Selecting a Campsite

It is not possible arbitrarily to lay down a controlling set of specifications for an ideal campsite. Much depends on terrain, climate, and type of shelter to be used. The importance of each factor will vary with conditions; for instance, if danger of avalanche exists, it may be that every other consideration will have to be sacrificed in order to find a spot free from this all-important danger. There are, however, certain factors which a ski mountaineer should weigh in determining the selection of a place to camp:

Freedom from objective danger: The chapter onmountaineering routes should be consulted for detail. Arocky bench on a ridge or the middle of a windswept, flat-bottomed valley may have to be selected if the party isabove timberline.