The Search for a New Camp Site

[bootzon]

LV, you and I are the same age. Obviously, you have kept in better shape than I. We haven't backpacked since college. Been "tailgate campers", mostly because I think packing light is way over rated. Better to have and not need than need and not have. Unless, of course you're having to carry it all on your back. In the last couple of years we have traded the tent for a toy hauler style camper. My wife is a much happier camper with her own bathroom available. I like being able to drop that ramp and roll out a generator and smoker. Pull out that canopy, put on some tunes and start having some fun.

 

[bootzon]

Endurance challenges are not fun anymore. I learned a lot in Boy Scouts. We had an active troop with great leaders and made a lot of trips. My future wife and I had a lot of chances to use that knowledge in college. Coed camping was a lot more fun. After that I refined those skills and knowledge in what works best for us to have the most enjoyment while keeping enough skills to survive in whatever adversity may rear it's ugly head.

You might have guessed my clues to the direction of the photo came from the snow on the trees. It seemed to be concentrated on one side, which is usually west. I watch weather, so I know there was a system that came through recently with snow and wind from the Northwest.

One of my top priorities in a site is staying dry. Getting wet during a recreational outing is a real drag, but, in a survival situation it could mean the difference between telling the tale yourself, or somebody notifying your next of kin. A working knowledge of weather, topography, gravity and their inter-relationship is important. Things can turn ugly fast out there and you are not in control of anything but how you react to what's presented. You better have your contingencies accounted for and ready to implement on a moment's notice. You can't count on luck to save your bacon. In my mind, that means not putting yourself in a bad position to begin with.

Great that you can bring your dog with you. I have learned to trust our dogs senses way more than our own. I am looking forward to seeing how things go after old man winter has packed it up and you develop things. Thanks again for sharing your experiences.

 

[LostViking]

Mist,

Thanks for the kind words.

Ironically, I was reading your post about you and your daughter's outing this morning and noticed you had a new knife in the photos. I was a little curious about it. Thanks for the info.

I actually ordered the Hess Tiburon in stacked leather. It arrived late last week. More want than need. It is a little larger overall. Spear point blade, stacked leather handle, which is slightly longer and thicker than the Muley.

I will post up some comparison photos and thoughts after I get some field time with it.

Mother Nature is kicking my butt lately. We are in one of those weird weather patterns. I was out most of the day yesterday. We had about six inches of snow. The woods was beautiful, because it was just hanging in the trees and bushes. But it made for wet going. Every branch touched shed its load of snow.

When I got in last night it was 19 degrees. At 03:00 this morning, it was up to 46F, and raining. By morning it was 42F, still raining, and hung there until about 10:00. Now it is 29 snowing, but still with water running everywhere. Tonight it is supposed to be close to zero again.

That is the way it has been all winter. The ice has made it challenging. I am looking forward to building a fire with something dry. But I think that is a ways off. The good news is, the winds have provided lots of easy pickings.

I get such a kick out of your daughter. I am sure she will shatter some young male egos when she gets a bit older.
It is great to see young ones get out and spend some quality time in the woods. Very cool that she is scouting for tracks already.

I haven't seen too much Bobcat sign around lately. I always look through the gnawed up bones in cat scat. They usually don't leave too much uneaten.

Fair amount of coyote tracks in the fresh snow as well. They do quite well around here. And I did cross a Moose track yesterday.

I am a winter guy. But I have to be honest. This winter has my yearning for spring. We don't have the usual snow cover. So if March is kind to us. Maybe it will be an early one.

 

[Mistwalker]

Mist,

Thanks for the kind words.

Ironically, I was reading your post about you and your daughter's outing this morning and noticed you had a new knife in the photos. I was a little curious about it. Thanks for the info.

I actually ordered the Hess Tiburon in stacked leather. It arrived late last week. More want than need. It is a little larger overall. Spear point blade, stacked leather handle, which is slightly longer and thicker than the Muley.

I will post up some comparison photos and thoughts after I get some field time with it.

Mother Nature is kicking my butt lately. We are in one of those weird weather patterns. I was out most of the day yesterday. We had about six inches of snow. The woods was beautiful, because it was just hanging in the trees and bushes. But it made for wet going. Every branch touched shed its load of snow.

When I got in last night it was 19 degrees. At 03:00 this morning, it was up to 46F, and raining. By morning it was 42F, still raining, and hung there until about 10:00. Now it is 29 snowing, but still with water running everywhere. Tonight it is supposed to be close to zero again.

That is the way it has been all winter. The ice has made it challenging. I am looking forward to building a fire with something dry. But I think that is a ways off. The good news is, the winds have provided lots of easy pickings.

I get such a kick out of your daughter. I am sure she will shatter some young male egos when she gets a bit older.
It is great to see young ones get out and spend some quality time in the woods. Very cool that she is scouting for tracks already.

I haven't seen too much Bobcat sign around lately. I always look through the gnawed up bones in cat scat. They usually don't leave too much uneaten.

Fair amount of coyote tracks in the fresh snow as well. They do quite well around here. And I did cross a Moose track yesterday.

I am a winter guy. But I have to be honest. This winter has my yearning for spring. We don't have the usual snow cover. So if March is kind to us. Maybe it will be an early one.

I have been a fan of Ed's work for several years now, especially his CPM S35VN since I love coastal environments. His triple tempering and double cryo-quenching make for a very good blade that is tough and holds a good edge without being horrible to sharpen and they have awesome corrosion resistance. When Ed told me he was retiring this summer I wanted to make sure I got the ones I want and need before he does, so I bought a few of the Bush Hunters for my partner and myself for classes, then I bought the Runt my daughter has been using. I am really bad about seeing something I want to photograph or getting a sudden idea for an experiment and just parking on the side of a road and taking off into the woods. Sometimes that leads me miles into the woods before I come back so I wanted something mid-sized with attitude that wouldn't be too alarming in public but would handle anything I might run across in the woods. So I ordered a Bushfighter. I have become extremely fond of it and it is almost always with me if not on my person.

Among the things I've done to get acquainted with it is make my walking stick. The day I whittled it to shape you can see all the sap marks on the blade.

Then I carved in the grip with it, which also gave me a chance to enjoy the edge retention since it is hard seasoned cherry wood.

At 9 inches overall with half blade and half handle, it gives me what I need. It is a bit bigger than the Runt Alayna has been carrying, but the Runt gives her some room to grow with it, as I have a lot to teach her over the next few years. I want her to be able to look out for herself when she gets older, whatever happens.

The Bobcats here were all but trapped out at one time, but very little if any trapping going on here these days. I too am ready for winter to pass. The winter in Michigan in 2013 / 2014 gave me enough winter to last me a while