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Get into camping

What to do, where to go, when are you leaving?
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It's official.

You can get out the deck chairs, the camp stove and dust off the Hibachi, for camping season is here.

Whether you are a seasoned backpacker or heading out for the first time, spending time in B.C.'s outdoors can be an amazing adventure.

And while it is possible to just pack a few things and head to a park, a camping trip is likely to be a lot more fun with a little preparation.

In the days of the first campers - we call them pioneers now - a little planning went a long way. Camping wasn't a leisure activity then, it was really the only way to get from one place to another. Whistler's Myrtle Philip spent many a day travelling with her packhorses and camping along the way to get to Vancouver and back.

Today you can still camp on horseback (www.bcgra.com) in the Cariboo and Chilcotins though you no longer need to rough it. Many of the guest ranches offer luxury along with cowboy living.

It's not a bad choice if you want to be sure that you will be warm and dry at the end of the day, as there is always a nice cozy guesthouse or log cabin to retreat to.

But real camping is all about roughing it.

 

B.C.'s first park, Strathcona, on Vancouver Island, was established in 1911 by provincial act. It protected 250,000 hectares of largely wilderness mountain terrain and deep forested valleys, and is home to a variety of wildlife, a temperate rainforest, rugged hillsides and valley floors from tidewaters' edge to the alpine tundra zone thousands of feet above. Strathcona Provincial Park is one of the richest eco-systems in the world.

By 1930, 13 Provincial Parks were set aside and at least another 50 areas were reserved for the pleasure and recreation of the public.

Throughout this period most visitations to the large wilderness parks were by the more affluent segment of society. The primary travel to most parks was by rail, access within the parks by horse or foot and accommodation provided by private lodges or cabins.

The current Park Act was passed in 1965 and today 14.26 per cent - more than 13.5 million hectares - of B.C. is protected and managed by B.C. Parks.

About six in 10 residents of British Columbia use a provincial park each year.

While there are many reasons camping is growing in popularity two of the main ones are its affordability and the wilderness experience it offers those who spend most of their time in an urban setting.

"It is still very reasonable for a family holiday," said Jayne Seagrave, author of the must-have Camping British Columbia book, now in its sixth edition.

While fees have gone up this year you can camp in most places for under $40 a night, including booking fees and firewood.

While that is far more than the $2 it used to be in the '60s, it is still great value.

And there are over 1,000 sites where you can camp for free in "recreation sites," formerly known as forestry sites. You'll need to bring your own water and toilet paper in most cases but the price is right (check out Camp for Free in B.C. by Kathy and Craig Copeland for more information).

For families, said Seagrave, camping offers a way for kids to experience more freedom.

"I don't think children in our society get (freedom) very much so that is one of the big things about the joy of camping," said the mother of two boys aged 9 and 11.

"And for people like us that live in the urban areas to be able to get out and to swim in crystal clear lakes, and to be under the stars looking up to the heavens at night, that is a very big draw, too."

This year for the first time you can choose your exact campsite when you book on-line at www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks .

You can book up to three months in advance and it's a good idea to do so, said Seagrave, as popular parks will fill up quickly.

And remember, if you are booking for a long weekend you will have to pay for all three nights even if you won't be there for the whole weekend.

Costs for camping reflect a new reality since the early days. Now roads into sites have to be wider and better maintained thanks to the growing use of RVs, demand is up for hot showers and flush toilets, and many parks need security as the green spaces become more and popular places to party.

According to the ministry website the budget for parks in B.C. has been dropping, going from $33.9 million in 2008-09 to a projected $30.8 million for 2010-11.Surprising, considering the number of parks continues to rise. There are about 98 park ranger positions in the parks, down from 154 jobs in 2008-09.

 

WHAT TO TAKE

Like all activities you can load up on gadgets and goods for your camping trip. But unless you have an endless amount of space to pack it in, it's best if you narrow it down to the things you just can't do without.

That would include a really good tent and its flysheet - a must for damp, coastal camping - a nice warm place to curl up on (sleeping pad) and in (sleeping bag), a fail-safe way to light your fire and a headlamp.

"For May you really want a tent that is weather resistant, a tent that will stand up if it decides to rain sideways," said Camillia Brinkman of Mountain Equipment Co-Op (MEC).

A key component of a tent for coastal camping is the flysheet. It needs to reach right down to the ground around the tent to make sure that the tent stays dry in our damp weather. A groundsheet also keeps dew from creeping up through the floor of the tent and stops rocks from poking holes through the bottom.

