Getting High in a Bitterroot RV Boondocking Camp in the Montana Rockies!

I don't know if a week goes by that I don't get an email asking how I find good RV Boondocking camps. Every once in a while, I run through it again. I've written 'bout it in my RV Boondocking Tips section and The Book ... at one buck 75, I think that might be worth your time. ;)

Then, as we were preparin' to make this last move, yesterday, it hit me. "Brian I said", I call my self Brian... well, at least when I'm not kickin' me and using bad words and dirty names for some fool mistake...

anyhoo, "Brian" I says; "Ya'll just got that spankin' new video camera. Whyn't you just SHOW 'em how you go 'bout it?"

"Geeze!" I replied to my self... "Ya'll shore is a smarter Cowboy then your looks give ya credit for boy!" :)

So... here is the RV Video Show of Moving camp. We moved from a paved, pay to play, National Forest Campground, that we've shared with other folks; To the Solitude of a shining, high above the Valley of the Bitterroot, genuine, unadulterated, double rectified, motorcycle equipped, RV Boondocking, Long Camp, site!

Just like Cowboy's... the good camps are out there, you just can't see 'em from the road!

Still learnin' the video deal... My accompanyin' music runs out a lil' too soon... but it's kinda nice while it lasts!... least I like it :) see what ya think...

There's a few "Rules" you'll want to keep in mind;

1. Never just start pullin' a big rig up a narrow forest road... you don't want to have to have to back your rig down the road in this video if you find no where to turn around... Do You? Always scout the possible roads on foot, in your tow rig, or in your toad. Play it safe. That's why we use "Organized" National Forest/BLM or other camps, first, in unfamiliar areas... and then, pull out to the camps we've found on our scouting trips.

2. Take it easy. There's no hurry... Take your time pulling up those narrow roads. You'll get there! I was in first gear most of that lil' haul. Bust an axle 'cause you come zippin' around a corner and couldn't stop in time to avoid that big rock that fell down, and you drug a trailer axle over it... and it ain't MY fault! :)

3. Watch your tire position on those narrow roads and tight turns. You don't have to watch so close going down paved roads... but, if you hang an 8' wide rig... off an 8' wide road... and find a big ol' rock... or worse... a deep, deep ravine... you'll be wishin' you'd paid better attention! :)

4. Never pull out into a meadow, without stopping and walking it first. Make sure the ground is clear of big, axle busting rocks, and that the ground itself is firm and dry enough to allow you to pull in... and back out again, without doing damage.

5. Keep a clean camp. There's nothing worse then pulling into an area that people used before you... that's cluttered with beer cans, broken bottles, a fire pit full of plastic bottles and other assorted bits of junk and camper detritus... Not to mention... though they are your neighbors up here... having a 900 lb. Grizzly grace ya'll with an up close and personal experience... 'cause your camp put out such a stink to attract him... is not going to improve your Boondocking memories.

6. Chock your wheels, and pad your jacks... It's a good idea to distribute the weight of your jacks... so they don't sink into the ground... which kind of says you pulled out onto Too Wet ground anyway :) but even on dry ground they can sink in... or if it rains hard while you are in camp...

7. Which brings up; If it does rain... IF... it rains hard and the ground goes soft on you while you're boondocked... The right thing to do... is stay put. Wait a couple extra days if necessary, to let the ground firm back up, before you move... and don't go runnin' in and out tearin' things up in the interim... like some recent neighbors of mine... Be Responsible... Take the time to come and go PROPERLY... and leave nothing but
some transient, shallow, and temporary tracks...

8. Pull into camp with your waste tanks empty and your water full.

9. Use only places that you'll not do damage... Don't pull too far off the road... and for the most part, try to use sites that have been "Traditionally" used in the past... Increasing population puts increasing pressure on everything. We need to do the best we can to minimize our impact.

10. People are always asking where we dump... and the answer is; all over the place. Many Wyoming rest areas have dumps. A LOT of  National Forest Campgrounds have dump stations. Most, if not all, National Parks do. I use sani-dumps website to locate Dumpstations... and... I use the individual National Forest websites as well (every one we  travel thorugh is bookmarked on my laptop), to locate nearby Dumpstations
in the forest. Basically, we just keep our eyes open and dump almost whenever we have the chance.

Truthfully, especially if we've been moving (and the "Stuff" is well sloshed around! :) ... I'll dump if I only have a quarter black tank full. I've never had an issue... but I know some recommend you only dump if you're at least 3/4 or so... I want to hit the bush with that tank empty... the grey water... ummmm..... Think "Tent Camper"... and use your imagination! :)

Well... that's a quick run through of how I go about it... Make your preparations... Remember the 7P's I've mentioned before. P-roper P-rior P-reparation P-revents P-athetically (cleaned up for general audiences!) P-oor P-erformance!

Make your scout... Take your time... and find the best camps you've ever lived in.

Montana Boondocking on the Bitterroot
Brian

Return to the main site of goin' RV Boondocking or Visit my Sister website Motorcycle Touring on Freedom Road

Still Under Wild Montana Skies...

We went hunting a camp.

Took a run in the truck out 38 through Sula... and found a nice lil' NF campground, right along the river... but... bein' as finicky as I am... decided that spot, free though it is... was too tight... and the timber to heavy and close... so we kept scoutin'.

