Packing & Info
What to bring · Group gear covered · What you'll regret forgetting
🎒 Group Gear (Already Covered)
You don't need to bring these — they'll be on-site for everyone.
Jon is bringing
✓ Large inflatable tent (12-person)
✓ 72qt cooler
✓ Blackstone grill
Ryan is bringing
✓ Blackstone grill
⚠️ Everyone Needs to Bring Their Own
🪑
Camp Chair
🎣
Fishing Gear
🔦
Lights / Headlamp
🍺
Lots of Beer
🎣 Arizona Fishing License — Buy Before You Come
You must have a valid Arizona fishing license to fish Woods Canyon Lake. Buy it online before you leave — printing on-site costs an extra $5.
Buy AZ Fishing License →1-day license ~$15 · Annual ~$37 for AZ residents
⛺ Shelter & Sleep
- ☐ 20°F Sleeping Bag — Non-negotiable at 7,500 ft
- ☐ Sleeping Pad or Cot — Ground is cold
- ☐ Pillow — Compressible travel pillow packs small
- ☐ Wool Blanket — For campfire lounging
👕 Clothing & Layers
- ☐ Warm base layer (wool/fleece) — Nights drop to 35–45°F
- ☐ Mid-layer fleece or hoodie
- ☐ Rain jacket or shell — Afternoon showers likely
- ☐ Beanie + gloves — Morning fishing is cold
- ☐ Camp clothes (2–3 days) — You're camping, not impressing anyone
- ☐ Hiking boots or waterproof shoes
- ☐ Camp shoes / sandals — For around the fire
- ☐ Sunglasses — High elevation UV is no joke
🍳 Food & Cooking
- ☐ Personal food + snacks — Group cooking is ad hoc — bring what you want to eat
- ☐ Drinks (cooler-ready) — 72qt cooler on-site
- ☐ Breakfast supplies — Two Blackstone grills on-site
- ☐ Coffee / French press
- ☐ Reusable plate, bowl, utensils
- ☐ Water bottle (32+ oz)
🎣 Fishing Gear
- ☐ Fishing rod + reel — Themed gear per 2026 contest rules (TBD)
- ☐ Fishing license (AZ) — REQUIRED — buy at azgfd.com before you leave
- ☐ Tackle box / lures / bait
- ☐ Net — Optional but clutch for Moriarty
- ☐ Pliers + line cutters
- ☐ Scale + measuring tape — For official contest documentation
- ☐ Cooler / stringer for catch — Catch-and-release or take home — your call
🔦 Lighting & Power
- ☐ Headlamp + spare batteries — Essential for 3am bathroom runs
- ☐ Personal battery pack + charging cable
🧴 Personal & Hygiene
- ☐ Sunscreen SPF 50+ — Reapply — high altitude burns fast
- ☐ Bug spray (DEET) — Mosquitos appear near dusk
- ☐ Toiletries + toothbrush
- ☐ Toilet paper + hand sanitizer — Vault toilets — bring your own TP
- ☐ Small towel
- ☐ Prescription medications
🛠️ Odds & Ends
- ☐ Camp chair
- ☐ Day pack / backpack
- ☐ Trash bags — Pack it in, pack it out
- ☐ Firestarter / lighter
- ☐ Multi-tool or pocket knife
- ☐ First aid kit basics
- ☐ Cash / card for AZ fishing license
- ☐ Photo ID
"It's butt-cold out here and I'm fresh out of beer."
— Grandpa Gustafson · your future self if you under-pack
🌲 Leave No Trace
Pack it in, pack it out. We've had great sites for 5 years because we leave them clean. Let's keep it that way.