Noobie

[KYA797]

Ok. So I'm not going to lie. I am a noob to camping but would like to start camping. For starters, I am driving a Kia Sportage and will have 3 people going: myself, and two other gal friends and we are all 18. We are still looking for good places to go camping in Arizona and I personally want to be not at a campground.
While I haven't gone camping, I have been out in the woods a lot (camps but slept in cabins). So I do have some outdoors knowledge but I still want to be prepared cause what girl wants to get stuck in the woods because she wasn't prepared?

I already got a Coleman Rosewood 4 person tent and practiced putting it together and made sure I can put it up and take it apart. We have 4 sleeping bags, one for each person and an extra(not sure if we will bring the extra one). We also have a few chairs and cooler(not sure of the brand), and a lamp that is propane fueled with 2 extra mantles(the lamp is a Coleman lamp with two mantles inside the lamp) and a small hatchet.

I have been looking through the forum to see what is suggested and such but I wanted to see what others have to say? My friends were wanting to get a 145 inch 6 person inflatable raft (I honestly can't remember the brand name) which I would love to get with oars since it can have an engine mount and engine added on in the future. Plus it is only $95 from Sports Chalet. Would you recommend it or think we would have space for it given we will be going in a Kia Sportage? We are only wanting to go for a few days but still.

Also, how much dry ice is suggested for keeping cool food and drinks?

Any other tips for a noobie? I am good with notwork so that isn't a worry for me and am good with a compass.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Noobie

Also, how much dry ice is suggested for keeping cool food and drinks?

Sounds like you've a nice bit of start up gear in hand so I'll go straight to the dry ice/how to keep your cooler cold longer portion.

Be sure you've the best insulated cooler your money can buy or you can borrow. Dispersed camping is not the place to learn that your cooler is better suited for a day trip or suburban backyard. I'll start by suggesting that you freeze ahead as many cooler contents as possible. This includes fresh meats, certain veggies and possible made ahead dishes. Placing a frozen bottle of liquid (water or iced tea, for my life), in at least each corner of the cooler,(sometimes I line the cooler w/'em) cuts down on blue ice necessity. I've learned that the rectangular juice bottles (Oceanspray comes to mind) take up less space than round ones. I continue the thinking with plastic food storage containers: square is your friend. I line the bottom of the cooler with blue ice, as well as strategically place it next to or on top of prone to go bad first proteins. Once I get on site, I pay particular attention to cooler placement. It either stays in the car or is placed under a mature tree.

Oh yes and should you have the space, throw the cooler in a fridge, the night before to allow it to get cold. No space for that? Bags of ice will do the trick as well.

HTH and happy camping!

[KYA797]

Re: Noobie

So then you would probably suggest getting some dry ice and regular ice beforehand to test how well it works/how long it works?

Also, I remembered the name of the boat. It was the Solstice 6000 with optional motor mount for up to 2hp motor. It hold up to 6 people and 1,200 pounds.

Anyways, I was looking around the forum and found Oak Creek Canyon which seemed like it might be good?

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Noobie

So then you would probably suggest getting some dry ice and regular ice beforehand to test how well it works/how long it works?

Also, I remembered the name of the boat. It was the Solstice 6000 with optional motor mount for up to 2hp motor. It hold up to 6 people and 1,200 pounds.

Anyways, I was looking around the forum and found Oak Creek Canyon which seemed like it might be good?

I'm sorry. I kept writing "dry ice" when in fact I was visualising and referring to "blue ice packs". Sometimes posting in the middle of my night is NOT a good thing. I've never used dry ice and canna say anything about it's merits.
Hopelessly helpless for the Solstice 600o as well.......oops.

[KYA797]

Re: Noobie

I'm sorry. I kept writing "dry ice" when in fact I was visualising and referring to "blue ice packs". Sometimes posting in the middle of my night is NOT a good thing. I've never used dry ice and canna say anything about it's merits.
Hopelessly helpless for the Solstice 600o as well.......oops.

Haha. Ok. Well, we did end up getting the boat (I couldn't resist when it retails for like 150 and it was only 95...) But I have to ask, if something on a website says "There are no campgrounds at Stoneman Lake. Camping is available to the north at Mormon Lake and to the south at Beaver Creek", can we still camp there in the woods? We were wanting to go to a place I found looking on Google Maps called Stoneman lake since it doesn't have a fee and seems small like something without many people.

How do you normally camp when you aren't at a campsite but aren't backpacking? I know I am a cheater who will be "camping out of my car" but I still want someplace not crowded... =)

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Noobie

Haha. Ok. Well, we did end up getting the boat (I couldn't resist when it retails for like 150 and it was only 95...) But I have to ask, if something on a website says "There are no campgrounds at Stoneman Lake. Camping is available to the north at Mormon Lake and to the south at Beaver Creek", can we still camp there in the woods? We were wanting to go to a place I found looking on Google Maps called Stoneman lake since it doesn't have a fee and seems small like something without many people.

How do you normally camp when you aren't at a campsite but aren't backpacking? I know I am a cheater who will be "camping out of my car" but I still want someplace not crowded... =)

I live out "East" so am not familiar with AZ or parts nearby camping regulations. Tried to access "Dispersed Camping Regulations" at the site but it keeps coming up busy. I did note this about Stoneman Lake:
Check before you go - There is seldom any water in Stoneman Lake



so I would certainly be sure to call in advance AND bring lots of drinking water. The frozen water bottles in corners of the cooler would certainly come in handy. I'm also not sure if that part of the region is under a fire watch or not.Certainly nearby Mormon Lake is.

[KYA797]

Re: Noobie

Ok. One of the sites I found had two phone numbers to call for rangers and fishing but both numbers are out of service so it did no good. Should I try calling a different ranger and see if they would have the number for the ranger in charge of the Stoneman area?

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Noobie

KVA.......a poster for a diff site sent me this link and I thought it might be of use to you. Hope your plans are still on target:

http://glenwoodgazette.com/archive/2...GG_pp01-81.pdf

[fantomas]

Re: Noobie

Is there any reason you're dead set on dry ice? It can be somewhat tricky to work with. I've never personally used it, but went on a cookout in a secluded area (had to get there by fording a small river) with a lab assistant from UCONN. He had dry ice in his cooler, and went to speed-cool a glass bottle of beer. Within less than a minute, the entire contents of the beer was frozen, and the glass bottle shattered. I've read stories of it damaging coolers, giving food a bad taste, etc.