The Camping of Old

By Jerry Smith

Once upon a time hunters, campers, and picnickers sat around a campfire every evening reliving past trips, tall tales, and old friends while enjoying the warmth and smells of a campfire.

There is something about a campfire that can be hard to describe in words, but for those of us who have even just one experience, you’ll KNOW what I mean.

One smell of that fire can make your taste buds salivate with the memory of that last BBQ or dinner cooked over an open fire.  Maybe, if you’re still young enough, it’s those s’mores with the gooey marshmallow squishing out between the chocolate bar and graham crackers.

If you’re not that young, those memories of that thick, smoky tasting, juicy burger with all the fresh veggies on top are likely creeping into your thoughts.

Then there are friendships that have been made and the others that were cemented around the campfire.  All those stories and adventures told and retold over the smoky warmth and great food.  I’m betting your thinking about your last campfire right now.  Can you still smell and taste the smoke??

In my youth, we didn’t do an abundant amount of camping until I moved back to Montana.  Entire summers were spent camping at Seeley Lake and up in the Swan Valley.  Those are great memories that I will take to the grave. 

Learning to fish, hunt deer, and riding horses were probably the highlights, but living amongst the many black bears and an occasional grizzly was quite a thrill too.  Living outdoors in the woods with all the wildlife, the stars at night, and Nature all around was like being in heaven.  

Hooking a nice trout early in the morning and later eating it freshly fried for breakfast.  The cold, clear running Montana streams and rivers keep the fish well fed, firm, and delicious.

Sleeping in a wiki up at night in the Swan Valley back In the early 1960’s was like something few people ever experience.  The stars are so bright and clear; you’d swear you could reach up and touch them.  The occasional satellite passing through the dark night sky would draw your full attention for the few minutes it took to pass overhead.

Even when it rained (which was often), sitting around the cabin with the fire burning in the stove puffing just enough of the smoke into the air made you feel a bit more content than just being home in a house.  The breakfasts of eggs, sausage, and hash browns tasted all the better for the added smoky taste.

Even thinking of a smoky grilled cheese sandwich takes me back to those great days of my early teens.

Spending days on the Swan River fishing or wading gave some inspiration of the love for the outdoors I would cherish all my life.  Taking walks through the forests and observing all the critters in their native habitat could occupy many hours of my days. Learning to live WITH Nature rather than attempting to dominate it seemed to come naturally.

Learning about how the various trees and plants grow and live their lives, how they provide food and shelter to the other creatures occupied much of my time as well.  Nature’s classroom spoiled me with all the lessons and activities compared to the days sitting in a boring high school classroom.  The teachers could not compete with my desire to return to the wild.

It’s funny to think back on how bored I could be listening to a lecture on some subject that seemed irrelevant at the time compared to sitting quietly beside a bush observing two pine squirrels harvesting nuts for the coming winter.  Even watching a caterpillar eating a leaf could keep my attention for what seemed like hours.

As the world has progressed over my lifetime, I have seen many changes in how most families integrate… or not.  Where we once spent a weekend or two each month camping out in the wilds, now many drag a long fancy trailer to a “camping spot” where they have all the comforts of home including an easy chair, satellite TV, and an ATV.

Many don’t sit around a campfire of an evening and listen to the sounds of Nature and tell stories of old hunting trips and such.

All the camaraderie and intimacies of the old camping trips seem to have given way to the “creature comforts” of technology.  Surely watching a rerun of some old sit-com or drama for the third time isn't more interesting than spending time getting to know your family, your friends, or Nature. 

There are exceptions to this of course.  People in my Jeep club try to do an overnight trip at least once a month in the summer and fall.  The food we share, the stories we embellish, and the good times had around a campfire can be epic.  Add to that the time spent exploring the Great American BackCountry during the day in our Jeeps, and there is nothing better.

With all the public land management rules and regulations being added, these experiences are becoming more difficult to achieve.  Dispersed camping is becoming a problem because certain people will not maintain the surrounding camp area in a civilized manner.  They leave trash and mayhem behind.

People must take responsibility for their own recreational pursuits AND some of the last campers who were not responsible.  The land may be public, but that includes ANYONE who occupies them… even if only in passing through.

Now, go out there and pursue some new adventures.  Share those good times, good food, and good friends around a cozy campfire.  You WILL never regret having those experiences.