Care for your Mess Box –
Camp Kitchen Equipment & Cooking Gear:
Camping should be stress free & fun. Something to look forward to. Good preparation in advance can make the start of your trip a breeze. Store all your camp gear in one common area – stacked, cleaned and ready to roll for the next adventure.
No matter how tired you are after a long trip, do not stick that kitchen storage box away in the garage or basement. You may discover bugs, soiled dishes & the mold from hell months or years later when you go to use it again.
After every camp trip, bring the mess box into your kitchen at home and take time cleaning it and restocking.
Over the next few days clean every dish, pot, pan, skillet. Replace those usable goods: paper plates, towels, plastic forks, etc. A printed list of essentials may help you stay organized, so as not to forget anything.
Besides spices, canned goods, do not store ANY FOOD items in this box, as it will only attrack rodents and bugs while in storage.
This mess box is an excellent place to store a portable water filter and camping fuel canisters. These two important items can be used in an emergency or during a power shut off.
Repack the entire mess box as if it is ‘ready to go’ again & then put it away. It will be a nice treat to easily access your goods the next time you wanna bolt out the door for a spontaneous camping trip.
Repair or replace any broken items. Stock fuel canisters and batteries; Change out burnt lightbulbs.
A mess box also doubles as a survival box, so if you store it in an easy-to-access place in your home or garage, you will be able to get to it during or after an emergency situation.
Dirty, baked on charred mess all over the stove top. HINT: never use oven cleaner on your camp stove top. It will burnish it, dull the finish & it won’t be looking shiny anymore. Baked on goo is only gonna come off with elbow grease & a good scrubber sponge. (Or maybe SimpleGreen cleaner). Even the steel wool soap pads leave weird marks on aluminum metal surfaces. BE CAUTIOUS w/ cleaners on your camp stove.
Make a place for it!Put all your outdoor gear in the same spot in your home; the garage or closet may be the best place, but the kitchen or entry hall could also be a decent site. This way you know where everything is, right? The headache of preparing for a camp trip will be minimal once you get organized. Store all camping related items on your camping shelf.
ALWAYS LEAVE A CAMPSITE CLEANER THAN YOU FOUND IT
Each year more of our public lands are being CLOSED off to “us” because of OUR neglect. Litter, graffiti, ammo trash and off-roading abuse can be good excuses for the rangers to close our precious forests and deserts. Be a good steward of the land and teach others the proper ways to enjoy nature, without destroying what little we have left.
Large refillable 5, 7 or 10 gallon water containers are available with a faucet type fitting. Look for brands that are BPA free, so you can be assured you’re not drinking chemicals that leach from plastic into your precious water.
Store the water container up high, with the lid off & a rag in the opening to prevent mold, a funky smell or bugs crawling inside.
SOLO TRAVELERS TIP: Cloth bags are handy for camp dishes.
Cast Iron – griddles, skillets and dutch ovens have stood the test of time and hold up longer than any other option. Cast iron cooking is DanaMite’s favorite, especially for cooking right on the campfire. It’s the only “over the fire” cookware that can handle hot coals and direct flames. Foil liner or parchment makes clean up quick.
With all that being said, cast iron is not for backpacking, due to the excess weight. Numerous backpacking cookware setups exists and new inventions are always coming to market. Search for light weight cooking stoves and cookware.
Aluminum has been linked to Alzheimers and dementia, so it’s best not to cook with cheap aluminum pots and pans. (Limit use of aluminum foil as well). Some high tech, non-stick, backpacker brands of cookware may be made of anodized aluminum and will be of higher quality. As long as the the anodized surface isn’t scratched or chipped, it is safe to use.
Non-stick cookware. Clean up is already a pain when camping. Why not make your camp life easy? Teflon. Well, first off. Teflon is now known to be harmful to humans and bad for the environment. Secondly, toxic fumes can be emitted from Teflon pans, at high temperatures.
And if all else fails and you’re really in a pinch, you can use the small sauce pan from home. Just don’t tell anyone.
You’ll often hear city folks or gay guys exclaim ” Geesh. I look like hell” – which is usually followed by, “but I am having such a good time this weekend”.
