Ware, Camping 101: p. 4
John M. Ware: Camping 101
Interim 2010
Summary: In Camping 101, students will develop the skills necessary to plan and safely execute multi-day trips in a wilderness setting. The course begins with basics: appropriate clothing, diet, meal preparation, shelter, and sanitation. We’ll employ these skills during an overnight within the first 2 weeks of the course. These weeks also include discussion of assigned reading and a Wilderness Advanced First Aid course hosted by the Glendale Outdoor Leadership School. The first-aid course combines classroom study and hands-on simulations to teach students how to diagnose and treat the injuries and illnesses that most often occur on outdoor excursions. WAFA certification is an excellent credential for those interested in employment in the field of outdoor recreation or outdoor education. On the 25th, we’ll begin preparations for our 3-day trip. We’ll work together to plan all aspects: destination, daily travel, and meals. We’ll end the course by composing multimedia journals that reflect student experiences and group presentations that highlight group experiences.
Purpose: The purpose of this course is to encourage and enable students to pursue their own outdoor experiences in responsible and safe manner. We’ll work with texts at different points of the semester, but all of our reading will be applied to activities on and off-campus.
Expectations: Students must be prepared for physically strenuous activity in remote areas and potentially adverse weather conditions. Moreover, students will share close quarters with other students. All students will be expected to behave in a manner conducive to the welfare of the group.
Anticipated Cost: $500.00 per student ($350.00 deposit due on the first day of the course—12/1/09)
Itemization per student
Books: 30.00
Group Equipment: Stove (purchase), pots (purchase), tent (rental): 50.00
Personal Equipment: 50.00
WAFA Course: 310.00
Incidentals (gas, park permits, group food, etc.): 60.00
Additional Costs: Students will need to outfit themselves with appropriate clothing, personal dishes (cup, bowl, and spoon), and sleeping gear. If all of these items need to be purchased, the individual cost will increase.
About Equipment and Costs: The instructor will make every effort to reduce costs (by locating quality equipment at the lowest cost), but the above estimate is what students should be prepared to pay. The instructor reserves the right to require students to locate, rent, or purchase equipment if he deems it necessary; for example, a student may own a sleeping bag that determined unacceptable for this course and may need to acquire an acceptable sleeping bag in order to fulfill course requirements.
Assessment: Satisfactory completion of the first aid course is determined by its instructors; assessment of satisfactory attendance involves attendance unless excused; assessment of journal involves 13 distinct entries of 300 words or more and at least 10 images; assessment of participation involves demonstrated completion of assigned reading and investment in success of interim. All aspects of the course must be completed in order to receive credit.
Application: Instructor permission is required for enrollment. Interested students must provide a “statement of interest” to the faculty sponsor: a one-page document in which they indicate their reasons (motives and goals) for participating in this interim project. Please include your W# with this statement. Statements of interest should be emailed to ; please indicate “interim 2010” in the subject line of the email. Should there be more interest than availability, the faculty sponsor will determine enrollment on the basis of these statements. Students selected to participate will be issued an override for registration.
Deposit and Forms: On-campus interims that involve off-campus activities require students to fill out a number of forms that will be distributed by email and collected on the first day of class—December 1, 2009. A deposit of $350.00 will also be due on that day.
Camping 101: Course Calendar
Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday / Saturday1/7:
--Introductions
--Motivations
--Cooking
--Expedition Planning / 1/8:
--Equipment Primer
--How to Dress for the Backcountry / 1/9
1/10: / 1/11:
--Camping Technique / 1/12:
--Baking / 1/13:
--Cook-Off! / 1/14:
--Dayhike / 1/15:
--Emergencies
--GOLS / 1/16:
1/17 / 1/18:
wafa / 1/19:
wafa / 1/20:
wafa / 1/21:
wafa / 1/22:
wafa / 1/23:
1/24: / 1/25:
--Menu Planning
--Expedition Behavior
--Travel Technique / 1/26:
--3-day trip will take place during the most hospitable of these 4 days (1/26-1/29) / 1/27:
--3-day / 1/28:
--3-day / 1/29:
3-day / 1/30:
1/31: / 2/1:
--Group Equipment Deissue / 2/2:
--Film / 2/3:
--Electronic Journals Due
Reflections from 2009
“The question that I think I will always ask myself after taking trips like our most recent excursion is “why do I enjoy doing that so much?” If I think about it, camping (the proper way), especially during the winter, is a huge pain in the neck. Carrying everything you might need in and out, wearing the proper gear, knowing and being able to come up with the proper diet, not bathing well or often, needing to boil water before eating or drinking anything and then needing to boil it again in order to clean anything, and pooping in a hole are all on a list of many more things that make camping a not so fun experience and yet I still had/have a great time.”
“Getting sleep in the backcountry with single digit temperatures is an art I would say. The first night, I tossed and turned constantly, but the second night was a complete turnaround. Changes between the two nights—I took a Tylenol PM the 2nd night, no sleep aid the first night; I slept inside a 15°F bag with a pair of socks the first night and my toes were discontent with their insulation the entire night, I slept inside the 15°F bag with a 30°F covering that bag and 2 pairs of socks and a Nalgene filled with hot water the second night and my toes were satisfied and I slept well.”
My heart began to race when Shanna walked into Burwell and announced, “It is ten degrees in Asheville with a negative four degree wind chill.” I took a deep breath and told myself that it was going to be cold and that I just needed to accept that, put it behind me and look forward to the other stuff besides the freezing weather. This trip was going to be whatever I made out of it.