Campfires

“I was wondering how many hikers out there make campfires? I didn't make a campfire in over 15 years, even in the winter. I don't like the smoke, sparks and the scars on the land. Any opinions?”

“I'm of the opinion that a trip is greatly diminished without a campfire. There's nothing quite like the warmth, light, and atmosphere that it provides. The smoke can be a bother, but it's worth it.”

“Yeah .... a night without a campfire is a 14 hour night where you huddle miserably in your tent freezing your a$$ off.

Give me fire..... a big white-man fire!

signed,

Pyro Sol


and marshmellows too”

“Amen, Brother Sol! We spent an hour and a half getting one going last weekend. That wood was wet! But with lots of persistence, blowing, some white gas, newspaper, a few fire starters, and a traffic flare it eventually turned into a good one. Well worth it too! No guilt here.”

“Yes! Campfire smoke is part of that "camper girl" smell I aspire to achieve when camping.”

“I too prefer the solace of a fire. Sometimes I don't make one depending on the site, situation and circumstance. But I grew up with campfires, and they hold something dear to me, and there's something very soothing, warming and comforting about flames, their heat and light.

Smoke smell is just part of the territory, and frankly I don't mind it a bit. The only thing I don't like about smoke is when it gets in your eyes...I HATE WHITE RABBITS...I HATE WHITE RABBITS...I HATE WHITE RABBITS!”

“I too prefer the solace of a fire. Sometimes I don't make one depending on the site, situation and circumstance. But I grew up with campfires, and they hold something dear to me, and there's something very soothing, warming and comforting about flames, their heat and light.

Smoke smell is just part of the territory, and frankly I don't mind it a bit. The only thing I don't like about smoke is when it gets in your eyes...I HATE WHITE RABBITS...I HATE WHITE RABBITS...I HATE WHITE RABBITS!”

“I'm a campfire lover too, it just doesn't seem like camping without it. LOL on the white rabbits Buddur, I only recently heard that for the first time and even if it dosn't work, it's good for laughs.”

“Something that burns me up (no pun intended) is when i submit a writeup and it takes forever for the server to accept it. That first post took so freakin long to post I had enough time to go to the kitchen and warm up my coffee for 111 seconds and came back and it still hadn't been sent yet) that I stopped it and submittited it again. Of course the first sent submission had to arrive even though my computer seemed not to be able to send it.

I've had this server ignore me too freakin many times and refuse me the ability to enter this site, log in, and even post messages. UGH!”

“I gotta have that fire too ...
Most places I BKPK allow campfires - it is almost a necessity with me - I try to mimimize the impact on the site.
If I cannot have a campfire then I have to have my ...
... here it comes up again ...
... Candle Lantern”

“Yes to the campfire.”

“I build them where permissable. If I use an existing fire ring, I'll bust it up before I pack out - same deal if I build my own (usually very small). I scatter remaining firewood, too.

I did a stupid thing last summer in the Winds. Late one afternoon, I started collecting firewood about a mile or so from where I was anticipating camping for the night. I was above treeline, and even dead sagebrush was scarce. By the time I reached the campsite, I had a huge bundle of gnarly firewood atop my pack - I must've looked like an elk hunter - LOL!

After making camp - but before building a fire - I was reading some of the info on the back of my map, and discovered that fires weren't permitted where I was at that time of the year! (though there was a sign at the trailhead that mentioned something about being careful...fire...blahblah). What an idiot I must've looked like to the few hikers I past with my big "rack" on my pack. So, I scattered the wood in the surrounding brush. I did spy a couple of fires on that trip, tho - bastards!

Fires help keep skeeters thinned-out a little. No telling how many thousands of the buggers plunge head-long into the average campfire every night, especially where their populations are high...

Fires keep the "Swomp Boogers" and various other creatures of the night away, too.”

“I like a good camp fire too. There's something about them that can spark up (no pun intended) some great conversation too.”

