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Camp Stories & Guides

Practical, hard-won advice from the Camp It Up crew — and the occasional tale from the trail.

Learn to camp it up

Whether you're planning your first group trip or fine-tuning your backcountry kit, these guides collect what we've learned over years of weekends in the woods. Pull up a log by the fire and dig in.

Trip Planning

Planning Your First Group Camping Trip

August 2, 2026

A field-tested checklist for turning a loose group chat into an actual weekend in the woods, from picking a site to divvying up the gear.

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Camp Kitchen

Campfire Cooking: Our Field-Tested Basics

July 18, 2026

Cooking over a fire is less about fancy recipes and more about managing heat. Here's how we get dinner right without a kitchen.

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Gear

How to Pack for a Weekend in the Backcountry

June 30, 2026

A weekend pack should be light enough to enjoy and complete enough to keep you safe. Here's how we decide what makes the cut.

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Stewardship

Leave No Trace: Camping Without a Footprint

June 12, 2026

The places we camp stay beautiful only if we treat them well. A practical look at the seven Leave No Trace principles.

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Veteran Life

Adapt and Overcome: A Marine Veteran's Approach to Tent Camping

May 28, 2026

The Corps taught us to be comfortable being uncomfortable. Here's how that mindset turns a rough night in a tent into a good one.

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Camp Kitchen

Deep-Frying Over the Fire: Fried Chicken, Onion Rings, and Fries

May 10, 2026

Yes, you can deep-fry real food at camp. A cast-iron Dutch oven, a bed of coals, and a little respect for hot oil is all it takes.

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Camp Kitchen

Fire-Baked Pizza in a Dutch Oven

April 22, 2026

A cast-iron Dutch oven is a camp oven in disguise. With coals top and bottom, it turns out real pizza with a crisp, blistered crust.

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Camp Kitchen

Low-and-Slow Camp Ribs Over the Coals

April 5, 2026

Tender, fall-apart ribs at camp come down to two things: indirect heat and patience. Here's how to run the fire and let time do the work.

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Camp Kitchen

Squad-Sized Camp Chili

March 18, 2026

One heavy pot, a bed of coals, and an afternoon of simmering feeds the whole crew — and tastes even better the second day.

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Camp Kitchen

Biscuits and Gravy at Reveille

March 2, 2026

A Marine's favorite way to start a cold morning in the field: Dutch-oven biscuits smothered in peppery sausage gravy.

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