CAMPING CALAMITIES? Scouts Canada Has You Covered with a Clever Call In Line

Comfortable sleeping tips to avoid cranky mornings

• Make sure your sleeping bag is right for the overnight temperatures that the weather is predicting. Check your sleeping bag’s label for its temperature rating. 
• Don’t sleep directly on the floor—sleep on a pad with an R-value that’s matched for the weather. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulation; a value of 1 is the lowest, ranging to 7 which is the highest. 
• Sleep in extra layers and a toque. 
Scout Tip: Don’t sleep in the clothes during the day. They have moisture from the weather or sweat, which will only make your more chilled! Sleep in clean, dry clothing. 
• Get up and move around to generate body heat—just enough to improve your circulation, not work up a sweat (you can do exercises like push-ups or crunches in your tent, or go outside for jumping jacks or a brisk walk) 
• For especially chilly nights, fill your water bottle with hot water, tuck it into a sock or other item of clothing, and use it to warm your feet or body inside your sleeping bag until your body heat warms the full bag.

Quick campsite etiquette tips to be a friendly neighbour in the great outdoors. See Leave No Trace.

• Try not to be noisy.
  Be respectful of other campers and wildlife, especially in the evening. Things like music, fire crackers, loud conversation (etc) can disrupt the peaceful sounds of nature that many campers enjoy.
• Keep pets with you and on leash.
  If your dog loves to bark, make sure they get lots of exercise and bring a toy for them to stay busy with during down-time.
• Share the trail.
  Be courteous to others and make space when passing so everyone has room to enjoy the trail.
• Don’t damage the area and dispose of waste and grey water responsibly.
  The Leave No Trace principles are a great way to be a responsible camper. The best way to enjoy nature is to leave it as you found it—free of garbage and undisturbed.
• Respect wildlife.
  Observe from a distance and don’t feed them.
• Don’t spark any trouble.
  Use designated fire pits at your campsite, bring your own firewood or forage fallen wood (don’t cut down branches) and respect local fire bans. Make sure your fire is fully extinguished when you’re finished.
• Setup your tent in the designated area on your site to be respectful of plant life.

5 things a Scout won’t camp without (aside from basic cookware, sleeping gear and tent) 

• Headlamp
• Sunscreen
• First Aid Kit & emergency items (whistle, reflective blanket, bear spray if applicable in your region)
• Water filter
• Waste bag
  Scout Tip: Check out this quick packing list for essentials you won’t want to forget.

Don’t skimp on tidiness or it could attract furry scavengers or large wildlife; keep a clean campsite!

• Backcountry campsites: Separate your sleeping hub, cooking spot and food storage site (roughly 60 metres apart if possible). This keeps wildlife visitors away from your food, and most importantly, makes sure they won’t be attracted to your tent.
• Frontcountry campsites: Keep grey water, garbage and food distanced from your site. Most frontcountry sites have facilities where you can wash your dishes, toss waste in bear-safe containers and dispose of grey water (be sure to strain it to catch and remove food particles).
  
  Scout Tip: If you’re camping in bear country, keep all scented items out of your tent and at your food storage site. This includes waste (scraps, food covered wrappings, etc), kitchen equipment, toiletries, empty dog dishes, the clothing you wore while cooking, etc).
  
  Make sure you’re responsibly disposing of your grey water, scraps and cooking grease.

Which foods NOT to take camping.

• Avoid bringing heavy, bulky food items like cans
• If it needs to be refrigerated to keep from spoiling, don’t bring it on a camp trip unless you’ll keep it in a cooler and eat it on the first night (like dairy or raw meat).
  • Scout Tip: Some items like hard, aged cheeses (think gouda, parmesan, cheddar, etc) don’t need to be refrigerated (although this will keep them fresh for longer). Store them in parchment or wax paper and they will keep for a few days. Do not eat if you see signs of spoilage (bad smell, slimy surface, dark spots, dryness, cracks or mold.
• Avoid bringing ‘messy’ foods, like fruits and vegetables with inedible peels/stems/pits, that add to your waste bag (keeping compostable items in your garbage creates scents that could attract wildlife).
• Make sure you’re responsibly disposing of your grey water, scraps and cooking grease

We’ve got the buzz on how to live in a buggy environment.

