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Thread: Camping suggestions on the west coast or western states?

  1. #41
    Drew Wiley
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    SF Bay area, CA
    Posts
    18,337

    Re: Camping suggestions on the west coast or western states?

    When was that, Les? Casual camping near the bristlecone forest has always been banned, along with potential serious fines, due to the risk of tree theft or vandalism (don't be cynical; I know of a famous non-LF photographer who sawed off a limb of the Methuselah Tree and kept it on his fireplace mantle). The opening of the official Grandview campsite lower down was delayed just like all other FS campgrounds (it's still closed!), while those past the groves require 4WD and are always iffy early season. There are many many casual camping opportunities further into Nevada itself. But given tonight's news release that the central Calif coast is suddenly getting an alarming virus spike, there may well be a resumption of very strict rules again. The rules still in place started getting ignored as people from inland started flooding to places like Santa Cruz along with holiday beach party types. And now the effect is showing. It's considerably better around here further north. I just drove past Stinson Beach this afternoon following a camera hike up Mt Tam, and people were very well spaced, and masks were routine on everyone I personally encountered on the hill itself, including a number of German tourists. But I doubt there is any RV camping available in the whole of Marin County at this time, and that fact might apply to much of the coast further south too. Another vacation option going wild at the moment are boat sales around our river delta, which has plenty of room for more boats in general, but not for the inevitable accident rate increase from inexperienced boaters.
    Last edited by Drew Wiley; 22-Jul-2020 at 20:37.

  2. #42
    Les
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Ex-Seattlelite living in PNW
    Posts
    1,235

    Re: Camping suggestions on the west coast or western states?

    Quote Originally Posted by Drew Wiley View Post
    When was that, Les? Casual camping near the bristlecone forest has always been banned, along with potential serious fines, due to the risk of tree theft or vandalism (don't be cynical; I know of a famous non-LF photographer who sawed off a limb of the Methuselah Tree and kept it on his fireplace mantle). The opening of the official campsite lower down was delayed just like all other FS campgrounds, while those past the grove require 4WD and are always iffy early season. There are many many casual camping opportunities further into Nevada itself. But given tonight's news release that the central Calif coast is suddenly getting an alarming virus spike, there may well be a resumption of very strict rules again. The rules still in place started getting ignored as people from inland started flooding to places like Santa Cruz along with holiday beach party types. And now the effect is showing. It's considerably better around here further north. I just drove past Stinson Beach this afternoon following a camera hike up Mt Tam, and people were very well spaced, and masks were routine on everyone I personally encountered on the hill itself, including a number of German tourists. But I doubt there is any RV camping available in the whole of Marin County at this time, and that fact might apply to much of the coast further south too. Another vacation option going wild at the moment are boat sales around our river delta, which has plenty of room for more boats in general, but not for the inevitable accident rate increase from inexperienced boaters.
    Drew, I only know camping. If you had a chance to read what I wrote (the camp outside of Brist.....).
    There was nothing implied about "casual camping"? The campground is few miles away from the B. Forest and it was not open, tho the gate was....but I'm repeating myself.

    Had to look up dates via receipts:

    6/6/20 Cody, WY (KOA)
    6/7/20 Yellowstone, 6/8 Jackson-Tetons, 6/8-9 Moran, WY > it snowed & was cold....left the area 6/10
    6/11/20 Ely, NV
    6/12-13 Bishop, CA
    6/15 to 6/19 Camping Jalama Beach for a week (near Lompoc, CA)....reservations were made 6 months prior.

    Les

  3. #43

    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Posts
    68

    Re: Camping suggestions on the west coast or western states?

    I found Allstays' Camp & Tent to be a useful app when looking for campsites.
    I actually found a one space campsite in OR, I would never have found it otherwise.

  4. #44
    Drew Wiley
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    SF Bay area, CA
    Posts
    18,337

    Re: Camping suggestions on the west coast or western states?

    Sorry for the confusion, Les. I've just never considered anything like an RV Park or KOA etc to constitute "camping". I'm not trying to be outdoor snobby; I've just never done anything resembling that, and it's not part of my vocabulary, though I've obviously passed that kind of facility many times on highways.

  5. #45

    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Somewhere between SoCal & Norway
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    362

    Re: Camping suggestions on the west coast or western states?

    Thanks to everyone who provided suggestions and input to my trip.

    My son and I had an amazing time, and John was right, there was more than enough to see along the 395. It was not hard at all to find places to camp far away from others (most of the open campgrounds were full, we ended up finding places off the main areas that allowed camping and had no or almost no other people around).

    Some of the highlights were Alabama Hills, Mt. Whitney, Hot Creek, Bishop, Convict Lake, Devil's Postpile/Mammoth, Cottonwood Lakes, Mono Lake, White Mountains and Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.

    I took a few sheets each day, hope to get them developed in the coming week.

    One big takeaway for me is that I need a wide angle lens. 150mm is the widest I have on 4x5 and it simply couldn't capture what I was seeing. Will keep an eye out for a 90mm, maybe even a 75mm at some point later.

  6. #46
    Drew Wiley
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    SF Bay area, CA
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    18,337

    Re: Camping suggestions on the west coast or western states?

    Glad it worked out for you. It's remarkable how differently we see things. I can think of only two times in my entire life I have used a wide angle lens on 4x5 in the Sierra. For me, "short" means a 180. But I've had friends along that don't even own a long lens. I don't know how much you explored Hot Creek, but to aboriginal Indians it was Fort Knox. There is an abundance of sizable very high quality obsidian cobbles along the streambed which were gathered there well back into the last several millennia of the Ice Age, and then traded far and wide. It is also home to monster rainbow trout since they can feed in the warm water all year long (catch and release fly fishing only). Swimming in the big pool is a bit tricky. It's popular with Mammoth skiers in winter. You have to find just the right spot, or you either get chilled by the ice melt or scalded with water boiling up from the bottom of the creek.

  7. #47

    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    San Joaquin Valley, California
    Posts
    9,599

    Re: Camping suggestions on the west coast or western states?

    Glad to hear you had a good time with your son! That'll be a special memory to treasure.
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  8. #48

    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    California
    Posts
    3,908

    Re: Camping suggestions on the west coast or western states?

    If you belong to AAA, get a Camping Guide for Western States

  9. #49

    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Newbury, Vermont
    Posts
    2,260

    Re: Camping suggestions on the west coast or western states?

    Gosh, Chif...all the good places Maybe you should try camping!

  10. #50

    Join Date
    Mar 2021
    Posts
    5

    Re: Camping suggestions on the west coast or western states?

    I won't say exactly how it is in the west, but I would advise you to try the northern direction in this regard. We have been to https://midwestcamping.org/index.php...hern-illinois/ recently and were very pleased. I am not a fan of nature, fishing, I want to always stay in my comfort zone near traders and cryptocurrency charts. But it's something that helps me get away from the hustle and bustle a bit and understand the meaning of life. It's just beautiful, just interesting to look at uninhabited places, to be reminded of subtle matters...
    Last edited by DanteALG; 18-Apr-2022 at 04:46.

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