Camping in Yellowstone Country

Idaho is blessed with an immense amount of public land. Those of us who spend our fall in elk camp experience camping off the beaten path. Taking our families to similar spots can be a wonderful adventure.

I prefer tents when camping because they allow me to savor my surroundings and hear the sounds of the outdoors. During a September bow hunt, I had settled into bed about midnight. Suddenly a bull elk started bugling from a ravine 40 yards from my camp. I listened to that elk scream for two and a half hours as I drifted in and out of sleep. It was great!

Purchasing a tent requires that you evaluate a tent before you make your purchase.  The design of a tent is fundamental in making your selection because it dictates the ease of setting it up, its size and strength. There are three basic types: 1) the dome tent; 2) the cabin tent; 3) the wall tent.                                                                      

I have both a wall and a dome tent. I use the dome tent for   trips shorter than a week and the wall tent for a week or more. Visit several outlets and investigate your choices. Material and construction are important considerations. Tents are made from nylon or cotton. Cotton breaths, stays cool in summer, holds in heat better in winter but is expensive and heavy. I love my 12 foot by 29 foot wall tent but with poles, it weights 275 lbs and takes two hours to erect. Synthetic fabrics are light, durable and cheaper. A high quality dome tent weights less than 35 lbs. and takes 20 minutes to erect. Beware of inferior materials and designs. If a tent claims to sleep four but folds to the size of Sunday’s paper, the material is too thin. If the zipper on the door is finer than the one on your wife’s slacks, it will not last. Tent poles that could double as a trout rod won’t withstand a storm. When a manufacturer advertises a 4 man tent; it accommodates four people who do not mind spooning. Purchase a tent advertised to sleep twice as many people as you intend to accommodate unless you are backpacking.

Where you set up the tent determines the quality of your camping experience. Just like the rules for a successful business, location, location, location is crucial! When searching for a site, consider the following: Always allow for a retreat in the event of bad weather. Roads that are so deeply rutted that you can barely drive into your camp spot in dry weather may not be passable after a cloudburst. Never camp at the base of a ravine or on low ground near a stream or river. Rain or snow can change your world in a hurry. Think ahead. Look for the natural windbreaks: hills, mountains or trees. Pay attention to the wind patterns and check the weather forecasts. Face your tent door downwind. Consider the grade when erecting your tent. Flat ground is essential. If there is a slope, position your bed so your feet are downhill. Clear the rocks, sticks and stumps from the ground before erecting your tent. Avoid still or slow moving water? Nothing ruins a camping trip like getting consumed by mosquitoes!

The bed you choose can determine the length and frequency of your camping trips. Long, uncomfortable nights make for short trips. Foam pads are the simplest and the least costly. You can also get self-inflating pads which are foam pads encapsulated in an airtight synthetic cover.

A cot does get you off the ground but I have never found them comfortable without additional padding.

The inflatable mattress is a third alternative. They are available in various sizes. I prefer a queen inflatable mattress on an expanding frame. An inexpensive battery powered pump can air up the mattress in five minutes. Before you go camping, check for leaks because deflated mattresses are not comfortable! Whether you are using a cot or an air mattress, remember that your sleeping bag compresses beneath you. Use a blanket, an extra sleeping bag or a foam pad between your bag and the air mattress on cold nights.

Heat can be wood or propane. If your heat is a campfire, check with the Forest Service and make sure that open fires are permitted. Pack a water bucket and a shovel for fire control. I take a heater if the nightly temperature is forecast to fall below 40 degrees. My wall tent has a large cylinder stove that burns for eight hours. When using a smaller tent, Mr. Heater Buddy runs on propane and works great. I don’t run it all night but firing it up at 6:00 am sure makes it easier to climb out of the sack. Make sure that your heater is designed for inside use, your tent is properly ventilated and you keep objects at a safe distance.

Water is an essential provision to camp. Carry in your water.  If I am camping within ten miles of a source, I’ll fill my 5 gallon water jugs when I arrive. Collapsible water containers are very space efficient.

Cooking great food keeps everyone happy and stove selection is important. I judge a stove by how fast it heats up a gallon of water, the quality of the flame controls and the durability of the unit.  I have been cooking on my Camp Chef Professional model GB 90P stove since I was a scoutmaster more than 20 years ago and have never been disappointed. The 3 burners allow me to keep water hot while using a large griddle to cook up a full breakfast of eggs, hash browns and bacon.

Lighting is an important equipment choice before camping. Propane lanterns are currently the brightest but have a flame and should not be used in small or medium tents. Battery powered fluorescents are better for interior lighting but utilize a large number of batteries. LED’s are the latest and most efficient development in lighting.

Toilet facilities are a happy addition to a camp. I prefer a portable flushing chemical toilet. They are compact and make it easier to coax my wife into a camping trip. An inexpensive toilet shelter completes the facility.

Showers make for a pleasant olfactory experience. Solar shower bags, propane water heaters or heating water and dumping it on your head all work. I have found that Coleman’s Hot Water on Demand is efficient and adjustable. Dome-style shower stalls are available. They can be quite spacious and can double as a toilet shelter.

Enjoying Idaho’s wild spaces can be a great family pursuit. Searching for a camping spot off the beaten path is challenging and fun. It is a type of hunting that can be enjoyed by the entire family and a successful find can result in enjoyable memories for years to come. Good camping!