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Post by hikerdennis on Feb 9, 2017 15:08:39 GMT -8
Hello to everyone, New forum member here. I have been doing day hikes and hike in camping for years in California and am beginning to get tired of the more conventional/overcrowded hiking trails. I have been giving thought to seeking out unofficial trails for overnight camping and was wondering if had any advice or tips? If someone knows of a current thread that might help me that would be great.
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almostthere
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putting on my hiking shoes....
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Post by almostthere on Feb 9, 2017 20:55:34 GMT -8
"Unofficial" trails? what does that mean?
Trails are made, after all, and frequently the wider, clearer ones are that way because they are very popular. Less popular trails can get narrow, fainter, sometimes to the point that you can lose it for a minute. They are still "official" trails until they disappear.
If you mean less used trails, there are plenty of maps - have a look at any park or national forest map. Do a little research on the ones you've never heard of before. You can likely find a forum like this one that has trip reports -- not so many unhiked trails in California.
Or you could take a navigation class, learn to really read a map and use a compass, and then go wherever - some places, the trail is the safe option, in others it's fairly straightforward to go off trail and wander.
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Post by hikerdennis on Feb 9, 2017 22:07:55 GMT -8
Sorry I should have been more specific with what I was saying. By unofficial I was referring to trails that weren't necessarily in any park. I am looking for tips or the dos and don'ts for hike in camping in places that might not sanctioned for overnight camping. How many people on the forum do this type of activity and if there is anyone would they have any recommendations Of where to begin my search for these types of trails in the northern California area.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Feb 9, 2017 22:18:56 GMT -8
I try to avoid camping in places where camping is prohibited. But there are huge swaths of wilderness where camping wherever you please (within limits--100' from water, etc.) is fine. If you are talking about car-camping possibilities, even there you can find a lot of places where it's legal to camp outside of campgrounds, as well as a lot where it is not. I have my favorite spots where we pull off and perch for the night, pretty much LNT-style (no fires, for example) and it's fine. Check the regulations for the land you are looking at, though most BLM and many National Forest areas allow dispersed camping.
For backpacking, I do usually pick the trail less traveled, or no trail at all. I'm no fan of camping with the hoardes.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on Feb 9, 2017 23:03:04 GMT -8
Overnight camping where that activity is illegal? "Do's and don'ts"?
Easy: don't.
For dispersed, legal, overnighting in national forests just grab one of their great maps and look for empty places. The relevant national forest webpages will also contain a lot of information. Huge state with effectively unlimited choices.
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toejam
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Post by toejam on Feb 10, 2017 5:43:24 GMT -8
I hike in the Los Padres NF, so many hikes are deserted, overgrown and indistinct trails. You'll have a lot of that in northern CA national forests, e.g., Mendocino NF, Shasta-Trinity NF. So look for less-popular forest trails. If you thru-hike the Bigfoot Trail, you'll probably find what you are looking for. If it's anything like the Condor Trail where I live, it likely involves a lot of bushwhacking, route finding, and some trespassing.
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almostthere
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putting on my hiking shoes....
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Post by almostthere on Feb 10, 2017 15:57:17 GMT -8
Word to the wise: going outside designated wilderness areas and national forests with established trails, one would do well to learn all about the kinds of booby traps that drug dealers/makers use, to protect their "establishments."
In other words, it isn't just the law you should worry about when you break the law. It's the more lethal law-breakers and their meth labs, 'grows,' and hideouts. And the private property owners, their dogs, and their rifles.
There is literally no reason you can't find what you're looking for in designated wilderness areas. Plenty of us do.
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Post by hikerdennis on Feb 10, 2017 18:05:35 GMT -8
Thank you everyone for your feedback. I had not even thought about having to deal with illegal grows and meth labs, but in this day and age it is a sad possibility. I think I will stick to the legal areas and check out some of forests that everyone has recommended.
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whistlepunk
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Post by whistlepunk on Feb 10, 2017 20:00:08 GMT -8
Where are you in California? We can give suggestions if we know which areas you are interested in.
In general, National Forest and BLM public lands are open to dispersed camping except in certain popular areas where camping is restricted to designated campgrounds. Outside of those few small areas you may camp where you wish, with the usual LNT restrictions of distance from water, etc. During the summer there may be open campfire restrictions, but camping itself is open. Some restrictions on driving off road. Check each NF website for the MVUM restrictions (Motor Vehicle Use Management). Hiking can be done nearly anywhere. You are not restricted to Wilderness Areas. Just park your vehicle and start walking out a ridge line or up a side canyon. Does not have to be an existing trail. Hiking off trail is harder and slower than on trail, you have navigate through thick vegetation, over down logs, around rock faces and cliffs, etc. But that is how you find solitude. Make sure your map & compass skills are adequate for the task.
In general, dope grows are at lower elevations. The higher it is, the shorter the growing season and the more frost nights. Growers know this and mostly stay in lower elevations. Although dope grows have been found near timberline, that is quite uncommon. Meth labs are near roads. So if you are hiking off trail away from roads the chances of stumbling across a meth lab are near zero.
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Post by hikerdennis on Feb 11, 2017 21:07:24 GMT -8
That would be great whistlepunk. I am in the Yuba city area/ 45 mins North of Sacramento.
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null
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Post by null on Feb 12, 2017 6:01:21 GMT -8
I am in the Yuba city area You should read Cvltvre Made Stvpid
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toejam
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Post by toejam on Feb 12, 2017 6:21:42 GMT -8
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Post by hikerdennis on Feb 13, 2017 12:10:08 GMT -8
Good call toejam. I went ahead and checked this place out online. It looks like it could have a lot places to check out.
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whistlepunk
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I was an award winning honor student once. I have no idea what happened...
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Post by whistlepunk on Feb 13, 2017 13:40:35 GMT -8
That would be great whistlepunk. I am in the Yuba city area/ 45 mins North of Sacramento. Or go paddling out your front door... I hope you were not caught up in the evacs. Lassen Park is good for off trail hiking. The east side is mostly gently rolling terrain without a lot of understory vegetation. In places the soil is loose volcanic sand, which makes walking a bit harder. Also some magnetic compass irregularities in the SE corner near Bonte Peak.
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Post by hikerdennis on Feb 13, 2017 21:37:40 GMT -8
Or go paddling out your front door... I hope you were not caught up in the evacs. I was lucky enough to get the evacuation experience last night. bumper to bumper traffic with quite a few people thinking they were more important than anyone else almost causing accidents. But, I was able to come back this morning around 4am. so it could have been much worse.
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