Yep, I hear ya sister. Who cares what you look like! As long as you are enjoying nature, staying safe & breathing fresh air, that’s all that matters. Bonding with the Earth is something most of us all crave, at one level or another. We’re here to help make that experience better. Soul searching solo camp-out, group camping at a campground w/ reservations or just a weekend fishing in a remote wilderness, via backpack.
bathroom breaks
be bear aware
body odor
blisters – feet (see below)
breath & teeth
chapped lips/nose
constipation
dry eyes & irritation
dry skin & bug bites
food storage
outdoor hair-do
sex outdoors
The vision of a typical “Mountain Man” has changed drastically in the last several decades. Lumbersexual, anyone?Pioneer homesteaders, Trappers, Hunters, Fishermen are rare, mostly found in mountain regions, like Sierra Nevada or Northern California. Chainsaws and all.
Grizzly Adams – big, rugged guy with long hair, un-shaven, dry skin & maybe even white cracked lips. Now-a-days it’s all about the comfort, convenience and healthy choices. The city-life and polished look will not be practical, nor last very long outside in the elements.
Media can glorify outdoor recreation, and feature extreme examples of super fit people, or once-in-a-lifetme adventures. It misleads the general public into a ‘Barbie style vision’ of what back country, wilderness & camping will be like.
Mainstream news about camping and hiking is often BAD news of river drownings, lost hikers, bad accidents and avalanches. Rarely will they focus on the positives of enjoying the outdoors. Remember, THEY want you indoors, glued to the tube and sucking up all that advertising!
UNLESS YOUR FAMILY CAMPED while growing up, most of us get “into the outdoors” with little to no education on the wild. The Wilderness: areas without electricity, spotty cell phone coverage, and no medical facilities. There is a lot to learn, if you want to actually enjoy yourself outdoors, be well fed, comfortable, get good sleep – and not get lost.
Orienteering (using a real compass) and topographic map reading are skills worth exploring. Campfires and cooking over the fire may interest you, if you plan to spend large amounts of time outdoors.
BATHING outdoors? When a cold creek is not readily available, then search for piped water and a spigot. Or pack your own solar shower, designed for campers in mind. Only certain campgrounds have showers available and many will require coins (quarters) to operate.
The topic of ‘outdoor hygiene’ rarely, if ever, comes up in camping conversations. This is what we’re here for. To answer all them embarrassing questions you never had the nerve to ask.
We’ve got the remedies for some physical discomforts many experience while enjoying life outdoors. In the last several years, with new products surfacing daily, there is no excuse not to be comfortable out in the wild. Much of this technique is simply being informed or packing well. Anyone can take advantage of enjoying the mother nature… comfortably & prepared.
< start here >
Choose a Gender (if this is impossible task, then maybe camping isn’t a good fit for ya)
Blisters on feet is usually due to friction, heat and moisture. Sweat makes the pore of your skin open up and expand. That along with hot temperatures, tight shoes or hiking boots and mileage, means you must stop and take more breaks.
Shoe/boot laces should be snug, but not too tight.
Take breaks and remove your shoes/boots – once per hour if needed. Pace yourself; know your limits on hiking distances. Plan to be setting a camp, or back at the car before dark.
Dipping your feet into a cold mountain stream is quite refreshing and can add pleasure to your day. Refilling water jugs while you’re at it. Dry feet thoroughly before putting socks back on. Remember the wilderness goal is not always to reach the destination, but to have a great time outdoors. A rewarding experience, but worn out. When feet hurt or become blistered, the fun becomes physical pain.
NO SANDALS
Do not hike miles in sport sandals or flips flops. You can ruin your arches and injure your feet, especially on granite mountain trails. Sandals are great around water, lounging at camp or walking to the outhouse, but consider wearing good shoes if you plan to walk or hike any significant distance.
NEW BOOTS
New footwear is notorious for creating blisters. Best to ‘break in’ your new shoes or boots on local trails, close to home. Wear them to work, wear them around town – so your foot can fit the boot, well before you try to “hike” in them.
Buying cheap hiking boots may have you swearing out on the trail, so bring backup shoes, just in case. While we’ve found top brand name (expensive) leather hiking boots failing faster than anticipated, we like the abundant shoe options now – trail runners, trekking boots and snow boots.
MOLE SKIN
Backpackers and avid day hikers like to carry this thin, soft fabric. A sticker side w/ mole skin on one side. You might carry it for years, before needing it. Nice to have, cheap, thin and lightweight.
Clean and dry area around the blister.
With scissors, cut a piece of moleskin larger than your blister. *
Fold moleskin in half, adhesive side down.
Using blister as a reference; cut a semi-circle out of the center of the folded end of the moleskin. Result should be a square piece of moleskin with a hole in the center.
