A fucking hotel

I said family trip- not romantic get away.

Bring a camp stove for cooking OR bring old pots and pans you can cook directly over the campfire (I’m talking about a skillet for cooking eggs/bacon for breakfast, or a kettle for boiling water for hot chocolate or the plastic French press you’ll bring to make coffee). They will get black and sooty so don’t bring the good stuff.

If you really want comfort, have a big tent and bring a big (thick) air bed for a mattress. They have ones that either you can use your car to blow up or battery operated.

Food - Bring whatever food you want - you’ll have a cooler to keep it cold. Same with beverages. Steak and lobster tails are delicious when cooked over a camp fire!! Same with spices, utensils and things like foil to cook with.

Have fun!

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**********************
Harry: "I expected the Rocky Mountains to be a little rockier than this."
Loyd: "I was thinking the same thing. That John Denver's full of shit, man."

You probably have one, but, if not, get a campfire square pie iron: https://www.amazon.com/...&tag=googhydr-20

You can make one, but, glow stick ring toss: https://www.amazon.com/...s-Game/dp/B00LDGZAE6

If you are going to use tents, get self-inflating air pads: https://www.amazon.com/...=1-3-spons&psc=1

Air bag chairs are fun: https://www.amazon.com/...&tag=googhydr-20

Hammocks: https://www.amazon.com/...amp;ref=nb_sb_noss_2

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR

For car camping we cover the floor of the tent with inflatable mattresses and then cover them with blankets. I also have a loose mesh that I put in front of the door to help keep dirt out.

If you have younger kids bring along glow necklaces and bracelets. At bed time you can hang them in the tent as nightlights.

And one thing you can do for breakfast is omelets. Break 2-3 eggs in a ziplock bag. Add whatever meats, cheese or veggies you want. Mix well. Try to get all the air out of the bag then seal. Toss into a pot of boiling water for a few minutes. Transfer to plate and enjoy.

Oh you already have one, not starting one?

We try to do a few camping trips each summer, agree on using the glow stick/necklaces as lights in the tent at night. for eats, one thing we've done is make stuff like pulled pork or homemade baked beans beforehand and frozen it in ziplock bags, then warmed/thawed it on the camping stove.

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"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

Thanks everyone!

I love camping but I used to just bring a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, a bag of apples, some chocolate and beer.

Apparently my husband and child do not fully appreciate this minimalist approach to camping so I need to up my game if I want them to join me.

LOL! That's wifie as well! We got back into camping a couple years ago. I told her my sleeping on the ground days were over. I spent more than my share of nights in the dirt/sand/mud courtesy of Uncle Sam. So, we bought a small (15 ft) minimalist camper. I don't require much, but, I don't want to sleep in tents anymore! Wifie is still hard core. Not me!

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR

Meals: Veges cook up well wrapped in tin foil, kebobs are also easy wrapped up in foil, Marlboro man percolator brew coffee pot is a must for a sane morning, chilled white wine, the backpacking dehydrated, just add water meals are actually quality dining. Less servings than advertised though.

Equip essentials: 2 burner camp stove, old school gas lantern for outside on table, battery lanterns for tent, comfy fireside stools/chairs, kids?- more than one tent, air mattresses. Rain/shade tarp. Durable quality large cooler and a small one too.

Games: day hikes, and more day hikes, board games, prep for some fantastical fictional fireside story telling (or just read some short stories) around the campfire, bone up on your star constellations and planet locations

Enjoy some quality family time.

Some camping areas have “eco” sites (could be by other names) where you park your car then haul your shit a couple hundred yards. Makes you feel like you’re in the wild but you still have all your crap.

Oh, yeah, make chopped ham and cheese sandwiches on a sturdy French roll, wrap in foil and throw in the camp fire for a bit and eat.

S’mores are always a hit.

Psychedelic mushrooms are always good.

Personally, I hate car camping. People are running generators all day so they can charge their electric toys and watch tv.

Then when the sun drops the heavy drinking begins.

Enjoy.





PS: get a good backpack and walk 25 miles in. That’s camping.
Leave the family with the car.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

Joe Robinet on You Tube. He’s a minimalist camper. Has many tips and tricks.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

I have a Hennessy Hammock. It’s the best sleep I’ve ever had.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

This guy makes amazing videos of his camping trips. He works in Television so he knows how to make a good video.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

I bought one. Pretty certain it was on your recommendation. I love it!