It is also a good idea, said Brinkman, if the flysheet provides a vestibule area outside the door of the tent - that is the flysheet stretches out beyond the tent doorway so that there is a covered area to take off coats, shoes and so on before entering the dry tent.

"You won't find this on the low budget tent, but it is worth it," said Brinkman.

And, she said, if you are buying a tent this year or plan to rent it from a provider like MEC, get one that is bigger than you need for the number of people you have so that you have room to store gear in the tent.

(To rent tents, sleeping pads and bags, etc. call MEC at 604-872-7858 and follow the prompts).

A new luxury-sleeping pad is now on the market which will make your night's rest much more pleasant - no more nasty green foamies that are neither warm nor comfortable.

"Those are horrible," said Brinkman. "You might as well be sleeping on a gym mat."

The sleeping pads are now insulated and up to nine centimetres thick. But they don't come cheap, ranging in price from about $130 to $190 each.

The smaller the pad rolls up the less you are going to pay. It is somewhat the same for sleeping bags. For coastal camping never use cotton sleeping bags.

"Once it is wet it uses your body heat to dry and it stays wet," said Brinkman.

Use a synthetic or down sleeping bag that fits your length. If it is too long your body will waste heat filling the empty space around your body.

Both types of fill are good, but down will hold its temperature rating longer than synthetic.

"One of the things I don't leave home without is a headlamp," said Brinkman.

"It is hands free...  after all if the light is on your head your hands are free to help the kids, find the outhouses - you can even figure out what is making that sound in the bushes."

About $30 to $60 will get you a good headlamp. And these days you can even find baseball caps that have the lights built into the peak.

If you have shelter and a warm place to sleep and a good fire going you are on your way to a great camping experience.

Here are a few of the new gadgets on the web to spice up your trip a little.

•Multi-Purpose Solar Charger Backpack: Able to recharge notebooks, cell phones and USB interfacing digital products, the Multi-Purpose Solar Charger Backpack uses direct sunlight or AC power to ensure your gadgets never lose their juice. Environmentally friendly, lightweight and durable, it even comes with a built-in Ultrasonic mosquito repeller. $189

• Tool Logic Survival Card: The Survival Card can be the most valuable card you've ever carried with you. Outfitted with a fixed blade serrated knife of tough stainless steel, this Tool Logic camping tool also comes with a replaceable magnesium alloy fire starter that delivers super-hot sparks. Other features include a loud signal whistle, a brilliant red LED flashlight or a combination lens and compass, tweezers, toothpick and a hole for lanyard attachment. $25

• The North Face VaporWick Convertible Mullet Hat: It protects your neck and face from a nasty burn while hiking or camping, while its polyester fabric moves sweat away from your skin so it can evaporate quickly. The Mullet comes with a removable sun flap that shades your neck from the sun and a pocket on top of it that fits a small ice pack. $28

• Grand Trunk Dunny Shower/Changing Room: Weighing in at five kilograms this Grand Trunk shower is easy to bring along to any campsite as a shower, changing room or toilet shelter. $99.99

• Alight Sexy Hotness Sleeping Bag: Not only can this sleeping bag attach to other Alight bags to double up it is ideal for middle of the night bathroom breaks as is has a middle zipper that allows for easy walking and padded footing. It even comes with subtle Kama Sutra embossed lining to get you in the mood. $149.95

• Platypus PlatyPreserve Wine Preservation System: It prolongs the life of your vintage by eliminating exposure to oxygen, meaning your wine can be enjoyed several days or even weeks later. Lined with a food-grade polyethylene liner, this Platypus wine preservation system's container is 100 per cent BPA free. And since it's lightweight and packable, it's easy to bring along to the campsite. $9.95 (Consumption of alcohol is illegal in provincial parks, but permitted at private campsites.)

• Light My Fire SeatPad: Made from stretchable water-repellant neoprene, the SeatPad protects you bum from hard, cold, warm, wet and slippery and insulates against both hot and cold. If it does get wet, just shake it off.

