A Tent Away from Home

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Practical Necessities

First, a trip to your local outfitters. Don't panic. Most of what you will need you probably already own. Often, the rest can be borrowed or rented. And if you've been camping before, you have probably geared your family over the years much better than you might imagine.

Each person will need the basics: backpack, rip-stop and non-plastic poncho, day/fanny pack, gators (nylon covers for the leg below the knee), shorts, ankle-supporting, lug-soled, and well broken-in hiking boots, hat, a onequart canteen, bandanna, wool socks, cotton wick socks, long underwear, long loose pants, spoon, bowl with lid, insulated cup, and sleeping bag. A middleweight Qualofil or similar synthetic fiber bag that has a warmth range down to 10°F is best. This size bag will keep you warm throughout the year—with the exception of very late fall through very early spring. You will also need a sleeping pad (to soften the ground underneath you), toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet paper, T-shirt, wool shirt, wool sweater, several large plastic garbage bags, a small flashlight, and hand towel. It's also a good idea to bring whistles in case anyone (especially one of the younger folks) gets separated.

Mom and (or) Dad need to pack other important group items. Make sure these do not get mislaid or mishandled. Parents should pack a first-aid kit containing: snakebite kit, moleskin (a velvety material with adhesive on one side to ease developing blisters), gauze pads and rolls, various Band-Aids, iodine to dress cuts and scratches, Ace bandage for stressed knees or sprained ankles, tweezers to extract bee stingers, tick heads, and splinters, calamine lotion to ease itching, and soap to wash cuts, scrapes and rashes. Before you dash to the store, check the medicine chest. You'll likely discover you already own most of this stuff. Chances are a never-to-be-used snake-bite kit will complete your kit.

All those little necessities you packed will become very weighty after awhile. When in doubt, leave it at
home.

Prepared for the worst, make the best of your family's trail time by packing in these other shared essentials: a tested and functional camp stove, two one-quart aluminum screw-top fuel bottles, light-weight two-quart aluminum sauce pan with lid, pot-handler, fire-starter gel, tent or polyethylene tarpaulin, ground sheet, two-gallon collapsible water container and water purification tablets.

Contact your Avon representative for a bottle of Skin So Soft. It acts as a formidable insect repellent. If you can't get your hands on some, buy some junglestrength liquid insect repellent. Also bring a bundle of parachute cord to hang food, roll of lightweight nylon line, Swiss army knife or equivalent, candle lantern, waterproof matches and lighters. Extras add weight but can make you trip more memorable. Some suggestions: binoculars, bird and wildlife guides, folding saw, campfire story books, sunglasses, camera and a harmonica. NOTE: Some parks outlaw fires and require camp stove use. At other parks, rangers may prohibit your family from progressing beyond certain elevations without the proper footwear and foulweather gear. Bringing the proper equipment will reduce the chances of your ending up on the rangers' endangered list and comfort you in most weather and at most elevations.

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