Ultra Mega Outdoors/Camping Thread

[red321]

When they talk about thunderstorms in the Sequoias you have to make sure you understand what they mean. If it's the afternoon thunderstorms...that shit happens all the time. If one rolls in, you just head indoors for an hour or so until it passes.

 

A few years ago we were backpacking in the Yosemite backcountry in Ten Lakes Basin. Harriest storm I've been in...Thunder storm rolls in and that shit is loud...and it's not one of those few miles away...it's Thunder and Lightening at the same time...you can smell the ozone and your arm hairs are standing straight up...and it starts to friggen hail. Now caves or rock formations to hide in...we end up squating in a small grove of trees, 30 or so yards from a larger grove of trees, with a bottle of tequila for close to an hour.

 

That's when it gets scary...if you are car camping, it's no big deal. Worse comes to worse you get in the car and drive to another part of the park for a few hours.

[nate]

We have thunderstorms like that out here four or five times a year.  The hail means it is a severe thunderstorm.  Awesome but I wouldn't get near a tree.  Trees get stuck by lightning all the time, will travel right down the tree and then right through whatever is standing there.

Edited July 28, 2015 by nate

[red321]

True Nate...but it was either that or exposed granite in puddles of water. So we stayed away from lone trees and the tallest trees...that's what our outdoor emergency playing cards told us to do..

[deepdrive]

For those interested in the PCT, this is a pretty easy to watch 38 min vid of a guy doing the hike.

 

 

or if that's too much to stay focused on, here's a guy doing it in 3 min.

 

[nate]

Speaking of awesome hikes, one that I wished I got to do before I left was the bridge to nowhere in Azusa.  Supposed to be a fairly tough hike but really cool.  Basically it was a bridge built in the early 30s but abandoned after the road to it got washed away.

 

http://alltrails.com/trail/us/california/east-fork-trail-bridge-to-nowhere

[red321]

Crater Lake and then down to the Redwoods is always a fun camping trip for me. 

 

Just made my first two visits to the Redwoods this year...holy shit...what an experience.

 

We did the Miner Trail to Irving Trail loop. 11.5 miles. Probably one of the most glorious hikes I have ever done. Finally working through some of the photos. if you like Redwoods check out the book Wild Trees. Fascinating story about trying to find the tallest tree in the world and the amazing place those tree canopies are.

[red321]

Speaking of awesome hikes, one that I wished I got to do before I left was the bridge to nowhere in Azusa.  Supposed to be a fairly tough hike but really cool.  Basically it was a bridge built in the early 30s but abandoned after the road to it got washed away.

 

http://alltrails.com/trail/us/california/east-fork-trail-bridge-to-nowhere

 

I've done that a few times. It's a fun hike...but it's very exposed so it can get hot as hell. Lots of water crossings, which makes it fairly unique. Busy trail as well.

 

You can also bungie jump off the bridge. I think you make reservations beforehand.

[red321]

The Plague invades Yosemite!

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/girl-catches-plague-yosemite-n405896

 

 

People seriously need to be told not to play with dead rodents?

 

Oh look Johnny...wildlife...take a close look at the dead squirrel...really get in there and poke around.

[Glen]

Just got back from Yosemite and they had plague notices posted the day we left. Good times.

[Glen]

The Plague invades Yosemite!

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/girl-catches-plague-yosemite-n405896

 

 

People seriously need to be told not to play with dead rodents?

 

Oh look Johnny...wildlife...take a close look at the dead squirrel...really get in there and poke around.

 

 

When I was a kid, I probably would have poked at a dead squirrel with a stick.

[Blarg]

Speaking of awesome hikes, one that I wished I got to do before I left was the bridge to nowhere in Azusa. Supposed to be a fairly tough hike but really cool. Basically it was a bridge built in the early 30s but abandoned after the road to it got washed away.

http://alltrails.com/trail/us/california/east-fork-trail-bridge-to-nowhere

They used to do bungee jumps from that bridge. Don't know if you can still arrange one.

[Blarg]

Missed Reds response.

[Homebrewer]

On ‎8‎/‎9‎/‎2015 at 9:00 AM, Glen said:

 

 

When I was a kid, I probably would have poked at a dead squirrel with a stick.

Walking down my road the other morning..I found a squirrel tail. It was all bushy and grey with a couple bones sticking out the end. Thought.. 'ouch' that had to hurt, and almost bent down to pick it up..

Decided not to...but I was almost down to it when I came to my senses.

[Homebrewer]

38 minutes ago, Valery said:

Here is a good resource about camping cots: http://campingandcamping.com/reviews/camping-cots-reviews/

Welcome Valery. I forgot about this thread.

