By Henri Bauholz
Over the past 50 years, camping in the backcountry has become very popular, especially in federally recognized natural areas such as a national park or national forest. This has made it necessary to establish limited use policies, where backcountry campers must register in advance before staying overnight in a wilderness area.
Gas Stoves
In many backcountry campsites, small, lightweight gas stoves have replaced the campfire for cooking. These simple devices are very efficient gas burners that can boil a cup of water in a very short period of time.
Cache Your Food
Overnight storage of food items so that wild animals will not bother the food supply is now a big concern with backcountry campers. As a result, food is almost always "cached" at night in a tree. The food is placed in a canvas sack, then hoisted over a branch to keep out the night marauders.
Getting Around
The most common means of transportation in the backcountry is hiking on foot, but it is also possible to travel by canoe, rubber raft, pack horse or skis.
Lightweight Food
Special lightweight food is often brought along by wilderness backpackers to make traveling easier. A lighter pack means that one can remain in the wilderness longer and travel farther.
Fish and Other Wild Foods
During the summer months, it is possible to add natural foods or wild fish to your backcountry diet. Again, you need to be familiar with area regulations before doing this.
About the Author:
Henri Bauholz is a professional writer covering a variety of topics, including hiking, camping, foreign travel and nature. He has written travel articles for several online publications and his travels have taken him all over the world, from Mexico to Latin America and across the Atlantic to Europe.
