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Old 05-24-2006, 01:05 PM   #21
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Quote:
Char:

For years before we ever had a travel trailer, my wife Nancy and I were serious backcountry campers. We met while working as rangers at the Grand Canyon and went on backpacking trips into the most remote areas we could find. We later got into river rafting and went on float trips on all the big western rivers. We soon found we could take a lot more of the comforts on our raft than on our backs. Things like lawn chairs, ice chests with cold beverages, bigger tent, and better food. We once floated the Colorado River for 18 days with most of the comforts of home. Of course we had to tie everything down in the raft to prevent catastrophic loss in the rapids. When we bought our old Scamp in 2003, our first thought was to find places to camp that were remote as possible. Luckily we were living in Anchorage at the time. One of our first trips was up the Dalton Highway (formerly known as the Haul Road). It is 414 miles of mostly gravel road built for hauling supplies to the oil fields at Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean. We wanted to be above the Arctic Circle for summer solstice on June 21st. In Alaska, Solstice Day is often celebrated as an unofficial holiday. On the 21st we were camped along the Sagavanirktok River at Happy Valley. As far as we knew we were the only humans within many miles except for an occasional trucker hauling up the Dalton. The road had gotten so washboarded that most of the tourist traffic had turned back south of the Brooks Range. We had driven through miles of wet road that completely coated our white Scamp with a layer of brown mud. I used a buckets of river water and a sponge mop on it. About 9:00 pm there was a knock on our door! I thought maybe we were camped illegally or something. It turned out to be a biologist from the University of Alaska at Fairbanks. He was living for the summer in a tiny cabin and doing a study on the tundra environment. There was also a young lady from Montreal who was a student intern on the project. They wanted to know if we wanted to have a Solstice party at their place. So we pooled all of our beverages and started a bonfire. The fire not only warmed us but kept the bugs at bay. There are no actual trees on the north slope of Alaska, but we found enough old scrap lumber and willow sticks to keep it going. We talked about northern things all night around that fire. The sun circled the horizon but never actually set, so was it really night? It was what we came to see and this was the best way to see it. The next day, we completed our trip to Prudhoe Bay. Along the way we saw a herd of muskox, a fine blonde grizzly and many herds of migrating caribou. By the time we got the Scamp home to Anchorage it had a broken frame, a dead battery, the door didn't fit right, it was as dirty inside as out. But it was all fixable and we had a great trip.
What a great story, Dave! Ever thought about writing up, adding a few pictures and putting it on a blog somewhere. I imagine it was a wonderful experience!
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Old 05-24-2006, 04:45 PM   #22
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Great report!

I'd love to take my Casita to Alaska. And I love to boondock. But I don't think I'd want to drive it where I would shatter the frame.

How long were you guys rangers? Did you retire from the service?
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Old 05-24-2006, 07:23 PM   #23
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Gigi - I have never done any blogging, but there is always a first time for everything. Thanks for the encouragement.

Bob - I retired from ranger work at the end of 2002 after 22 years. My wife is currently Chief Ranger at Fort Smith National Historic Site. This is the 6th state we have worked in. By the way, we really didn't "shatter the frame". It broke in the weakest spot at the A-frame and was easily re-welded. My fault entirely, I overestimated the durability of that old Scamp and hit some pot-holes way too hard. I have since bought a new Casita and I treat it very gently. I have been up the Dalton twice more since the trip I described. A lot of it has now been paved south of Coldfoot. North of the Brooks Range, it can be pretty rough still. You could still do the trip by leaving your trailer at the BLM campground in Coldfoot and doing the rest as a long day trip. It is the farthest north you can drive in North America - possibly in the world.
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Old 05-24-2006, 07:36 PM   #24
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The two common situations seem to be camping in a wilderness environment without a serviced site as a destination, and parking short-term at a business which permits it as an expedient way to rest during the journey. These are similar activities with similar technical requirements (power, water, waste, etc), but very different purposes. I see no problem with either (when all applicable rules are followed), and might do either. I have camped at unserviced but prepared park campsites, and stopped a few days ago in an urban parking lot to cook and eat dinner during the drive home.

What I don't understand are the in-between scenarios: spending days at a Wal-Mart, for instance. That's just not what I bought the trailer for.

In the case of camping (parking, whatever...) in the parking lot of a business, I leave any judgement of right or wrong up to the lot owner/operator and any applicable laws (such as municipal bylaws). I would only do so overnight with a clear conscience if the business owner invited this use, and I was purchasing at least some of the services of the business (at that location or another).
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Old 05-24-2006, 08:28 PM   #25
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Bob - I retired from ranger work at the end of 2002 after 22 years. My wife is currently Chief Ranger at Fort Smith National Historic Site. This is the 6th state we have worked in. By the way, we really didn't "shatter the frame". It broke in the weakest spot at the A-frame and was easily re-welded. My fault entirely, I overestimated the durability of that old Scamp and hit some pot-holes way too hard. I have since bought a new Casita and I treat it very gently. I have been up the Dalton twice more since the trip I described. A lot of it has now been paved south of Coldfoot. North of the Brooks Range, it can be pretty rough still. You could still do the trip by leaving your trailer at the BLM campground in Coldfoot and doing the rest as a long day trip. It is the farthest north you can drive in North America - possibly in the world.
How do you like Arkansas after living in Alaska? One of these days, when I can travel more, I want to hit Arkansas. The photographs of the Ozarks remind me of my native southern Appalachians (not as high, perhaps, but similar old, worn peaks). I hear there are some amazing springs in Arkansas that I'd like to visit and swim in. I love going swimming in clear. clean pools.

One of my best pals lived in Anchorage for three years, but they moved away two years ago before we had a chance to get up that way. But we hope to be able to travel to Alaska one of these days. We're hoping to get to Yellowstone next year, if everything works out okay. Worst case, in two years. I love to peak bag and hike, and I've never hiked in griz country. Looking forward to it.
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Old 05-24-2006, 10:36 PM   #26
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Thank you, Steve!
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Old 05-24-2006, 10:44 PM   #27
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Quote:
Char:

For years before we ever had a travel trailer, my wife Nancy and I were serious backcountry campers. We met while working as rangers at the Grand Canyon and went on backpacking trips into the most remote areas we could find.
Thank you, David, that is a great story. Do you mind if I use it in pieces or in it's entirety for my story?

Thanks again,
Cahr
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Old 05-24-2006, 10:46 PM   #28
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The two common situations seem to be camping in a wilderness environment without a serviced site as a destination, and parking short-term at a business which permits it as an expedient way to rest during the journey. These are similar activities with similar technical requirements (power, water, waste, etc), but very different purposes.
Thank you Brian, this is food for thought.
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Old 05-25-2006, 07:54 AM   #29
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Char - You have my permission to quote, however you want to do it. Feel free to correct any of my typos, spellings or other language misadventures.

Bob - I am still trying to get used to Arkansas, but it is not my favorite kind of country. I have found some fine little rivers to float canoes and kayaks, but my big whitewater raft has no place to go. There is a lot of National Forest land in the Ozarks with good hiking trails. I am glad to be back in the lower 48 where there is road access to the rest of the country within reasonable driving distance. Nancy and I are taking the Casita, and our raft, out to Colorado and Utah for the first half of June. We are planning a bunch of one-day float trips and staying in the Casita at night. We expect to move back to the Southwest eventually.
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