THE CAMPSITE

The Best Campgrounds in North America

May 13, 2013 by Meghan J. Ward 4 Comments

Our continent has some pretty amazing wild places, and great campsites to go with it. It is also home to an immense outdoor blogging community and people who pour a lot of passion into sharing their love for the outdoors with the rest of the world.

Recently, a group of us got together to bring a list of “The Best Campgrounds in North America” – a series of blog posts highlighting our own favourite places to pitch a tent. These span Canada and the USA, so you’re bound to find some ideas for your next camping trip. Check them out at the links below!

Around the Campfire, Stoke the Fire

campground, camping, nature, North America, outdoors, tent

Baker Lake campground in the Skoki Region. Photo by Meghan J. Ward.

Top 5 Backcountry Campgrounds in Banff National Park

May 9, 2013 by Meghan J. Ward 13 Comments

One of the best things about Banff National Park is the access it offers to camping experiences for outdoorsy folks of all kinds, whether they’re keen to pitch a tent at a roadside campground or eager to hike to a more distant campsite. For me, however, the real “Banff” experience comes with leaving the crowds behind, hitting the trail and experiencing the remoteness and beauty of the wilderness.

For campers willing to put in a bit of work, here are my recommendations for some of the best backcountry campgrounds in Banff National Park!

Around the Campfire

backcountry, backpacking, Banff National Park, campgrounds, camping, Canadian Rockies, Hiking, nature

Tired Comparisons: Guest Post by Christine Byl and Book Giveaway

April 25, 2013 by The Campsite Guest 9 Comments

This is a guest post written by Christine Byl, author of “Dirt Work: An Education in the Woods.” Check out all her definitions of total exhaustion (she should know – she worked on trail crews for years!) and leave a comment for your chance to win her book!

book, Books, Christine Byl, dirt, exhaustion, Giveaway, tired, trail, work

At Hidden Lake in Banff National Park. Photo by Paul Zizka Photography.

Finding Our Life Force in the Great Outdoors

March 14, 2013 by Meghan J. Ward 17 Comments

I’ll never forget that time I was running back home from Bow Glacier Falls on a glorious summer evening. On this particular evening, the sun cast its golden glow on the surrounding peaks while pink clouds moved slowly through a blue sky. The air was just right – crisp and clear with a soft breeze that perfectly countered the heat my body was making. While I often like to run in silence, at the time I had Allan Silvestri’s famous Forrest Gump theme playing on my iPod, and it nearly brought me to tears as I made my way through the landscape. My soul felt nourished and free. It is one of those experiences that sticks with you and it’s hard to know exactly why.

So, what is it about the outdoor experience that allows us to tap into a part of ourselves we may never otherwise reach? That gives us the chance to purge, refresh, reboot, reorient and renew ourselves in a way that no other experience can?

Around the Campfire

Bow Glacier Falls, Bow Lake, disconnect, emotion, health, nature, outdoors, rejuvenate

Review: All That Glitters by Margo Talbot

February 28, 2013 by Meghan J. Ward 3 Comments

I am, somewhat embarrassingly, a latecomer to Margo Talbot’s “All That Glitters”. When the book came out back in 2011, I took notice of it but never picked it up. Readers and reviewers seem to have enjoyed it, so I don’t really know why I hesitated to add it to my immediate reading list. But a friend of mine recently bumped into Talbot at a local ice climbing spot, and picked up a copy of the book soon thereafter. Over lunch last week she said she’d read this “page turner” in just two days and then handed it to me. It only took me a page or two to discover why my friend read it so fast.

Lousy Day Literature

All That Gliters, Books, climbing, depression, ice climbing, Margo Talbot

The Ultimate Adventure Guitar: Alpaca

February 11, 2013 by Meghan J. Ward 2 Comments

My husband and I have been known to lug some pretty interesting items out on mountain adventures. From high-altitude hula-hooping to ironing under northern lights, we’ve managed to pull off some pretty great stunts.

For years we’ve been talking about doing mountain-top music sessions, and now thanks to Alpaca Guitar, we just might get the chance.

Gear to Get There

Alpaca Guitar, Chris Duncan, gear, Kickstarter, Music, nature, outdoors

Review and Giveaway: Scrubr Dishcloth and Trekr Self-Cleaning Travel Washcloth from Lunatec

February 4, 2013 by Meghan J. Ward 24 Comments

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of cooking a meal in the backcountry. Even the simplest of ingredients becomes a divine concoction when you’re hungry from hiking or paddling. You empty your bowl of macaroni and cheese, picking out the last noodle with your fingers, and then lean back on the soft earth with a deep sense of satisfaction. That is, until you take a look at all your dishes and remember these have to be done before you hit the hay.

Thanks to Lunatec, though, you’ve got a dishcloth that won’t still be wet when you pack it away in the morning (let alone half an hour before bed) and that’s tough on the food that remains stuck to the inside of your cooking pot.

Gear to Get There, Giveaway

camping, dishcloth, gear, Giveaway, Lunatec, outdoors, Scrubr, Trekr, washcloth

My husband and I sitting at our campsite at Brewer's Bay, Tortola, BVI, back in 2008. Photo by Paul Zizka Photography.

The Reverse Bucket List

January 18, 2013 by Meghan J. Ward 23 Comments

The other day, my friend Katie over on Adventure-Inspired posted a blog that immediately caught my eye: On Writing Reverse Bucket Lists and Remembering How Amazing You Are. The gist of the exercise is to write a list of things you have accomplished – a bucket list in reverse. “It’s not about bragging or tooting your own horn,” she writes, “it’s about patting yourself on the back for achievements you’re proud of.”

Around the Campfire, Under the Tarp

accomplishments, Adventure, Adventure-Inspired, Bucket List, writing

Review: Make My Belly Fit

January 16, 2013 by Meghan J. Ward 2 Comments

Reblogged from The Adventures in Parenthood Project: WHERE did you get THAT? Let’s just say I made a lot of women jealous over the holidays – well, women who have been through pregnancy before. Back in November I was chatting with a friend about how hard it was to find a jacket that fits during […]

Gear to Get There

active, gear, jacket, Make My Belly Fit, outdoors, pregnancy

From "Ski Touring in Auyuittuq National Park."

The Campsite’s Top 10 Posts of 2012

December 21, 2012 by Meghan J. Ward 5 Comments

It has been another amazing year over here at The Campsite! I feel eternally thankfully for way that blogging opens up opportunities and friendships I may never have otherwise encountered. I anticipate another adventurous year ahead – new experiences, new products, and inspiring stories – and you can be sure I’ll post as much as I can to keep feeding our outdoor community online.

With that, here is the list of the Top 10 Posts of 2012.

Under the Tarp

adventures, blogs, Himalaya, Jim Davidson, Outdoor, popular, Posts, ski