“I rarely make campfires as it really cuts down on my night vision & makes a mess. I will in winter when the temp is very low or on canoe trips to dry wet clothing. I will in campgrounds when camping with my wife, since she loves them.”

“I've never camped without a fire. I read a tread on another b'packing page by hikers that prefer "flameless camping" because it doesn't chase away the animals like a fire does. That sounds nice in a way, and I've even thought about giving it a test and foregoing the fire once or twice, but I never do. Guess cause I love a fire.”

“I thought chasing away the animals was a good thing, especially the swomp boogers and bigfoot things.”

“I generally don't make fires for low impact reasons. They are not allowed in our local wilderness areas for a couple of years.

However, when we go camping and do have a fire, I enjoy it.

Phil

(wonder what happened to my name?)”

“I like the smell and feel of a fire.
If I get to a site that has a ring I'll use it. If not, I go without.”

“I love a good fire and for me it adds to my time out and takes nothing away from it. I wouldn`t go as much if I couldn`t build a fire and share the warmth of it and see red, blue, orange and yellow flames flicker like they do. I like the hiss, pop and crack of wood burning and the smoke is just a part of it. Nothing smells as good as a hard wood fire and they don`t smoke as bad as the soft woods do.”

“I enjoy a campfire when it's permitted. I don't enjoy making or maintaining them, though.

As for animals, I found that campfires don't keep the black bears away. One night a black bear came to camp, broke the tree branch and made off with 1/2 our food. We had a fire earlier that night. After the visit, we built a fire and brought our food bag fireside with us. That danged bear came back for more!! It wouldn't come to the fire but it went to the tree where the food had been hung.”

“Anybody else have a Sven Saw?”

“Hey Buddur!
I just found your E-thing to me.
Thanks!”

“No Buddur but if it makes good kindling I'll buy one!”

“I like fires. They seem to make it much more comfortable for me no matter where I am (backpacking, camping, home). Just keep Smoky Bear in mind. Me, Running girl and boy haul our own fire wood with us when we go car camping. The smoke is part of it. Any light source (fire, lamp or lantern) diminishes my night vision until it is extinguished and my eyes adjust. I didn't have a fire when I was out last week though because I was too dang tired and couldn't wait to get in my bag.”

“Yes, I have the sven saw, great little tool.”

“Makes good kindling, Mr.SolitaryHiker??? Are you making pun of the idea? 8)

For 11 extra ounces, that tool will ensure you have an awesome fire! There's always those big hunks of wood that can't be drug to the campsite, or broken into smaller pieces, and take forever to burn in two. Sven'll section them easily and ensure you have adequate chunks of firewood for the night...guaranteed!”

“Campfires are a must have in my camp. Without a fire we'd have nothing to bow down to, nothing to dance around,nothing to chant to. But in these LNT times we must try to appease the gods that demand fire and those that dont. Now we reserve fire for those special occasions like virgin sacrifices,or bloodlettings. Its really all about compromise.”

“I loooove a good campfire, but have gotten used to the restrictions here in CA. I really miss going down the WI River, picking a sandbar, and making a fire right there with no chance of setting the woods on fire.

Sven Saw? Great little tool. Eats through wood like nobody's business.”

“Campfire when permitted -- I didn't spend all that time in the Boy Scouts to waste my fire building skills as an adult. But I don't mind too much when they aren't; I try to understand the reasons. I've had to douse a few smoldering campfires left by others over the years, and I really would rather go without myself than see others torch the forest. I'll also admit to enjoying a candle lantern as a substitute on a couple occasions.

When a cold snap hits early and outpaces your sleeping bag's rating, the effort to keep a fire stoked is almost as important as the fire to keeping warm, as I discovered once in the Sylvania Tract.”

“I like my campfires!”

“by the way the best fire starters are dryer lint mixed with vasaline made into small balls.they weigh about nothing and work good on wet wood.”

