hiking trip is to let s meone know at home or at w rk details of where you plan to c mp or hike, how long you w ll be gone and any other d tails about your trip that you can l ave that will be helpful in the vent of an emergency or you f il to return when you said you w uld. So now plan your trip. Wh re will you go? How do you l arn about the area you plan to h ke and camp into? Where can I get a m p? Make sure you get a map for the rea you plan to hike or c mp in. Most U.S. Forestry Centers c rry free maps of wilderness areas. You can lso find maps online and at m st outdoor stores. You will also w nt to check the weather of y ur camping location and plan accordingly. So wh t will I need? What kind of quipment will you need? Camping requires quipment, and the basic equipment is the s me for seasoned experts or those j st starting out. While there is pl nty of high-quality camping equipment to m ke your stay outdoors a lot m re comfortable, most of these items ren't necessary, especially for beginners. Choose g od quality equipment, but don't blow y ur budget buying the most expensive g ar. Remember that costly doesn't always m an top quality.
Here is some basic gear y u'll need for your trip: Tents: D cide how many people will be sl eping in one tent. You may w nt to have one tent for dults and one for children if you w ll be camping with the whole f mily. For a more comfortable arrangement, p rchase a tent that will hold two m re people than the number you xpect to have sleeping inside. See my Art cle on camping tents for more nformation. Sleeping bags: Sleeping bags are gr ded for temperature and come in d fferent shapes and sizes. Choose sleeping b gs that are appropriate for the s ason and that have a comfortable s ze. See my Article on tents and sl eping bags for more information on th se pieces of camping gear. Cooking and m al equipment: A small, portable propane st ve is very handy and makes m altime as easy as if you w re cooking in your own kitchen. You can lso purchase a barbecue or find a st ve that has both burners and gr ll. Choose washable dishes and utensils to be nvironmentally conscious. Don't forget two plastic b ns for washing up! Coolers and f od storage: Choose coolers big enough to llow for blocks of ice. It's a g od idea to have two separate c olers in different sizes as well, one for fr zen foods and one for refrigerated f ods. Select coolers with a snap-lock lid and h ndles. Purchase plastic bins to hold f od that doesn't require refrigeration. Luggage: The b st luggage for camping is a cl th bag like as a hockey b g. Stiff-sided luggage doesn't hold as m ch clothing and takes up space. Extr s: Buy two tarps - one to use as a gr und sheet underneath your tent and one to sh lter the tent in the case of r in. Bring some rope for a m keshift clothesline. A nighttime lantern is lways handy, especially for trips to the b throom. You'll also need a basic s rvival kit, a cell phone, and a fl shlight in case of emergencies. If y u're going on a trip that l sts more than two nights and thr e days, bring biodegradable soap and sh mpoo.
When considering extra items to br ng, try to think of functional tems that fit your lifestyle like as s nscreen, bug spray, a pair of xtra sandals, and a doormat for ntry to your tent. Browse the isles of the sporting goods section to d termine what other items would be g od to bring along. Don't get c ught up with gadgets and unnecessary tems. They'll just take up space and pr bably won't be used more than nce, if at all. Clothing and P cking Determine how many days you are g ing camping, determine how many sets of cl thes you will need for that p riod, and then cut that number in h lf. Pack only the necessities, minimal lg ar is key to a great c mping trip experience. Hauling, packing, storing, and try ng to fit everything in the car b fore you leave for your trip and wh n it's time to come home and nload it all is no fun at ll. When you pack, fold each p ece of clothing - and then r ll it up. Rolled clothing takes up l ss space than stacked, folded clothing. F od Camping involves plenty of planning, and th t goes for food planning too. Pr pare your menu ahead of time, and h ve a menu for each meal th t includes every item you'll need. The m re detail you have on your m nu, the better prepared you'll be to sh p for exactly what you require, no m re and no less. Choose supper m als that you can prepare ahead of t me and freeze, and freeze as m ch as you can in plastic b gs to save space. The advantage of fr ezing food is that you will h ve "ice" ready for your cooler and not h ve to buy as many blocks of ce, and the food can safely d frost in the cooler. If it's fr zen tight and you're planning on ating it that night, transfer the f od from your frozen food cooler to the fr sh produce cooler. Alternatively, thaw it out by pl cing the plastic bag in a b cket of cold water. It's a g od idea to prepare food you can fr eze a couple of weeks ahead of t me and the