If you go through Bozeman there are some great restaurants and places to hang but I’d recommend Livingston right before it. Great low key town with possible celebrity sightings.
For those with a Jetboil what are some out if the box things to cook with it. I mainly use it for coffee, ramen and those freeze dried meals right now. What else you got?
Check out Granite Hot Springs Campground (Bridger-Teton National Forest - Granite Creek Campground) near Jackson Hole . It’s a primitive campground right on a river, with an incredible view of the Tetons and hotsprings 5 minutes away.
2 Likes
I may drive through Death Valley on my way just to see what 125+ feels like. But it might cool down to 120 by Friday.
Went up to Chilao yesterday but smoke from the Ranch Fire (I assume) was really thick. Stayed on the 2 and went through Buckhorn, which was also too smoky but looked like a great spot, will definitely try it in the future. Took the 2 all the way to Wrightwood and settled at Table Mountain Campground. It’s at 7000 feet next to Mountain High. Huge, like 100 sites. It’s nice and woodsy but very close to Wrightwood and markets etc. I prefer to be more remote but it’s worked out well. Fewer flies than Chilao but more (many more) mosquitos. But, they’re the old-school mosquitos with bites that only itch for a few minutes, as opposed to the bullshit newfangled mosquitos in LA that itch for a goddamn week.
Got my new big tent, cot, and mattress pad. I basically have a twin bed in my tent, it’s hilarious.
5 Likes
Your post reminded me of our old, absolutely massive tent. This thing even had a hanging closet in it. I think it was 10’x13’. It was huge. We downsized to a 10’x10’ last year, and now we’re upsizing to a travel trailer at the end of the month.
This is at La Wis Wis Campground in Western Washington.
3 Likes
I’m sure there is a way to search this thread but was there discussion on sleeping bags? I’m not looking for anything super warm, something made for temps in the 40s or low 50s. Any specific materials I should avoid? I was thinking this one in a long
https://www.rei.com/product/157581/rei-co-op-helio-sack-50-sleeping-bag
Get one rated for at least 30 degrees. If it’s warm, sleep with the bag on top instead of inside. My bag is rated for 15 degrees and I’ve used it even when it was in the 60’s at night with no problem.
If you decide to shop for a down bag, the REIs get great reviews and go on sale sometimes. I’m waiting for a sale for one.
I have this one:
https://www.rei.com/product/111165/rei-co-op-igneo-25-sleeping-bag-mens
Super super light, comfortable and warm. My personal opinion on sleeping bags is that you either go all the way and buy an expensive ultralight one or go super cheap and just go to Academy or whatever and get a 30 degree rated one for 25 bucks. If you are planning on doing any backpacking then you will need an ultralight bag. If you are always car camping it matters way less.
1 Like
Synthetic will eventually lose compression and not insulate as well too fyi. My 20 degree Marmot from the early 2000s wouldn’t come close to that temperature right now.
Yep. Got my down sleeping bag on sale for $400 at REI about 10 years ago. Probably my best investment ever. I’m 6’4" so it’s hard for me to find a decent sleeping bag that’s roomy.
Thanks everyone, I currently only do drive in camping during the summer and early fall (so temps at night range from 40s to 70’s) but I’ll go for one that is rated warmer
Car camping or backpacking? If just car camping save your money and get a cheaper (almost surely heavier and bulkier) bag that is “good enough”. Backpacking, I try to save every ounce and also space, which generally means down for me. And usually a quilt instead of a bag.
Where? Backpacking in wet climates requires advanced skills if you go with down because if it gets wet you’re fucked. I almost always use down even when headed out into days of rain, but I am absolutely nuts about details and making sure it never has a chance to get wet.
My wife had a camping trip planned for this weekend so of course the place we were going is surrounded by brush fires now.
Bring hotdogs and marshmallows for roasting.
This.
1 Like
Through the first two legs of my camping trip and it has been awesome so far. Not having cell service has done wonders for my mental health. I might write up a full trip report later but will just dump a few highlights so far here.
Black Hills- This place is infested by Trump maggots driving in but the scenery is nice
Bighorn- Unreal place. It felt way more isolated and out there than Black Hills which is a good thing. We spent the last two nights camping along the North Tongue River. Nothing better to sleep to than that sound. Yesterday I hiked to Porcupine Falls which is a 200 foot tall waterfall up in the mountains.
On to glacier today.
10 Likes
Well, it’s official. We’re picking up this beast, named Campy by my 8 year old, on Saturday.
Wife and I are both WFH indefinitely so we may do some traveling and working from sites that have cellular service.
https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/travel-trailers/flagstaff-micro-lite/25BRDS/3248
5 Likes