Spring beckons the camper

BY JOHN HOWISON

SOMETIMES THE ITCH to go camping early in the season can strike pretty hard when you get hit by those warm spring breezes.

Though it can be expensive to gear up with four-seasons garb and gear, you can still turn a weekend of wishing into a weekend of camping without going broke. Here are some tips and low-cost equipment ideas to get you started.

While superficially these may not seem like the safest or smartest of accessories to bring along, when used safely they can do wonders to warm up the inside of a tent. After dinner is over and everything is stowed away, lighting a candle lantern behind the zipped-up doors of your tent can make a world of difference to warm up the cool air trapped inside. The lanterns are intended for hanging, and doing so is safe and easy. Many tents have short fabric loops attached to the roof, and that’s where to hook the lantern handle. If there is no loop, or a candle that close to the roof makes you uneasy, a longer string can be tied to the roof and the lantern hung on that (keep loose ends short). They give off plenty of light, certainly enough for reading, and in the warmer air it’s much easier to curl up with a good book.

An 11’ x 15’ tarp from Canadian Tire for about $20 can turn your twoor three-season tent into a 3.5-season tent. Depending on weather, a tarp can be draped over a tent to help keep rain, sleet, late snow or wind off and out of your tent; and it can be used as a ground sheet to separate you from the soggy cold ground below the tent floor. If it’s already cool outside, the last thing you want is to fret about brushing up against a wet tent wall. A tarp over the top can prevent this.

Bring one along to place between your sleeping bag and your sleeping pad. It will not only serve the obvious purpose of further insulating you from the ground, but add much appreciated cushioning. A warm, familiar blanket can make you feel a little less cut off from your warm, cozy home.

Remember how easily and conscience-free those treats slide down on a summer camping trip? Well, they go down even easier on an early spring outing. In colder weather your body burns much more energy. Don’t be shy. If you usually bring two chocolate bars, this time bring four!

As opposed to summer, when meals with eggs and meat are only possible on the first day, cooler weather allows you to bring more perishables and have tastier, fresher meals. The likelihood of meat, veggies or fresh fruit going bad is negligible in spring when temperatures mimic those found inside your refrigerator. (This reality may be hard on your toes, but good for your belly.) A pre-prepared beef stew in a resealable container should stay good in a sealed container for as long as it would in your fridge. This means you can prepare more meals ahead of time, and eat perishables further into the trip.

Whether skiing or hiking or doing pretty much anything outside, if your toes are cold you’re probably not having a great time. On the other side, warm toes can greatly enhance the experience. When you’re curling up at night there are two easy methods to warm up feet even without an expensive winter sleeping bag. The first is the hot water bottle – tried and true, and not obsolete yet. Heat up some water over your fire or on your stove, pour it into a Nalgene or other durable water bottle and place it in the bottom of your sleeping bag before you crawl in. Not only will this warm up your toes and bag, but you save yourself trouble in the morning with a ready-to-drink bottle of water (assuming you boiled it for three to five minutes the night before). Alternatively, a couple of mitt-warmers designed for skiing can have the same effect, though they cost more, create garbage and lack the nostalgic punch of a hot water bottle.

As always before heading out, check the forecast for your destination. If you think you can handle cooler temperatures but the forecast calls for rain and low temperatures as well, think twice. Terrible weather isn’t much fun at the best of times, and can be worse if you’re pushing your comfort zone in the spring.

Early spring makes a great time to camp. Try it! ≈ John is an avid outdoor enthusiast whose favourite outdoor activities are downhill skiing and camping, and during the summer working as a tree planter.