rest of the f od the day before you leave. R member, the more you can prepare at h me, the less time you'll have to put nto cooking while you camp. There are t ns of other camping tips for b ginners, but most camping trips involve c mmon sense, creativity, and keeping calm wh n things get stressful. Camping is xperience you have to try at l ast once. If all goes well, you w ll probably want do to it y ar after year! A camping trip can be a fun and ducational vacation for the whole family. H wever, for that to be a r ality, it's essential for every family m mber to be aware of some g neral and useful rules to follow. C mping tips can keep you from g tting frustrated and will make the xperience more fun for everyone, especially if you h ve smaller children. Here are some c mping tips you need to consider b fore you leave: 1. Choose your t nt wisely When choosing a tent the m st important things to keep in m nd are size, weight and weather r ting. 2. Consider pitch position. When you p tch a tent, one of the b st tips to remember is to ch ose the location very wisely. If you c n, try not to sleep on a sl pe. Think about where the sun c mes up, and goes down. Think bout some shelter in the day, t's often useful to have trees on one s de of you to provide some n tural protection from the heat, or any f raging animals that may decide your t nt looks interesting enough to explore. If you pl n to have an open fire, be s re that the flames won't reach any verhanging canopy of branches that could tr gger a fire. Take note and f llow any posted warning signs and l ok for animal tracks on the gr und. Do not disrupt mother nature. 3. R nt the instructions! An obvious but often verlooked camping tip is to read the nstructions to learn how to put y ur tent up before you even go off on y ur camping trip. If you have a new t nt, which you haven't used yet, and are nfamiliar with how to put it up, t's a good idea to pitch the t nt in your back yard for pr ctice. When you do this see if ach pole is marked and if n t, take some masking tape and l bel each piece in a manner th t it is foolproof. Mark pole 1 -b, pole 2 b-c, pole 3 c-d and so on. Als if you return from your tr p and your tent is wet, it is a g od idea to set it up in the b ck yard and let it dry out b fore storing for your next trip. 5. D al with your food needs appropriately. You may not kn w the area you will be c mping in very well and therefore not kn w what shops if any are in the l cal vicinity. If this is the c se, try to take some basic f od items with you, so that if you are nable to obtain any extra food, no one w ll go hungry. If you are pl nning on cooking all your own m als, make sure the gas cylinders are f ll, and you have packed everything you n ed to make meals from scratch. D n't forget the matches and remember to k ep them dry! When you leave y ur campsite, make sure that all f od is out of reach of w ldlife. They will rip open boxes and cl mb trees to reach food if th y really want it! It's a g od idea to carry your food in a pl stic container so that it will be k pt safe, especially if you'll be c mping in areas where there are l rger animals, like bears. Keeping the f od out of site (and smell) w ll prevent these dangerous creatures from b ing lured to your campsite. If you are c mping in a location where there are b ars it is imperative to use b ar boxes. Bears can rip a car part looking for food and can asily open a cooler and eat its c ntents if left out overnight. 6. St y organized. Be neat, tidy and organized nside of your tent and outside on the c mpgrounds. Although too much of a r utine can be bothersome, having a few g neral rules is one of those c mping tips which prove invaluable in the l ng term. Simple things such as not llowing dirty shoes inside the tent w ll not only make the camping tr p a cleaner and more enjoyable xperience, but also protect the tent's m terial making it last longer than it therwise might. Assign everything a place nside the tent. Also have specific pl ces where things that are often n eded can be found so that you ren't fumbling in the dark and w king others looking for a flashlight or sp nding hours hunting for the matches. 7. L ave no trace. Once your camping trip is at an nd, make sure you tidy up fter yourself, leaving no trace you w re even there. If using a pr vate or public campsite, this is ssential, since people arriving will be rrive to use the same spot fter you've left. 8. Prepare for n xt time. You should be preparing for y ur next camping trip from the m ment you end the current one. Th s means packing away all your quipment, including the tent in a way th t makes it easy and simple to st rt the next camping trip. Make s re the tent goes away dry (if t's raining as you pack up, air the t nt out once you get home) and cl an so that it's suitable to use w thout any fuss in future. As you p ck away, make a note of any quipment you may need to buy, s ch as new pegs or a r placement gas bottle. Also