August 14, 2024

🌲 What It’s Really Like to Camp in the Canadian Wilderness for the First Time (A True Story)

Ever wondered what your first camping trip in Canada might feel like? Follow this true-to-life story of a first-time camper navigating fears, gear choices, and unexpected joys in the great outdoors.

✨ Introduction: One Sleeping Bag, Two Left Boots, and a Lot of Learning

This isn’t a how-to guide. It’s a real journey. A story of stepping out of the comfort zone and into the woods of Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, for the very first time — with more courage than experience.

This is for anyone who’s ever thought:

“What if I forget something important?” “What if a bear shows up?” “Can I even survive without Wi-Fi for 48 hours?”

Let’s find out.

🏕️ Friday Morning – Packing and Panic

7:00 AM. The plan was simple: pack light, leave early, drive two hours north, and set up camp before sunset.

Reality: I packed everything except a sleeping pad, and somehow brought two left boots. My backpack looked like I was leaving for six weeks, not two days. I had no idea what I was doing — just a list scribbled from a Hilles.ca blog, a secondhand stove, and optimism.

The weather app said clear skies, but I still tossed in a rain jacket and extra socks. Thank God I did.

At 9:30 AM, I hit the road with coffee in one hand and nervous excitement in my chest. There’s something strangely liberating about heading into the unknown with a car full of gear and no signal bars.

🌲 Friday Evening – Arrival and Setup

I arrived at the campsite around 4:45 PM. The golden light filtered through the pine trees. It was quiet in a way the city never is.

Setting up the tent took 40 minutes longer than it should have. I tried to use the wind direction advice I’d read — but mostly I just chased the flysheet across the clearing. Eventually, a friendly neighbor helped me finish.

I unpacked my stove — a compact Hilles.ca model I hadn’t tested — and tried to boil water for my freeze-dried chili. Ten minutes in, I realized I forgot to open the fuel valve. Classic.

By the time I had dinner and the fire crackled, the forest started to dim. That moment — sitting by the fire, warm food in hand, everything quiet — was the first time I exhaled all day.

🌌 Friday Night – Fear and Wonder

Temperature dropped fast. I could feel the cold creeping in through the tent floor. No sleeping pad = rookie mistake. I laid every piece of clothing I had underneath me to insulate. It helped. A little.

Then came the sounds.

A twig snapped. Was it a raccoon? A bear? An axe-wielding maniac? Probably a squirrel, but who knows.
The wind whistled through the trees like a whisper.

I barely slept. But around 2:00 AM, I stepped outside for a bathroom break and looked up.

Stars. Real ones. Hundreds, thousands of them. No buildings. No street lights. Just sky and silence.

That’s when it hit me: this is what people mean when they say "disconnect to reconnect."

🐿️ Saturday – Small Wins and Big Breakfasts

I woke up stiff and cold but proud. I made it through the night.

Breakfast was instant oatmeal, strong black coffee, and a squirrel attempting theft. I defended my banana like a true warrior.

I spent the morning hiking the Lac Monroe trail. Not very long, but enough to make me feel like I earned lunch. The trail led to a lake that looked like glass. No camera could do it justice. I skipped stones. Lost track of time.

Back at camp, I napped in my camp chair, read a book, and journaled in the sun. Around sunset, I attempted fire again — and succeeded solo this time. I even roasted marshmallows and made a lopsided but delicious s'more.

Victory score: Me - 1, Nature - 1

🌧️ Sunday – Rain, Mud, and Goodbye

Rain started at 6:00 AM. Not a thunderstorm, just a steady, forest-soaking drizzle. My waterproof tent from Hilles.ca held like a champ. Everything else? Not so much.

Packing up in wet clothes, shoving mud-covered gear into my car, trying to find my car keys with frozen fingers... it wasn’t fun. But it was real.

I looked back one last time before I drove off. The fog curled between trees like smoke. My tent site — now flattened earth — looked like a badge of honour.

✅ Lessons from a First-Time Camper

Bring a sleeping pad. Always.
Don’t trust your gear unless you’ve tested it.
Print a checklist. Then double-check it.
Waterproof everything. Then pack it in a dry bag too.
Ask for help. Campers are surprisingly kind.
Nature is the best therapy. Period.

🎒 Final Thoughts: You Only Regret the Trips You Don’t Take

Camping isn’t just an activity. It’s a recalibration. A chance to listen to birds instead of notifications. To eat food cooked by your own hands. To sit by a fire and realize you haven’t thought about your inbox in hours.

If you've never camped before — go. Go unprepared, go scared, go anyway.

And when you're ready to go, Hilles.ca has the gear you need, tested by real first-timers like me.

👉 Shop Beginner-Friendly Camping Gear at Hilles.ca
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