Coming back down from that farthest spot we'd run to, we came a couple miles and turned up a forest access road... 

Just the kind of trail a guy needs to drag his fiver into the bush on! :) ... and up and up it twisted and rolled...

I kept thinking... that if this thing would climb up over the ridge we were ascending... we just might find a flat spot up on top... and... with just a might of luck... bein' up high, and on the Hamilton side of the ridge... a lucky fella might could catch some signal from down in the valley...

Now... bein' so wise and weathered in such matters... :) ... That's exactly how it worked out! :) Rolled into the woods a lil' bit over 3 miles... up on top of a ridge... and found a nice lil' spot, of firm ground a fella could back the rig in on... a couple of lengths off the road... and... five bars of 3G... now, can you do any better?

*View from a Prime Boondocking spot on the Bitterroot... Under Wild Montana Skies!*

Well... maybe.

Went on in to Hamilton, picked the Raider up from the tire shop and rolled on back to camp... Did an hours work or so and then, under a clear blue Montana sky, took off from camp up a road we'd not yet walked... a couple miles or so...

It's a poor picture of this Ol' Hawk... but you should have heard him screamin' at us...

... I told you Wild Montana skies! :)

It was a good climb. And, we kept sayin'... "just up to that next point". I finally saw up ahead where it seemed to level out... and I got to thinkin'... that just might could hold a camp too, so we kept hoofin' it up the mountain.

We passed another lil' creek... gurgling down the mountain...

... and from that spot where we did indeed find another sweet camp location... I could zoom in on a single Bike... rumbling up the highway, far below, climbing toward Lost Trail Pass...

We'll go back and check out this spot again... We kind of liked it... more open, plenty of hiking... It just has a really nice "feel" to it.

*Southern View from a likely RV Boondocking Camp*

... and you can't really complain 'bout the views from here either! :)

Near...

... or Far...

So... with the choice twixt one of those two... we'll likely move Friday noon...

... and I may, eventually, get our location updated on the google map... not sure what the issue is there... haven't been able to make the thing work since we were way back in the Escalante/Capital Reef area... the system is just 'spastic'... and I end up gettin' frustrated and shuttin' it off... may have to delete the thing out and start all over... we'll see what happens...

Until then... I'll get my nose back to the grindstone... It's a tough job, doin' all this scoutin' :) but... I gotta still do what's necessary to keep the diesel tank full... so we can go on... scoutin' fresh campsites, right?! :)

... and I'm needful of another good, Long Camp right now... I've got the Hero, in the story I'm workin' on now... into another genuine jackpot... and I'm anxious to find out what happens! :)

Gettin' Higher in the Rockies
Brian

Return to the main site of goin' RV Boondocking or Visit my Sister website Motorcycle Touring on Freedom Road

Wild Montana Skies...

The eastern sun comes in my window each morning as I sit at the table... well... Ok... It's shining this morning. The last few having been overcast and raining :) ... but it's still a shining view I have, looking out across the narrow end of the Bitterroot Valley, through the timber.

*South end of the Bitterroot Valley*

Rode the Raider into Hamilton yesterday, for a tire, starting out through a light mist. I managed to catch 'em a bit off balance... so I just left it there, and will pick her up today...

We've been catching an hour or two, late each afternoon, where the clouds have been opening up, and allowing at least a short hike... without rain gear...

Of course, the only problem with that is... it takes away that excuse I have that allows me to sit at the table writing... with less guilt about being in country such as this, and NOT being outside in it! :)

Somehow... telling myself I still need to make a living just ain't gettin' it done :)

I gotta keep the windows closed up... and my Ipod plugged into my ears... 'cause just behind the rig is a small stream... the water gurgling over the stones... is akin to the far distant wail of a freight train in the night... it just pokes and prods a mans urge to Yonder...

*High in the Montana Rockies, and bound for the Columbia*

The road from here to Hamilton winds through Sula, and Darby... Just east of here is the Battlefield where Chief Joseph gave the U.S. Army a run for its money... Just south of there of course, is Yellowstone... to the North and west is Lolo Pass and the Clearwater River that I ran down last summer on my way back from Alaska...

No shortage of trails calling out to a gypsy biker...

Not sure where we go from here... supposed to be running to the Black Hills on a Bike run in three weeks. The end of July making a bob-tail run back to Fort Collins for a wedding...

Likely we'll hunt around for a boondock camp to set up in... and not wander too much farther north till, after the wedding...

You'd think that, not having a schedule for the most part, would make life easier wouldn't you? :) but, just like the creeks that keep flowin'...

... Life just keeps rollin' along, throwin' out choices a Yonderer has to make...

The Light you can see up through these trees, is 'cause the forest was opened up by a huge old fire... and now flowers are bloomin'...

So... even if your choices slap you hard. Make you think your chances are ruined and your future is toast... cut yourself a break...  breathe slow an' easy... can you catch that scent? It's the rains that will come and renew the land... The colts will run and the flowers will bloom again! :)

 

The sun is shining on this particular morning in Montana... I've got a motorcycle with a fresh tire, waiting on me up the valley... and as always, in a boondock camp... chores to be done...

So... I better get to 'em

Take Good Care
Brian

Return to the main site of goin' RV Boondocking or Visit my Sister website Motorcycle Touring on Freedom Road