Camping Essentials #4 - Choosing the right campsites

When camping in the desert, the site you select can impact your mood and comfort. You have a lot of freedom in choosing where you set up, but here are a few factors to consider.

•Be aware of desert micro climates, variations in the weather over distances of a few feet or tens of feet. One micro climate effect is the night time temperature inversion. On clear, calm nights, cool air sinks to valleys while air on nearby slopes and ridges stays warmer.

•On windy nights the air grows colder with increasing elevation. In chilly, windy weather, hike high and camp low for the warmest camping.

•Soft sand areas, gravel, and rock slabs can be great sites, but might create problems when it's time to anchor your tent. Attach anchor guy lines to rock outcrops, bushes, or trees. In soft sand, put the stakes vertically, and place a large rock on top of the stake.

•Consider where the sun will rise when you locate your campsite. Depending on the weather, the morning sun on your tent can be a welcome delight or a scorching nuisance.

•Dead spines and burrs will damage self-inflating sleep pads. Remove as many as you possible, and never put the pad directly on the ground. Tents and ground sheets add protection. If you want an extra defense, lay some clothes under your pad as well.

•Desert fox and birds (food snatchers) are frequent popular in campsites. The best defense is to avoid heavily trafficked campsites. Keep food out of your tent and your pack. Use stuff sacks for storage and hang them up high out of reach when you're not cooking or eating.