camping stories.

[arctictraveller]

On a motorcycle camping trip we stopped for the night near Tombstone Az, and got the tents up moments before a huge thunder storm came through. The thunder was deafening, as the storm was directly overhead. What we didn't know was that we were camped directly under a set of cross country power lines. Bolts of lightning were hitting the very top wires, then a ball of fire would then make it's way to the tower and down the sides to the ground, right where we were hiding in our tents. The following morning a farmer drove by and asked if we had been there the night before and when we said yes he just shook his head and drove away...........

[shenrie]

Holy crap. Some good stories, thanks for the reads everybody!

We’ve done dumb stuff around lightning as well. On one trip it was mildly raining and all the guys were wanting to do a downhill mt bike run. We talked the ladies into shuttling us to the top. As we reached the top it started to really come down. We didn’t care cause the trail is that good and wasn’t really cold out. The girls said you guys are idiots and drove back down the mountain. Not 5 min into the ride it started with serious downfall but now there was thunder and lightning along with it. We started on a ridge top and stopped once to talk about what to do. Consensus was to get the hell off the ridge asap. Typically we ride as fast as the slowest rider, but once a few bolts had touched down close enough to us it was every man for themselves, lol. Once we got off the ridge it was a great ride, but damn was it scary on that exposed ridge. Pretty dumb of us to be up there that day riding big aluminum lightning rods.

We’ve camped on the tops of a few mountains when severe weather comes through. It can be pretty scary. All you can do is just hunker down and hope for the best.

[upzmtn]

Those are some great stories, so here is ours…

Back in 1998 my wife and I planned a 2 week vacation out to the Seattle WA area in July of that year. As part of our trip, we planned to backpack part of the Wonderland Trail on Mount Rainier. So we went to flagship REI store (the original one) in Seattle to get some additional gear and to get a backcountry permit. They have a national park service desk in the store as well. So, we stopped by there to check conditions and get input on back country routes. The ranger at the store told us that the trails maybe still snowed in. We were surprised since it was July, but he said at least we could plan an out and back and to wait to get our permit at the trailhead since they would have the latest snow cover information. Three days later, we headed for the Mount Rainier trailhead. There, we talked to the ranger to ask about routes and to get our permit. We asked about the trails still being snowed in. She informed us that the snow had melted off of most of the trails and everything should be clear.

We were not sure what routed we wanted to do we had four day and three nights, so the ranger talked us into this loop which turned out to be 50 miles! Yes, you read that right… It was one of the hardest things we have ever done. You could not pop your tent up in any place but only at specific backcountry sites. So we were pulling in around 15 miles a day to hike this thing. On top of the hike, the mosquitos were eating us alive. We would get to the site totally exhausted, and usually at dusk. I did not even want to cook food I was so tried. Just wanted to crawl in the tent and go to sleep. We would wake up early the next day and do it all over again.

So on our last day that we were hiking out we came upon this HUGE tree that fell across the trail. As we approached it, another couple was on the other side of the tree. We said our hellos and we devised a plan to help each other with our packs and each other, over/under this huge tree that was across the trail. This took all of about 5-10 minutes top. We said our thank-you’s and we were on our way.

We made it back to our vehicle all in one piece tired, and a lot lighter. We had planned to travel to Portland, OR for a couple of days to go to the Willamette Valley to tour some of the wineries there. So we packed up and headed that way.

On our second evening in Portland we decided to go to a Thai restaurant for dinner. At the Thai restaurant, my wife noticed this couple across the way kept looking at us. We thought it was very strange. So, we finished up our meal, then went to the register to pay for our meal. The woman that kept starring at us approached us and asked, “Do you remember me?” This was our first time in Portland so I was pretty sure we didn’t know her.

She asked again, “Do you remember me?” Before we could answer her, she said, “We helped each other with our packs on the Wonderland Trail at Mount Rainer”. With that I recognized her and her boyfriend. We had a good laugh and talked for about 15 minutes before we left the the restaurant. It was crazy that we ended up in the same restaurant at the same time a few days later in Portland, OR.

[JWA]

Originally Posted by shenrie

Holy crap. Some good stories, thanks for the reads everybody!

