There is nothing like canoeing in the back country with the quiet, peaceful backdrop of the northern pines and the canoes ripple effects on the lake.

The worst part of canoe camping all depends on ones position and how to deal with the circumstances at hand. These might be some examples that you may encounter; daily rains and no chance to dry out, not being able to find the exact portage, getting lost and back tracking to get your bearings, windy days making it difficult to paddle, pesky mosquitoes and black flies, or maybe the unrelenting black bear in camp.

Yes, these are some tough challenges but rest assured they are part of the whole image and understanding of canoeing in the wilderness. Tackle each situation head on that comes your way. Therefore, providing the necessary survival skills required in everyday life.

Then what are the best of canoe camping? First, tantalizing smells of cooking over a portable stove, the mystifying call of a nearby loon, or the spectacular sunsets and sunrises. Next, the morning dew upon the tent, the lurking fog on the lake as you break camp, a moose and calf arrive at waters edge. How about the mysterious Native American pictographs telling stories of long ago, the busy beaver building a new home, or fast running water heard from a portage walking to the next lake. One of the top experiences, in my mind, is the incredible night skies of northern lights and star gazing.

Whatever the challenges that the wilderness may own take the bad with the good and roll with it. The best part is being with family or friends bonding in an environment away from busy schedules. Sharing fabulous outdoors exploration by camping, cooking, hiking, fishing, swimming and just relaxing are things stamped in your memories forever.

Anyone who has been on a camping trip knows that there is nothing better than standing around a warm campfire on a brisk morning with northern winds blowing hard in your face. The feeling of warming your hands and then slowly the rest of your body reminds you that you’re still alive! It almost gives you the feeling of what it must have been like living in the wilderness many centuries ago. But before you can enjoy the warm comfort of your own campfire, you need to know exactly how to build one. Here is a easy way to build your very first campfire in 3 simple steps.

1. Create a Teepee. First make a small pile of fire kindling in the center of your pit. Kindling is anything small and dry such as pine needles, and tiny twigs. Then around and above your kindling pile, lean small sticks against each other in an Indian TeePee shape. Light the kindling, and once it starts burning, it should easily catch the TeePee twigs on fire too. Then you simply keep adding wood!

2. Create a Log Cabin. To make a log cabin campfire, you again start with a small pile of kindling in the middle of your firepit. Then you lay out twigs and sticks in a square shape around the kindling pile. With a log cabin style campfire, you’ll need to make sure you’re laying your cabin sticks close enough to the kindling for them to light. Once you have small “walls” for your cabin built up several inches, light the kindling. As that catches on, it should also light the twigs and sticks from your “cabin”.

3. Make a Wagon Wheel. With a wagon wheel campfire, you’re again starting out with a small pile of kindling in the center of your fire pit. Then you lay your twigs and sticks across the top, intersecting each other in a way that makes the wood look like the spokes on a wagon wheel. After the wood catches, you’ll want to move the longer pieces of your “wheel” in closer to the center so they can burn full.

So there you have it. Three easy ways to build a great campfire! Now that you know the simple ways to do this, you’ll enjoy your next family camping, hiking or trekking trip all the more.