Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:25:28 -0700
Reply-To: Donna Skarloken <dskarloken@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Donna Skarloken <dskarloken@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Summer trip (reply from digest)
In-Reply-To: <4818C9D1.3090205@gwtc.net>
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I'll second that. Most of the time when I was a kid we camped in the
Eastern Sierra, and I have continued the practice when possible. U.S. Hwy.
395 mostly runs the backslopes of the Cascades and Sierras, and you can
easily cross over to the coast on a number of different routes once you get
in the L.A./Orange County vicinity. Spectacular vistas. Convict Lake is
beautiful. As Jeff notes the Forest Service campgrounds that prevail are
low on fancy services (usually a water spigot somewhere and the pit toilets)
but make up for it with usually less crowds and beautiful views. In
mid-summer it does get a bit crowded, mostly on the weekends, but I don't
think nearly as badly as the coast.
Donna, 87 Syncro
On Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 12:34 PM, Jeffrey Olson <jjolson@gwtc.net> wrote:
> Check out the roadhaus reviews of campgrounds. The east slope of the
> Sierra nevada have wonderful forest service campgrounds that don't have
> running water and have only pit toilets. They're off dirt roads. My
> favorite campground - traditional - is at Convict Lake just south of
> Mammoth Lakes...
>
> Jeff Olson
>
>
> Don Hanson wrote:
>
> > You might also consider an inland route during one leg of your trip
> > south.
> > The east slope of the mountains along the west coast, gets much lighter
> > traffic and has some pretty nice areas. Camping without reserving spots
> > is
> > not too difficult, if you are able to get along without the
> > "Tourist/Motorhome/Phot-op/Campfire Program" style of amenity that many
> > think of when they go 'camping'. Many public lands still allow the
> > public
> > to use them without fees, but be sure to take care of these areas if you
> > do
> > camp out in an "unstructured" spot like I almost always do.
> > There are state parks in California along the coast, but these are
> > almost
> > always full of reserved campers in mid-summer, so if you plan on
> > camping in
> > the more popular parts, you just have to reserve ahead or go "Private"
> > like
> > to a KOA or other commercial camp area.
> > The Oregon coast is very crowded on weekends..unless the gas costs keep
> > some people home this summer.
> > I like to travel using those Topo map Atlas books..DeLorme, etc. They
> > have plenty of campsites and points of interest marked on the maps and
> > lots
> > of small back roads that are interesting alternatives to the main
> > routes..
> > Don Hanson
> >
> >
> >
> >
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