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR

I thought “Hennessy Hammock” was a euphemism for getting drunk on cognac.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

What do you do if you’re above the timber line?

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

Emphasis on which word?

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_________________________________________________
"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare" - Juma Ikangaa

http://www.litespeed.com

I had my raft frame built with a removable hammock stand. Maybe when I’m on a trip with my buddies I should just sleep on the raft in one of those.

All of the camp spots I have are riverfront and we will spend days rafting.

I did a road trip across the states with my kids and some spots were really bad with mosquitoes. I wish I had a can of Yard Off to spray the campsite instead of continuously dousing ourselves with repellent.

Don't skimp on bedding, warmth, food or rain protection.

I love Crocs for camping. Nice to wear after a long day, walking into a stream or getting up in the middle of the night to pee.

As somebody who used to love camping and is surprised that nobody has yet mentioned it, is don't go in bug season. Black flies, mosquitoes, deer flies, no see ems, etc etc can ruin the otherwise best idealic camping trips. In some climes bugs aren't a problem, but if you're camping in their hood be sure to check out the best times of year to go there.

I don’t think anyone has mentioned a tarp and rope. If it rains, and you’re camped by trees, you can put it up over picnic tables and have a dry spot outside of the tent.

Do the areas you’re camping in have farms/farm markets close by? Picking up fresh picked corn made for seriously amazing dinners when my family car-camped. If you can, take advantage of local fresh, in-season produce.

What do I do? Dude I live in Ontario.

What might you do? No clue. Go to lower elevation?

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

the square irons are great for making pies with slices of bread and pie filling. Apple pies and cherry pies are great. One the better things recall I from childhood camping. you can make twigs into marshmello stick, but metal ones are nicer for hot dogs. You can use wine bottle corks to cover the pointed ends. Smores is fun for kids. Have some activities you can do for good or bad weather. Keep activities fun so your kids will want to return.

if you need help with starting fires, be sure to have small dry kindling, and aged firewood. Picking up recently fallen branches may not burn well. bring some fire starter sticks in case you need some help.

headlamps for everyone makes it nice for getting around camp at night. the cheap ones at home depot are fine for couple car camping trips.

Rocks.

We just ramped up the camping standards. Took delivery of a new travel trailer a week ago. If I want to rough it we go backpacking. We have several trips planned this year, Virginia, Yellowstone, Finger Lakes, Upper Peninsula of Michigan. And my entire gigantic family takes an annual week long camping trip.

For regular camping there are a couple items that make it better.

Good place to sit all day. Gravity chair like this:
https://www.cabelas.com/product/BASS-PRO-SHOPS-ZERO-GRAVITY-LOUNGER-PROMO/2948144.uts?slotId=0


Two burner propane stove, cooking over the fire is fine but if you want to actually cook and be able to heat up water for dishes and washing up you need some reliable heat.
https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/camp-chef-ranger-ii-blind-stove-16ccfurngr2blndstcac/16ccfurngr2blndstcac


Table top grill, yeah charcoal is great, but when things get damp and wet people still want to eat
https://www.amazon.com/Smoke-Hollow-205-Stainless-tailgating/dp/B00ENJRK3E/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=tabletop+grill&qid=1549774555&s=gateway&sr=8-3


A non pop up style screen house. The instant up style are no good. Too heavy and you bend a support, this thing is trash.
https://www.amazon.com/Quest%C2%AE-Recreational-Screen-House-Canopy/dp/B00OTZZGJW/ref=zg_bs_10208057011_36?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=J84GBSHQK5YT8DAS1GHZ


Light source, I prefer LED lanterns. They last long enough on battery and you can take it into the tent without burning your house up.


And most important a good place to sleep, good air mattress if not the California king in my trailer.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

Forget everything you heard tonight. Its called Glamping which is short for glamorous camping. I'm happy in a pup tent, sleeping bag and air mattress but wife says that's the only way she'll do it now.

https://glampinghub.com/

This would be my hood. You can check out your area on the main site posted above.

https://glampinghub.com/...ncy=CAD&filters={%22categories%22:[],%22amenities%22:[],%22suitabilities%22:[],%22flags%22:[],%22genericCollection%22:%22AutoCollection-17%22}

We have a truck camper (Lance 825) and it is awesome. It'd be more awesome if I had more weekend off of work.

