group camping trip planned need games.

[Tuckervill]

I'm a big night sky fan, don't do camp fires ever.

You can do a night hike/walk with no lights too - eyes become accustomed to the dark and most of the time there is always residual light from something.

How do you cook if you don't have a fire? How do you stay warm in February if you don't have a fire?

I realize there are many, many different camping situations. I just don't think I could camp if I didn't have a fire. It just wouldn't be camping!

Karen

[solobiker]

We don't do campfires either. We actually go backpacking vs car camping. If you have the right gear you can stay pretty warm when the temps drop. I know with larger groups it is tough to backpack and not the best for the environment. We just got back from a backcounty skiing trip with a group of friends and there were 2 10 y/o. they pretty much entertained themselves. We had plenty of snow so they built a snow fort and skiing to do. Have fun.

[solobiker]

as for cooking we have a small light weight gas stove that we cook on. We make pretty simple meals. I also find camp fires kind of dirty and everything starts to smell like smoke. That is just my opinion.

[Irulan]

How do you cook if you don't have a fire? How do you stay warm in February if you don't have a fire?

I realize there are many, many different camping situations. I just don't think I could camp if I didn't have a fire. It just wouldn't be camping!

Karen

Camping stove, layers, look at the stars and then go to bed. Cooking on fire is dirty, ineffecient, and wrecks your pots

I detest campfires, and here's why
destructive - once you get out of developed campground, people do incredibly destructive things in the name of having a fire. Multiple fire rings, stripping a forest of down fall, leaving their garbage in it. Few people put fire out correctly.

Who here has ever heard the term "white man fire"? Most people don't know how to build a small utilitarian fire. They think bigger is better. You can cook on a small fire better than a big one.

If you are depending on a fire for warmth, you haven't brought the right kind of clothes and gear. Former snow camper here, I've camped in tents down into the zeros.

[solobiker]

Camping stove, layers, look at the stars and then go to bed. Cooking on fire is dirty, ineffecient, and wrecks your pots

I detest campfires, and here's why
destructive - once you get out of developed campground, people do incredibly destructive things in the name of having a fire. Multiple fire rings, stripping a forest of down fall, leaving their garbage in it. Few people put fire out correctly.

Who here has ever heard the term "white man fire"? Most people don't know how to build a small utilitarian fire. They think bigger is better. You can cook on a small fire better than a big one.

If you are depending on a fire for warmth, you haven't brought the right kind of clothes and gear. Former snow camper here, I've camped in tents down into the zeros.

I agree 100% with you. We have camped/backpacked in all sorts of temps. Once the sun goes down enjoy the sky. It is spectacular. There is no need for a fire. Here in CO durring the summer when camping, especially at elevation the temps can drop to the 20-30s and all we have to do is put an extra layer on and a hat and we are fine.

[derailed]

We like to bring the game "Apples to Apples" when we have more than 4 people coming.

[Tuckervill]

I don't camp in February unless it's warm enough (like today!) to be outside without a coat. I don't camp when it's really cold, because I like to be warm at least PART of every day!

But there have been times when a night got cooler than we planned for (like when it drops from 90 to 45 overnight), where a campfire for staying warm is necessary.

I know all about campfire cooking. I do mostly Dutch oven cooking, so coals are what you need and a big fire is just not needed.

I also live in a part of the country where water is abundant, forest fires are a concern but not a constant threat, and I camp on a gravel bank of a river--unless I happen to be in a campground, in which case I have a lot of stuff in my car and no reason to use the fire ring.

I guess there's not a one size fits all with the campfire. When I was a Campfire USA leader, I was often puzzled by some of the advice in the books we were given. They just didn't apply to where we lived. Written by people out west, I guess.

Karen