Scouts Canada has launched a hotline that would-be campers can call to get answers for some of the most common questions people have when venturing into the great outdoors.Illustration by Photo illustration by The Globe and Mail. Source image: iStock
If you’re thinking of going camping this summer but are worried about your lack of knowledge – how do you deal with bugs? How do you avoid attracting wildlife? What is a thunderbox? – Scouts Canada wants you to give them a call.
For the first time in the organization’s history, it has launched a hotline to answer what it says are the most common questions on the minds of would-be campers.
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The line offers a series of prerecorded “tips and tricks” curated by Scouts “to help people demystify this outdoor camping thing, and hopefully make it a more fantastic experience for everyone,” says Mike Eybel, a spokesperson for Scouts Canada.
Camping has become more popular across Canada since the pandemic – in Ontario, more than 6.6 million people visited provincial parks in 2021, up from 4.3 million in 2014, according to Ontario Parks – but know-how hasn’t necessarily kept pace with interest.
A survey conducted by Scouts Canada last spring found that “camping competency was maybe not up to snuff,” Mr. Eybel says, which prompted the organization to create the hotline. Call 1-844-Scout101 from across Canada and you’ll be guided through 10 core camping conundrums.
Both first-timers and experienced campers who may be trying something new are the intended target. “The hope is that it gets more people out to the outdoors. If you are always a car camper, maybe this is the summer you try backcountry camping. If you’ve only driven or hiked into a campsite before, maybe this is the time you rent a canoe and go on a canoe trip,” Mr. Eybel says.
The subjects covered by the hotline include how to prevent wildlife encounters, how to deal with food and garbage, what to do if it’s raining, tips on shelter, how to properly dispose of waste, how to dispose of greywater, keeping insects at bay, lighting sources, first-aid fundamentals and safety while out on the water.
Mr. Eybel says his personal favourite is dealing with greywater, especially because many people new to camping may not know what to do with dirty water after they’ve done dishes.
“I’m a big fan of Leave No Trace camping,” he says. It’s especially important to know what to do with greywater since often there are food particles in it, which may attract wildlife, he says. (Greywater should be buried at least 20 centimetres deep and 30 metres from camp and water sources.)
Nothing is going to ruin a peaceful trip in the great outdoors quite like a raccoon – or worse, a bear – sniffing around your cooler.
Some of the advice may seem obvious, such as setting up your tent on level ground or making sure to use biodegradable soap. Other tips, such as checking often for ticks depending on your region and using essential oils such as mint and citrus as natural bug repellants, are worthwhile reminders for even experienced campers.
The hotline will hopefully be useful to anyone planning a trip or in the middle of one, but it is not an emergency line, Mr. Eybel stresses. In the event of an emergency, campers should call 9-1-1, he says.
There are many reasons to go out into the great outdoors – to find adventure, to enjoy peace and quiet, to get away from urban life, to name a few – but whatever your reason, it is important to plan carefully and be ready for whatever awaits you.
That, fundamentally, is the point of the hotline, Mr. Eybel says.
“We’re all about being prepared. It’s kind of our motto.”