• When setting up camp or a rest spot, try to avoid standing water, also known as ‘bug breeding parties’.
• Insect repellant is an obvious choice, with eco-friendly and DEET-free options readily available. Essential oils like mint and citrus are natural deterrents.
• Wearing a bug net, long sleeves and pants are also easy ways to keep your skin protected, along with some citronella candles or campfire smoke.
  Scout Tip—throw sage on the campfire to add an edge to your repellant smoke!
• Electronic mosquito repellent (EMR) gadgets use heat-activated pads or ultrasonic waves to create a bug-free protection zone for various ranges and duration.
• Don’t forget to check for ticks often.
  Scout Tip: Preventing or treating tick bites and how to recognize symptoms of Lyme disease can be found here.

Scout Tip: Keep your tent screen closed at all times to avoid unwanted pesky guests. Don’t use aerosol sprays, mosquito coils, citronella candles or any other kind of bug repellent in your tent.

To avoid poisonous plants, make sure you know how to recognize them.

• Poison ivy is common nationwide, as well as giant hogweed in most provinces. Poison oak can mostly be found in British Columbia and poison sumac is a norm in central and eastern Canada.
  See what they look like, here.
• If your skin has come into contact with the plant oil, either by directly touching the plant or being exposed to plant oils on your clothing, immediately wash and scrub the area.
• Reactions to poisonous plants include:
  • Swelling and itching of skin
  • A red rash within a day or two of contact
  • Blisters or bumps
• Basic treatment for symptoms include:
  • Cool compresses, calamine lotion and antihistamine or creams such as hydrocortisone can relieve itchiness.

Depending on your campsite location, you may have a full-facility washroom, or you’ll be getting close and personal with nature using and outhouse, thunderbox…or cathole!

If your campsite offers an outhouse or thunderbox, respect the space by using designated areas.

• An outhouse is like a single-person bathroom—with no ‘flush’ or plumbing.
• A thunder box is basically a wooden box for you to sit on instead of a toilet. Don’t forget, there’s no door or walls so make sure you let your co-campers know to stay off the thunderbox trail until you’ve announced your return!
• A cathole is for wilderness lovers. Find a spot at least 60 metres away from your campsite and slightly off the trail, then dig a hole 6-8 inches deep and 4-6 inches wide. Do your business, bury the hole and mark your hot spot with a standing stick to warn away other campers!

Biodegradable toilet paper can be thrown into outhouses and thunderboxes, but items like diapers, sanitary napkins and disposable feminine products should be sealed properly and brought home for disposal.

Scout Tip: Don’t forget to pack biodegradable toilet paper in a waterproof container or ziplock bag and hand sanitizer.

4 knots you need to know: Loop knot (like a fixed loop bowline), tensioning (taut line hitch or trucker’s hitch), hitches (clover’s hitch, farrimond friction hitch or prusik knot). Watch ‘how-to’ videos here.

Take the time to peg your tent—it’ll be worth it, especially if the w

Keep your flashlight/headlamp in your pocket so you can reach it easily and quickly when it starts to get dark.

Don’t forget to pack the little things: 

• Sturdy garbage bag to pack-out (take home) waste
• Water filter & bottles
• Biodegradable soap
• Tarp, even if the weather forecast calls for sun (it can change on a dime to rain!)
• First Aid kit
• Sunscreen & bug spray
• Extra batteries for headlamp/flashlight/lantern
• Extra socks
• Toque (even if you’re camping in the summer, nights can be cold)
• Map/navigation tool in case your site is not in a cell reception area

Dry your gear before packing out: 

• Don’t pack up your tent, sleeping back or tarp before they’ve dried. If you don’t have time, or it’s raining, make sure you unpack them and lay them out to dry at home before packing and storing them.

Break in your boots before going on an extended hike or backpacking trip.

• Scout Tip: “When we hiked Phelps Peak in Adirondacks, a Scout showed up with brand new boots. By the end of the trip, his feet looked like they had been beaten—purple and raw. Know your gear, practice with your gear in advance.” — Scouter Sully