“Really mom? We have lots and lots of dryer lint. I'll have to keep that in mind.”

“What's a sven saw?”

“If I'm with a group and they want a fire, I'm all for it but if I'm soloing, I never make a fire.”

“Fires when conditions are right. I keep them very small, and always leave no trace.
Smoke is a great cover up for B.O. and repellant for skeeters.”

“Yeah, Mom...those vasoline firestarters are tha'chit! I use cotton balls for 'em, and keep 'em in a plastic film container. They work like a charm!”

“If I don't come home smelling like smoke, my wife won't believe I actually went hiking.

Man has been fascinated, mesmerized and comforted by fire for thousands of generations. Who am I to break with tradition.”

“Another great fire starter... take the cardboard crate that eggs come in. Fill each space with dryer lint (tightly), then pour melted wax over it. Cut into individual pieces, super light and effective.”

“I frequently camp at leantos/shelters here in the East. Here, a campfire really isn't an environmental issue; nevertheless, we usu. only have fires if there's a pile of wood waiting there when we arrive (Why not?). BTW, candle lanterns (see recent thread on "candle latners" -- or some such malaprop I never heard of) are excellent in shelters, providing just about full illumination. Even though we don't gen'lly have fires, one time we carried in coupla Duraflame logs (though we're the type of hikers who drill holes in our spoon handles)to an Adirondack leanto in the deep snows of midwinter. It was great!”

“The cowboy term for a camp without a fire is a "cold camp". I like fire for the normal reasons but if we are moving fast there will be no fire. It is a walk, eat, sleep routine. Fires take to long to build and clean up after. Lose the fire and gain 5 miles. Cold camp for speed.”

“Always a fire, unless prohibited for the area. And, we always leave our camp with wood for the next people, and in better shape than we found it in.

Cold camp for speed? I'm out there to enjoy it, not to rush past it.”

“Yeah! What Chief said!”

“I'm disturbed by the notion (heretofore mentioned) of "leaving wood for the next guy." C'mon, unless you're at a trail shelter... Even then, it will only encourage others to soot-up the place with fires. There must be no evidence of a fire after its use! (quite emphatically)”

“What's a trail shelter? A big tree? A big rock? Here, in WY, your not allowed to camp next to the trail, or next to the water. You have to be so many yards from either one.”

“And, when I was in Boy Scouts (Yes, an Eagle), canoeing the Boundary Waters in Northern Minnesota, we ALWAYS left more wood than was there when we got there. And we ALWAYS tried to protect it from the weather. It was great pulling into a camp site in a down pour and finding some somewhat dry wood to get a fire going for warmth and cooking. It made a believer out of me. Thanks Mr. ScoutMaster!!”

“when base camping, the bigger the fire the better. When bping, fires just reduce the amount of time you have to hike. When you hit camp you should set up tent, boil water for dinner, hang bearbags, go to bed. The morning is just the reverse. The rest of the time is hiking.”

“Campfires are great when you can have them and even better when you can't!!!

I will admit to breaking the law once or twice in my past regard fire bans. They were nothing more than small pit fires to provide heat.

There is just something about having a good fire with others or by yourself. The hypnotic powers of the dancing flames and glowing coals backed by the chorus of hissing and popping sappy wood. I believe fire to a be a essential peice in my wilderness experience.

I've never had much luck with that vasaline and lint/cotton ball tricks as a fire starter.

I have left wood behind for others only in designated camp areas but most of what I gather will be burnt. A good fire is when nothing remains but white ash and a small pile of crushable coals. I avoid leaving large hunks of wood behind. I find those huge charred hunks of wood that are left behind by inept fire builders rather unsightly.

I value my evening smoke bathes too!!!”

“I love a good fire, it just sets the mood
for the heat I get, or to cook my food
a fire can warm my insides and that is nice
if I`m cold I stand by it and it warms me twice
and without a fire, I don`t think I wouldd always go
I find comfort in a fire and warmth from the glow”