summer LTVA's

[highdesertranger]

as some of you know I get the BLM's newsletter.  this week there is an article about the summer LTVA's,  so here you go,

https://www.blm.gov/press-release/long-term-camping-opportunities-available-eastern-sierra

highdesertranger

 

[kaBLOOnie Boonster]

Great news, highdesertranger. Thanks for the hot tip!

Anybody know what altitude these spots are at?

Hopefully the Forest Service will compete with the BLM and use the same idea. Think of the bark-beetle-destroyed forests that could be cleaned up and made into a great LTVA -- there wouldn't be any shade for many years, but if the camping is over 8500 feet, who needs shade?, especially for solarized rigs.

Also, after massive forest fires, there is a great opportunity to cut down the burned spars and make a nice shade-free, sunny, camping area at high altitude.

 

[crofter]

Looks to be closed due to covid. Does anyone know if the whole area is closed there around Bishop?
-crofter

https://www.blm.gov/visit/goodale-creek

 

[highdesertranger]

well all the summer LTVA's are closed at the moment because this is winter, none are open this time of year. as far as the surrounding BLM land around Bishop I don't see how they could close it. but who wants to be there? it's butt ass cold. and yes butt ass is a technical term that means it's cold.

highdesertranger

 

[crofter]

Thinking ahead to March when it starts heating up in the south. Not thinking of going there now except to ski.
-crofter

 

[gsfish]

For those of us that are not familiar with the abbreviations

BLM: Bureau of Land Management

LTVA: Long Term Visitor Area

Guy

 

[skyl4rk]

BAC: Very Cold

 

[crofter]

...
Anybody know what altitude these spots are at?...

Bishop CA is at 4,150 feet elevation, and the summer LTVA is near there. Here is link to climate data.

https://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/bishop/california/united-states/usca0103

-crofter

 

[MrNoodly]

Interesting, but since these are campgrounds rather than dispersed camping areas, there are a limited number of sites, and you'd be in first-come-first-served competition with the regular summer crowd. But I suppose BLM had studied the use patterns and determined an LTVA program would work -- at least for their purposes.

Summer around Bishop/Big Pine/Independence can get triple-digit butt sweat hot (also a technical term). Bishop is at 4,150 feet and usually 15 to 20 degrees hotter than just 25 miles north, up the grade, to Toms Place, which is 3,000 feet higher.

 

[wayne49]

Caveat: "a long-term camping permit program for developed campgrounds"

Developed, not dispersed.

 

[wayne49]

From what I have seen while researching for 2021, campgrounds can be closed, while nearby dispersed areas are still open.

California State Parks are closed down completely for over night use, day use only.

 

[crofter]

Good to know. Is there much dispersed camping in Cali? I thought all that Alabama Hills area was BLM.
-crofter

 

[wayne49]

California BLM Covid Info

https://www.blm.gov/alert/covid-19-updates

"Choose dispersed camping where possible instead of developed campgrounds, where social distancing may be difficult."

This the current Covid related closure list from BLM Bishop Field Office

Goodale Creek Campground
Tuttle Creek Campground
Pleasant Valley Pit Campground

Note: Campgrounds only.

 

[wayne49]

A strong chance that those campgrounds won't be open for LTVA due to Covid-19.
Goodale and Tuttle are also on the LTVA list.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

I've been researching LTVAs, and if I am understanding, these camping area have water and toilets but I could be wrong of course. I won't have my own plumbing setup this Summer, but aren't there any LTVAs in AZ during the Winters? I would camp at Cammalu's in a minute if I had the plumbing. So I'm basically searching for where to stay in Winter, then an LTVA during the hottest months? California is opening up June 15th, no masks, but some places won't go along with that, for example, my Senior Apt complex "managers".

 

[user 423]

^
Check this link to La Posa LTVA:

https://www.blm.gov/visit/la-posa-long-term-visitor-area

People do it but you probably wouldn't want to stay there during the summer.

You head north in AZ to higher elevations or to northern states when it gets hot.

In your case, back to N.Cali or Oregon maybe. Spend summers on the coast.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

^
Check this link to La Posa LTVA:
In your case, back to N.Cali or Oregon maybe. Spend summers on the coast.

Thanks so much, I wouldn't camp on the coast unless it was the last place availabie.  I have had my fill of sunny days that 99% of the time come with winds around 12-20, gusts too I mean, then cold, cold nights. It's for some folks, but I miss hot, Summer nights, and Sunny days with little breeze is ok.  Not AZ hot though.  I like the 80s and 90s, but who can be sure what it's gonna be sometimes.  Yes, hill country wouldn't be bad for Summer, but more expensive I bet.  You have to pay at LTVAs right?  I don't have a good handle on how those work as you can tell :huh:   Heard of La Posa and will go look at that now

ohmygosh, La Posa has a dance place! That's the one for me Do you get the LTVA Pass Slow2day? Does that mean you don't need a reservation and first come first serve? That is probably pretty tight with all the Snowbirds hey? It's so close to Quartzsite too! I'd want to do my shopping in Yuma I guess. It's closer than Apache Junction, which I know my way around there a little.

 

[Cammalu]

The LTVAs around Quartzsite gets a lot of winter visitors but almost all head out of there by April. You can camp there as long as you camp nearer to a bathroom if you aren’t self contained.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

The LTVAs around Quartzsite gets a lot of winter visitors but almost all head out of there by April. You can camp there as long as you camp nearer to a bathroom if you aren’t self contained.

With no way of keeping cool I doubt I could do it unless you are talking Winter months.  Isn't La Paso close to you?  I didn't check the distance, but seem to be close enough so I could visit.  Maybe I better check that map again   I'm sorry I get so confused about things, but you mean LTVAs will let you stay if you are not self-contained as long as you are within, what was it, 500 feet of a toilet.  That's ok as long as I get lucky on a parking spot

I'd really like to see how doug build his own "watering" hole

 

[user 423]

Thanks so much, I wouldn't camp on the coast unless it was the last place availabie.

 Do you get the LTVA Pass Slow2day? It's so close to Quartzsite too!  I'd want to do my shopping in Yuma I guess. 

 
LOL..I guess one type of weather all the time would get old. When I've spent time on the coast I very much appreciated the cooler temps found in July.

I haven't stayed in QZ yet but I've done a lot of pre-planning. I've driven past it several times on my way to/from Slab City and marveled at the 1000's of RVs in the area. Aiming to stay there this winter though if things go right.