Wednesday, August 15, 2007 | by nathan

Summer Nights #5: Campy Camping

Every year when I was growing up my family would take a summer vacation to go camping. I can say with some degree of certainty that I have seen almost every square inch of Colorado, as well as significant portions of Utah and New Mexico. As time went on, however, we developed a special fondness for the Sawatch Range in Colorado, and the Collegiate Peaks area specifically, which is near Buena Vista. It is like a second home to me, so much so that the novel I am writing begins there. The summer after I dropped out of Yale Divinity School, I climbed Mt. Yale, which is the only 14-er (that is, mountain with a top elevation of over 14,000 ft.) that I have summited. It won’t be the last. 

Some people think of camping as nothing but uncomfortable sleeping on the ground, swatting bugs and being bored. This really is too bad, and I suspect that the people who think of it this way have never actually done it. With modern technology it is quite possible to be comfortable and non-bug-ridden while camping. For relatively cheap you can get an air mattress that will lightly cushion you while you sleep, bug spray to keep the insects away, and there is no place to get some quality reading done like a hammock strung between to tall pine trees.

For August camping I would recommend getting to higher ground; that is, get to high-elevation areas like the mountains, as nothing ruins a great camping trip like intense heat. If possible check out Colorado’s wilderness areas, New Mexico’s canyons, or the sprawling national parks of the northern Rockies. A good friend recently went on a hike through the Grand Tetons and highly recommends it.

The whole point, of course, is to get into nature, because connecting oneself with nature is one of those invaluable things that life was made for, like reading great books, tasting great food, learning to love, and having a wonderful dog. It connects you with the great, wide-open love of God, however you define that. Just taking a simple stroll in the fresh air is a great way to learn how to pay attention to small things as they come along: hummingbirds, cool breezes, the sound of a trickling mountain stream.

Also, you can challenge yourself. Climbing a 14er is a good goal to have. If you find the right trail guides you can find some wonderful mountaintop lakes that were carved by glaciers and which hold some truly breathtaking populations of gigantic trout. These are some of the only non-polluted water sources on Earth, and nothing tastes as good as fish seared over a campfire. Find a good tent, some comfortable hiking shoes, and a big long stick. Get a camera and a good book, a hammock and a map and a sense of adventure. Get up high where the air is thin and cold and fresh, pitch your tent, bring an air mattress and lots of blankets to keep warm.

If you’re not quite up to tent camping, find a good lodge or a place with great cabins. 

Here are some of my favorite places to camp:

Hartenstein Lake, below the summit of Mt. Yale. A helluva hike, but once you get there you’ll never want to come down.

Trapper’s Lake Resort. We went here when I was a kid and I’ve never forgotten my sense of breathless wonder at the beauty of it.

Frijoles Canyon, New Mexico. My first-ever real, honest to God hike. I did this one with my dad, nephew and two brothers. It can be done in a day, but is probably best if savored over a long weekend.

June Lake, California. My uncle used to manage one of the campgrounds here before he died. You can catch crawfish as big as your hand. 

Red Rock Canyon, Oklahoma. It’s a great afternoon or all-day hike, it’s beautiful, and for me anyway, it’s close to home. Bring a cooler of beer and rent a tandem bike. 

Roman Nose State Park, Oklahoma. Another all-day hike that’s probably best in the early summer or mid-fall. Breathtaking views of the plains and some truly spectacular wildlife.  

Broken Bow Lake, Oklahoma. If western Oklahoma isn’t your deal, try this wonderful nature area in southeastern Oklahoma near the Texas and Arkansas border. Enter the park near Hochatown and you’ll be minutes from Abendigo’s, home of one of the best meals - and the coldest beer - you’ll ever have the pleasure to taste.

These are just a few of the places I’ve pitched a tent in my lifetime, but for one reason or another each holds a special place in my heart. If you have any special tent-pitching-places, let me know in comments. I’d love to try them out!

Get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts, people. Just remember - sunscreen. Sunscreen. For the love of God, sunscreen! 

summer nights, On The Road