Bushcraft

http://www.basicbushcraft.org.uk/
Check this link by Anthony Longworth for bushcraft courses.
It's a great site.

http://www.redcross.org.uk/What-we-do/First-aid/First-aid-tips-and-videos

If you have any first aid experience, let us know if you want to be a kind of "Doctor in the house". You could be helpful to another camper.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vjvyw
Patrick McGlinchey bushcraft expert - check his great camp, shelter, fire, twines, etc.

http://www.naturalbushcraft.co.uk/bushcraft-friendly-campsites-farmers-landowners-find-your-perfect-camping-location-and-have-per.html

McBride Springs Camp

McBride Springs Camp is located on the base of Mt. Shasta.

Closed for the 2010 Season for hazardous tree removal. Check with the Shasta-Trinity National Forest Service for status.

This camp is only a few miles off of Interstate 5, but at the 4,800 elevation mark so there is a pull up the hill for automobiles.

Affiliation: National Forest Service Campground ~ Shasta-Trinity National Forest.

Number of Campsites: 10 campsites total. Suitable for small RV's and trailers. The average parking area is 12' x 39' on gravel bed. Some campsites are in treed areas, other open. No RV hookups or pull-through sites.

Description: The campsites are all on a single loop, but many are secluded and offer privacy. The campground provides a good base for exploring Mt. Shasta. Nice views can be seen of the valley area below. McBride Springs creek (small and seasonal) runs through the campground.

Open Dates: Seasonal ~ Open Memorial Day weekend through October 31 snow level permitting.

Length of Stay: 7 days

Elevation: Approximately 4,800 feet.

Fee: $10 - 15 per day , check with local Ranger Station for current rates. Self-registration at entrance, first come, first served. No reservations.

Location/Directions: Exit #738 heading North on Interstate 5 and travel east on Lake Street into Mt. Shasta City. Lake Street will dead end on Everett Memorial Highway. Turn left and head up the hill on Everett Memorial Highway, travel approximately 4 miles to Campground. The Campground will be on the left.

Contact:
Shasta Trinity National Forest Headquarters
3644 Avtech Parkway
Redding, CA 96002
(530) 226-2500

Mt. Shasta Ranger Station
204 West Alma
Mt. Shasta, CA 96067
(530) 926-4511


Amenities: Semi-Primitive Camping

Tables
Fire Rings
Water available, from single hand operated pump at campground (up the hill)
Vault Toilet
Fire permit may be required, check with Ranger Station
Pleasant shady area with mixed conifers
Campground entrance is well marked at main road

Nearby Services: Full services in Mt. Shasta City, including Medical.

Contact Information

Below are websites as well as addresses and contact information for local agencies that have camping/travel information.

Yreka Fish and Wildlife Office
1829 South Oregon Street
Yreka, CA 96097

(530) 842-5763
www.fws.gov/yreka

Klamath National Forest Supervisor's Office
1312 Fairlane Road
Yreka, CA 96097

(530) 842-6131
Klamath National Forest website

Happy Camp Ranger District
63822 Highway 96
P. O. Box 377
Happy Camp, CA 96039

(530) 493-2243


Salmon River and Scott River Ranger Districts
11263 N. Highway 3
Fort Jones, CA 96032

(530) 468-5351

Goosenest Ranger District
37805 Highway 97
Macdoel, CA 96058

(530) 398-4391

Shasta-Trinity National Forest Headquarters
3644 Avtech Parkway
Redding, CA 96002

(530) 226-2500
Shasta-Trinity National Forest Website

Campfire furniture

How to get this 10 foot massively heavy table up the hill 350 metres! Have a think.

It's all in the fulcrum.

Onto our working donkey.

Up to Bobtail (large pitch).

"Immense" now installed at big pitch "Bobtail".
For more details of this table and others made by Twitterer "woodbenchesfife"
see http://www.garden-furniture-fife.blogspot.com/

Expeditionary School Camping Trip

This is our dog Bravo who knows were camping but

doesn't understand he can't go this time, very sad dog

 

Recently our school, an expeditionary learning school, went on a group camping trip to a local campground. The whole thing made me very nervous. Camping with 45 kids and parents most of which I didn't know.................... yet. The children were between 5 and 7 years old, the adults between 25 and 60 just to paint a clear picture.

The objective is to build community and create bonding within' the group while learning by doing.

This was a non stop extravaganza............ singing, dancing, 9 crafts stations, skits, individual crew routines, building a watershed at the lake, lunch, play time, hiking and then more of everything listed above. Ending the day around the campfire singing songs to a guitar and roasting smoores. Needless to say EVERYONE was exhausted by the end of the day. 9pm to be exact. 

Just to give my next statement credentials:  I used to work in the film industry so producing large numbers of people all working towards the same goals on schedule is very familiar to me and I completely recognize what an amazing task it is to do well at.

Our lead teacher was off the chart with producing this event. She managed almost 100 people whom most have never met into some 20 activities including meal making, camp set up and fire building with out a single hitch. It was one of the best orchestrated events I have ever witnessed. She could be making the big bucks in Hollywood with her skills but joyfully she is my daughters teacher instead.

BASICS OF SETTING UP A LARGE GROUP CAMP TRIP:

FOUR LARGE TENTS: 

Women W/daughters

Women W/sons

Men W/daughters

Men W/sons

MEALS:  Simple precooked meals

Dinner

Pot of beans

Pot of ground meat

Vat of salsa

Grilled squash

Grated cheese

Large tortillas 

Wrap it up and call it a burrito

Breakfast

Bagels 

Cream cheese or peanut butter

Orange juice

Several percolators of coffee

Creamer (so thankful I brought my own 1/2 1/2)

Snack

Cheese sticks

Crackers

Pre cut apples

Large cooler w/ water for drinks and gallon jugs of milk

Every camper brought a sack lunch

My Two Cents Literally:

Now all that being said I have to admit in all it's amazingness I could still find ways to improve the experience for myself and others like me. Admittedly not many I'm sure.

PRIVATE TENT FOR TWO: A few campers pitched their own tents for two and ditched the master plan. Like myself I wasn't ready to share a big tent with my 5 year old who is not used to this. It was a slice of sanity amidst so much organized chaos. However I can see why they must have group tents with so many people. I was thankful for the parents who were more zen about the whole trip and went with the flow but I was also there for the whole trip while other parents came for half the time.

QUITE TIME: I would have more quiet time............... do you see a theme here with me. Have the adults go into the large tents and read books to smaller groups of children. I ended up pulling away from the group twice to do this with my child. Mostly to prevent a melt down. It worked. Also we went to bed earlier then the group, no surprises here for our family.

PARENT INVOLVED ONLY: I know that not all parents can do the overnight camping. But for this age I think it should be mandatory for a parent or adult to be with each child. Instead of having the parents who did go take more kids than their own. That way there could be more time for a quiet walk to observe nature really bond with our surroundings. It seemed that all the activities were scheduled back to back in order to keep the group contained. Some parents were in charge of four kids, only one being there own. It's a labor of love I know but it's also crazy from my perspective.

Either way this trip was impressive. A bit fast paced for me and even for some of the kids but they seemed to enjoy themselves and I couldn't have done it as well as the teachers did from our school.