pitch to help get your fire going in wet weather

[beezlebob]

  For as long as I can remember when I'm out camping, I always split some pitchy pieces off stumps in the western forests. These are left over from logging sixty years ago. These old stumps are solid, and when you split some off, a knife will let you cut some fine pieces so when your fire starter gets going you add the pitchy pieces and it will burn easily and hot. In wet weather this works great for me. I break dead branches off tree trunks and they're usually quite dry and catch quickly letting me warm up or start cooking in a hurry.
  Last week the wife and I were checking a new to us area and found a nice campground with just one camp in it. We stopped and visited with some youngsters, in their early 20's. It had rained the day before and the wood on the ground was wet, they wanted to build a fire and cook their breakfast, but couldn't get a fire going.There were several pitchy stumps beside their tent, and a forty foot log which was straight pitch. I had them bring their two hatchets over and I split some pitch off a stump, then used a single match to start the pitch burning, blew their minds, right there in their camp. I then showed them the log, and split some pieces off of it and had them smell it so they'd know what it was. We left and when we came back by a while later a roaring fire was going, and they waved to us as we went by. They couldn't believe what they needed was right beside their tent. So I carry my flint and steel with my fire starter materials, but also have my pitch along to help.

[pilgrim]

               

[hotfxr]

A successful warm fire on a cold and wet day, nothing is finer. And the fact you passed on some of your knowledge to someone else makes it that much better. Well done!   

[William]

By anyone's standards, that was a great day.

[DandJofAZ]

Kick a rotten pine log apart and pick up the knots. Same stuff and burns like kerosene.  Just don't cook on them...they're for starting fires or a night fire to sit around and visit..great light...
Doug

[Patocazador]

Here in the South longleaf (yellow) pine grows (and dies) and is called "lighter" or "lightered". In Georgia I think they call it "fatwood". It's all over the woods and burns easily. When starting a fire in my fireplace, I can use a Bic lighter and hold the flame next to a small piece of 'lighter' and there's no need for paper, etc.

[Hanshi]

Patocazador, being born and raised in Ga. and living there 62 years I know of which you speak.  I learned long, long ago that "lightered" pine was just like kerosene.

[Red Badger]

Having been born and raised in the Woods of Wisconsin, a Pine fire is a welcome smell and reminder of a great childhood... and I will eat almost anything cooked on a pine fire - the flavor is enhanced almost as mch as some say a mesquite fire enhances the food cooked on it      

[flintboomer]

I use a similar idea that I just call the feather branches, it is the tiny dry branches that can usually be found attached to the lower branches of firs and other evergreens. They are mostly bark and very flammable. They only burn for a few seconds but they will get something a little bigger started.