As for food prep ahead of time, agree on the previous poster who makes pulled pork.. then heat it and put it in a taco or on a bun. We also make a batch of breakfast tacos ahead of time and just have to heat those up. They travel remarkably well.
Usual peanut butter, lots of snacks, water, soda, beer, wine...

Love the idea of ring toss with glow sticks-- gonna try that.
We have a hammock to set up outside if we want.

Mostly we just love getting away from the city!

Need to get in a few short trips this year, then planning a National Parks trip in the fall for Big Bend, Guadalupe Mountains, and Carlsbad.

Use nalgenes as hot water bottles. Not so much for me but the wife and sometimes kiddo. Toss it in 20 min before bed and it makes that transition a lot better esp in the feet area. Really good when u don't have really warm bags or just get that shock from a slow change in cooler than bedroom temps.

Hotel.... this thread is discussing something I've never done and at this point don't anticipate. I did stay in a cabin once that only had SD TV.

I'll bite on your second post. Your argument for hotel alternative would be more persuasive had you experienced the OP activity. Maybe you have. Offer some personal experience of camping as a fate worse than death and your credibility is improved and your negative contribution in rebuttal or just your alternative suggestion is better accepted.

Personal horror stories of mud everywhere, leaking tents and everything wet unpleasantness, uncooked food, digging holes to bury your shit, cold hard ground sleeping and inability to stand erect at first light would help your advocacy case for hotels. Or maybe you have glamped and they did not have rocks for your whiskey drink and the cigars were not cuban.

You don't seem to be a close minded person. Try camping. You might just have a slightly positive experience.

What's the benefit of sleeping on the ground or in the cold/heat, with bugs, mud, and pooping in a hole. It's not like I don't like nature, but I can do a day hike (where I've been rained on, through mud, what turned out to be knee deep snow, assulted by bugs, up and down dunes etc.) go sit around a camp fire and then go to a nice cabin or hotel room after a decent meal. To camp comfortably look at all the shit you have to schlep. I don't mind humping 6 liters of water, food, emergency stuff, but why continue it at the end of the day?

In the east, you can't sleep above the tree line

Because where you want to go is more than a day's walk away.

I encourage everyone to go on a multi-day solo backpacking trip in a remote area. Somewhere (and/or some time) you can go where you don't see another person for a day or three. Hard to explain if you haven't done it.

BUT, you are confusing backpacking with camping. Don't want to sleep on the ground? Take an air mattress. Bugs? I haven't been on a trup with significant bugs since 1980. And that was just one night that I didn't notice but my fellow travelers got eaten up (apparently noseeums don't like my taste). Mud? I have never been on a trip that mud played a role. Get out of the wrestling pit. Poop in a hole? It may shock you but every campground comes with restrooms, you aren't a cat.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

Thank you for indulging and filling out your argument. Now what about if it wasn't all about you and your experience? Say it's family with kids and sharing the "not so fun fun"- character building experiences that didn't result in near death. Say it is about providing out of the ordinary, unplugged life experiences to provide for memories and stories that stick around longer than the participants. " I remember that trip dad, didn't you hurt your back lugging the cooler up the hill." And so the stories go and grow.....

My father went camping with me once. Predictably, he was one miserable fuck. But of the few precious memories left of my childhood and stories that I get to pass down to my grandchildren while sitting round the fire, dad sleeping in the station wagon at the campsite is one of the best.

You can always do Mt. Washington in the winter. :)

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

The best camping chair for couples anywhere- https://www.amazon.com/...-Chair/dp/B015GXTD58
I was able to find it on sale somewhere for $50. There's a huge difference between the low and not-low variety. Get the low.

A hammock and straps are a must to keep the wife happy while I am out MTBing.

We have a bunch of REI stuff. Winners are the Kingdom 4 tent, Kingdom sleep system, and REI Screen house (invaluable in buggy areas). We have the garage attachment for the tent if it is especially rainy. Keeps all the drips out of the tent and provides an alternative seating location to the screen house. If we had kids, I would just double up on the Kingdom 4 tent. The Kingdom 8 is huge, but doesn't provide for more separation than a single nylon wall.

