# Lounge > Travel and Vacation >  2023 Camping thread

## ExtraSlow

BC Parks reservations have gone to a 4 month rolling window. Had opened up today for May 3 arrivals. .
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/bc-parks-prepa...ndow-1.6214993

AB Parks reservations are open year-round with a 90 day window for regular sites and 180 days for group camping.

Anyone doing any big trips this year?

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## Buster

::Shudder::

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## bigbadboss101

Anyone have experience renting a RV that is stationed at a nice location? Near hikes, lake, etc. Our friends' and our family have kids between 4 and 8 and we like comfort camping. Done teepee and cabins before. Two jacks looks pretty convenient for us. Let me know if you recommend certain companies. TK

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## prae

Would like to get out to Revy again this year during alpine biking season. Otherwise I think we'll try for a few 3 day weekends at various AB PPs. Didn't know that BC also switched to a rolling window, thanks for this thread!

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## suntan

> Anyone have experience renting a RV that is stationed at a nice location? Near hikes, lake, etc. Our friends' and our family have kids between 4 and 8 and we like comfort camping. Done teepee and cabins before. Two jacks looks pretty convenient for us. Let me know if you recommend certain companies. TK



Yeah I did one a couple of years ago near Sylvan Lake. Found on VRBO.

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## SkiBum5.0

I’ve used RVEasy and it was great. I pick up the trailers and tow them, but some people offer delivery to location for a few. I’d try that.

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## spike98

> I’ve used RVEasy and it was great. I pick up the trailers and tow them, but some people offer delivery to location for a few. I’d try that.



I rent trailers and the renters LOVE it. I only deliver and take care of the setup. They show up with coolers and suitcases. Its really the way to go vs owing while these prices are super crazy.

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## haggis88

Hoping I can get a bunch more restos done on my trailer this year that I didn't get done last year

Only managed it out once last summer due to a heavily preggo wife and being unusually busy with work

Copy and paste this for next year, minus the heavily preggo wife part, cos I'm getting my dingus cut off soon  :Smilie:

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## Brent.ff

Hoping to get a longer trip that actually hits a weekend at Mount Fernie this year.. Otherwise the normal of extenda-weekends

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## Doozer

With 1 yearly exception for the whole family, I've given up booking camp sites and instead I'm getting more into the back country camping. Only got out a few times to experiment last year, but hoping to get out more this year, and with the kids.

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## ExtraSlow

Almost worth booking group camping occasionally, which are open right now . . . . Beyond Camping meetup anyone?

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## g-m

I am going to try to do a sled access winter camp in the spring and ski tour into Dewar Creek hot spring. Been wanting to for a while. Probably April-ish

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## redline

> Almost worth booking group camping occasionally, which are open right now . . . . Beyond Camping meetup anyone?



Do you own a camper anymore ? Or are you rental guy now ?

- - - Updated - - -

I have had my BC vacation booked since Oct,

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## ExtraSlow

I have not rented an RV for over 10 years, and I don't currently own a trailer.
Be doing one or the other this summer.

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## Brent.ff

The real question is.. who do i talk to, to get a campsite booking bot..

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## ExtraSlow

So not really a hack or hot tip or anything, but I have one buddy who has had incredible success with booking his campsites right around the 72 hour cancellation window. I guess there's a huge churn of sites that get cancelled, and he's been able to pick up Peter Lougheed sites with some regularity. 

My plan for the year, if I actually buy a trailer, is to combine that, with a fallback of Cataract Creek, and stress less on booking the full 90 days ahead.

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## Brent.ff

ya that works well for regular weekends. hell i did well going to Newell twice last year where i just looked at the reservations the night before, saw empty sites, so drove out and saved the $12 fee. Camping has gotten kind of outrageous for the cost once you factor in the K country pass, etc.

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## sabad66

> The real question is.. who do i talk to, to get a campsite booking bot..



Campnab.com

There was another one too that the developer posted on beyond too but the name escapes me now

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## Brent.ff

That only provides campsites that have been returned. I want a bot that books me the day and site I want, not one that texts me when something is available

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## suntan

> So not really a hack or hot tip or anything, but I have one buddy who has had incredible success with booking his campsites right around the 72 hour cancellation window. I guess there's a huge churn of sites that get cancelled, and he's been able to pick up Peter Lougheed sites with some regularity. 
> 
> My plan for the year, if I actually buy a trailer, is to combine that, with a fallback of Cataract Creek, and stress less on booking the full 90 days ahead.



Yeah I've done this with great success in the past. Amazed how many people cancel.

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## msommers

On the lookout for a car-camping stove. Something that deals well with wind and build like a brick shithouse (if that even exists anymore) would be excellent!

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## ExtraSlow

White gas Coleman stove is my strong recommendation. 
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-fishing-camp...uel/1624138226

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## Tik-Tok

> White gas Coleman stove is my strong recommendation. 
> https://www.kijiji.ca/v-fishing-camp...uel/1624138226



Time tested, tried-and-true

A Camp Chef single burner would also be great if you have the space for a 5lbs propane tank.

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## ExtraSlow

Camp Chef is wicked. Larger and heavier though, and propane bottle is large and heavy as well. If your "car camping car" is a truck or a 1980's pedo-van, them, heck yeah budday.

