Boondocking "Protocols"

[highdesertranger]

if you get one like Mockturtle's you can go almost anywhere. but for the most part class c's must stay on pretty smooth roads. the aluminum sided ones with wood framing can't handle off highway driving, unless you are trying to send it to an early death. not to mention the low hanging dump valves. I have seen many blue/brown puddles in the more popular areas of the desert. highdesertranger

 

[mockturtle]

I've been thinking lately that I'd like to have a little more room, and I've been looking at the Class C's. Does anyone here think that a Class C could get to remote places? That's really where I'd love to stay most of the time.

My rig is technically a Class C and it goes anywhere but it has high clearance and 4WD.  But my Born Free 24' Class C went almost anywhere.  I've seen people boondocking with big Class A's and Fifth Wheels.

 

[jimindenver]

I've been thinking lately that I'd like to have a little more room, and I've been looking at the Class C's. Does anyone here think that a Class C could get to remote places? That's really where I'd love to stay most of the time.

Depends on the Class C and just how gutsy you are. We still have the option of reversing the axels on the trailer to gain some clearance but I try to limit the roughness of the trails to Cat 3 4x4 as the Expy doesn't have great clearance themselves. Up here you will see people dragging 5th wheels, trailer and even class A's down some pretty rough trails and even dry stream beds. After a while you know your rigs limitations and just how far to push it.

BREAK DOWN OR GET STUCK AND YOU WILL BE LUCKY TO SEE ANYONE AT ALL.

That's why we carry a variety of tools to keep us from getting stuck and to get us out in the worse case. The truck and trailer combined weigh roughly 13,000 pounds, it's best to keep it from GETTING stuck.

 

[akrvbob]

Here is a camp I went to that nothing wider than a van could get into, not without a chainsaw and widening the road' You might say, "How often does that happen?" and my answer is it happens fairly often for me. 

In the remote reaches of the National Forests, width and height are your biggest enemies.

 

[highdesertranger]

nice Bob. bet you have some nice pin stripping. highdesertranger

 

[Almost There]

That's not what the guy who did the bodywork on my Safari van called them.... :angel:

Hint: I'm not allowed to write out his description....

 

[jimindenver]

The area I camp in saw it's first frost last night. Guess it's time to get the propane filled up.

I try to keep the battle scars to a minimum by not forcing my way through or cutting my way into a site. I prefer to leave no trace that I was there in the site or on my rig. I let the rock crawling weed out the wannabe's lol

 

[cyndi]

 

[jimindenver]

Tuba? you must not be in polka country. lol

 

[TMG51]

nice Bob.  bet you have some nice pin stripping.  highdesertranger

That's not what the guy who did the bodywork on my Safari van called them.... :angel:

Hint: I'm not allowed to write out his description....

This is one reason (among a few) that I want to paint my van in textured bed liner. It'll never show any scratches from branches in the woods!

Also, because it is textured, that means it can be touched up without showing the difference, thus allowing me to apply it as a "maintenance coating" vs having to do a 100% perfect job with conventional paint.

But from what I can tell it's very difficult to get the stuff in white. I've only seen specialty two-part quarts of the stuff in white. I was hoping to get a gallon of roll-on like the Rustoleum bed liner.

 

[mockturtle]

I endeavor to Leave No Trace.

 

[highdesertranger]

I just paint my stuff with military paint. it's tough, fairly cheap, easy to paint, easy to touch up. where I go there is no getting around desert pin stripping. it's something you must live with or stay on the more developed roads. btw the military paint is flat, I blend right in, from 1/4 of a mile you can't see my truck. my friend on the other hand has a white Tiger like Mockturtle's you can see that from ten miles away but can't see my truck parked right next to it. highdesertranger

 

[mockturtle]

Stealth has never been my goal when camping even though I 'boondock' most of the time.  In fact, in the woods during hunting season, it's good to be visible. 

 

[jimindenver]

You saw my rig, it sticks out like a sore thumb if we are not back in on a spur. I'm not so worried about them seeing us as seeing them even in the distance is what I avoid. Now if I could find ear plugs that would just block out the dust rats and target shooters, it would be paradise.

 

[highdesertranger]

when it's deer hunting season I stay away from the woods. highdesertranger

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

great thread, good info here.

 

[Minerrick]

Just got back from my "maiden voyage" with my 5th wheel up to Hope Valley/Carson Pass area of the central Sierras. As an FYI, there is a really nice camping area right off the side of the road, starting about 4 miles up Blue Lakes road on the right hand side. Where the first sign that denotes a "T" on the right side is a road that has some great campsites for anyone with any vehicle smaller than a 24.5 foot 5th wheel. I probably "could" have made it up that road, but it would have been a little dicey. Further up the main Blue Lakes road, at the next "T" sign is about 15 or so really nice campsites on the side of a slow moving creek.

The purpose of this post wasn't only to suggest a good spot, but also to note I discovered some "protocols' noted at this camping area. As it was just off a paved road, it appears that everyone seemed "ok" with closer camping. It was not uncommon to see two vehicles who weren't traveling together, be parked within 40 feet of each other in an open area. One thing I noted was several people "pre-parked" their 5th wheels a little aways from the creek, so they would have something to come to on the weekend, I guess- so I assume if you see a trailer parked not right next to the creek in one of these camping areas, you can just "slide right on in". The camping spacing was quite a bit farther than a normal campground, but it still had a "community" feeling to it. I felt obligated to make sure my dogs didn't bark to upset any neighboring campers.

If you ever find yourself near carson pass, I highly recommend this place. There is one campsite that is more remote than the others and has a spectacular view of the sierra crest, but a woman who we camped next to said that site is REALLY hard to get as it is very popular. This road with the campsites parallels the main blue lakes road for probably a mile or so with several entrances. There are several very clean USFS pit toilets right at the entrance of Blue Lakes road, and I am told that you can get water at the USFS campground that is just a mile up the road from the turn off on to Blue Lakes road. There is zero cell service for probably 10 miles in any direction, so don't even try.

 

[jimindenver]

So lets talk those hard to get spots. When you are closer to a more populated area like we are, you have to plan to get the primo spots. Most of it is timing so that you can slip in as they leave.

Sunday afternoon is a good time as many go home now, some wait for Monday to avoid the traffic. Your competition are the extended stay and folks that camp when the crowds don't . When one of them have the spot, they will likely be gone Thursday. That's the last day to go if you want a decent spot as the masses will start coming in droves Friday. Coming up on Saturday means take what's there and see what opens up Sunday.

To me drop off to hold a site are slime. Not only is it against the rules, it keeps a empty site from being used. What a waste.

 

[Minerrick]

Looking for a spot on a Friday, Saturday is probably next to impossible. We actually decided to go for a hike in the area the week before so we could scout out where we could possibly camp. We decided to actually go camping on Tuesday to get a "good spot". This area-apparently- is pretty popular with the locals out of Gardnerville, so it was pretty busy even on a Tuesday. But we still got a reasonably remote spot- our closest neighbor was about 100 yards away. The apparent "secret" to this area, this time of year is to find a spot that has early morning sun, as it is cold as hell in the mornings until the sun comes up. The sites on the more difficult road at the first turn off would tend to have more morning sun, as well as the "prime spot" noted earlier in my discussion.

 

[jimindenver]

Not much better than a hot cup of joe to keep your hands warm on a cold morning. We always park broadside to the morning sun.