We’ve done dumb stuff around lightning as well.......... The girls said you guys are idiots and drove back down the mountain.

I don't have any camping stories to relate however I too have been advised before I might not be the sharpest pencil in the box.

Great stories guys---glad you've all survived them for the most part unscathed.

[OurayMark]

My brother has an interesting one about backpacking the Appalachian trail. As it was getting dark and starting to storm he decided it would be necessary to set up camp quickly. Apparently there was a rule that no wild camping was permitted within sight of the trail. Just to be sure to stay on the right side of the law, he beat his way quite some distance into the woods, pitched his tent and hit the sack.
In the morning he was awoken by a ranger writing him a ticket. Apparently his extended trek through the bush in the dark had taken him quite some distance from his trail departure point, but landed him right next to the trail as it switched back on itself!

[Pete]

I have a lot of stories. I'll start with this one.

A few decades ago, three friends and I planned a 4x4 trip in Anza Borrego over the four day Thanksgiving holiday. I was in my 1988 Toyota 4x4 with one friend, and two others (brothers) were in a recently aquired 1st generation Bronco. We planned to enter the park from the North on Thanksgiving Day.

We started down a dirt road, only to realize that the route we had chosen was far too damaged from erosion to make it through. We turned around, and stopped near the paved road to have some lunch. The brothers in the Bronco were talking about the recent suspension work that was done on it, and I kneeled down to take a look at the handiwork. This is when I noticed that the drivers side of the rear axle/brake backing was covered in gear oil. They had blown an axle seal before the trip even got started.

The decision was made for them to head back to town to try to get it fixed. We agreed to meet in a spot later than evening near the Lower Willows.

Somehow they found someone to fix the truck on Thanksgiving Day, but it took all day. They headed out in the dark to try to meet us. They had never been to Anza Borrego, and this is before cell phones, and we had no CB radios, so it was a tough ask.

My friend and I spent the day fourwheeling, and setting in to camp right before dusk near the Lower Willows water crossing. We figured the chances of ever seeing them that night, or the rest of the trip, were pretty slim, due to their unfamiliarity with the park, and the lack of communication.

We were sitting around the campfire around 9:00 pm that night, well into a few beers, and heard a thrashing nearby. Motor revving, over and over, very loud. It seems that someone was either getting stuck, or already stuck, and trying to get out with a lot of throttle.

My friend said "Somebody's thrashing out there, lets go check it out!". I was like, "No, I'm comfortable here with my beer and the campfire, I don't want to go anywhere". The revving engine was still heard, and we heard some yelling. "Come on, let's go check it out!". I relented.

We followed the sound, and came upon our friends in the Bronco, stuck in the Lower Willows crossing, water above the doors, flooding the entire floor of the Bronco. The brothers were panicked, cursing each other for the wrong choice that was taken through the water crossing. The same error had been made by another driver at some point, and they had followed the wrong tracks, and got deep into mud and willows they couldn't get out of. Their gear was soaked, they were soaked, and mud was everywhere.

My friend and I were trying hard to control our laughter at the scene, which was not appreciated. One of the brothers says "Go get your truck, and pull us out". I said I was in no condition to drive. Just then, a guy pulls up in a Toyota 4x4, and he has a tow rope. One of the brothers grabs it, puts it around the rear bumper of the Bronco, and attaches it to the tow hook at the front of the Toyota. The driver in the Toyota proceeds to punch it, not taking up the slack in the rope first, and when the slack is gone, the rope pulls the bumper straight off the Bronco. Amazing no one got hurt in that scenario.

Seeing this travesty of an attempt to pull them out, I ordered the driver out of his own truck, telling him I was going to pull my friend out, because he obviously didn't know what he was doing. Amazingly, he agreed. One of the brothers now had to find a new attachment spot for the tow rope. Due to the fact that the car was mostly underwater (the exhaust pipe was blowing bubbles at this point), someone was going to have to go swimming. The passenger went under water to attach the tow rope to the axle. I slowly took the slack out of the rope, and pulled him out easily.

They were able to take the proper route through the water crossing, and drove back to our camp, following us as we led them through the dark by foot to our camp.