I have this one, have had it for a few years, and it has held up and served me well.

Coleman Pack-Away Cot With Side Table Review

May 20, 2016June 9, 2016 George Leave a comment

It is hard to ignore this Coleman cot, not when it has been given super high reviews on Amazon and last time I checked, there were all of 412 customer reviews and more than three-quarter of them positive. This cot is a favorite for people looking to buy a camping cot that they can use […]

 

 

[nate]

I picked up some cots from REI, haven't used them yet but we plan on going camping in a couple weeks.

[Sully151]

I got this for Christmas. It is expensive, but I sleep better now in a tent than I do at home.

https://www.rei.com/product/812005/exped-megamat-10-sleeping-pad

[Homebrewer]

11 minutes ago, Sully151 said:

I got this for Christmas. It is expensive, but I sleep better now in a tent than I do at home.

https://www.rei.com/product/812005/exped-megamat-10-sleeping-pad

When and if my therma-rest ever dies..I'd sure look at this one.

[ten ocho recon scout]

All the talk about camping and thunderstorms...takes me back to my military days. As a socal kid, i can say i never really experienced the rain until i was sent off outside socal. "Camping" (meaning being in the field) with a poncho during tornado season in the south...dont miss it.

Supposed to go camping in the next month kr so, havent done it in years. A few guys at work picked a spot up north near mammoth for a few days of fishing and killing cases of beer. Im normally a travel and see the world type...beyond excited to do this.

(Ill be bringing food because i probably cant fish worth a shit)

[arch stanton]

Even if you are a great fisherman, bring food. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

I remember when i first got home after spending about 6 months in the south for a school. All of it in the forrest, hills and swamps. Friends were calling to say welcome home, lets get together. A few said "lets go camping". That was easily on the last on my list of things i wanted to do.

First time i went camping with adults i brought all my gear...felt like a dumbass when they showed up with stoves, cots beds etc, and i had a fart sack (sleeping bag), a k bar to turn up the ground under me, and a bunch of dip, cans of tuna and tapatio. Lesson learned.

[Angel Dog and Beer]

I bought a (used) travel trailer about a year ago. After years of tent camping with two dogs and more recently with two kids, having a trailer certainly feels like luxury. However, I do miss the simplicity of tent camping, and just getting up and going to a campsite on a moment's notice.  That plus driving 55 everywhere is kind of a drag. 

I have only towed small utility trailers before this, so it was definitely a huge learning curve as far as backing in and driving around tight city streets or country roads. I have yet to hit anything (fingers crossed).

[red321]

We picked up an 18 foot trailer a few years ago. It actually makes it easier for us to pick up and go, everything is in the trailer (hell, we have nicer stuff in the trailer than our home). I do agree...driving 55-60 is a total drag, and people are fucking dicks. Seriously folks...speeding up to try and sneak by on the right so you can...well, I guess save 5 seconds...is a dick move. Also, getting on the freeway at 40 mph...is a dick move. In general...just stop being a dick when you drive.

The downside is sometimes it is tough to get trailer spots, you have to plan ahead for some of the popular sites....but we've found some ways around that.

We still have our camping gear for when we head up in to the high country, but in general the trailer lifestyle is awesome. No more trying to find your shoes at 2am in the morning and pissing on your neighbors tent...and for me the best part...the break down. No more dragging around dusty tents and crawling on the ground trying to roll them up.

[Amazing Larry]

16 hours ago, Sully151 said:

I got this for Christmas. It is expensive, but I sleep better now in a tent than I do at home.

https://www.rei.com/product/812005/exped-megamat-10-sleeping-pad

lol at this dude.

 

[Angel Dog and Beer]

6 minutes ago, red321 said:

The downside is sometimes it is tough to get trailer spots, you have to plan ahead for some of the popular sites....but we've found some ways around that.

Yeah getting the good spots is tough, and I despise staying in a RV park which is essentially a glorified parking lot with trees. Although having full hookups is nice, I'd prefer to have some semblance of nature around me, either trees or meadows or mountains. If you have any recommendations of western Sierra campsites with hookups (understand if you don't want to give up and of your favorite spots), I'd be thrilled to hear 'em.

[red321]

We were towing our trailer, about 3800lbs loaded up, with an xterra...was just fine until we took it to the Eastern Sierras up to Parcher's Resort in South Lake. At one point I was in first gear and wasn't sure we were going to make it...all I could smell was the transmission. We traded in the xterra and picked up an F-150, doesn't even realize a trailer is attached....found myself going 75 up the grapevine without even realizing it.