High-Maintenance Camping 101 & 7 Tips to Survive the Wilderness

If I told you I didn't wear makeup camping, I'd be lying. I tone it down to mascara, bronzer and tinted moisturizer, but I grew up with a dad who'd choose a forest over the Four Seasons any day as our family's annual vacation destination. SO, I HAD to learn how to be a happy camper.

Last week, my family drove up to our favorite crowd-free camping spot: Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California for 3 days in the wilderness. Are you a trooper when it comes to roughing it in the great outdoors? If not, there may come a day when you're invited to go on a camping trip with friends or with your significant other.

 My parent's minivan is my makeup vanity. No blowdryers so I rely on my mom's french braid skills :)

Here's my TOP 7 TIPS for surviving and enjoying a camping trip:

The initial STEP is ACCEPTANCE. You need to accept you're going to get dirty! You're going to get your blood sucked by mosquitos and you're going to miss your favorite daily amenities (like showers).

#1  Forget about Fashion

    My Campin' Fashion: Old jeans, imitation Uggs and sweatshirts (any clothes you don't care about)

#2  Always take an expert camper 

  Take someone (in our case, it's my dad) who has tons of camping gear and experience. My youngest 

   brother came in handy navigating the trails in all the unexpected snow.

#3 Who needs a 4-star restaurant? 

    After hiking all day, camping meals taste SO delicious. We had taco Tuesday and Italian this night. Yum!

#4  Learn to make the best of your surroundings

               The patches of snow around our campsite really came in handy keeping our beverages cold

#5 Your tent is your new home, make it comfy

                Bring lots of reading material, a deck of cards and ghost stories to tell around the fire

#6 Find an outdoorsy talent to impress your fellow campers

  I haven't found mine yet, but my sister is an expert S'MORE maker. She searches for a good stick,  

   breaks the marshmellow in half (like a hot dog bun) puts the chocolate in the middle, stabs it on the

   stick and roasts it. It melts perfectly together before it goes on the graham cracker.

  

 #7  Relax and Enjoy the Fresh Air

More snow than we'd ever seen there before in the summer. It was 80 degrees with my siblings above

 

I was actually really scared right here so I got a running start. If I slipped, I was going into an icy cold lake. Luckily, I fell after I made it over the snow. :)

        

Hiking with the fam

     Unlike many National Parks, there are no crowds in Lassen if you're looking for some peace and quiet

                                                   My brothers ready to head home

                        This lake on the drive out had me craving a 7-Eleven Blue Rasberry Slurpee

So, are you a camper (high-maintenance) or expert and if so, where is your favorite place to camp?

Hope you had a great weekend!

xoDale