Overlanding—Do I Just Leave Camp Set Up??

[rcadden]

If you roll with a trailer, air the tires down before you leave. You're hopefully carrying an air pump already, so it wouldn't be a huge inconvenience for you, but would definitely keep someone from making off with your trailer. Especially handy if your stuff is locked up in the trailer.

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[Zandcwhite]

How far I am willing to walk away from my camp is inversely proportional to how crowded a place is.

When I'm camping in the remote Mojave desert where the nearest person is miles away? No problem leaving camp set up to go wander.

But if a camping area is an absolute zoo (like Monache Meadows was a few weeks back), I keep my camp within sight.

I also generally tend to keep most of my camp gear inside the Jeep unless I'm using it. Cooler, cooking gear, and everything but the tent, chair, and awning stay securely in the Jeep until I'm ready to use them. That's as much to keep the bears and mice out of my stuff as it is to keep the humans out.

I've never had anything stolen, but I've got friends who have come back to discover their entire campsite cleared out by thieves after only an hour or so away.

Unfortunately, people can be rotten. I err on the side of caution and don't leave anything unattended & unsecured that I'm not willing to lose. And even if you're not worried about the property loss itself, coming back to discover you have no gear left is a good way to ruin your trip.

If you've ever seen what a hungry bear will do to a vehicle, "secure" in the Jeep is the last description you'd use for your food. I'd rather have my ice chest stolen than my doors ripped off, my interior destroyed, and my food stolen.

 

[jadewolf]

If you've ever seen what a hungry bear will do to a vehicle, "secure" in the Jeep is the last description you'd use for your food. I'd rather have my ice chest stolen than my doors ripped off, my interior destroyed, and my food stolen.

Oh yeah, that happens up in the Yosemite area a lot apparently. Those bears up there don't screw around. A product of being fed by tourists for so many years, I suppose. Can't even leave things like toothpaste in the car up there.

In general, I follow whatever the local rangers recommend when it comes to food storage in vehicles or not. It doesn't come up often, but if I'm in an area where bears are prone to breaking into cars like that, I usually just downsize and go with a bear canister and store it away from camp. Because I'm of the same mind here, I'd rather have the cooler destroyed than my Jeep destroyed.

But that's a whole other topic there. Ha.

 

[Zandcwhite]

Oh yeah, that happens up in the Yosemite area a lot apparently. Those bears up there don't screw around. A product of being fed by tourists for so many years, I suppose. Can't even leave things like toothpaste in the car up there.

In general, I follow whatever the local rangers recommend when it comes to food storage in vehicles or not. If I'm in an area where bears are prone to breaking into cars like that, I usually just downsize and go with a bear canister and store it away from camp. Because I'm of the same mind here, I'd rather have the cooler destroyed than my Jeep destroyed.

But that's a whole other topic there. Ha.

I grew up in the Sierra's, so not storing food in the vehicles is ingrained in me. Even camping in the desert I strap the food bin and ice chest tucked under the jeep. I'd hate to find out the hard way in a new area that the local bears have learned to equate vehicles with food.

 

[jadewolf]

I grew up in the Sierra's, so not storing food in the vehicles is ingrained in me. Even camping in the desert I strap the food bin and ice chest tucked under the jeep. I'd hate to find out the hard way in a new area that the local bears have learned to equate vehicles with food.

Interested to see how you're strapping it under the Jeep. In concern areas I usually just store away from the Jeep & tent. Never thought to strap it under. Pics of setup?

 

[Zandcwhite]

Interested to see how you're strapping it under the Jeep. In concern areas I usually just store away from the Jeep & tent. Never thought to strap it under. Pics of setup?

I don't have pics, but our camp box and ice chest are both just tall enough to not clear the frame. I slide them under the rock rail and run a ratchet strap and them. Won't stop a large bear, but should stop most other critters. Should slow down a bear or a thief long enough for me to come out of the tent with a loud enough noise maker to scare them off. Even if I don't hear it, a bear pawing at the rock rails can't be any worse than what I already put them through.

 

[BagPipesActual]

I've had an entire 4 man hunting camp stolen, tents, tables, clothes, dishes, everything we left behind. Not covered by any insurance. Roughly 3k in equipment lost between all of us. So obviously my opinion is tainted by this experience. The only way I leave anything behind nowadays is if it's ridiculously hard to get into the area we are in, even then I'm twitchy all day until I get back.

Nothing like having someone steal from you. Leaves a bad taste in your mouth for a long time.

 

[BagPipesActual]

If you've ever seen what a hungry bear will do to a vehicle, "secure" in the Jeep is the last description you'd use for your food. I'd rather have my ice chest stolen than my doors ripped off, my interior destroyed, and my food stolen.

Never camped in Bear country and quite honestly wouldn't have guessed a bear could could do that to a vehicle. I filed that piece of knowledge away. Wow.

 

[Zandcwhite]

Never camped in Bear country and quite honestly wouldn't have guessed a bear could could do that to a vehicle. I filed that piece of knowledge away. Wow.

I don't have pictures, but distant relatives borrowed my buddies cabin for a wedding years ago. They forgot a 5lb bag of sugar on the back seat of their car. Not only did the bear peel the door down like a sardine tin, the sugar mixed with his saliva turned the seat into a cotton candy of sorts. The next morning all that was left of the back seat was the springs.

 

[DarkAardvark]

Yeah bears are nuts. My fiancee was making fun of me for getting a big bear proof pelican case cooler with a lock, but she hasn't ever lived in an area with bears. One day I'll maybe be able to show her why I "need" it (add it to the list along with all of the other jeep parts I "need" haha)

 

[DV LAWYER]

After-Camp Report

Alright, after finding an epic camping spot, I thought about what everyone contributed. First, I found a location where no regular car could go, nor could the Ford Bronco I passed at their campsite on my way up. Yes, I got a great laugh out of that. The location was secluded, so I felt safe. There were other campers in the area, but I felt like we were all of a brotherhood so-to-speak, so that didn't bother me. Our campsite was over an hour away from any 2wd road, so I left everything in place.

We didn't have any problems, and that was wonderful. In case anyone is wondering, we camped in the La Sal Mountains, outside of Moab. We were about 8,700 feet above Moab, on a bluff, overlooking Fisher Towers and Moab itself. Truly epic.

Again, thank you everyone for your input, it sincerely assisted me in making the decisions we made. I hope everyone has a wonderful week, month, and rest of the year. Make sure to remember to get out there!

Alex

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