Ways to Keep Your Family Safe When Camping Off-Season

I’ve written at length about staying warm and protecting yourself from the elements in the past ten articles. If you haven’t read those posts, you can find a list of them here.

Now, I’ll present a few more points I think you should consider when camping in the off-season in this post.

Prepare yourself

The first step to staying safe is to take adequate precautions. Know where you’re going, and check the park’s status. You should also check weather and road conditions to ensure that you’re equipped for what awaits you.

You must pack the right clothing. You also need to bring suitable gear. Remember to test it before you head out. You also owe it to yourself to drive a safe and reliable vehicle that can get you to and from the park safely.

Tell your friends where you’re going camping and when you expect to return. That way, if there’s a problem, someone will know to look out for you.

Check this post for more detail on preparing for a fall camping trip.

Respect wildlife

I grew up in the north, so I’ve never been particularly frightened of bears. (The last time I was back home, I saw three bears over ten days.) That said, each time I stumble upon one mid-hike, my adrenaline races.

As it gets colder, some animals can become more aggressive. So, the fall is no time to get lax when it comes to wildlife preparedness. Admittedly, I have a lot to learn on this topic, but I do follow some precautions.

Never, ever, ever leave food in your tent. Also, avoid leaving trash, dishes, toothbrushes, and other items that carry a scent in your campsite. Store food in a bear locker or bear bag that’s a good distance from your campsite. Alternatively, you might place food in a sealed cooler inside your car.

Buy a bear spray and learn how to use it. When in the outdoors, keep it readily accessible. I clip mine into a neoprene sleeve that’s attached to my daypack strap. This closeness allows me to deploy my bear spray in a matter of seconds.

You might also consider taking a bear safety class. The instructors who lead these classes can help you learn how to identify different bear species. They can also explain what to do in the event of an encounter.

Assemble a safety kit

I keep a small kit in my backpack on hikes. (This is in addition to safety items I already have in our truck.) These items pack into a small bundle. As such, I also carry it with me when I go mountain biking or trail running.

The first item is a small First-Aid kit. In addition to this I carry a multitool, tiny roll of duct tape, paracord, and some toilet paper if I need to patch, jury-rig, or wipe something.

I take a whistle and fully charged headlamp in case I get stuck at night. I also bring a space blanket, a garbage bag, some tinder, and a lighter.

I carry a Katadyn flask for water filtration (and water purification tablets as a backup). I always have Nuun tablets and a Clif bar on hand if I “run out of gas”.

My wife has a version of this kit in her pack as a backup if we get separated. Each of our sons also carries a Katadyn, space blanket, whistle, and Clif bar in each of their packs.

Please note: This is just what I choose to carry, and I’ve optimized it for weight. As such, I’m probably missing some important items. It would be best to do your research to determine what’s suitable for your emergency kit. Other things you might want to consider carrying in your kit include a bandanna, matches, tinfoil, compass, map of the area, GPS, and pocketknife.

Stay warm, hydrated, and sun-safe

Given the fall’s colder conditions, you must remain conscious of your body temperature. Bring adequate clothing and change out of wet garments as soon as possible. You also need to stay dry to prevent hypothermia.

When it’s boiling outside, we all seek out water. You probably won’t do this as much when the mercury drops. Nevertheless, hydration remains vital in the off-season. Keep a water bottle close at hand (especially on hikes), and get into the habit of drinking from it regularly. Doing so will help you stay warm.

Another common autumn mistake is in ignoring the sun’s power. Despite cooler conditions, you can still get sunstroke or a sunburn. So, avoid excessive exposure to the sun’s rays and bring skin protection to help prevent sun damage.

Bring along some bandages, pain relief, and ointments

You can buy off-the-shelf First-Aid kits in a variety of sizes and configurations. I keep one of these in the cab of the truck at all times. Basic First-Aid kits are inexpensive and are good to have on hand should something go awry on your trip.

I also fill a Ziploc bag with a handful of additional items. I seldom need these. That said, they don’t take much space, and I prefer being over-prepared than under-prepared on this matter.

For scrapes and cuts, I pack hydrogen peroxide, gauze, bandages, Band-Aids, and Polysporin. I carry Children’s Advil, Extra Strength Tylenol, Tylenol 3, and Ibuprofen for pain relief. Nothing takes the fun out of camping like a coughing kid, so we also bring a bottle of cough syrup.

For insect bites, we bring repellent and Afterbite. We also pack antidiarrheal, motion sickness, and allergy medication. Last on the list are hydrocortisone cream, anti-fungal cream, and zinc oxide.

Stay charged up

I’m often surprised by how casually folks will draw on their car battery while camping—only to find that their car will no longer start. For this reason, I store a NOCO genius in our truck. I spent ~$180 on mine, and it’s saved the day (for me and others) a half-dozen times in the past two years.

When out camping, I set my truck’s interior lights to Off by default. That way, a partially open door doesn’t sap our battery’s life. On the notion of batteries, keeping some recyclable ones, as well as battery chargers and charging cables at hand. These keep your lanterns, battery banks, and other tech tools powered when you need them.

Don’t overestimate your abilities

Every year, I watch news stories about folks who got in over their heads. What started as a short hike went wrong. They didn’t know the terrain, didn’t have suitable clothing, and failed to bring enough food and water. Some sheepishly tell their stories to the news crew with embarrassment. Others pay a much higher price.

It’s one thing to visit a provincial park in early September and stay in the bounds of your campsite. It’s quite another to go to remote places late in the season and head out on ambitious mountain hikes when the weather is severe.

Conditions change quickly in such areas. Take it easy. These aren’t the places for novices to test their limits. It’s on you to make good decisions so you get your family home safely every time.

Keep learning

I don’t mean to scare you with any of the above. The odds are that you’ll have a wonderful time camping in the off-season, and everything will turn out fine. That said, you don’t know what you’ll experience. I doubt you’ll ever regret being a little more knowledgeable, prepared, or cautious.

I’m not an outdoor safety expert. Nope—not even close. I’m just a camper like you. So, treat the above as a starting point. There are many courses, books, videos and other resources you can study in your spare time. Use these to grow your expertise in First-Aid, bear safety, avalanche preparedness, bushcraft, and other topics.

Nature is a gift for all of us. Invest in safety preparedness now, so you can enjoy many safe and rewarding years in the outdoors.

Pulling the Plug on Doomed Adventures (And Some Post-trip Tips) is the final installment in our Fall Camping Guide.

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That photo is a beauty! 🐻 Thanks to Zdeněk Macháček for getting that shot! (You can find Zdeněk on Instagram: @zmachacek6710)

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