I will partially prepare meals at home and throw them in the cooler. Brazilian steak or chicken, hamburgers, and brats are staples for dinner. Lunch tends to be sandwiches (or clif bars while on the trail). Breakfasts are done on the dual burner stove (Camp Chef Everest). Pancakes, egg scrambles, etc.

A good cooler is a must. Good doesn't mean you have to buy a Yeti. There's great coolers by Rubbermaid and Coleman that work fine unless you're in bear country.

Solar showers are great for sites that don't have running water (most of the time for us.)

We're both teachers, so we spend much of the summer out and about. The above keeps the wife happy, and much of it has been picked up over the years in response to particular situations (mostly weather). All this, plus fuel, wood, biking stuff, clothes, and the dog fits in our Mazda CX-5. We've even made room for a passenger in the back seat.

It's great to get out and disconnect. People can scoff at car camping, but it allows us to get out and see/ ride places without hitting our budget. And it forces face time. We're much closer after summers camping.

I bring a hammock to sleep in. It’s more comfortable than my bed. And it’s super light and easy to pack. I could easily go camping and be plenty comfortable with only a backpack and my fishing rod.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

These are the only tents I’m interested in sleeping in.

https://anegadabeachclub.com/accommodation/

I toured the a few years ago when we were drinking at their beach bar and they are very cool.

Well yeah, because you guys all communists out there.

Out west (despite what you hear about them liburls in the cities) we still hold on to our pioneer spirit.

Up in the Sierra if you want to sleep out on 14,000 ft peak ain’t nobody gone to stop it.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

You didn't mention kids' ages.
Let them get wet and dirty.
On one trip, my son spent a couple hours walking up and down the stream by the campsite.

Wait is there actually some rule you can’t camp abover the timber line in the east?

You might be a western pioneer at 14,000 ft but you aren’t allowed to build a fire. Not that you would want to.

I've spent 4 days in a studio with no human contact. I'll pass thanks.

That goes back to the schlepping thing. Why not just go to a hotel or a cabin. I've literally done all of the pre-sleep camping activites at "rustic" hotels or places with cabins. What really is the difference?

Let's just assume the wife and I don't presently have a gaggle of kids that I can amuse by injuring myself.

If I have a kid and they want to camp I will. If they want to do nature stuff but prefer a bed even better. If they like beach vacations or traveling to Europe even better.

Is there an “above the timberline” in the east?

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

No fires above 10k in most (not all) of Sierra.

A rule that is largely ignored.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

The timber line in the Whites of New Hampshire is around 4,500 ft. Less than half the altitude of the real mountain ranges.

The Appalachians are actual older and were at one time larger than the Rockies. I live on ocean land that has been filled in by the erosion of the Appalachians. And yes at least in some places camping above the tree line in some parks/trails is not allowed. I suspect it is a Leave No Trace and sustainability issue given climate and number of hikers.

The highest point in Ontario is just under 2300 feet. The timber goes right to the top.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

Do you make your own fire starters if you are the backpacking type? If not, then they are easy and fun to make, and they burn a long time that makes fire-starting easy. Yet, if you're car camping, then maybe just some charcoal and lighter fluid as your starter. You don't even need kindling; just light some coals, let it be for 15 minutes, pile logs on. Burn.

Green sky laser. A laser with enough power for being able to point out stars.

Know your equipment if you're changing it up. Story time: my last camping trip. We went to Joshua Tree NP just as the shutdown was starting. We picked up my sister from LAX and went straight out there. I borrowed my friend's family pop-up trailer. I think we got the very last available spot in Indian Cove Campground where you could back-in a pop-up trailer. O-M-G. Set up fine. COLDER THAN HELL that night. I did everything I thought I could possibly do to get the heater going. Charged the battery. Flowed propane to the farthest point in the line. Checked fuses. Set the thermostat to the lowest setting. Thank goodness that we brought a bunch of blankets, sleeping bags, and warm clothes. The puppy couldn't sleep and needed some body warmth and a sleeping bag to stay warm. The next day I got the solar charger going, and thought all was good. No. I was cursing the whole fucking idea of even going camping in a pop-up trailer. Texting with my friend. Had no idea. Come to find out, the thermostat had its own on-off switch that was well hidden. My friend and his family had no idea. We slept a lot better the next 2 nights.