Remove adhesive backing and place over your blister, aligning your blister with the hole you made. The circle should completely surround blister without touching its edges.
You may need to double up if the blister is big. Mole foam is also available.
* Pre-cut sizes to avoid hiking w/ scissors.
TWO PAIR O SOCKS
Thinner nylon pair of sock worn against your skin can help with friction. Wear a thick or thin pair of cotton or wool socks, as the outside layer. Most of the friction will now be in between these sock layers.
OINTMENTS
Athlete’s foot, blisters, sun burn, foot powders, bee sting or injury; there are numerous cautions to consider. Feet are the wheels for your body. They get you to and from; feet are very important for your survival. Taking care of them is key, especially when outdoors.
Eating while away from home often means expensive dinners out. But eating well, usually means cooking it yourself. If budget travel is key, then you will need at bare minimum – a cooler, otherwise known as an “ice chest” for perishable food.
A heat source for cooking food is another item to consider; unless you plan to eat sandwiches, wraps, bars and snacks all weekend. Juice fast anyone?
If you want to do any amount of physical activity outside, then you may want a decent meal or two to nourish your tired body afterwards. This is where the ‘free heat source’ (campfire) comes in handy.
Metal campfire rings are commonplace inside developed campgrounds.
This page covers an overview of eating and cooking outdoors, more suited to tent campers or car campers traveling. No camp cooking recipes; sorry, the web is full of them.
Campfires require only free firewood (for heat) and the groceries (to cook), so they are the cheapest choice for meals; Free campfire permits are needed, along with water buckets and a shovel, and of course, campfire restrictions should always be followed.
Coleman camp stoves or smaller units are ideal for car campers, tent campers and van-lifers. Butane or propane fuel can get expensive if this is your only cooking method, so take that into consideration.
Motorhome campers have it easy – with full kitchens and appliances, but propane fuel could be costly depending on how many meals you prepare. Propane fridges are most common. RV refrigerators are often one of the first things to fail, so keep that in mind when purchasing an older camper on wheels.
Everything – and the kitchen sink. RVs, camper trailers and some camper vans have it made for cooking. They literally have a mini kitchen to do most of their food prep and cooking (indoors, away from wind, dust, bugs). Or they can easily bounce back and forth between the campfire grilling and the indoor kitchen.
Cabin rentals w/ wood burning stoves, some specially designed for cooking are a rare find on vacation. These beauties are unique, antique and some still fully functional as a cooking appliance. It’s a slower longer process to cook, but it is entertaining and rewarding. Wood-burning stoves use small hardwood pieces, known as ‘stove wood’. Bring some, or ask about it when reserving the cabin.
Tailgate can be Kitchen counter spot
Otherwise, car campers and picnickers must rely on make-shift kitchen setups:
first, flat ground helps immensely.
second, a heat source may be needed, so plan ahead.
developed parks and campgrounds usually provide picnic tables. pavement, cement flat areas for people to congregate and dine.
boulder coves near rock outcroppings usually make good picnic spots and camp kitchens
at bare minimum, a ground cloth or tarp for meal prep is best
tarps can also come in handy, when raining. bring rope.
camp stoves, BBQ grill or campfire ground tarp, table or tailgate
define kitchen area, light up work area & clean prep surfaces; wash basin areas get sloppy, so keep it off the table top
@ camp – Step 2
cover table top and seating surfaces; carry extra blankets for bench seats, and bedding. Camp stove needs FLAT surfaces to be most effective – the end of the picnic table, a flat boulder, a truck tailgate, a stove stand, or a portable camp table.
@ camp – Step 3
clean out the campfire pit; only idiots dispose of their trash in the fire ring. always leave the camp site, cleaner than you found it. bring extra black trash bags; respect the land and teach others. do not to litter.
Wild Winds of California
When nights are chilly and dining by the campfire is preferred, line a folding camp chair with a thick blanket. This will keep the cold wind off your back.
If the wind is harsh (20+ mph), you can park your vehicle to block most of the wind toward the campfire and/or camp kitchen.
a contained fire, a good fire
Do not burn ANY FLAMES or FIRE when weather conditions are severe. HOT, DRY, WINDY = red flag warnings; all fire permits and burn permits are suspended.
Know current fire restrictions before you light up!
