CAMPING PA-502

Many experienced campers prefer to throw a pack on their backs and head into back country—the wilder parts of the National Forest System. There they seek to recapture the pioneer spirit of their forefathers by fending for themselves, whether traveling a little-used trail only a half mile from a road, or plunging into a 100,000-acre wilderness.

Hikers explore old trails and beat their way across country, making camp where day ends. Horse riders travel wilderness trails, sleep beneath the stars, and return to civilization refreshed. Fishermen trek to remote streams and high-country lakes, and hunters search the hills for next winter's venison and bear steaks. Families, too, enjoy the away-from-it-all experience of primitive travel and deep-woods camping.

To assist back-country campers, the Forest Service has blazed miles of trails, and provided primitive campsites—a few with three-sided shelters and firepits. Campers needn't use them, but they do simplify making camp.

The supreme camping experience for many people is a wilderness trip. In 1924 the Forest Service pioneered in wilderness preservation by setting aside the Nation's first Wilderness. The National Forest System includes 88 separate wilderness areas totaling 14.3 million acres. National Forest wilderness, mostly high mountain country, is managed to maintain its natural, wild state. No roads cross the wilderness and no motorized vehicles are permitted. The few trails are only for horse riders and hikers. Some of the more popular Wildernesses, where it's necessary to assure sanitation and safety, have a few designated campsites with primitive facilities.

Back-country camping in remote parts of a forest or deep in a wilderness requires careful planning and proper equipment. Before heading into the wilds, study a detailed map of the area and learn the terrain. Plan menus and select equipment carefully to keep loads light for horses and backpackers. For safety's sake, carry a first-aid kit to meet emergencies, and a map and compass to keep you on trail.

One of the delights of camping is the campfire. It sheds a friendly glow when shadows deepen into night, provides a warming crackle in the cold light of morning, dries clothes, and cooks food. But fire uncontrolled can be a demon.

Wilderness campers are generally careful with fire. Their secret is to clear a spot down to mineral earth and build a ring of rocks to contain the fire. Then they keep the fire small and, when through, drench it with water and stir the ashes into the earth. The District Ranger appreciates this care, and so do the campers who use the site later.