2016 Camping thread

[skyking]

We have a few reservations at state parks, along with our beach lot when the weather is good.
Going tomorrow to Belfair.
Who has plans to go camping? New equipment?

 

[Ns1]

I'm looking to get back into the game this year. Just bought a yakima rack/box for the Prius.

Probably going for a few practice runs and then...

Big Bear
Big Sur
Grand Canyon
Death Valley (hopefully)

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Already spent time this year in:

Zion - Angels Landing + Scouts Lookout
Bryce - Navajo Loop + Queens Garden + Sunset/Sunrise points. Mossy Cave
GSENM - Backcountry trail to Kaiparowits Plateau, Slot canyon, Lower Calf Creek Falls
KodaChrome - Angels Palace, Shakespeare Arch + Sentinel
Grand Canyon Mather point
Saguaro National Park
Painted Rocks - Gila River


Picked up a set of +20 degree 850 fill down bags for backpacking. 2 1/4 lb packed weight.
Need a new pair of trail-runners as my Vasque Pendulum's are about done. Thinking Altra Lone Peaks.
Gold Bond chafe stick + Band Aid blister stick worked pretty well.

Looking forward to:
Skyline to Sea in 1-day
Lassen NP - Cinder cones, Devils Kitchen
Lava Beds NM
Kings Canyon NP

Would love to tackle the JMT next year.

 

[Ns1]

Would love to tackle the JMT next year.

there's a pretty interesting documentary on NF about the JMT, if you haven't seen it yet..

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2233406/

 

[BoomerD]

We've had some...equipment problems this year, so our Yellowstone/Grand Canyon trip has been cancelled. Probably going to do some trips to the coast, maybe over to Spokane and a couple of local lakes is all.
We're pretty bummed about cancelling the big trip, but the budget got depleted by repair costs.

 

[DrDoug]

We've had some...equipment problems this year, so our Yellowstone/Grand Canyon trip has been cancelled. Probably going to do some trips to the coast, maybe over to Spokane and a couple of local lakes is all.
We're pretty bummed about cancelling the big trip, but the budget got depleted by repair costs.

You have my sympathy. :biggrin:

We live on the south Oregon coast but still love to camp all along it. We're planning a camping trip to Cape Perpetua in mid July and then heading inland to Wallowa Lake State Park in late August.

 

[Kaido]

Thinking about picking up a Roccbox:

https://www.roccbox.com/

Portable pizza oven that has a rocket stove for power (gas or wood). Would be awesome to have pizza while camping!

Also have given some thought to an RV. We've been bouncing around year to year renting (not tied down to a house just yet, no yard to tend etc.) and being able to pick up & go sounds pretty nice. Ran into a guy who had a Sportsmobile (4x4 off-road diesel van), super appealing since it's not a huge RV & doesn't really stand out (other than looking like an older-style lifted van), but even used prices are sky-high:

http://www.sportsmobile.com/sportsmobile-4x4/

 

[purbeast0]

when i was in the keys a couple months ago at bahia honda state park i saw they have camp grounds there. i've never camped there but damn that would be awesome to camp there right on the beach.

i also saw people camping at dry tortugas when i visited there a couple years ago. that too would be so awesome to camp on that little island.

 

[Ns1]

Kaido, I've been looking into similar setups. Conversion vans, RV's, trailer's, etc. Here's a good forum related to that 4x4 van you linked to: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/forums/58-4wd-(and-2WD)-Camper-Vans

Until then, I want to get me on one of these bad boys for a 3 week tour of the flyover states (aka the BBQ states)

http://roadtrekrentals.com/

 

[MomentsofSanity]

I'll be heading up to Algonquin Park here in Ontario next month. For the first time I won't be doing interior tripping with a canoe and what I can carry. Bought a trailer to bring the kids which I'll be breaking in that trip.

Already restless to go. I only got out once last year and I need the escape badly.

 

[jaha2000]

Looking at getting back into a popup after a couple of years in a hybrid trailer.
Already sold my hybrid and am trying to find another popup. We liked the feeling of the popup inside as opposed to the big metal box, but to each their own i suppose.
We have Straits State Park in MI on the docket and possible trip to Isle Royle.

 

[Kaido]

Kaido, I've been looking into similar setups. Conversion vans, RV's, trailer's, etc. Here's a good forum related to that 4x4 van you linked to: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/forums/58-4wd-(and-2WD)-Camper-Vans

Until then, I want to get me on one of these bad boys for a 3 week tour of the flyover states (aka the BBQ states)

http://roadtrekrentals.com/

Yeah, it's a really interesting niche. I like the Sportsmobile vans a lot because they're fairly normal-looking. The Roadtreks are super-nice, although they're more on-road oriented. Have you seen EarthRoamers? Those things are nuts!

http://earthroamer.com/

RUV's are starting to show up, but they're still way too big for my tastes:

https://thormotorcoach.com/vegas/

My buddy bought a GIANT motorhome, it's like the size of a greyhound bus, and takes his family of six all over the country in it. Really old, but he's good with mechanical stuff, so he keeps it running pretty well. Pretty fun to just pick up & go whenever you want to get away for awhile...no hotel reservations needed!

