Camping Meets up/ Advice (Pittsburgh, Beaver: rent, houses, to buy)

[Augie6]

Well I'm more or less an indoor cat however for last two years been really interested in a outdoorsy camping trip...Not a cabin near the highway, but a primitive pitch a tent and build a fire.,etc.

First would love any type of advice, tips anything along those lines.


Also any sites , forums, that would allow for people to meet up camping or a "first" timers type ordeal-- would be amazing.

Suggestion for camp sites would also be very helpful...


Western PA is a very beautiful region, that us natives at times take for granted. Having all the beauty be relatively free to access is a wonderful perk.. Just hope I find myself enjoying the trip and not want to be flown out of the woods .. HAHAHA

Thanks for the help.

[doo dah]

I had no idea that this existed:
PA*DCNR*-*First-time Camper

Ryerson Station State Park looks like the closest; I haven't ever been there.

I was looking for information on the Adirondack shelters in Laurel Ridge State Park, they are along the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail.
PA*DCNR*-*Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail

[Hopes]

That first time camper program looks great.

There are lots of gadgets you can have for camping, but the basic minimum for starting out is a tent, tarp, sleeping bag, cooler w/food, water, foil, lighter, rope, flashlight, batteries, first aid kit, pocket knife, hand garden shovel, bug spray and pepper spray.

If you think you might get into backpacking and camping, research lightweight sleeping bags and tents. Since they are expensive, it's probably best to just buy a regular sleeping bag and tent. If you end up loving it, you can upgrade to lightweight stuff later because the goal is to keep the backpack as light as possible.

You can check out youtube on how to build campfires. Look up recipes on how to cook on a campfire. You can cook many things in foil on the hot coals.

Research selecting where to place your tent on a campsite. You need to look at the terrain and figure out where water will flow if it rains. The hand garden shovel is for digging trenches to redirect water from your tent if you choose the wrong placement. If you're camping in the boondocks, it's for digging a hole for your feces. There are lightweight folding shovels for camping/backpacking, but you don't need to invest in one of those starting out.

Keep your food and cooler in your vehicle (in black bear country), never in your tent. If you plan to hike and camp at primitive campsites away from your car (or anywhere in grizzly country), you'll need to tie your food in a tree high enough up a bear can't reach it. Secure anything that smells----toothpaste, gum, deodorant, etc. Don't wear perfume that smells like food. Don't wear perfume period because it will attract bugs anyway. Use airtight smell-proof containers even if you are storing in your car because they'll try to break into your car if they are desperate and smell anything there.

Speaking of bears, read up on black bears. Those are the type of bears we have in Pennsylvania. If you ever plan to camp out of state in brown bear or grizzly territory, you need to read up on them because their body language is different and how you respond is different. They're more dangerous than black bears. I'm not afraid of black bears (I respect them immensely), but I'll admit I'm downright terrified of camping in the Rockies where the grizzlies live. I do plan to do it though.

If you are attacked by a black bear, you're supposed to fight back. If you're attacked by a grizzly, you're supposed to play dead and not make a sound. That's the reason I fear grizzlies. I can't imagine in my wildest dreams that I could remain still and quiet while I was being mauled.

Camping & Hiking in Black Bear Country - The American Bear Association

Bear Attack Survival Guide | The Art of Manliness

There are other websites. Look around and read as much as you can.

It's really important to read about bears because they are not rare encounters. I've had three bear encounters within the past 15 years. Two were in Pennsylvania and one was in the Adirondacks.

I was alone when I encountered the bear in Kinzua. I was walking back from the bathroom in the middle of the night, and there was a bear on the path standing between me and our tent. New lesson learned: wake your campmate and let him/her know you're leaving to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Or just go to the bathroom at the edge of the campsite if you only need to go #1. LOL

In the Adirondacks, we were all in our tent sleeping with our Labrador, and the Labrador started growling at a bear right on the other side of the tent fabric. He scared the bear away. Rangers will alert you to bear activity, and if someone doesn't make sure you check in to find out. We were aware of the bear activity in the Adirondacks when we arrived. There was a food shortage for bears due a drought.

Keep in mind that black bears won't knock over and rummage a tent if there's nothing in there smelling like food. As a result, take precautions seriously about keeping food, toothpaste, etc., secured in your car. Wash your dishes and/or burn your paper plates after eating. If you cook in foil, burn the food off of the foil in the fire. Take any garbage to the campsite dumpster. You want a clean campsite that doesn't smell like food. Also avoid selecting campsites that are located near dumpsters or garbage cans.

