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Thread: Dispersed camping

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    Default Dispersed camping



    I wasn't able to get out at all last year and have the itch to get away from everything for a couple of days. What I'm looking for is a bit more rugged than my last outing. Last time was with my family at a nice little campground on the Cache La Poudre river. I know of a great place to disperse camp up there, but am not sure if that area was affected by the fires last summer. If anyone knows how badly that area took a hit (near the fish hatchery) or how the fishing in the river was affected, that info would be greatly appreciated as well.

    What I am actually looking for are places to disperse camp. I don't want a campground or anything like that. Since it has been a while for me to be able to do so, I need to get out and test/refresh my survival skills. I'm a little rusty on my skills and want to brush up. I will be taking the basics with me (things that are usually in my vehicle); fishing rod, pistol, magnesium fire starter, tarp, 550 cord, water and a field stripped MRE. I'm looking for something near decent fishing waters, with rabbits and such for snare/dead drop practice.

    This first trip will just be a couple of nights, but I'm looking to rebuild my skills for a lengthier trip. Please let me know if there are any places that you know of. Something fairly specific, please. I've seen on ther sites where people suggest something along the lines of "Rocky Mountain National Park." RMNP is a big damn area and I don't want to spend too much time searching for a decent area (at least on this first trip).

    I know, I know... that's not really survivalist camping if you know where you are going or the situation that you will be in. Ideally, that would be the scenario, but at present, I just don't have the time to do that one.

    Again, any help would be greatly appreciated!

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    Default Re: Dispersed camping



    Probably snowed shut now but up above St. Elmo up to Tincup pass has great camping areas.
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    Default Re: Dispersed camping



    I don't know when you'replanning on doing it, but I was looking at the maps for China Wall and it seems that on 404 there is an area with a box canyon, tarryall creek and a camping area that I'd guess noone is using this time of year. You could head out a couple of days before the anniversary run, and if anything goes wrong you know a rescue team with a feast is coming...

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    Default Re: Dispersed camping



    Paul previously posted:
    "box canyon, tarryall creek and a camping area"

    thats a nice area

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    Default Re: Dispersed camping



    BlackRubi previously posted:
    "If anyone knows how badly that area took a hit (near the fish hatchery) or how the fishing in the river was affected, that info would be greatly appreciated as well."

    The hatchery is up in the canyon way beyond the burn area, it wasn't affected. Surprisingly enough though, even in the burn area, the trees along side the river/Hwy 14 and in the campgrounds were untouched through most of it.

    After they reopened it I never fished the section in the burn area, that huge rain they had after the fire washed down all the ash and it lined the banks, I couldn't see any fish surviving that or being able to hold in it, which was confirmed by the later fishing reports from St Peter's Fly Shop in Ft Collins.

    As for the fishing outside the burn area last year, it sucked. The lack of run off had some to do with it, but I think it's largely contributed to them screwing with the flows so much (that happened the year prior too). Although I did see some decent trip reports posted on other forums last year that contradicted what I experienced, so maybe the "gods" decided it was time to share the wealth based on my previous epic trips I had the years before!

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    Default Re: Dispersed camping



    How about the Ansel Watrous area? That's eke I always had the most luck.

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    Default Re: Dispersed camping



    BlackRubi previously posted:
    "How about the Ansel Watrous area? That's eke I always had the most luck."

    Yeah Ansel was in the burn area, the last time we were out there which was late Fall, the banks from the Kelly Flats campground down to the canyon mouth were black. I can't see much improvement since then with it being frozen over.

    That pool right below the entrance to the lower section of Ansel was nice.

    Like I said though, the campgrounds themselves still had vegetation / trees untouched by the fire including Ansel.

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