Camping is generally considered a homogeneous kind of topic, the type of activity which comes with a set way to do it well, a set number of tips which apply in all cases and set advice regarding what to do when things go wrong. This isn’t true – camping is actually incredibly varied.
To see that this is so, you only need to think of what it is like to camp by, say, a lakeside in summer, and then compare that to what it’s like camping on a freezing mountain plateau, preparing to reach the summit in the morning. Both are forms of camping, but they could not be more different.
Accordingly, there isn’t really one set of camping tips which can be applied in all cases. Only the most general advice – i.e., bring a tent – might be true across the board. Almost any other camping advice is only appropriate for certain types of camping. You might look up how to securely your tent to a car roof with tie downs, but that only applies if you’re bringing a car at least part of the way. You might learn how start a campfire with local foliage and wood, but that only applies if you’re camping in a forest. And so it goes on.
The great upside of this, of course, is that there really is something for nearly everybody where camping is concerned. Even elderly people without the health or youth to make it through typical camping trails can find a type of camping for them. There’s even the back yard camping you did when you were 12 years old. It’s all camping!
Mountain Camping
Certainly not appropriate for the elderly or children, is mountain camping. This form of camping certainly falls at the more extreme end of the spectrum. Safety tips take special precedence here.
Cam strap tie downs manufaturers Rollercam, producers of the innovative RopeRoller say that mountain camping presents unique challenges when it comes to bringing along what you need. It can be a tough situation – you necessarily require more stuff for mountain camping as you need to weather more extreme conditions. But at the same time, vehicles and heavy baggage might not be an option if you are traversing mountain terrain.
Top Tips
With that in mind then, here follows some top mountain camping which will apply in the vast majority of mountain camping situations.
Prepare for Wind Camping
Wind camping is a distinct skill within the body of camping expertise. The reason for this is that the usual tip is to avoid it and find some sort of natural shelter. You might not have that option when mountain camping, and so you should learn how to put up a tent in windy conditions and with no shelter. You will also need to the right type of tent.
Bring Adequate Provisions
When you run out of provisions on, say, a forest or field camping trip, you have some definite options – even if that is foraging in the woods for food or going on the hunt. You have precisely no options if you get caught out when up a mountain. Take care here.
Prepare for the Extreme
You should always plan for the harshest conditions when mountain camping. Every jacket needs to be double thick; every tent should be especially suited for extreme weather; every pair of boots should be the most heavy duty, and so on.
In the end, the one great thing about mountain camping is that, if you get it right and pull off a few successful trips, there is a scarcely any type of camping left that you won’t be able to handle.