CaliforniaPC Camping, Solar Survival Kits and Places to Go.

Time to Start Planning for Your 2015 Outdoor Trips by CaliforniaPC.com

Posting #1, Big Sur

It is still the winter season however it is not too early to start getting your plans ready for the sunny season that will soon be here. There are many camping places around the country that are amazing to visit but I thought I would start with some here in California, our local beauty where we here at CaliforniaPC.com like to work and play. So I thought I would do a weekly posting of the top camping spots in California for the next 10 weeks from a compilation of a few good sources, articles and websites out there in the camping world and outdoor activities.

Along with camping information each week I am posting a list for the Red Cross recommended first aid kit and a DIY lightweight survival kit we recommend everyone has for all outdoor activities as well as one for the house for emergencies.

I have put together the following article on Big Sur as the first place to check out for camping and exploring this coming year, plan your trip well and make sure to take all the right equipment.

A road trip along the Pacific Coast highway through California’s Central Coast is an unparalleled camping experience. From the sandy beaches in Santa Barbara to the rugged coastline in Big Sur, there are many scenic spots to pitch a tent. Big Sur is a favorite location in the Central Coast for its stunning views, quiet beaches and hiking in the Los Padres National Forest. There are a variety of state park campgrounds and private RV parks for campers.

As written by By Monica Prelle Camping Expert, Big Sur is a stunning region in the Central Coast located south of Carmel and north of Cambria. The Los Padres National Forest spans a large portion of the area and there are nine state parks. Big Sur's natural beauty truly is spectacular and makes it an extremely popular camping destination.

The Plaskett Creek Campground is nestled in a Monterrey pine forest and is situated just east of Highway 1. The Los Padres National Forest campground is in an ideal location and only a short walk away from the nearby Sand Dollar Beach and Jade Cove, top beach destinations in the Central Coast. The campsites at Plaskett Creek are spacious and many sites have ocean vista views. The campground accepts reservations for most sites, but also offers first-come first served campsites. Site 21 has the best ocean view and the closest beach access. Sites 35 and 23 are most private and shaded. The campground is favored by local surfers and is very popular on weekends year-round.

The best ocean view camping in Big Sur is located at the Kirk Creek Campground. Also located in the Los Padres National Forest, the campground is situated on a bluff overlooking the ocean and rugged coastline. Sites 9 and 10 are most popular for their unobstructed oceanfront location, but all campsites have ocean views and are in close proximity to hiking trails. Directly across the highway from the campground is the Vicente Flats Trailhead, which leads into the Ventana Wilderness.

Further north in the Big Sur region are state park campgrounds and a few private campgrounds located on the Big Sur River and in the Santa Lucia Mountains. There are just 24 campsites at Limekiln State Park, which is nestled in the Limekiln River canyon on the eastside of the Pacific Coast Highway.

Julia Pfeiffer Burns and Andrew Molera State Parks both have walk-in and environmental campsites, but no car camping or dogs are allowed at either of these parks. Andrew Molera walk-in campsites are first-come, first-served.

The largest of the Big Sur area campgrounds is at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park; 158 riverfront campsites are situated on the Big Sur River and surrounded by redwood, chaparral and oak trees. There are 8-miles of hiking trails within the park and 200-miles in the bordering Ventana Wilderness.

Big Sur Campground Online Reservations: Plaskett Creek Campground | Kirk Creek Campground | Limekiln State Park | Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP Environmental Campsites | Pfeiffer Big Sur SP

   

 First Aid Kit

Whether you buy a first aid kit or put one together, make sure it has all the items you may need:

• Include any personal items such as medications and emergency phone numbers or other items your health-care provider may suggest.
• Check the kit regularly.
• Make sure the flashlight batteries work.
• Check expiration dates and replace any used or out-of-date contents.

The Red Cross recommends that all first aid kits for a family of four include the following:

·         2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)

·         25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes)

·         1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)

·         5 antibiotic ointment packets (approximately 1 gram)

·         5 antiseptic wipe packets

·         2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)

·         1 blanket (space blanket)

·         1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)

·         1 instant cold compress

·         2 pair of nonlatex gloves (size: large)

·         2 hydrocortisone ointment packets (approximately 1 gram each)

·         Scissors

·         1 roller bandage (3 inches wide)

·         1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)

·         5 sterile gauze pads (3 x 3 inches)

·         5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches)

·         Oral thermometer (non-mercury/nonglass)

·         2 triangular bandages

·         Tweezers

·         First aid instruction booklet

Survival Kit for All Purposes

We recommend adding a portable solar charger to the below survival kit, it will provide the ability to charge and run a smart phone, laptop, tablet, mini fridge, electric cooler, GPS, camera batteries, anything that you can charge. It will give you the comfort of lighting, of communication, and security when needed most. There are many sizes and kits available for exactly what your needs require. We offer a wide range of different styles and brands for you to mix and match or trust us to put together a kit tailored for you. 

 

 

The Do-it-yourself Coffee Can Survival Kit

This is a compact kit that can be carried in the car, on the boat, or in a pack for hunting, hiking, exploring, etc.  Most of the contents will fit in a one-pound coffee can which doubles as a pot for melting snow and device with which to dig an emergency snow shelter. (However, if you can carry it, include a small shovel.  It is far, far better than trying to use a coffee can.)  You should be aware that if this kit is carried while on hiking or hunting trips, you still need to carry the other Ten Essentials not included below.

Keep three points in mind when putting together a survival kit.  First, make it small enough that you'll actually carry it and not leave it home.  Second, use the list as a guide and customize it to your needs.  For instance, if you are allergic to insect bites, bring the appropriate medicine, or carry appropriate wrap if you have knee problems.

Thirdly, bring enough to enable you to spend at least one night out.  It is usually the first 6 hours that determine whether you'll be able to survive an emergency.  If you can make it through the first night, then your chances are good that you can make it a few more nights if necessary.

Thanks to Allan Priddy who helps teach the Wilderness Survival class for putting this list together.
 
 

General Items

Braided nylon rope (25 feet)
Mirror
Matches (2 boxes)
Fire Starter
Poncho (bright orange to attract attention)
Toilet paper
Candle (wrapped in aluminum foil)
Paper and pencil
Fishing line, hooks, split shot leads
Knife
Whistle
Money (2 nickels, 2 dimes, 2 quarters, $20 bill:  helpful for making phone call or paying for gas if broken down along highway)
Garbage Bags (2 large size bags)
Bright orange surveyor's tape 

Repair Kit

Sewing kit
Dental floss (It's strong and useful as thread for sewing, or a fishing line or for lashing branches for improvised shelters.)
Safety pins
Wire (bailing wire)
 

First Aid Kit

Moleskin
Sterile pads (2 x 2 and 4 x 4)
Sterile Gauze
Neosporin
Bandaids
Aspirin
First Aid Tape
 

Nourishment

Honey Packages (available in small foil packages available at convenience stores)
Instant Soup or tea (a couple packages)
 

Optional

Folding saw
Compass (learn how to use)
Hard Candy
 
 

Carrying container

Coffee Can (1 lb size) or nylon stuff bag
 

All contents except the plastic bags and the optional items will fit in a 1 lb coffee can.  (Or you can flat "Spam" cans or oval-shaped containers available at outdoor stores.)  The plastic bags can be affixed to the outside of the can with a rubber band.  To keep things from rattling in the can, wad up some wax paper and stuff it around the items.  The wax paper stays dry and also doubles as a fire starter.  To save weight the contents can be placed in a stuff bag and a metal cup can be used instead of the coffee can.