This page outlines my beginner gear suggestions and tips for backcountry camping in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It was written by a professional amateur, so take it with a grain of salt or find a more trustworthy guide. 

CONTENTS

• Finding a Backcountry Camping Location

• Basic Guidelines

• Bare-minimum Gear Checklist

• Safety and Luxuries

• Mindset

Finding a Backcountry Camping Location

Backcountry camping is permitted in some national and provincial parks and may be free-roaming or limited to designated campsites. It can also be done on unincorporated land, provincial forests and along navigable rivers, barring any local restrictions. While many parks offer remote campsites, these suggested locations require at least a hike or paddle to access:

• Duck Mountain Provincial Park, Manitoba (canoe-in sites)

• Gem Lakes, Narrow Hills Provincial Park (designated sites)

• Grasslands National Park (free-roaming and designated sites)

• Meadow Lake Provincial Park (designated sites on Boreal Trail)

• Pasquia Hills

• Porcupine Hills

• Prince Albert National Park (free-roaming and designated sites)

• Almost anywhere in the Northern Provincial Forest

Please be respectful of these areas. Some parks will allow backcountry camping if you ask (nicely) for permission, and access to unincorporated land is a privilege that could easily become prohibited if too many problems arise.

Interactive Maps

For additional advice, feel free to start a conversation by email.

• Outdoor Adventure Map (Angling, Points of Interest, Campgrounds and Recreation Sites)

  • This map pretty much has it all, from angling waters and campsites to hikes and scenic viewpoints.

    
    

• Atlas of Canada - Toporama - Interactive topographic map available to public via Natural Resources Canada.

  • Too cheap to buy a real topo map? Print one directly from the Toporama map and try not to get it wet!

For Saskatchewan Only:

• Agricultural Crown Land Map Viewer - This is more difficult to use, but may be helpful in finding public land (typically pasture) and whether it is currently leased (requiring permission for entry)

  • Note: Saskatchewan’s north and provincial forests are managed by the Ministry of Environment, all else by the Ministry of Agriculture.

    
    

• Angler's Map of Saskatchewan - This map is more focused on angling opportunities and is typically how we begin to plan trips

  
  

• HABISASK and Ecoregions Map - HABISASK is an interactive map app with information about hunting, angling and biodiversity information. It’s trickier to use, but there’s no better source of information for anyone wanting to get into the details of the diverse ecosystems in Saskatchewan. The Ecoregions Map provides a broader overview of the type of terrain, vegetation and wildlife you can expect to encounter.

BASIC GUIDELINES

PRACTICE LEAVE-NO-TRACE: Minimizing your impact on the environment is the only way to camp ethically and sustain its recreational value. In Saskatchewan and Manitoba, nobody expects people to bag their own feces, but these basic guidelines are fair game:

• Pack out what you pack in - Avoid bringing glassware, soup cans or anything you don't plan on hauling back out with you

• Harvest only deadfall for firewood - Try to pull from different areas so you don’t leave one barren

• Leave no structures and clean your site thoroughly before leaving - Don’t assume you’re the first or the last person to visit your campsite

• Don’t teach wild animals that humans are a source of food

FIRE SAFETY: It is everyone’s responsibility to know the open fire regulations in the area. Check for municipal and provincial fire bans.

• Beware the exploding campfire ring - avoid taking rocks flood plains, rivers or lake beds, even if they appear dry

• Avoid building fires in mossy areas, peat fires can burn underground for prolonged periods of time (days, months and sometimes years)

• Keep fires at a reasonable size - Wind and storms can pick up in seconds, blowing sparks which may ignite nearby tinder (e.g. birch bark, dry grass, etc.)

• Never leave a fire unattended

• Use plenty of water to extinguish a fire - Dirt, sand or just letting it run out is not enough to extinguish coals safely

BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING!

