| With his rifle, he procures his subsistence; with his tomahawk he erects his shelter, his wigwam, his house or whatever habitation he may choose to reside in; he drinks at the crystal spring, or the nearest brook; his wants for all are easily supplied, he is contented, he is happy" - J.F.D. Smyth, 1784 |
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| Importance of Campsite Selection and Getting a Good Night's Sleep! A few extra minutes spent in selecting the right site (and a few more making the right bed) will always afford one a better night's sleep. Key points to remember, don't sleep at the bottom of a canyon, gorge or small valley. Climb somewhat above the height of the highest tree below (or about 50 feet up) and look for a campsite. The reason for this is simple: cold air sinks and warm air rises. Cold air sinks into a valley, and in a canyon it can be colder still! In a canyon, the cold settles to the bottom and then continues on towards the drainage. This movement of cold air creates wind- cold wind! A site on a South facing area is often the better choice. The sun will have warmed this area more, and this also means that there will be less moisture in the ground. A good site will offer protection from the wind and get one off the ground. As the old Boy Scout saying goes "keep as warm below as above." Trees on south facing areas sometimes produce thick layers of duff to protect their roots from this drying affect caused by getting more exposure to the sun. These thick layers of duff make good, ready-made beds that offer excellent ground insulation. Also, any kind of cover will work to prevent heat loss. Nestling up under a tree is great for this, but remember to check for potential "widow makers" (heavy, dead branches) overhead. In regards to ground insulation, duff, etc., remember that these aren't only for ground cover; a thick layer of pine needles, leaves, etc., work great as a cover too! Keep your head and neck covered, as most of your body heat is lost through here. Unless wet, it is best to keep your shoes on. I swear by Mark Baker's tip of always carrying an extra pair of mocs. If you find yourself stuck with wet shoes, loosen them up as much as you can. Try not to perspire too much during the day. The accumulated sweat may be unnoticeable to you, but will definitely aid in heat loss during the night. Remember that water conducts heat at a rate approximately 30x faster than air. Wet clothes, shoes, etc. will almost guarantee you a miserable night. Finally, remember that water nearby is great, but don't get too close. In a heavy mountain storm, creeks have been known to rise as much as 17 feet in ONE hour! Also, pitching camp too close may mean trouble with insects and the sound of running water can hide other noises that might signal danger. Good luck on those future "one blanket" treks! Portable Mattress For several years, I carried a hemp linen bag that doubled as a pillow when overstuffed with dry grass, and/or leaves. I added ties about 3" down on both sides, so that I could roll the edge and keep it closed. This worked so well that I started doing the same with a hemp-burlap game bag I carry. It's great for several reasons: 1) hanging big game "bug free," 2) it's easily 1/3 the weight of my oil cloth and serves the same purpose, 3) Stuffed like the above pillow, it keeps me warm, 4)keeps my leaves in place, 5)most important...it's comfortable! People are people, and ALL enjoy comfort when attainable! Longhunters, frontiersmen, or soldiers were (and still are) no different. It takes some time to fill the bag, but it is well worth it! Wool Blankets A blanket's ability to shed water and trap heat has a lot to do with how the fibers are "finished" (fibers teased up and combed over). Tightening the weave will often mean shrinking your blanket, but will greatly improve its warmth and its ability to shed water. The process is called fulling (Scots called it "waulking") and it can be done right in your washing machine. Wash once, or more, in warm water and without any detergent. Then, hang the blanket to "drip-dry." According to CJ Wilde of Wilde Weavery, dirt trapped in the fibers will lessen your blankets insulating ability. If you need to wash it, she recommend using liquid detergent, as powder can get caught in the fibers and actually act the same as dirt! Once the blanket is dry, use a hair brush to gently tease up the blankets fibers. Doing this and then combing them over will greatly improve the blanket's water shedding capacity. As any Boy Scout can tell you, even wet, wool retains heat. It is said that the Scots Highlanders often kept warm on cool nights, but first dipping their great kilts in water, and wringing them out before wrapping up. Sleeping bare as they did (like most Native Americans) it was said to be somewhat of a sauna effect. Tips for Keeping Warm Canteen Water Bottle With few exceptions, I'm a one-blanket guy. Far from being tough as nails, the simple fact is that I'm just lazy! I don't want to tote anything that I don't absolutely need. In my few years of trekking, I've used a few tricks that work well enough that I'm usually afforded a tolerable night's sleep. I carry a copper "kidney" canteen and read a neat little tip that's worked well for me. My wool cover is only buttoned on. I slip this off and boil my tea water directly in this. It helps, as I can then start my meal in my boiler. Before bed, I'll fill it up again and give it another good, long, rolling boil. Very carefully, I put my wool cover back on and use this as my initial bed warmer. It lasts surprisingly long wrapped inside my blanket and with the wool cover. Another bonus is that I have my water ready to either re-boil for tea or carry on the trail. Hot Rocks By the time my canteen "water bottle" cools down, it's time for hot rocks. For these I carry three, simple, 100% wool bags that I made from surplus, Swedish military scarves. I normally only do a fire ring when I know it'll be real cold that night. I use the bag, or my wool cap, to push the rock out of the ring and into the bag. Depending on how cold it is, I'll use one for my feet or another two (one at my stomach and one below my behind). If I've had a good fire going, it is amazing how long these will throw heat. I generally only have to replace them once (in early morning hours). |
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