Campfires suck.

[Fronkey]

Of course, there can be side effects to having a campfire-

That's exactly what happens every time I go on a group hang.

Fronkey

[Refreshing]

...Without one you use up your batteries, and your constantly blinding one another with headlamps. Like was said before. It facilitates a more social atmosphere...

I find the argument that a campfire causes unnecessary pollution AND that fires are as natural as trees equally specious. C'mon! You probably drove a friggin car to the trailhead!

just for the record I edited my other post before you posted this ! Just because you drove your car to the trail doesnt mean that not using a fire is pointless. I wouldnt own a car if the trailheads were all within 50 miles (the longest distance i could tolerate on a bike with gear in one day) of my house. Sorry, I am argumentative by nature. I didnt intend for the thread to be about pollution.

Turn the headlamps off! Your eyes adjust. I am not arguing against campfires, I think you guys should just try it once! No distractions! Just you and the wild!

[spidennis]

I can hardly believe what I read from the OP ... what? really? Eco? oh and then there's just no category for the sometime campfire.

Like most, when in a group there's always a fire, and always with my niece. When out solo in the summer I rarely have one, but find that in sept in upstate ny on my solo canoe/portage trips I'll sneak one in here and there. The sun starts to set so early and it's not rack time yet so what to do, oh yeah, have a fire!

A person that doesn't like fire? that's too evolved for me!

[sargevining]

I voted: Campfire? What ever my hiking partner wants.

If I'm by myself, I'll almost never have a campfire. It's just too much trouble to be worth it.

It seems like it's almost mandatory while camping in a group. Without one you use up your batteries, and your constantly blinding one another with headlamps. Like was said before. It facilitates a more social atmosphere.

I find the argument that a campfire causes unnecessary pollution AND that fires are as natural as trees equally specious. C'mon! You probably drove a friggin car to the trailhead! But also c'mon! It's not hard to come up with examples of how too much of something can be disastrous, but I'll keep it to camping/backpacking. There is nothing unnatural about hiker poop, but it sill bothers the heck out of me when I come across it, and it can poison a stream or water source.

All things in moderation.

All kidding aside, the decision to have or not have a campfire should be made with protection of the environment and safety of the campers as the highest considerations, not personal preference, tradition, or even camraderie.

We've had some rather brutal reminders of that here in Texas, especially last year. Ninety five percent of the 80' tall pines at Bastrop State Park disappeared this summer:

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/...y-1856700.html

[GIHanger]

I love having a camp fire-- I wont camp anywhere that prohibits them. You have a right not to have a fire as long as you don't go as far as to try and impede on my right to have one.

[Acer]

The best effect of having a fire, is the taste it gives your food if your cooking over it, what a taste it gives hamburgers, hot dogs, ham and beans, as my wife says, my favorite beef or deer stew simmered slowly over hickory, oak, apple or wild cherry. Steaks slow cooked..now this post is making me want to build a fire outside and do some cooking..lol.

[SanAntoneTY]

I love having a camp fire-- I wont camp anywhere that prohibits them. You have a right not to have a fire as long as you don't go as far as to try and impede on my right to have one.

you couldnt be more correct

[Jsaults]

man's first use of fire for protection.

By having a campfire one keeps the Sabre-toothed Tigers at bay. I can state unequivically that no fellow campfire participant has ever been taken by a Sabre-toothed Tiger while I tended the fire.

Jim

And don't forget the delightful experience of what the Aborigines call "dreaming the fire". If I have to explain, you will never understand.

[JoeyB]

not too crazy about measly little campfires either.
that's why when i'm outdoors, i build incinerating infernos that can be seen from space.

just ask anyone here who's hiked/camped with me.

[Texas-grrl]

I love having a campfire while outdoors. Yes, the smoke can make clothes and gear smell like smoke, but it's worth it!