Most of the above comments pertain to sleeping in campgrounds. If you're going to camp in rustic boondock setting, you need to take other precautions like cooking far away from your tents, etc.

I'm not trying to scare you. Camping is fun. It's a great way to get away from it all. You'll meet many interesting people. But this knowledge is important for your safety.

[DaisyDaisy]

Sierra Club Allegheny Group does their outings via Meetup. Not sure if that includes camping. REI is a good place to buy or rent gear. Knowledgeable staff. They also offer classes. Store - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Sporting Goods, Camping Gear
I imagine they may also know of some informal groups that go camping.

Venture Outdoors does day stuff but some of the participants may also camp-try a hiking or backpacking outing.

Have fun!

[punctus_contra_punctum]

For an outdoorsy camping trip, I would suggest Raccoon Creek State Park. It's very close and has multiple camping options available to you.

Raccoon Creek is west, out past the airport. With no traffic, it is an easy 45 minute drive from downtown - Parkway West to US30. For camping, you have several options:

1. The organized camping area. The campsites and procedure are roughly the same throughout the state park system. Go online and make a reservation and payment. Show up, get your ticket and drive to your spot. You will have a parking spot, fire ring and picnic bench. Park, set up your tent and, well, that's it. The camping area has bath houses with showers and running water and a scattering of playgrounds (nice if you have kids). The big negative is privacy (or lack thereof) -- the campsites are pretty close together, and on busy weekends you will not have much in the way of privacy. That said, most other times the campers are pretty sparse, and you can get some space between you and your neighbors. Also, if you have a dog some of the campsites are allowed dogs.
At RC, the organized campsite is a short but steep hike away from the lake, which has a beach and concessions.

2. Backpacking areas. There are two backpacking areas with both camping and Adirondack shelters and restrooms. You can park at the park at the main office and hike in (1 or 4 miles, depending on if you camp and Sioux or Pioneer areas), or you can drive in and hike the last 100 yards or so. Much quieter and more rustic than the organized camping area.

3. Lastly, there is the rustic camping at one of the backpacking areas (Sioux, I think). Pit toilets, a scattering of picnic benches, and that is it -- find a spot and camp. If you do this, call the park office in advance; this area is often used by scouting groups and you may find a few hundred teens camping there, which you may prefer to avoid.

If you do go to Raccoon Creek, stop at the ruins of Frankfort Mineral Springs, either drive or take the ~1 mile trail from the park office. Not much left there now except for the ruins of a building, but the waterfall is nice. The red iron water coming out of a spring in the rock is drinkable, although the rangers will not admit to it.

If you do not mind the drive, consider the 1.5 - 2 hours up into the Laurel Highlands. I would suggest Laurel Hill State Park; similar to Raccoon but without the rustic camping options. Since it is up above 2000', it will be a bit cooler as well.

As you might guess, camping in any of these parks in the fall when the leaves are changing is absolutely stunning, and with kids back in school the parks are much emptier.

As for learning, you could take a class at the local REI, or with Venture Outdoors or the Explorers Club of Pittsburgh, which has backpacking, rock climbing and mountaineering classes available.

[Hopes]

REI's website doesn't have camping classes for Pittsburgh.

[doo dah]

Allegheny National Forest was pretty nice for car camping, though it has been a long time since I was there. I think we used to go to the Beaver Meadows campsite.

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by Hopes

REI's website doesn't have camping classes for Pittsburgh.

It looks like the Settlers Ridge store has a few: REI Store - Settlers Ridge, Pennsylvania - Sporting Goods, Camping Gear

I didn't know there was even a store there.

Oh wait, there are some classes in the Southside Works store:
Store - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Sporting Goods, Camping Gear

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by doo dah

It looks like the Settlers Ridge store has a few: REI Store - Settlers Ridge, Pennsylvania - Sporting Goods, Camping Gear

That's great. When I searched the "Learn" tab, nothing came up.

I like the camp cooking class. Even though I've been cooking over a campfire for decades, I might check that out to see if there's anything new I can do.

The festival camping one would be fun.

[doo dah]

This event on this Saturday at the North Park Boathouse might be useful & fun:
Special Events - GOAL Day