NON-FOOD ITEMS vs. FOOD
When packing your kitchen box in advance, do not load food items that have a scent – NO SPICES, no tea bags, nor hot chocolate mix. No coffee, no snacks and small smelly items. Bears, raccoons and wildlife would love to find your food (even if you only stepped away from the camp for 2 minutes). Crafty types will even attempt opening the cooler or getting inside the hatchback.
Store all food related / scented products inside the ice chest or the easy to manage, grocery bag – aka the FOOD BAG.
This Food Bag concept and style of storage is best for packing up at night after meals. The EASY and fastest way to get to bed early and avoid sorting food items in the dark. When the dishes are done, laying out drying, all grocery bags and food related items go in the car or in the steel bear box (provided at camp ground).
Remember these scented items also includes – toothpaste, cough drops, deodorant, creams, candy, medications. We’ve seen a tube of Ben-Gay chewed open by critters. Yuk. Save the animals from eating your foot cream. Store your creams and meds in a zip pouch with the food bag. Problem solved.
SOLO TRAVELERS TIP: Cloth bags are handy for camp dishes.
Prep @ home before the trip:
Freeze large juice bottles for cooler ice. BLOCK ice last much longer than small ice cubes. Freeze smaller water bottles for smaller coolers. Prevent bottle bursting, (water expands when ice swells) by pouring an inch off the top and screwing cap down loosely.
If you absolutely must have ice cubes for your drinks, take a smaller zip-lock bag. If it melts fast, buy another one in route.
Pre-chop vegetables; package fruit chunks. Think of hike-able meals, proteins, fast snacks and fruit. Fresh veggies w/ the meat grilling @ the deluxe campfire dinner.
Select a sturdy reusable bag with wide bottom. This can be your designated FOOD bag. Groceries, spices, coffee and teas, anything with a scent. Garlic, apples, raisins, oatmeal pouches.
The FOOD BAG (see orange notes above) is also a great place to store small items when traveling and camping. Items like lighters, matches, pocket knives, candles, pen and paper, headlamps, batteries, bandana, napkins, half roll o TP.
Solo travelers may even want to pack a ‘place setting’ (plate, bowl, utensils) inside the food bag for on the go meals and easy access.
Pack & pre-cook:
precooking certain foods
(that would normally take lots of time and fuel, or mess)
rice, pasta noodles, steel cut oatmeal, homemade chili, cakes, bread, sausages, bacon
ICE CHEST
2 coolers may be needed. depending on the situation, eating habits and amount of travelers
One large ice chest for storage, located in the back w/ a blanket on top to block it from the direct sunlight.
Smaller, portable ice chest up front, near the driving compartment for easy access to snacks, trail mix, sandwiches, beverages. Picnics will be easy with a small cooler. Freezing plastic water bottles days ahead, for block ice without the soggy mess.
JUST HEAT UP
If you want to do more exploring and less cooking, then plan your meals dining out (at home, online), well in advance. Fast food drive-thrus should always be avoided. Budget at least $10 per meal and expect to pay more in smaller towns. Pack lots of snack bars, beverages and easy to fix meals. Sandwiches are great for day time, cuz you’ll be out sightseeing. Night time you can have a camp fire to cook on, or break out the camp stove or grill.
Left overs are super quick to heat and serve. Pancakes, bacon, quiche, casseroles, enchiladas, stir fried rice, pre-chop salads. Save the salad dressing and top salad just before eating. Other easy prep meals include: scrambled eggs, hamburgers, hot dogs, chili, soups, tacos, or if all else fails, the dreaded MRE. Pre-packaged backpackers meals in foil pouches have come a long way, but are often expensive and always look so unappealing, like mush.
We’ve seen the city-boy bachelors show up to camp (after midnight) w/ a cooler packed full of beer and Subway sandwiches. Chips and nuts were their only side dishes. Needless to say, but the second day they we’re done w/ their food and wanting ours. BBQ ribs?
Condiment packets take up less space than full size containers and they don’t need to be stored in the ice chest
EASY COOK MEALS
one burner stove
one steel pot / one pan
cutting board
ziplock bags
utensils
CAMP COOK
2 burner camp stove w/ fuel
skillet & lid
medium size pots and pans
spices
utensils camp lantern
BBQ grill?
CAMPFIRE CHEF
cast iron
dutch oven cooking
campfire grill tripod
foil & ziplock bags
fireproof oven mit / gloves
extra long tongs
sturdy table
Cast Iron is the preferred cookware for campfire cooking.
Start the campfire before sunset, so it has time to burn down the wood to make adequate coals.
