Random Camping in Canada: Safety Tips for Surviving the Wild

Canada’s got plenty of wilderness–some of the world’s most extensive and pristine, in fact–and getting out into the backcountry is a popular pastime for urban and rural denizens alike.

“Random” camping–also called no-service or dispersed camping–gives the many Canadians who pursue it the chance to get away from it all and discover deep solitude in the bush. As lovely as this is, the practice demands self-sufficiency, common sense, and preparation: Help can be a long way off.

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Supplies

Making sure you come to the backwoods prepared with the essential equipment and supplies goes a long way toward protecting against the unexpected–namely, by expecting it.

Because random camping typically involves long drives on farflung roads, you want to make sure you’re equipped for a vehicle breakdown. That means extra oil and fluids, spare belts, a spare tire, and other automotive necessities. (It also means a dependable vehicle, like you’ll find at Jeep Alberta, makes for a lot more peace-of-mind.)

You also want to bring along plenty of warm clothing as well as extra food and water. This applies whether you’re stranded on a backroad or socked in at the campsite by inclement weather. No matter where you are in Canada, the skies can be fickle year-round; from garden-variety frontal systems and thunderstorms to unseasonable cold snaps or blizzards, you don’t want to be caught out in the elements underdressed or with inadequate nourishment to last you through a hunker-down stretch.

Bring along fire-starting materials (flint and striker, matches and tinder, etc.) in a waterproof container in case you need a blaze for signaling your position or keeping warm; a flashlight and extra batteries are also vital. A well-stocked first-aid kit’s an absolute must, no matter how close to civilization your getaway is. Double-check the contents before setting out to make sure no supplies need recharging.

Get to know the “Ten Essentials” the Mountaineers advise any wilderness traveler to bring. You may never need to use some of them, but you definitely want them on hand.

Getting and Staying Oriented

These days, people tend to be overconfident in the abilities of their smartphone map and GPS apps to steer them–whether in the maze of downtown streets or out in the boonies. Such technology is woefully fallible, though, and you should never venture out for primitive camping without bringing along a good map of the area–preferably a large-scale topo map–and a compass.

It’s incredibly easy to get disoriented in remote country. You don’t even need to be in roadless wilderness, either: Often the most confusing navigating comes on tangles of logging roads, and it’s all too common to find yourself down a rapidly deteriorating track without the gas to retrace your steps.

Remember, you don’t necessarily need to know how to get yourself home if you’re lost. You just need the supplies to see you through what’s hopefully a short sojourn, and as much geographic information as you can muster to convey to rescuers.

Covering Your Bases

A very simple safety precaution for random camping that, unfortunately, goes neglected by far too many people is sharing your itinerary with others back home. If you’ve done so and you fail to check back in, those friends or relatives can help direct search-and-rescue teams to your general whereabouts; if you haven’t, they’re in the dark about where to look. Similarly, you should cue in park or forestry officials if applicable.

Random camping is an absolute joy: the chance to immerse yourself in wilderness splendor, to recharge your soul–and have some old-fashioned fun and adventure in the process. The experience is all the more fulfilling when you’re content in the knowledge that you’re well prepared and ready to deal with any contingency.

Roger Connolly is a retired Army training officer and enjoys spending time pursuing outdoor adventures. He likes to share his insights online and has posted on a number of different websites.