When you think of early spring in the foothills of the Cascade mountains, what do you envision? Sunshine? Flowers? To be fair, I didn’t realize we would be in the mountains…but my lack of foresight caused some camping mishaps. When you plan to stay outdoors, especially in a remote area; preparation is very important. Lack of planning can have serious consequences, so let’s look at several mistakes I made last weekend and turn them into learning experiences.
Disclosure: This preparedness post contains some affiliate links. If you purchase any gear through one of the links below, I may earn a small commission. This is at no extra cost to you.
Mistake #1: We didn’t take food because we didn’t know if we would be able to have a fire and figured we could buy something or eat out. Since there are a number of small hotels and a general store in the area we thought we’d be fine. Upon checking in at our campsite we were told that the few local restaurants were open 4-7 and the general store was taking orders outside and might or might not be restocking inventory. We wondered what we were going to eat during our stay.
Lesson #1: Always have food with you. We have a small propane cookstove which we will take next time. We have always had Coleman cookstoves but based on the reviews, they aren’t making them like they used to. You can check them out at Amazon. This is the only one I could find that didn’t have a lot of negative reviews.
They are generally lightweight and don’t take up much room. I have an old Coleman that belonged to my dad, so if you have a newer model you love, please leave a recommendation.
Mistake #2: We didn’t have a good light source or any hardcore fire starters. The batteries in the two flashlights we had with us died the first night and the wood we bought at the lodge wouldn’t catch fire. We tried twigs, pinecones, newspaper, notebook paper, even paper towels. That wood was stubborn!
Lesson #2: Have a good lantern and things like wood chips, fire starters, and lighter fluid. Our stubborn wood took all of those things to get burning. In the morning we drove several hours to get breakfast and supplies and had to buy whatever was available; so we got a lantern that came with easily replaceable AA batteries and would last 35 hours on a low setting.
There are so many kinds of lanterns out there: rechargeable, bug zapping, phone charging, weatherproof. You can pick whichever suits you best. Here is a deal though. A four-pack that comes with AA batteries.
Mistake #3: We didn’t have an appropriate tent and/or bedding. When we came back to our tent site at the end of a rainy day, my bedding was wet. We had the tarp over the tent, but it was leaking. Although we had a couple of sleeping bags over our air mattresses, the blankets and comforters on top weren’t waterproof. It is true: not all tents are created equal. Next on my wishlist is a 3-4 season tent. It needs to be waterproof. Also, I like to have a 6 person tent so my two daughters and I can have air mattresses and room to walk in between. I plan to buy this tent and will make sure to leave a review.
If you are camping in Oregon before Memorial Day, you can expect cold weather and rain. This is especially true if you are in the mountains and Nothing is as important as staying warm and dry.
My brother, who donated his sleeping bag to keep me dry, could not seem to get warm. A good sleeping bag is also important. Something like this mummy bag will go a long way toward keeping you comfortable.
I put the Teton mummy sack on my wish list because of its price, reviews, 0° temperature rating, roominess, extra insulated foot box, and alternative stuffing, since I am allergic to down. But there are many kinds available so you can choose whatever suits you.
I had so much fun on our camping trip and I can’t wait to get back out there but, next time I will make sure I have the necessities. Enjoy your adventures but stay safe and be prepared!
Preparedness is everything, especially when you want to spend time the wild. Quality equipment and skills are essential 🙂
Very true Black Knight! I certainly learned a lot on my trip!
We were taught basic survival courses in the army, but I always preferred camping as a civilian 😀
Yikes that sounds cold!
Lol yes always bring some food !! 🙂