Their Bronco was drenched, with all their gear, clothes, etc. along with it. They spent most of the night trying to hang up their wet gear near the fire to dry it out. I think they both slept in wet sleeping bags that night, on the ground with no tent.

The next morning, most of the chaos was forgotten, and we proceeded to explore the park, and have a great time.

Without the fact that they got stuck in the water crossing, I don't think we ever would have seen them again that weekend. Silver lining I guess!

[bettyford]

The wife and I were camping at a great spot at the bottom of the the Bear Tooth Pass on the Red lodge side. We drove deep as we could into the woods to be alone. Later that night while sitting around the camp fire we noticed what looked like a spot light in the distance. It kept getting brighter and brighter and even the dog stared to bark at the approaching light. The woods were very dense so I couldn't get a fix on it, I'm thinking is it a 4x4 with lights like mine no it was way to bright for that, Have we camped in area 52? It was very quiet as well no noise. Im truly about to shit my pants When my wife says go see what it is! Shit..So I grab my stopping tool and start out to investigate no flash light needed, I reached a clearing in the woods and still can't quite make it out, it is moving very slowly and is getting bigger and brighter. Then I see it The largest clearest moon I have ever seen and Ive seen a few. It was very funny on many levels and I am no longer the brave guy I once was.

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by bettyford

... Have we camped in area 52? It was very quiet as well no noise...

Awesome story!


Herb

[LindaDV]

We have been camping for most of our 48 years of marriage, there are plenty of stories but not one like last summer's boondocking adventure.

There is a popular boondocking spot on the road south of Wall SD. Just before the entrance to the Badlands National Park is a steep turnoff from the highway. Through a muddy dip and up to a mucky place with an option (sign for no unauthorized use) to go up a steep hill by a cell tower. After the hill the rim of the Badlands is right there with several well worn spots to set up camp. The big horn sheep came up over the rim to greet us and provided great entertainment watching them make their way back down the slopes of the bluff. We met a few of the others parked along the rim, one couple were YouTubers and said their friends got stuck out here last week. The Getaway Couple have their video on YouTube of their colossal stuck in the SD mud adventure. Good thing I didn't see that video that night! We compared notes on the weather possibilities and returned to the SMB (penthouse on a Sprinter).

After dark the wind started up and rain pelted the van. Knowing we were just a few feet from the edge, the rocking van made me very nervous. I kept listening for hail and watching for tornado warnings. The bedding was wet from water coming through the light over the rear doors. We watched as the light eerily glowed from the water making a connection. Later we found out the penthouse wasn't the cause of the leak. Lowered the top to stop the leak and the rocking. Lightening was hitting the cell tower a few yards away but somehow we fell asleep on the few dry pieces of bedding that were left.

A beautiful morning sun showed many campers surveying the possibilities of getting out the muck and mire. There was a class A stuck in the mud at the best place to leave from the opposite direction from our spot. We went out to check the amount of water and mud in the road we came in on. As we (not me really, I was sure we were going to be there a very long time) pondered the exit strategy, a Roadtrek Promaster came up, honking the horn to get us out of his way. He barreled past us and a stuck class C taking the same route through the ruts of mud that we had taken the day before. Up the steep hill by the cell tower and stopped at the top. What he saw on the other side or was he taking a bit to catch his breath? My husband said let's go, we'll get through the same way.

We did get through and over the cell tower hill where the repair guys were on the job. I thought we were home free until that last dip before the highway. Plowed through (South Dakota analogy) the water and thankfully the bottom was firm. We had breakfast at Wall Drug until I stopped shaking and could breathe again. My husband tells a much calmer version of this story, mine is more accurate!

[Cyrull]

Not so much a camping story but a travel one. In February of 2016 I traveled to India to meetup my girlfriend (now wife). We stayed in a hostel in New Delhi and met a bunch of people as we normally do on our travels.

In August of 2016, I was going through customs in Quito, Ecuador to do some earthquake relief work with an NGO. I get tapped on the shoulder by a lady I don't know. She asked if I was in New Delhi earlier in the year. I said yes, she mentioned that she recognized me from the hostel. Don't know her name, but that was my interesting "small world" travel story.