Finals are approaching, accompanied by unfathomable stress. Let Mother Nature soothe those pre-final worries with a weekend getaway into the wilderness. Follow these three steps for a successful trip.
Step 1: Picking a location
Southern Californians are fortunate to be living only a few hours away from endless camping opportunities in the desert. Much of the land out there is public land, meaning basically any flat spot off any dirt road could be a free campsite. When staying in campgrounds, the fee goes toward maintaining facilities. Roughing it allows campers to escape the crowds and the fee.
To find these areas, contact the agency responsible for managing them. Much of the desert is managed by either the Bureau of Land Management or the National Park Service. The BLM and the NPS have field offices in Barstow, California, where inquiring adventurers can get information on one of the 69 designated California desert wilderness areas.
Remember to leave these areas in their natural conditions. Pick up trash, including that of those that were not so responsible.
Step 2: The necessities
A one- or two-night trip doesn’t require much gear. A tent, a sleeping bag and pad, some food and water are about it. Luckily, the Student Recreation and Wellness Center rents everything a camper might need at an affordable, nightly price.
Obtaining a camp stove to boil water allows for hot meals. Easy menu options requiring only boiling water include oatmeal for breakfast and dehydrated meals, which are effortless to prepare and make for a surprisingly tasty dinner. Sandwiches for lunch, a couple gallons of water and snacks complete the grocery list.
The desert will get cold at night during the winter, so it’s a good idea to bundle up. A 20-degree sleeping bag should do the trick. Remember that the cold ground will drain heat from the body, so a foam sleeping pad or a couple blankets under the sleeping bag are a must. Fire regulations in the desert vary, so make sure to look up current ones for your location ahead of time.
Step 3: Activities
Explore! In these dispersed camping areas the possibilities for hiking and adventuring are nearly endless. Picking a mountain near camp and a personal route to the top can lead to a real sense of adventure.
Southern California also has many hidden treasures that are all within a 4-hour drive of Long Beach. There is a yearly river flowing through Surprise Canyon near Death Valley, underground lava tubes that you can hike down to in the Mojave National Preserve and even an 11,700-year-old Creosote Bush out near Lucerne Valley.
Wake up early and enjoy the sunrise. Just lounge around and enjoy the peace and quiet. Simply being away from the hustle and bustle of city life is refreshing. So even if escaping the city doesn’t extend that project deadline, spending some time in nature makes sitting in class on Monday morning all the more bearable. It also provides a better story to tell friends instead of the usual party story.
Remember to put the phone on airplane mode. Part of the fun of getting out of the city is disconnecting from the hustle and bustle and connecting with nature.