Campsite Selection
From WildWiki
Contents |
Campsite Selection
Campsites concentrate impact. Our students should learn to consider safety and impact when choosing a site to spend the night. Remember the Leave No Trace principle: Camp and Travel in Durable Places. Use these guidelines to help students develop their understanding of how to select an appropriate site.
Educational Goals
Students should be able to choose a campsite that is safe, durable, out-of-the-way, and comfortable. In heavily traveled areas, this usually means camping in an established, or “hardened” site. In pristine areas, they need to be able to identify durable vs. fragile surfaces. They should recognize how vegetation, terrain, previous use, and duration of stay must be considered every time they stop for the night. They should develop habits that show that “good campsites are found, not made.”
Key Points:
Safety- Check your campsites for hazards such as: • Dead Trees or widow-makers that could fall in a wind • Thick woods with low branches that could poke you in the eye at night • Avalanche paths or areas of rock and ice fall • Potential lightning attractants. • Animal trails
Durability
Identify the difference between a fragile and a resilient site. Avoid camping on delicate or moist broad-leaved plants that will not recover quickly. Try to find spots with bare soil or thick duff. Dry meadows are also quite resilient. Find a large rock or spot of gravel for your kitchen. In heavily traveled areas, use established sites rather than create additional impact by camping in a pristine place. Avoid sites where there are signs of impacts just beginning.
Comfort
Look for a site that is sheltered from the wind and has water nearby. Try to find a flat location for sleeping. Avoid low spots where cold air collects. In hot weather look for shade; in cold weather, southeastern exposure offer solar heat in the morning when you need it most. A view never hurts either.
Limiting Impact
Try not to camp on a site that shows early signs of prior us. Left alone, such sites are likely to regenerate; used again, they can become sacrifice spots. In heavily, traveled areas, camp in well-established campsites and stick to developed trails. In pristine areas, spread out and choose durable spots. Try to stay out of view of other backcountry users. Alter the way you travel to your kitchen or to visit other tent groups so you don’t create social trails. Do not change the site by digging trenches or excavating a place to sleep. When you leave, replace any rocks or branches you may have moved so you disguise the site and minimize the chance it will be used again.
Teaching Considerations
Try teaching campsite selection on your first night. The sooner students are aware of what goes into selecting a good spot to camp, the sooner they will be able to exercise their own judgement. Introduce the Leave No Trace Principles at this time, and make sure they understand and are using the how’s and why’s of choosing a site, rather than following a prescribed set of rules.
Use camp checks to enhance your students’ grasp of site selection. If you come upon a poorly selected site, give your students a chance to explain their reasoning. Discuss their thought process, review the key points of site selection and have them choose a better location. Encourage your students to take time to find a good spot. Have them leave their packs, put on extra layers, and explore the area for a location that is durable, safe, comfortable, and when possible aesthetic.
Leadership Opportunities
After presenting this topic, students should feel comfortable selecting a campsite and being open to both defending and listening to feedback on that choice. Watch peoples’ tones as they discuss their decisions, and give them feedback on what emotional message you hear, so they can learn to monitor their tone in future conversations. A key goal of this openness is to create an atmosphere of mutual respect early in the course.