• White LED Lamp Tent Pin: No more tripping over the tent peg strings in the middle of the night if you use these innovative pegs! Equipped with a small LED light, this tent pin shines bright for up to five hours. $3.72

• Brunton Flip-N-Drip Percolator: It will make you a fresh cup of Joe or will boil water. Simply attach the brew chamber that is filled with your ground coffee and flip to percolate a great cup into the double walled insulated mug. Ten to 12 minute brew time. $45

• Notebook Portable Flat-Folding BBQ: This folding barbecue can be used with wood or charcoal and comes with a grill rack - all you have to do is unfold it and enjoy. $50

• Light my Fire Grampa's Firefork: Tired of packing those long roasting forks with you? Then try this invention. It is a single piece of wire molded to allow marshmallow roasting or hot dog cooking, but it will fit on the end of almost any stick. Available in red, yellow, blue, green, orange or assorted colors. $4.99

• OHSO Travel Toothbrush: A self-dispensing toothpaste toothbrush in one! $19.95

• Sea To Summit Pocket Soap: Ideal for camping, each travel-sized, 1/2-oz. Pocket Soap pack contains 50 leaves of pure, dry soap. All you have to do is add water, and it's ready to use as a body wash, shampoo, or even dish washing and laundry. $4.95

There are several items you should not camp without. They include a good first aid kit, strong water containers, a shovel, an axe, bug spray and sunscreen.

 

TOP CAMP SITES TO CHECK OUT

There are more than 340 campgrounds, and 11,000 campsites in B.C. Provincial Parks so it is pretty hard to pick just a handful to try.

The best thing to do is think about what kind of experience you want and where in the province you want to go, then go to the B.C. government's Discover Camping website and research the campgrounds.

It's a good idea to research what is going on in the area you want to visit as well. For example at Kokanee Creek Provincial Park you not only get a great camping experience it is also close to Cody Caves Provincial Park (www.codycaves.ca) where you can go spelunking ,and Ainsworth Hot Springs for a therapeutic dip - (www.hellobc.com/en-CA/.../HotSprings/KootenayRockies)

Great family camping can be found at Alice Lake, just 30 minutes south of Whistler, as it has a great swimming lake, awesome hiking and mountain bike trails and a playground.

Generally, the further away you are from an urban area, the closer you will get to a backcountry experience.

 

Here are the five most visited campgrounds in BC:

• Golden Ears Park - 100,662 visitors in 2009.

It is one of the largest parks in B.C. and has extensive trail networks as well as water activities on Alouette Lake. Canoes, kayaks and pedal boats are available for rent in the park on weekends from the May long weekend to late June and daily from late June to Labour Day (weather permitting).

It has flush toilets, hot showers a sani-dump ($5) and a playground. It is a reservable campsite with fees ranging from $16 to $30, depending on location.

• Rathtrevor Provincial Park - 85,846 visitors in 2009.

Majestic old growth trees, beautiful ocean sunsets and an inviting, wide sandy beach with campsites nestled amongst mature Douglas fir trees makes Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park in Parksville one of the premier vacation destinations on Vancouver Island. This is a very popular park during the summer months and reservations are required between the last week of June and Labour Day in September. You can canoe, fish, cycle, swim, windsurf and hike in the area plus you have all the resort activities such as mini-golf close by in Parksville. There are hot showers. Vehicle camping is $30 a night and walk-ins are $16.

• Cultus Lake Provincial Park - 80,301 visitors in 2009.

This is actually a series of smaller campsites all under the same name, so do check out the Discover Camping website to see where you want to camp. On or near Cultus Lake the swimming and boating is excellent and the sites are well treed. The community of Cultus Lake offers waterslides, two golf courses, bumper boats, go-carts, a marina with canoe, boat and jet ski rentals, miniature golf, restaurants, stables, laundry mat, stores and gas stations. The campgrounds have hot showers and flush toilets. Rates are around $30 a night.

• E.C. Manning Park - 73,053 visitors in 2009.

Located in the Cascade Mountains, it contains a large number of scenic, historic, floral and fauna attractions and provides a wide range of both summer and winter recreational opportunities. The park has a large variety of walking/hiking trails that range anywhere from a 15 minute walk up to a 6-day hike, as well as the trailhead for the 90-day Pacific Crest Trail to Mexico. Visitors can canoe, cycle, fish and hike in the park. There is a boat launch but no motorized vehicles are allowed at the Lightening Lake day-use area. Backcountry campers will pay $5 a night, while those at Lightening Lake pay $28.

• Shuswap Lake Provincial Park - 72,621 visitors in 2009.

The park is situated on the old delta of Scotch Creek, has one kilometer of sandy, pebble beach and includes the whole of Copper Island. The park also offers a large grassy play area, an adventure playground, a large boat launch, and a self-guiding nature trail. The lake is also a popular place to snorkel. Supplies, groceries, and many recreational opportunities including bumper boats, mini-golf driving range, go-karts, para-sailing, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, boat and jet-ski rentals are offered by nearby businesses. There are flush toilets and hot showers at the campground. Campers will pay $30 a night.