• Never count on good weather. It will snow, storm and rain frogs, guaranteed

• Bug weather is a thing. Bring proper clothes and repellents or live a life of regret

• It is worthwhile to buy a waterproof map if you're going off-grid. Bring a good compass or GPS and know how to use it

• Discuss the plan of action should someone injure themselves while out of phone service

• Pack dry clothes in sealed waterproof bags and don't sleep in clothes you wore all day (You sweat, you die!)

• Hang your food and wash dishes at least 200 ft. away from your campsite to avoid bear encounters or attracting mice/squirrels

• Research the area, and never rely on phone/data service

• Tell people where you are going, where you might be going, and when you expect to be back

• Bring cash - rural debit machines can be slow, pay in cash to prevent the cashier from picking up on your gnarly smells

BARE-MINIMUM GEAR Checklist

Camping gear is not cheap, so it’s smart to make use of what you already have, or ask friends and family what you can borrow. Otherwise, expect to drop stacks of cash because you don't want to be caught out in a rainstorm with hypothermia, a broken tent and a cell phone filled with candy.

Here is a checklist of basic gear I personally would not do without (again). Choose wisely!

• Lightweight sleeping bag with thermal liner (comfortable in a wide range of temperatures)

• Lightweight shelter (tents under 4 lbs or tent hammocks suggested)

• Water bottle, filter/pump and purification tablets (we don’t recommend using tablets, unless you like the taste of pool water)

• Backpack 45+ litres for 2-3 night trips (I struggle to fit everything I want in 65 litres)

• Medium-duty tarp with metal grommets, cordage, rope and/or bungees (wind/rain shelter)

• Hiking boots (high tops recommended), water shoes and/or old beater shoes that’ll never look or feel the same again

• Merino wool or polyester clothing (wicks moisture away from skin and dries quicker than cotton, which is the devil)

• Rainwear (Gore-Tex is pretty great, but I’ve done OK with garbage bag ponchos)

• Dry sack (waterproof bag for hanging food)

• Extra lighters, waterproof matches and fire starters

• Compass with waterproof topographic map

• Flashlight or headlamp

• A sharp and durable knife or folding saw (should be able to cut branches and rope)

• Small gas stove and fuel tank (in case of torrential downpour or dreaded fire ban)

• Cookware (bare minimum being a vessel to boil water for dehydrated backpacker's meals)

• Toilet paper (some people don’t consider this essential gear, but they are savages)

Safety and Luxuries

• Deer skin / work gloves make bushwhacking, firewood foraging, cooking around a hot fire and other rough tasks more comfortable

• Bear bangers, mace and bells can help you feel safer even if you never use them

• Folding saw or hatchet - Don't waste your money on wire saws, they are the mark of a true newb

• Antibacterial hand/baby wipes, aka forest shower

• Lightweight inflatable sleeping pad/mat - you lose body heat via conduction, so you want to have a reflective surface or something that keeps you off the ground

• Compression bags for clothes - keeps clothes dry while also conserving space in your backpack

• First-aid kit - add painkillers, After Bite, bug repellent, sunscreen, Moleskin for blisters

• Folding chair or camp stool (back problems are unfortunately common among seasoned campers)

• Vehicle stocked with spare tire, extra fuel, jumper cables, battery charger, traction aids, etc. If your vehicle is in ill repair but you still need to get out, CAA are the modern day cowboys of roadside assistance.

• Your vice of choice — anxiety is an unavoidable fact of life and it’s nice to have a drink to calm the nerves. For those with healthier habits, I suppose you might bring a yoga mat or smoked tofu.

• A backup plan and an open mind - know the options available in your area should plans change (campsites, recreation sites, cabins, etc.)

Mindset

The best parts about backcountry camping are the freedom and seclusion. There is a heightened feeling of awareness that is very addicting. These things that make it great, however, can turn on you unexpectedly. You will need to make choices, some of which could have serious consequences, and there may be no one to help when you screw up. Leave the machismo at the door, don’t rely on dumb luck, and learn from our mistakes (we’ve made many but this story is arguably the first.)

That said, even the most uncomfortable experiences make for great memories, and when things go well, it’s the cherry on top.

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