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Infrastructure Checklist — Core Camp Systems

Session: 2 Priority: High — operational foundation; all other planning depends on these systems being covered

System: Water

Required items: - 5-gallon food-safe water containers (minimum 6 for 3 people / 7 days — one container per ~person-day pair) - Personal water bottles with secure lids — 1 per person, minimum 32 oz - Water dispenser spigot for containers if not built-in

Optional items: - Water filter (useful as backup, not primary — source water at events is often unreliable quality) - Electrolyte packets (strongly recommended for summer heat — Liquid IV, Nuun, or equivalent)

Responsibilities: - Water container procurement: Matt (logistics lead) - Water check routine (daily): rotated but Matt sets system - Electrolyte packs: each person brings their own

Failure risks: - Underestimating volume: "I thought we had enough" by Day 3. Buy more than you think you need. - Running out on Day 4 with no way to resupply. Verify before departure: is on-site water available at Lakes of Fire 2026? - Not drinking enough during peak heat hours (noon–4pm). Everyone needs reminders.

Setup / teardown notes: - Stage water containers first, accessible and labeled before unloading anything else - On strike, drain any open containers before loading into vehicle (weight)

System: Shade

Required items: - 10x10 canopy or EZ-up with at least 2 solid sides (wind and sun blocking) - Heavy-duty stakes — standard tent stakes will not hold in wind - Ratchet straps or rope for additional guying in wind - Ground tarp or rug under the canopy area (optional but significantly improves feel)

Optional items: - Additional tarp for shade extension - Shade cloth panels for extra filtration - Reflective tarp cover over canopy to reduce heat absorption

Responsibilities: - Shade structure purchase and transport: Matt (owns infrastructure) - Shade setup on arrival: Matt leads, both others assist — this is Day 1 first task

Failure risks: - Under-anchored canopy collapses in a storm or high wind. This happens repeatedly at outdoor events. - Canopy that provides sun blocking but not wind/rain blocking — insufficient in Michigan summer storms - Shade erected too late — group exposed to peak sun during setup

Setup / teardown notes: - Setup: shade structure goes up before tents. Non-negotiable sequence. - Teardown: remove all stakes, account for all components including stake bags and guy lines before packing

System: Sleep

Required items: - Tent per sleeping unit — adequate for size and weather (3-season minimum) - Sleeping bag or sleep system rated for expected overnight lows (Michigan June nights can drop to 50°F) - Sleeping pad (insulation + cushion) - Earplugs — required, not optional (bring 3–5 pairs per person in case of loss) - Eye mask — required for daytime sleep or bright mornings

Optional items: - Cot (significant comfort upgrade for week-long events) - Fan (battery-powered, with sufficient battery supply) - Ear defenders for very high noise environments (upgrades from earplugs)

Responsibilities: - Each person owns their own sleep system - Tent procurement and transport: each person or designated per tent

Failure risks: - Sleeping in a tent oriented toward the sun without shade — heat by 8am makes sleep impossible - Noise from nearby sound camps: earplugs are mandatory, not optional - Overnight rain without properly staked tents — tent flooding or collapse

Setup / teardown notes: - Tent position: consider sun angle (east-facing door gets full morning sun — often brutal), proximity to sound sources, and drainage (don't pitch in a low spot) - Strike: dry tent before packing if possible; wet tent packed into a bag grows mold

System: Kitchen / Food

Required items: - Camp stove (propane or butane) — 2-burner preferred for group cooking - Propane or fuel supply (more than you estimate — cold mornings and multiple days consume fast) - Cookware: pot, pan, spatula, cutting board, knife - Plates, bowls, cups — non-disposable preferred (reduces trash) - Utensils per person (fork, spoon, knife) - Dish soap, sponge, a dedicated dishwashing basin - Food storage: cooler with ice for perishables, dry storage containers for non-perishables - Can opener and multi-tool accessible in kitchen area

Optional items: - Coffee maker (camp press, pour-over, or percolator) — this is a morale item with outsized daily value - Camp grill for cooking over fire (check Lakes of Fire fire rules first)

Responsibilities: - Cook kit procurement: Matt or developer (to be assigned) - Cooler and food planning: group task — one person owns the perishables list, one owns the dry goods list - Daily cook: rotated, or assigned per day at event start

Failure risks: - Running out of propane by Day 3 — bring two full canisters minimum - Forgotten can opener or cutting equipment — put on physical checklist - Cooler ice management: ice melts, needs replacement plan. Verify if ice is available for purchase on-site at Lakes of Fire 2026 before assuming.

Setup / teardown notes: - Kitchen area established before cooking begins — designate space away from sleep tents and downwind of shade area - Teardown: all food out of camp. Nothing left in an untended cooler. All perishables consumed, donated to neighboring camps, or packed out.

System: Waste / Gray Water / MOOP

Required items: - 2+ trash bags per day (overestimate) - Dedicated MOOP bag (different color from trash — kept at camp edge, accessible) - Gray water management: a designated trough, bucket, or sealed tank — not optional - Cigarette butt container if anyone smokes - Hand sanitizer at kitchen and bathroom-return areas

Optional items: - Gray water evaporation trough (shallow tray in sun — low cost, high effectiveness) - A sealed gray water carry-out tank (required at some events — verify Lakes of Fire policy)

Responsibilities: - Gray water system: developer designs before arrival - MOOP sweeps: Matt as daily coordinator - Trash bag restocking: shared

Failure risks: - Gray water bucket overflows — check and manage every 12 hours - Trash bags run out — always have extras - MOOP discovered during event's post-event sweep — affects camp standing

Setup / teardown notes: - Gray water trough set up on arrival alongside kitchen area - On departure: all gray water carried out or fully evaporated (verify site rules) - Full camp MOOP sweep before final vehicle loading — at least two passes

System: Power / Lighting

Required items: - Headlamp per person — navigation essential after dark - Battery bank (personal, for phone/device charging) - Camp lighting for shade area (string lights, lanterns) — functional and social - Batteries as appropriate

Resolved (Session 9): Solar panel + battery station is the correct choice. - Theme camp application window closed March 30 — group cannot register; no amplified sound permit available - No DJ rig or 100W+ sound system needed - Solar + battery handles fans, lighting, device charging, and portable speaker — all that the group needs - Generator is no longer under consideration

Optional items: - Folding solar panels (higher wattage = faster recharge) - Second battery station for redundancy on a 5-day event

Responsibilities: - Solar panel + battery station procurement: Matt (logistics lead) - Personal headlamp and battery bank: each person owns their own

Failure risks: - Battery depleted before recharge on cloudy Michigan days — confirm station capacity against daily needs - Dead headlamp battery on a critical night - Power cables as tripping hazard, especially on uneven terrain at new site

Setup / teardown notes: - Solar panel positioned in full sun, not under canopy shade - Power cables: staked or covered at walkways — tripping hazard; at the new uneven Luther site this matters more - Teardown: all power equipment secured for transport

Decision memo

  • Keep: All six systems above as required planning areas
  • Standardize: "Verify before assuming" for ice and water resupply at Lakes of Fire 2026
  • Assign: Matt owns shade, kitchen kit, camp power (solar + battery); Developer owns gray water; Each person owns own sleep system
  • Reject: Single-use plates and utensils as default — reduces trash volume and effort
  • Resolved (Session 9): Power system = solar + battery station; generator removed from consideration
  • Test: Gray water evaporation trough (cheap, likely sufficient for a 3-person camp)
  • Add (Session 9): Rubber mallet to shade/stakes system — new site terrain requires it