Setting Up a Base Camp

First of all, what do I mean by "base camp"?   I'm sure you've seen mountain climber movies where they have a "base camp".   But if you're not scaling K2, why do YOU need a base camp?  A base camp is your primary base of operations for any camping activity.  From there you may go forth for fishing, hunting, boating, hiking, OHV riding, horseback activities, or sight seeing.  Your primary vehicle (car, truck, or RV) is usually near or even part of your base camp.

When you are group camping in an RV, your base camp is the primary campground from which you and your associates launch various activities.  Your base camp may be a group site or collection of individual sites in a developed campground or a chosen part of the designated open camping areas in primitive locations.  Either way, the site needs to be large enough to contain all of the vehicles and accommodations for the group.   Sometimes you may have to limit the size of the group when staying in group sites at developed campgrounds.  You will also want to visit any remote sites ahead of time to be sure there will be sufficient room for everyone and that they will have suitable access.   Your personal base camp if you're going solo is where ever you park your RV or set up your tent.   Make sure you select a campground that is accessible for your vehicle.  Just because you can get there in your Jeep doesn't mean it is good for motorhomes and trailers.  Consider whether the access route will accommodate the vehicles you expect in the group.  Inspect ground clearance, road width, sharp turns, obstacles in the road, bridge limits, and overhead clearances.  You should choose a location for your base camp that allows easy vehicle access and is near activities you want to enjoy.  You'll want a fairly level spot. T he top of a gentle rise is a good choice. DO NOT set up camp in a depression or a sand wash that could be flooded by sudden rain storms.  When we set up a base camp for dirt biking in the Mojave desert, we choose a large, flat area close to passable access roads and within an hour or less off road riding time of appropriate trail systems and destinations for our OHVs.  We used the old wagon train pattern and "circled the wagons" around a central community fire pit.  To guide new members of our group, we put out "Desert Rat" signs on the highway and access roads near the location.  I have a "Desert Rat" flag I fly on a flagpole mounted on the front of my dirt bike trailer to help identify our group and at night I put flashing strobes on the roof to guide after dark arrivals.   You want to leave the right amount of space between your vehicle(s) and others in the circle of wagons.  You'll all need room to unload and park your OHVs and you'll need to open awnings and slides (if your RV is so equipped).   Leaving too much room wastes space and spreads the group out too far for convenient sharing.  Parking too close to another vehicle limits access for both you and your neighbor and may put you too close for privacy.  When using the wagon train model, be sure to leave sufficient space in the interior circle for a common fire pit, group activities, and safe walking between units.  Until you get a feel for how much room is appropriate, watch others in the group or look at other groups and follow their example.   Or park your vehicle and attempt to unload your equipment.   If you don't have room to open the ramp door and unload your OHVs, you're obviously too close.   You may need to adjust your spacing a few times before you get it right.  For large groups you may have more than one row of campers.  Those on the outside may not enjoy the same benefits as the "inner circle", but sometimes multiple rings are necessary.  Sometimes you can mitigate the situation by parking support vehicles in the outer ring and reserve the inner ring for primary tent and RV space.

Tent base camps should follow most of the same basic guidelines as RV base camps.   Choose a level site with good access in a location that is not subject to flooding if there is a sudden storm. Arrange your vehicles and tents in a circle around a community fire pit.   It usually works best to have the tents as the inner ring of the circle, with the vehicles outside.  Sometimes it works to have the vehicles and tents side by side, but that may not be the best use of real estate and you might force some members of your group outside the circle.  Of course, if that begins to happen, you can always have some folks move their vehicles behind their tents to make room for others to join the circle. Having the vehicles beside the tents can make access to provisions in your vehicles more convenient, but usually getting everyone's tent in the inside circle takes priority.  Give special consideration as needed to campers using truck and SUV tents so they're able to be an active part of that "inner circle".   Sometimes you may need to accommodate truck and SUV tents and you may want to use vehicles as wind breaks to minimize wind impact on tents.

