The wind hit us the moment we stepped out of the woods. Below us the Hocheifel stretched in every direction, gentle hills in rust and gold, the kind of autumn panorama you do not forget. It was late October 2023, and I had driven out to western Germany to meet Bernd (@rheinlandoutdoor) and Flo (@naturabenteuer) for a night outside. None of us knew this spot beforehand, but sometimes the best camps are the ones you stumble onto.
Setting Up Camp#
We found our spot on a hilltop with a view that briefly silenced all of us. Just wind, fading daylight and an endless horizon. That is when you know the place is right.
I pitched my DD Tarp 3x3 m in an A-frame, nothing fancy, but with the wind picking up I wanted something stable. Underneath went the Bundeswehr elephant skin and the Exped Synmat UL on top. The combination is not the lightest, but on cold ground it makes a real difference. Bernd and Flo set up their shelters nearby, and soon a proper little camp was standing.
Before the light was gone completely, we collected standing deadwood and processed it with the Terävä Skrama 240. That thing eats through dry hardwood like nothing else. A few rounds of batoning and we had enough fuel sorted for evening and morning. There is something meditative about prepping firewood when there is no rush, three people working in relaxed silence while the sky turns orange.
Dinner with a View#
The fire caught quickly. For dinner I dropped steaks into the large Vildmarks pan, which is just right when you cook for several people. The iron gets properly hot over an open flame, and the crust on the steaks was exactly right.
We ate sitting on logs, looking out over the valley as the last light went. Simple food, good company, an absurd view. Hard to top.
Temperatures dropped fast once the sun was gone. I was glad I had packed the Helikon-Tex grid fleece, which I reach for almost automatically on autumn trips now. Not bulky, but it holds the warmth well, especially under a wind layer. The night turned properly cold and gusty, the tarp flapped now and then, but I still slept well in the Carinthia TSS.
Morning Warmth#
Crawling out of the sleeping bag into a cold, windy October morning is nobody’s favorite moment. But coffee fixes most things. I got the titanium French press going, titanium keeps the pack weight down and the coffee beats instant by a mile. While it steeped, I cooked a spicy bean pan for breakfast: canned beans, onions, plenty of chili, all reduced in the Vildmarks until thick and bubbling. Flo and Bernd came over with their mugs, and within minutes we were warm from the inside out, talking about the next trip before this one was even over.
That is the thing about overnighters like this. You do not need a week in the wilderness. One night, good people, a solid fire and a view are enough to reset. The Hocheifel surprised me. I will be back.
Gear Used
Bundeswehr
Elefantenhaut - German Army Ground Sheet
Exped
Exped Synmat UL
Carinthia
Carinthia TSS Inner Sleeping Bag
DD Hammocks
DD Tarp 3x3m Camo
Opinel
Opinel N08 Carbon Knife
Stabilotherm
Hunter Pan XL
Hydrapak
Hydrapak Seeker 3L Water Bag
Nordic Wolf
Pot/French Press 750 ml – Titanium 3-in-1 Outdoor-Kaffeegenuss
Light my Fire
Titanium Spork
Terävä
Skrama 240
Helikon-Tex
Helikon-Tex Bergen Backpack
Helikon-Tex
Alpha Fleece Jacket
UF Pro
P-40 All-Terrain Pants
Lowa
Renegade GTX Mid