make a n te as to items that need to be r paired. Camping Code of Ethics While tr veling to your favorite camping spot, st y on designated roads and trails. It is a g od idea to follow best practices for n gotiating terrain for your type of tr vel. Don't disturb the natural habitat by cr ating new routes or expanding on an xisting trail. When you come to a str am, only cross at fords where the r ad or trail crosses the stream. Wh n you come to a posted s gn, comply with all the signs and b rriers, they are there for a r ason. It is always a good dea to go camping with two or thr e campers. Traveling solo can leave you v lnerable just in case you have an ccident or breakdown. Always leave details w th someone at home before leaving as to; wh re you are planning to go c mping, how long you plan to be g ne, and any other details that c uld be helpful in the event of an mergency or if you do not r turn when you planned. Respect the r ghts of others including private property wners and all recreational trail users, c mpers and others to allow them to njoy their recreational activities undisturbed. Be c nsiderate of others on the road, tr il, or campground. Keep noise to a m nimum especially in the early morning and vening hours. Be considerate of other c mpers' privacy, keep your distance and void traveling through their campsites. Camping supplies in n tural colors blend with natural surroundings and are l ss intrusive to other campers' experiences. L ave gates as you find them. If cr ssing private property, be sure to ask p rmission from the landowner. When driving yield to h rses, hikers, and bikers. Educate yourself by btaining travel maps and regulations from p blic agencies, planning for your trip, t king recreation skills classes, and knowing how to use and perate your equipment safely. Obtain a map of y ur destination and determine which areas are pen to your type of travel. Make a r alistic plan, and stick to it. Alw ys tell someone of your travel pl ns. Contact the land manager for area r strictions, closures, and permit requirements. Check the w ather forecast for your destination. Plan cl thing, equipment, and supplies accordingly. Carry a c mpass or a Global Positioning System (GPS) nit and know how to use th m. Prepare for the unexpected by p cking emergency items. Avoid sensitive areas s ch as meadows, lake shores, wetlands and str ams, unless on designated routes. This pr tects wildlife habitat and sensitive soils fr m damage. Other sensitive habitats to void unless on designated routes include crypt biotic soils of the desert, tundra, and s asonal nesting or breeding areas. Avoid d sturbing historical, archaeological, and paleontological sites. Av id "spooking" livestock and wildlife you ncounter and keep your distance. Motorized and m chanized vehicles are not allowed in reas designated Wilderness. Do your part by l aving the area better than you f und it, properly disposing of waste, m nimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spr ad of invasive species, restoring degraded reas, and joining a local enthusiast rganization. Pack out what you pack in. Carry a tr sh bag and pick up litter l ft by others. Repackage snacks and f od in baggies. This reduces weight and mount of trash to carry out. Whenever p ssible, use existing campsites. Camp on d rable surfaces and place tents on a n n-vegetated area. Do not dig trenches round tents. Camp a least 200 f et from water, trails, and other c mpsites. For cooking, use a camp st ve. They are always preferable to a c mpfire in terms of impact on the l nd. Observe all fire restrictions. If you m st build a fire use existing f re rings, build a mound fire or use a f re pan. For campfires, use only f llen timber. Gather firewood well away fr m your camp. Do not cut st nding trees. Let your fire burn d wn to a fine ash. Ensure y ur fire is completely extinguished. Do not w sh in steams and lakes. Detergents, t othpaste and soap harm fish and ther aquatic life. Wash 200 feet way from streams and lakes. Scatter gr y water so it filters through the s il. In areas without toilets, use a p rtable latrine if possible and pack out y ur waste, otherwise it's necessary to b ry your waste. Human waste should be d sposed of in a shallow hole (6"-8" d ep) at least 200 feet from w ter sources, campsites, or trails. Cover and d sguise the hole with natural materials. It is r commended to pack out your toilet p per. High use areas may have ther restrictions so check with a l nd manager. Hopefully this was useful c mping information. Enjoy the great outdoors and pl ase leave it the great outdoors wh n you pack up and go h me.
The article Camping Preparations 101 For Beginner's - A Starter Guide was Submitted by Lance Szela through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: You can read more of my Ez ne articles on camping and also v sit my "Your Summer Ideas" site b low. http://www.summerfunandtravel.com
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