Stealth Camping Advice

[monkey]

Billy Ray wrote: "Let call it what it is… 'stealth' camping is illegal camping… the word 'stealth' is just a euphemism that sorta makes illegal sound okay…. at minimum inconsiderate or rude… at maximum criminal." Just to curb some of the overzealous here – "illegal" does not necessarily mean "criminal", get your legal terminology right ;) And yes, it DOES matter, as the two different branches of law have different objectives. While one in its essence presupposes moral fault in the lawbreaker (criminal), the other for the most part does not, and is concerned predominately with compensation (torts). This is the reason the label "criminal" has the dramatic effect a tortious wrongdoing by itself can never elicit. Having said that, civil trespass tends to be actionable per se, not requiring proof of any damage (and so in part the purpose here is to vindicate the right to be free from interferences with one's exclusive possession)

[Ken Thompson]

Popcorn anyone?

[Mike M]

Ken said "Don't forget to not tell people…" thanks for that Ken, I just sprayed some perfectly fine Sessions Lager onto my keyboard! :)

[Tipi Walter]

This will be my first post on the new BPL and so I consider it a stealth post to see if anything even shows up.  Wish me luck.

[Ken Thompson]

Sorry Mike. I owe you a beer then.

[Earl Gilbert]

How is stealth camping illegal? Or even criminal? One can stealth camp in areas of the White mountains. Its not illegal and its encouraged.

Stealth means to remain unseen. As in no one can see your campsite when you are there and no one can tell where you camped if they stumble upon it after you’ve left.

[Monte Masterson]

I know what you mean Earl,  I don’t intend to camp where I see a No Camping sign or one that says  Posted: No Trespassing. I just don’t like for people to know where I’m bedding down for the night. Chances are remote that anyone would  harm me, but if they don’t  know I’m around the odds are zero.

[Mike M]

Ken- yes Sir you do :)

when it comes to trespassing on deeded land, every state is different; in Montana if it’s not posted (there are requirements on where, how, etc the land must be posted) then you are not trespassing unless the landowner asks you to leave, if it is posted you are SOL as far as the statute is concerned

it would be worth investigating the particular state(s) if you think there is a chance you may end up on someone’s deeded property

 

Mike

 

[Alpo Kuusisto]

Ah, I choose ”LNT stealth’ over ‘legal’ anytime for the thrill alone. While it ain’t as dangerous as driving it’s illegal -unlike driving- which doubles the fun. Of course some other folks choose speeding, and still other (or sometimes the same) speed, for the same purpose.

[Travis Leanna]

A few years ago I was backpacking and packraftng the North Dakota badlands.  We were rafting down the Little Missouri and rain clouds started brewing. We had a particularly rough day and needed to be done, so I checked my maps and determined that we were very close to public camp-able land. We landed our rafts and set up camp. Upon further inspection of the maps and gps, we actually were on private land by about 30 yards. The vast majority of that land is wild plains/prairie, and ran little risk of being caught, so we chose to stay put with the intention of playing dumb if noticed.

Did we want to be on private land? No. Were we hurting the landowner’s property? Not really. But we weren’t supposed to be there. My advice? Avoid private land if possible. If you find yourself in an unfortunate situation, do the best you can to get off the property as soon as possible. And quietly appreciate the land on which you were able to lay your head as you depart in the morning.

[Ed T]

This notion that the law is the last word on what’s right and wrong is comical at best, and is a frail attempt at whitewashing the subject. There are as many shades of gray to this as there are places to lay one’s self down to sleep on this world.

[Paul Magnanti]

“‘stealth’ camping is illegal camping”

No.illegal camping is illegal camping.

Stealth camping itself is in reference to a an unseen site, typically in the popular areas such as the Appalachians, off the beaten path, e.g. not at an established site.

Phil is a NH (Boston, really) based backpacker and notice how he writes about the term .

Some stealth camping may be illegal..not all stealth camping is necessarily.

I think it is mainly the American  West where it has an illegal and, I think, incorrect connotation.

 

 

[Monte Masterson]

NM

[Philip Werner]

While we’re on the topic of breaking the law, perhaps we should discuss copyright and how its against the law to post pictures from my web site on this forum without permission (there’s a reason my pics are watermarked with my domain name). That’s my tarp photo and you did not ask for permission to use it. Please pack up your gear and don’t trespass on my property again.

Philip Werner, SectionHiker.com

[Monte Masterson]

Lighten up. Who cares? It was a stupid pic on the internet for crying out loud.

“That picture is mine, mine, mine and your on MY property!”  LOL! Roll up a fattie and mellow out pops.

[Philip Werner]

Continuing with our discussion….

I think that a lot of east coast (read AT thru-hikers) backpackers think that the term “stealth camping” is COOL, when in fact they’re often just camping at pre-existing campsites, as opposed to designated campsites with platforms, and privies and such.

Paul is correct when he says that what we would refer to as legal stealth camping is legal in parts of the northeast, for example in the White Mountain National Forest, provided that its done in accordance with forest service backcountry regulations. Here’s a link to the local regulations if you’re interested. The usual stipulations are no camping on alpine summits unless on top of at least 2 feet of snow, 1/4 mile from trails and roads, yada yada.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5363715.pdf

Luckily most of the people who hike and camp in the Whites never even consider camping anywhere without a bathroom, so the impact of new campsite creation is relatively low when considered at a regional level, although it is still an eyesore on heavily used trails.

[monkey]

Zpacks Joe hiked Tour du Mont Blanc earlier this year. From his report it sounds he enjoyed it, including the stealth camping ;)

[Monte Masterson]

SUL Stealth Shelter

This is an MLD Dog Tarp (5′ 2″ X 5 ‘2″). The light olive color is actually a little darker than the photo makes it appear. I’m inside of an MYOG bug bivy (3.5 oz) made with a .67 noseeum bottom and a .50 noseeum top (draw string closure). Inside of that I’m in a WPB MB Breeze Dry-Tec sleeping bag cover LW (8.2 oz). Total weight for tarp, lines, stakes, polycro, bug bivy and Dry-Tec Bivy is 22 oz. I’m going to make an MYOG camo cuben tarp this size and that will bring the total weight down to about 17.5 oz (1.25 mm lines instead of 3mm and no linelocks).

The thing I like about this tarp and bivies combo is the way it can quickly be set up and hidden into a small space with a small footprint. Of course the camo would make things much less visible. On clear warm nights maybe just the bug bivy by itself would be enough, with perhaps an S2S Reactor bag liner and/or the Dry-Tec bivy.

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