Car Camping
Car campers can use virtually any nonflammable material to hold up a camp stove. One common car camping stove is the Coleman double burning stove. This is a self-contained unit and only needs flat ground to work effectively. If you are using a butane stove, milk cartons lashed together--creating a flat surface--will work well. Also, a tree stump always works well to stabilize a butane stove. Keep a piece of aluminum foil under the stove to catch any embers.
Backcountry Camping
Most backcountry stoves require a more complicated setup. One common backcountry stove uses denatured alcohol. The stove is usually made of a soda can. To stabilize this setup, you'll need heavy duty aluminum foil to serve as a windscreen. Set up the foil on its side in a ring around the stove and carve four notches in the top. Make sure the two sets of notches are across from one another. Then set two tent stakes in the carved notches. The stove can then be lit and the pot can be placed on the tent stakes. It's now ready for cooking.
No Stove
If you do not have a stove and decide to cook over an open campfire, you can use a similar strategy as described above. However, instead of foil, use two equal sized rocks. Place these into the fire--usually not directly in the flames, but near the heat--and place the two tent stakes across the rocks. You many need to fiddle with the rocks to make sure they're level. Once the system is stable, place a pot across the stakes and begin cooking. Be careful as both the rocks and stakes will heat up quickly.
Article Written By DB Jenkins
DB Jenkins is a professional freelance content provider. He has been running a successful freelance business for two years, and contributes regularly to many publications. His articles have appeared in "The Portland Alliance," "Portland Monthly Magazine," "in\ur Magazine," and The Tallahassee Democrat and Chronicle. He has a bachelor's degree in English from Clark University.
