Alternatives to the evening campfire

[CalicoPenn 729]

Hmmm - are we that uncreative that we can't figure out alternatives to an evening campfire? Is BSA camping stuck in some kind of scripted rut where every campout has a campfire or it's just not a campout?

 

I'm the first to admit that I like having an eveing campfire when I go camping - but when I'm somewhere it isn't allowed, I can usually find other things to do. Star gazing / meteor counting is certainly one of those. Finding a nice place to watch the sunset (and sticking around for another 45 minutes to and hour after the sun "sets" to watch how the sky still changes) is nice. How about a night hike? It doesn't have to be 10 miles - just a mile or two is fine. Go searching for owls and/or bats. Flashlight tag anyone? If you're going to be at a state park, how about finding out in advance if the park's naturalist, or one of the law enforcement rangers to come by and give a talk. There's plenty of things that can be done instead of a campfire - it's only limited by your imagination.

[Fester281 10]

My troop (281) has a microwave campfire. Skits, storytelling, corny jokes, an inspiring message and smores, all in 3 1/2 minutes.

[qwazse 4344]

Here's a kill-two-birds-with-one-stone first night pseudo-campfire suggestion ...

 

Have everyone's cell phones cycle through a bunch of background picks. Toss them in the middle of the circle. Tapping the buttons to keep them lit replaces the throwing logs on. Lights out once the batteries are dead.

 

Then for the rest of the weekend you don't have to worry about regulating that electronic devices ban!

[Eagle92 110]

I love it.

[5yearscouter 52]

generator

screen

projector

video of the christmas fireplace thing that people use on their tv's when they don't have a fireplace,

mute the christmas songs though.

 

 

 

[moosetracker 132]

5YrScouter - I volunteer your backpack, to drag all that.. also, make sure the nearest tree has a working eletrical outlet.

[SMT224 10]

Just back from a camping trip, last night sitting around a medium-small fire at 34F. It rained twice on Saturday, but we nevertheless found a abundance of dead and dry wood near the campsite - far more than we could use.

 

As we stared into the flames & glowing embers, we discussed the alternatives presented here - a candle, LED in water, no fire - and none could do what that fire did for us. Not only were we were warmed, but the fire provided a focal point for our little group. It also cooked our dinner and our cake.

 

Alternatives? No, there is nothing that could have done what the fire did for us in the cold dark night.