Home away from home
Setting up a basecamp for some hiking adventures
One of our favourite things to do is set up a cozy camp somewhere nice and explore a new area for a few days. It’s a great way to get out and see some of Canada’s stunning terrain, and whether you do excursions by canoe, by car, or on the local hiking trails, setting up a camp can really extend your reach, giving you more time in the wilds and less time getting there.
We love hiking, so we’ll often look for campgrounds near attractive day hikes. We’ll set up, have a nice slow morning, leave for the day, then return back to camp to relax in the evening, and head out again the day after. It’s basically like moving home to somewhere new for a few days.
This type of camping can be gratifying, and really comfortable! You get to go out and see the more hard-to-reach wild areas, but you don’t need to pack light or carry all your camping gear with you. But leaving your camp unattended in the day takes a little planning. Here are some things we’ve learned base camping:
1) If you’re going to make a home away from home, go all out. When you’re out exploring all day you want some camp comforts to look forward to. Bring pillows, a nice big mattress like the Coleman DuraRest Double High Airbed, chairs, your favourite meals, etc. No sense in roughing it unless you really want to!
2) Even though it’s a bit of a pain, keep all of your food and cooking items in your car when you’re out for the day. You don’t want animals tearing through your things while you’re away.
3) If you’re doing strenuous activities, consider bringing the Coleman H2Oasis Hot Water On Demand Portable Water Heater for a relaxing evening shower — there’s nothing like crawling into your sleeping bag clean and refreshed. And if you’re cooking up something fancy, it’ll help you do your dishes too!
4) If you can, leave your valuables at home. They aren’t safe either at an unattended camp or in your car at a trailhead.
5) Pack some newspapers — they’re a great fire starter, and can also help draw out moisture from your hiking boots if they get wet out on a trail.
So next time you head out to do a few hikes, give base camping a try! You can hit those trails hard knowing you get to come back to a camp filled with all of the comforts and conveniences of home.