 

[NuclearNed]

when i was in the keys a couple months ago at bahia honda state park i saw they have camp grounds there. i've never camped there but damn that would be awesome to camp there right on the beach.

i also saw people camping at dry tortugas when i visited there a couple years ago. that too would be so awesome to camp on that little island.

I camped at Bahia Honda a few years ago because I had these exact thoughts.

Avoid it at all costs - it's a trap. The heat, the mosquitos, the noisy neighbors, and the stench of the rotting seaweed made it by far the worst camping experience ever.

 

[NuclearNed]

I've already spent a weekend on the AT a few weeks ago. I have another AT trip coming up 1st weekend in June.

Last week in July I'll be in the Tetons to climb the Grand. Then the next week my wife will join us, and the team is going to hike the Teton Crest Trail.

 

[KMFJD]

Doing a road trip in late June to Early July to the east coast of Canada up to Newfoundland , crossing over into Labrador and driving back south to Ontario, stops will be :

Bay of Fundy, Cape Breton Highlands, Gros Morne, Terra Nova, Labrador, Manic-Cinq/Louis Babel , northern Quebec, Saguenay

I expect to be eaten alive by black flies while in Labrador/Northern Quebec

 

[skyking]

You have my sympathy. :biggrin:

We live on the south Oregon coast but still love to camp all along it. We're planning a camping trip to Cape Perpetua in mid July and then heading inland to Wallowa Lake State Park in late August.

Wallowa is great. My mom grew up on the other side of the blues in Halfway. She took as back several times and I flew her down there for her last trip.
We camp the Oregon coast almost every year.
Most of our outings are to the Chinook Pass campgrounds east of the summit.

 

[Tormac]

My in-laws from Sweden are visiting this summer. We're planning on going to the Smokies for a while after sight seeing in NYC and Washington.

It should be a good time.

I have two new Marmot tents and a "Plasma 15 sleeping bag that I can't wait to try. The tents are a four-person "Tungsten" for car camping, and back packing with the family, and then a two person "Force" for backing by myself.

 

[deadlyapp]

I put in a couple days up in Ojai area a few weeks ago. Was supposed to go out this weekend in LA Nat'l forest but I think that fell through. We usually plan out a 4-5 day backpacking trip in the Sierras every year but I haven't heard the plan yet this year.

Having gotten a dog this year, my backpacking plans might have to be modified.

 

[dainthomas]

Took my daughter to Yosemite last year and she loved it. Thinking about heading the other direction this summer and taking her up to Yellowstone or Glacier.

 

[soulcougher73]

Should be doing weekend backpacking trip in May on the Ozark Trail somewhere. Just got gear finally for wife and I.

 

[dullard]

Already spent time this year in:

Zion - Angels Landing + Scouts Lookout
Bryce - Navajo Loop + Queens Garden + Sunset/Sunrise points. Mossy Cave
GSENM - Backcountry trail to Kaiparowits Plateau, Slot canyon, Lower Calf Creek Falls
KodaChrome - Angels Palace, Shakespeare Arch + Sentinel
Grand Canyon Mather point
Saguaro National Park
Painted Rocks - Gila River

I'll be in Utah in May, mostly the Zion to Escalante region. I'll be doing every non-technical slot canyon that I can get to (and some technical ones with a guide). Your itinerary made me jealous and anxious for my trip.

Do you have any tidbits of what was really great to do in that area?

 

[Guurn]

So far this year I have plans for a 4 day in the bwca and a guys weekend in that same area in the fall. My wife wants to do a car camping trip somewhere, I haven't really given it much thought yet. I'm hoping to work in a seven day Quetico trip in June. I'm not sure about that though, is tough to find others to take along.

 

[skyking]

Got back from the first weekend with the new trailer.
We were out at Belfair at the end of Hood Canal.

My wife, with one of the two quilts she finished by the fire. She saves the binding handwork for camping trips.

The barrel in the fire pit is a steel washing machine tub with three pipe legs welded on it. They are great for cooking over.

 

[ImpulsE69]

So far our larger plans are Cave In Rock (Hog Rock) and Arizona (Grand Canyon).

We actually have some lake property that we park our camper on most of the year. With gas like it was didn't really move it around much.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

We have a few reservations at state parks, along with our beach lot when the weather is good.
Going tomorrow to Belfair.
Who has plans to go camping? New equipment?

We call it "camp" in Maine, but its not camping in the traditional sense. We have a 36' travel trailer parked on a seasonal site on long lake in Maine. It has a full deck built around it with an outdoor kitchen and covered dining area. Pretty nice setup and a lot cheaper than true lake front. We spend most weekends there in the summer.

As for new equipment, I'm looking forward to playing with my new to me 22' boat.