Community services.   Base camps function well to coordinate shared community services.  A central community fire pit lends itself to active and enjoyable social gatherings.   A shared fire usually means you don't have to bring along enough firewood yourself for all the nights you'll be there.   Make sure you do bring your fair share.  You may want to plan shared meals.   Even a spontaneous potluck can be a lot of fun.  Your base camp can serve as a resource center, lending mechanical and medical assistance to each other.   I always have a large first aid kit in my dirt bike trailer and my motorhome or in my backpack when tent camping.  My wife and I are both certified as Red Cross Professional Rescuers, with lots of first aid and CPR training.   I also became certified in Advanced Wilderness Life Support.  We always let our fellow campers know we are available in case of an emergency.   I have splinted more than one broken bone and prepped the patients for transportation to the emergency room.  My well-equipped dirt bike trailer attracts a lot of interest and has allowed me to assist many fellow campers with emergency repairs.   Before we acquired the skills and equipment to be self-sufficient and to be able to help our fellow campers, we often enjoyed the hospitality of others in the group.   In any given group you are likely to have people with a variety of skills and equipment that can be helpful to the whole group.   It is good to share your background, skills, experience, and resources and encourage your fellow campers to do the same.  Our Desert Rat group has included engineers (quite literally, rocket scientists), doctors, nurses, mechanics, and welders.  A well organized base camp provides ready resources for almost any emergency. Sometimes it may be as simple as borrowing a cup of sugar.   Other times you may need or provided life-saving assistance.

Individual base camps.  If you're not camping with a group, you will still have your own personal base camp.  In a developed campground, this will be your assigned site.   In a primitive area, you will choose where you set up.  Many of the basic criteria stated above for group camping applies to choosing a your individual site in a remote area.  You want a spot that is fairly level, free from any flood danger, and also free from possible wind hazards.   Camping under a nice shady tree is always appealing in warm weather, but consider whether the tree is laden with "widow makers", which are loose or dead limbs that might be blown down by the wind.  Also, don't camp under or near a single tree or the tallest tree around if there is ANY chance of lightning!  You never want be or to be near the highest thing around when there is lightning.  You'll want to choose a location that is convenient to planned activities.  If you're going to be fishing, try to get a spot near the fishing holes you plan to use.  If you're hiking, you'll want to be close to the trail head to avoid too much walking before your hike even starts.  For OHV activities, try to choose a spot more or less centrally located among the trail systems or destinations you plan for your rides.   Make sure you know how to find your campsite when you leave it.  In designated campgrounds, be sure to remember which loop you're on and your site number.   In open camping areas, note permanent landmarks that will guide you -- or tag your vehicle with an easily recognizable flag that can be seen from a distance.  You'd be surprised how similar different groups of RVs may appear out in the desert.

Setting up your base camp.  As previously mentioned, it is a good pattern to set a group camp up around a central fire pit.  Have everyone bring their wood and stack it near the fire.  If you are in a developed campground, there will probably be a permanent fire pit for your use.   In a primitive site, there may be one constructed by previous campers or you may have to build your own.   You'll have some flexibility when setting up your personal base camp in primitive camping areas.   Make sure you choose a location for your fire that is free from bushes and overhanging limbs that might catch fire.  Try to place it downwind from your tent or RV.  Follow all normal fire precautions, including clearing the ground of combustible materials for at least 5' all around your fire pit.  If you're tent camping where there aren't any toilet facilities, you may have to create a latrine.  You'll want that located downwind of any prevailing winds.  It should be close enough to camp for convenience, but far enough away to provide privacy and keep odors away from camp.  These days there are many types of portable toilets to add convenience to remote tent camping.   They range from simple foldable stools to which you attach plastic bags to catch your waste to fancy "porta-pottys" that have self contained water supplies and holding tanks.  Some are even battery operated.  You will need to properly dispose of waste from all portable toilets.  Do NOT just toss the used plastic bags into trash cans and NEVER burn them in your campfire (I promise you will not like the smell!).  Dump porta-potty holding tanks into an RV dump station or carefully empty them into a flush toilet.  If your porta-potty gets full and you won't be able to reach a proper dump facility, dig a hole deep enough to hold the contents and bury it. Take care that you do not build a latrine or dump waster anywhere it could contaminate water supplies (e.g. within 200' of lakes streams, lakes, springs, wells).  Lacking any kind of portable toilet, dig a small hole in which to deposit your waste, then cover it up when you're done.

Well equipped based camps can greatly expand your options and comfort when tent camping. You can bring a long a generator to power entertainment equipment, appliances, and lighting.   You can set up a larger tent where you can have stand up headroom and room to get your gear in out of the weather.  You can set up a large canopy for group activities.  You can use a portable hot water system and a shower enclosure for a really comfortable way to wash off a day's dust and sweat from strenuous activities.  You can right size your campfires for each evenings' gatherings without running out of wood like you might out on your own.

Build on a solid base!