Each trip is different. We lost out on permits for Havasupai falls. My gf got up on-time in the morning last week to logon to get one, but they had already sold out. I'd really like to get away solo backpacking again like I did in Canada a couple years back. Next trip in 2 weekends is dudes only. I'm bringing lots of ammo and getting a new truck bed tent to try out.

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Gnothi Seauton.

That's glorious. Would really like to do some canoe camping some day. That's the best way for backwoods glamping! Portages though... gah.

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Gnothi Seauton.

It’s extremely difficult to glamp while doing a portage trip. I’ve tried and the portages suck.

You really need to pack light on a trip like this.

What we normally do is canoe to a site on the first lake we get to. Bring tons of shit to our site and do day trips to other lakes to fish.

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

In the White Mountains National Forest you can't camp or have fire in the alpine zone (defined as where the trees are greater 8' apart). In Baxter SP, you can't back country/dispersed camp at all.
There aren't any east coast mountains south of New Hampshire that are above the tree line.

Franconia Ridge. Big one is Lafayette (5250')
The southern most alpine/above tree line peak in the east is Mt Moosilauke (4800'), 71d north.

(there might be some in the Adirondacks, but I have no idea)

vs. above Lake Tahoe


That's about 7800'. Treeline is much higher in the Sierra, even the northern Sierra

What’s the reasoning on that?

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How does Danny Hart sit down with balls that big?

The general idea is that the land is too fragile, and we've spent the last 150 years fucking it up

I was trying to find the rules for the White Mountains last week. Can you camp above the treeline in winter? I mean, it would be one of the most inhospitable places on the planet to camp but you would be above the treeline. :)

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

Actually yes! If there's 2' of snow, you can camp in the winter above the treeline* lol

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5363715.pdf


Right now it's a balmy -5F at Mt Washington with 69mph winds (95 mph gusts). -42F wind chill


* Not in Tuckerman or Hunginton Ravines. Avalanche risk is too great there

Turns out it may not be the best idea right now.

CAMPTON, N.H. – The U.S. Forest Service says police are investigating the death of a mountain climber who was hiking up a moderately difficult snowy and icy area on New Hampshire's Mount Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast.
Snow Rangers from the Mount Washington Avalanche Center responded to a report of an overdue climber on Sunday, Feb. 10. Volunteer search and rescue teams also assisted to search the terrain above Huntington Ravine.
The Forest Service said the climber was attempting to climb an area called Central Gulley. The body was found that evening, recovered from the mountain, and released to local authorities.

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I'm beginning to think that we are much more fucked than I thought.

Yes.

For many years, getting cleaned up while camping in the Smokey Mountains meant flopping around in the cold river. Then I bought a solar shower, which was the BEST!!

Until I bought a travel trailer with a real water heater - now THAT's the best.

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king of the road says you move too slow
KING OF THE ROAD SAYS YOU MOVE TOO SLOW

A few things that weren't mentioned (list got longer as I went)

• Solar lanterns are great. When the kids were young, I was always worried if they got up in the night to pee they'd get lost. So we leave the lantern on in front of the tent, and since it is solar we're not worried about the battery. They are pretty cheap
• Wet wipes are good for cleaning hands from smores and other great nasty stuff out there
• A collapsible table is nice if you don't know they will have picnic tables available near your tent
• Paracord for things like clothes line, and can be used to store food stuff up and away from animals
• If it could possibly be wet, bring flip flops, crocs, or extra shoes for kids.
  
• If you have a young daughter, one of the toddler collapsible potties is nice. It is basically a toilet lid with legs, but much easier than having to hold her hand to squat.
• Make sure you've put tent together at least once before you show up at camp site
• Playing cards, board games, are nice in the evenings. We also bring frisbees and games like ladder ball. Nice for when you're cooking and want the kids to entertain themselves.
• I like fire starters that can burn for a bit, very helpful if anything is damp
• Color flames are pretty cool for younger kids, they don't last long though
• Do not bring electronics
  

I love camping with the kids. It is great to see them away from screens, exploring, making up games, etc. Have fun!