When I go photographing, it can be along the road system, or out in the Bush. If I fly out into the Bush, I take expedition grade camping equipment, because my life depends on that equipment working. It has to withstand the onslaught of Skeeters, no-see-ums, White Socks, hurricane strength winds, rain, snow, sleet, hail, 90 degree temps and -55 degree temps, bears, wolves, ground squirrels, etc. I take a medical kit with me that is much more involved than with Hiking. I take an orange panel marker and signal mirror so the airplane can find me a week or so later. This is pure wilderness with nothing to compare in the lower 48 States. No roads, no electric wires, no phones, no cell phone coverage and spotty coverage on satelite phones. When you are dropped off, you depend on yourself for survival.
When I go out photographing along the road system, then I can carry lighter weight equipment. If I go out for overnight, then I just sleep in the Van. I carry no stove as I survive on Moose Jerky, powerbars, vitamins, etc. If I go out for 3 days or more, then I carry a tent and a stove to use for my base camp. Here in Alaska, you need a tent with good skeeter netting or you will be miserable. If I am car camping, then weight doesn't matter. If I go out from my base camp for over night, then weight does matter a lot. I just bought a Eureka Zeus 1 LE tent with aluminum poles and the whole tent weights less than 3 lbs. Nice compliment to my North Face Superlight Down Sleeping Bag (+25 years old) that weighs less than 3 lbs. I use a Thermarest mattress for my tired 54 year old bones. I also travel by canoe up here to go photographing. For my camping needs, I look at quality first. I have to, sometimes my life depends on it. On a 10 day canoe trip, if something fails, I can't return it to the store for repair or exchange. If I fly out to the Bush, same thing, the equipment just has to work. If you are car camping in a campground, then camping here is no different than anywhere else, but leave the campgrounds and the road system and you are just as much at risk as any expedition in the world. For me it is worth it. You haven't lived until you wake up to what sounds like kids playing with a clicker toy out in the middle of nowhere and you look out your tent and find yourself in the middle of 10,000 Caribou that is migrating, or you hear a wolf howl close to your tent, or flyfishing on a remote river, catch a salmon and have to cut it your $60.00 fly line because a bear has just claimed YOUR fish, or wake up in the middle of the night feeling static electricy and you look out your tent and you see the Northern Lights in all their glory.