Cook over glowing hot coals rather than the flames of burning wood. Use flat rocks and/or metal grills for positioning cast iron cookware.
Wait until the campfire becomes hot coals to do the cooking. Rearrange the glowing coals and rocks for optimal cooking spots.
You’ll need plenty of small wood – to keep feeding the fire and pushing the coals in place. Direct flames on cookware means black soot and often burnt chicken. Flames are okay for some food – like roasting wieners or shisk kabobs, but generally it is the coals that offer the most even heat source.
Dutch oven (pictured above) is often the first cast iron campers purchase. Positioned over the campfire, it becomes a mini oven for heating up left over food dishes. You can heat them w/ a camp stove as well. Start with a smaller size and buy larger ones as needed.
Cast iron skillets are very handy for cooking up meat or fish dishes. Re-heating left overs, cooking eggs, pancakes and bacon. Books abound on dutch oven cooking show baking breads, desserts, making chili, and lots of recipes.
Aluminum foil and a roll of paper towels will come in handy. Ziplock bags help with leftovers. Metal spatula and tongs are ideal when cooking over campfires. Choose a can opener w/ a bottle opener built into it. Bring a corkscrew if you are packing a bottle of wine.
Washing up all dishes and pots immediately after a meal is best practice; Before bedtime is mandatory. No food or beverage smells should be found overnight around camp. Tie and pack garbage away (inside a vehicle), or dispose of in trash cans – before retiring for the night.
Remember: No toothpaste or snacks allowed inside the tent. Keep a clean camp to prevent unwanted visitors (wild animals).
Use the steel bear boxes, whenever provided. These may be required for proper food storage in bear country. Camp community sharing these boxes, so a crate, cardboard box or sturdy bag will be needed to keep your items separate. Often small ice chest will fit inside these metal bear-boxes.
Steel bear boxes help to protect your food from wild animals. It is best to use them when provided. Sharing boxes with neighboring campers is common.
Camping isn’t only a summer time thing. In California, it can be enjoyed all year long – if you have the right gear to enjoy yourself. The deserts alone are prime destinations for your winter vacation OUT of DOORS. Star gazing is great & Back Road exploration is a great way to use that SUV.
Most meteor showers occur during the colder part of the year, so winter camping is a great way to experience the full sky & not miss any of these special shooting star shows. Desert locations well away from the city are the “best dark sky” choices. Less crowds, cooler temps and maybe more clouds.
KELBAKER ROAD is perfect place for stargazing, rock climbing, bon fires and free overnight camping.
weather:
We are not talking about making igloo camps in the highcountry. No snow shoes, nor cross country skiing chalets. Not even much snow camping. This page is just the basics on how to tolerate chilly temps in the milder climates for California’s dry destinations.
Bring enough clothing for a variety of temperatures. LAYERS, is the best advice for clothing. You may go from shorts to winter jacket all in 10 hours.
rain & wind:
California gets most all it’s precipitation from DECEMBER to APRIL, and a lot of winds along with each storm system. So be prepared for some weather.
Big wind event – can blow old trees down, across the road – trapping you on way back in there, so be prepared for a hike out. Super strong winds (40mph+) are also big factors in these outta control wildfires, as we’ve seen in recent years with the West Redding & Paradise fires.
A good zero degree sleeping bag is well worth the cash you will spend on it and it will make those chilly Sierra nights bearable even in the early season. Where fold-up cots will circulate the cold air underneath you, Inflatable air mattresses can be total luxury!
Don’t throw out that old sleeping bag. Make is useful! Try placing a blanket under your air mattress & another on top for cushion & warmth…and to protect you from the cold ground temperatures that can creep up.
Anza Borrego State Park allows you to camp along nearly any dirt back road, but requires that you use a metal fire ring to protect the soils & sandy washes from unsightly black ashes & coals.
A metal bucket like this can be found at your local hardware store. Old washing machine tubs work well too.
real heat:
Firewood Dealers all over California can sell you a way better deal than those grocery store bundles.
Make sure to bring more firewood than you think you may need. It’s better to have more than enough than to be wishing you had more.
Tent Heaters are the latest great idea to keep you super toasty even inside your tent. Not intended for overnight use. Shut it off before you go to sleep.
Camp Soaps!
Motorhome campers have it easy – with full kitchens and appliances, but propane fuel could be costly depending on how many meals you prepare. Propane fridges are most common. RV refrigerators are often one of the first things to fail, so keep that in mind when purchasing an older camper on wheels.