 

GET READY FOR A COOKOUT

Nothing beats the taste of campfire coffee, s'mores, hot dogs cooked on sticks and banana boats.

The experience of cooking with an open fire and the slightly smoky taste that comes with everything is one of the great joys of camping. But remember that simplicity is everything.

Always have heavy-duty aluminum foil - it can double as a mini individual oven and a gill surface. It's a good idea to have your own grill rack as well as some campgrounds don't provide good ones at the fire pit.

You also need some basics like salt and pepper, oil, some herbs and spices and whatever ready-made sauces and salad dressings you enjoy. And, of course, pancake mix.

Here is a tried and true family meal:

Take chicken or steak and marinate it in your favourite dressing (currently I enjoy a mix of 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp Cavenders Greek spice, 1 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp soy sauce, and 1/2 tsp garlic) for about one hour. Wash and wrap potatoes in foil and drop them in fire coals - they take 30 to 60 minutes to cook. When potatoes are half done, place your meat on a greased grill to cook. Layer aluminum foil with sliced zucchini, tomatoes, onions, red peppers and bacon. Add a little garlic and close the foil around it. Place on grill, turning once during the 15 minutes it should take to cook.

You can do this type of recipe with a whole variety of foods.

It is also a good idea to take a gas stove and small barbecue if you have room as they make camp cooking much easier, especially when you are making things like boiled water for pasta. You may also need them if there is a campfire ban on.

It's a good idea to make spaghetti sauce ahead of time and freeze it, and then it is ready to eat in the first couple days of camping.

And try this. Make a pouch with aluminum foil and add a pound of sausages cut up, 1 large onion cut up, 3/4 pounds of green beans and 1/2 a pound of small potatoes cut into wedges. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and one teaspoon each of oil and butter. Add 1/3-cup water, and then seal the foil pouch and place on grill for about 30 minutes.

Make sure you leave room for dessert like S'mores, which are a camping tradition. While there are many ways to make them one of the best is to lay graham wafer cookies on tin foil near the edge of the grill. Put a square of chocolate on top and let it melt. While it is melting roast a marshmallow until it is golden, then place the squishy mallow on the melted chocolate, top with another graham wafer and enjoy.

Banana boats are also awesome. Take a banana, skin on, and slice it lengthwise. In the cut you have made place squares of chocolate. Wrap the whole thing in tin foil and place it on the grill of the fire. Let it warm for about 20 minutes then peel back the foil and enjoy. You can also add marshmallows if you like.

 

BC CAMPING TRIVIA FOR AROUND THE CAMPFIRE

British Columbia has the second largest parks system in Canada, after Canada's National Parks - which includes some destinations in B.C. Some key features of B.C. Parks include:

• More than 340 campgrounds, 11,000 campsites, 118 boat launches and 263 day-use areas.

• Approximately 6,000 kms of hiking trails; more than 230 parks have facilities for those with disabilities.

• The 947,026 hectare Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park is a World Heritage Site. Together with adjacent parks in Alaska and the Yukon it forms the world's largest international World Heritage Site.

• Khutzeymateen Provincial Park is Canada's only grizzly bear sanctuary and is home to about 50 grizzlies, the highest known concentration along the British Columbia coast.

• Liard River Hot Springs are ranked in the top five of all North American Hot Springs.

• The largest intact coastal temperate rainforest in the world is protected in Kitlope Heritage Conservancy.

• Anne Vallee (Triangle Island) Ecological Reserve protects the largest seabird colony in British Columbia and the largest Stellar's sea lion rookery in Canada (also the second largest in the world)

• 70 per cent of British Columbia's five million nesting seabirds are protected in 13 of our ecological reserves.

• 14.26 per cent (13.05 million hectares) of British Columbia's land base is protected.

• Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park, one of Canada's largest and most significant parks, supports populations of wildlife and includes one of British Columbia's most important habitats for woodland caribou.

• Tweedsmuir Provincial Park at 989,616 hectares is British Columbia's largest provincial park. The smallest is Memory Island at less than one hectare.

• Stone Mountain Provincial Park is the highest elevation pass of the Alaska Highway.

• Strathcona Park (created in 1911, B.C.'s first provincial park) contains the 440-metre Della Falls, which is Canada's highest and one of the ten highest falls in the world.

• The world's most productive sockeye salmon run can be viewed at Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park.

• Almost 90 per cent of British Columbians have used a provincial park at some time.

• About six in ten residents of British Columbia use a provincial park each year.

 

 



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