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## msommers

I'll check those out, thanks guys.

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## ExtraSlow

Hey since we are on the topic, and you know know everything, is there an attachment for the camp-chef stoves that focuses the heat somehow for a smaller diameter pot?

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## Tik-Tok

> Hey since we are on the topic, and you know know everything, is there an attachment for the camp-chef stoves that focuses the heat somehow for a smaller diameter pot?



I've been trying to find the same thing for boiling a kettle, and haven't seen anything yet. The only way would be a flat frying pan that just covers the wind guards, that you then put the pot on top of. Not the most efficient use of energy.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/t...-1422639p.html

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## ExtraSlow

They sell a diffuser plate with thier dutuce oven that should work, but I don't think you can buy it separate. Honestly, a chunk of plate steel with some small holes or slits in them would work. Who wants to make a few and sell em to us campers? 
@gretz

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## gretz

Do up a drawing and I’ll rock some beyond logod ones

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## Tik-Tok

> They sell a diffuser plate with thier dutuce oven that should work, but I don't think you can buy it separate. Honestly, a chunk of plate steel with some small holes or slits in them would work. Who wants to make a few and sell em to us campers? 
> @gretz



Apparently they do!

https://www.campchef.com/flame-tamer/CC-FT10.html

Edit: Although to be honest, I think I'd rather have one with a handle.

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## ExtraSlow

@gretz
, I'm on it. I will email you drawings tomorrow when I have access to work napkins.

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## gretz

Use crayons or pastels please

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## BerserkerCatSplat

> On the lookout for a car-camping stove. Something that deals well with wind and build like a brick shithouse (if that even exists anymore) would be excellent!



We've been using a Primus Profile stove for well over a decade and it's bombproof with good wind protection. I prefer propane over white gas, easy to run off a 5lb or the 1lb green cylinders.

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## dirtsniffer

In for 2 beyond flame tamers.

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## msommers

> We've been using a Primus Profile stove for well over a decade and it's bombproof with good wind protection. I prefer propane over white gas, easy to run off a 5lb or the 1lb green cylinders.



Thanks man! I'll add it to my list

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## ExtraSlow

Yeah those small propane stoves like the primus or the canandian tire whatever brand are totally fine. I have a 40 year love affair with the green Coleman white gas stoves and I ain't stopping now. Although in my collection I also have the same green coleman stove in propane variant.

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## redline

> White gas Coleman stove is my strong recommendation. 
> https://www.kijiji.ca/v-fishing-camp...uel/1624138226



I am pretty sure we have one like this ... still think it is in the garage takin up space... let me look if anyone is interested...

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## ExtraSlow

I have two of the white-gas kind, and the one that looks identical but runs propane. I probably need one more to complete my collection.

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## prae

> I have two of the white-gas kind, and the one that looks identical but runs propane. I probably need one more to complete my collection.



you should definitely add a three-burner white-gas to it if you haven't already.

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## ExtraSlow

Are you selling one? PM me.

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## prae

> Are you selling one? PM me.



No way— I'm with you: White gas colemans for life.

I do however have a nice 2013 22' bumper pull bunkhouse that was owned and hardly used by a retired IBM engineer that I might sell in favour of buying something stupid like https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details...dId=1624961106, idk. you interested?  :Devil:

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## ExtraSlow

yes I'm intersted. PM me.

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## mr2mike

Guy camping in trees on MacKnight and Barlow NE tonight.
Open pit fire, headlamp.
Is that a good spot? I don't know. Seemed noisy.

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## ExtraSlow

Can't be too picky when selecting your crown land camping location.

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## Tik-Tok

Did the cops shut it down, or is this a new homeless camp?

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## mr2mike

> Did the cops shut it down, or is this a new homeless camp?



I called it in. They said they wouldn't provide any more future details to me. I assume the site is vacant today.

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## bigbadboss101

Has anyone done some of the comfort camping sites and can recommend certain locations? We will be with couple other families. Some can do tents, others prefer comfort tenting.

https://albertaparks.ca/albertaparks...lbertas-parks/

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## suntan

The ones at DPP looked nice. Cool tour, absolutely worth doing. Gets very warm and stays warm during the night. Lots of skeeters when I went but that was the year of the flood.

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## Brent.ff

Friend said the ones at Castle River Bridge were nice

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## ExtraSlow

Comfort camping is EXTREMELY hard to book. DPP is nice, for sure pay for the guided interpretive hike. 
For the cost of the comfort camping, you could do one of those RV rentals with delivery as well, similar outcome. I guess the RV rental is slightly more money in the end, but barely.

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## haggis88

I'll have access to a well kitted 3/4 ton this year to pull our trailer, hoping to do some off grid weekends if possible...any good recommendations for the road less travelled?

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## ExtraSlow

You mean like crown land random camping? Or just longer trips? 
My favorite place I've camped is south of Revelstoke at McDonald Creek, Blanket Creek provincial parks etc. Love the arrow lakes area, and not too busy, although the reservations are competitive. 
Dutch Creek, Livingstone Falls etc along the foresty trunk road are nice. Some people don't like to tow on gravel though.

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