Boondocking in Winter and ATV's

[montana4two]

Originally Posted by ROLLNSMOKE

Ok i looked into Quartzsite and that place looks like a city but with rv's lol not my thing. I definately don't want to b packed in like sardines while boondocking. So the majority of those people at Quartzite r there to atv/jeep??

Q is huge, whereas Imperial Dam has far fewer campers. There is always space, if that's what you desire.
Another consideration is that Yuma/Imperial Dam is always a few degrees warmer than Quartsite.
It is not far from Yuma for shopping, Mexico for cheap glasses, prescription meds, Imperial Sand Dunes for your Off-road needs.There is a group that goes ATV ing every Tuesday, right from the LTVA.
You mentioned age group, There are all ages boondocking from families with small children to young at heart 80-90 year olds. There isn't a 55+ only rule for boon dockers, we are all there to get away from the crowded RV parks and to have some quality alone time.

[JeffAZ]

Hey Rollnsmoke, here's a nice Arizona place for the ATV, the winter months are great there. You'll get a real Sonoran desert experience.


http://www.irv2.com/forums/f38/paint...az-240966.html

[ROLLNSMOKE]

Originally Posted by Engineer Guy

.
No question, around Parker is nice. Went there as Kids back in the Stone Age.

In your 'comprehensive' set of Boondocking Specs, I gotta throw this out there. Hopefully, some bits are helpful...

1. About everywhere I've ever Boondocked, it's either Sign-posted - or considered bad form - to harvest Firewood. Too many demands on the local Environment when 'everybody' does it. Unfortunately, that all-important aspect called 'Common Sense' seems to evade a few who collect Wood via sawing up Trees and Plants. This leads to heavy-handed Rules. I collect Wood Construction, and other Scraps.

2. Water in the arid West is spoken for in Water Law. I know it reasonably well, due to having Water Rights here on our 80 Acres. So, while you'll likely get away with pumping out a Stream for your Hot Tub, someone might bust your Chops for doing so. Poor form. It all depends on location and remoteness, I'm guessing. It's not about the Gallons or Liters pumped.

The Desert can't absorb sudden Storms. This leads to 'Flash' Floods. Recon your spot carefully, and note any dry River Beds you cross. Last Boondocking Trip out to Helen Gone Utah, around Lake Powell, someone buried their full size SUV in a Creek Bed.

North of the Grand Canyon, on the Colorado River, dried-out Wood of the type seen in this Video was OK to collect and burn.

Distant Storm Flash Flood Video -
.

Wow that's cool!! Ya will definately watch out for those.
As for drawing water etc, i'd never do it if it was illegal or anything like that. Was just curious if there actually
Was little creeks out there.
Lots of snakes out in the atv boondocking areas? I'm more worried about my dog. And the wind was another thing. Gee i have a million questions. Lol thanks alot for all the info everyone. Really appreciate it. I am googling as well trying to figure this stuff out but still very nice to hear it from you people.

[ROLLNSMOKE]

Originally Posted by JeffAZ

Hey Rollnsmoke, here's a nice Arizona place for the ATV, the winter months are great there. You'll get a real Sonoran desert experience.


http://www.irv2.com/forums/f38/paint...az-240966.html

That is awsome! I replied to your other posts on that link. Love the History.
Will check that out. Was asking if it's windy all the time being out in the open like that? I would think so...?

[ROLLNSMOKE]

Originally Posted by montana4two

Q is huge, whereas Imperial Dam has far fewer campers. There is always space, if that's what you desire.
Another consideration is that Yuma/Imperial Dam is always a few degrees warmer than Quartsite.
It is not far from Yuma for shopping, Mexico for cheap glasses, prescription meds, Imperial Sand Dunes for your Off-road needs.There is a group that goes ATV ing every Tuesday, right from the LTVA.
You mentioned age group, There are all ages boondocking from families with small children to young at heart 80-90 year olds. There isn't a 55+ only rule for boon dockers, we are all there to get away from the crowded RV parks and to have some quality alone time.

Nice ya i usually rip around on the quad ( atv) and go meet people say hi. I love to hear peoples stories.

[Engineer Guy]

I'm groovin' on the various Locales being posted here, as much as the next Guy. I'm Bookmarking them as spots to hit in our new Nash 23d.

Before heading to Lake Powell to SUV Camp with Da Pooch, I checked into the whole Rattlesnake Topic [see below]. A Family Member worked a Vet's Office for 12 years. She provided some really Heart-rending First Person Accounts of saving/trying to save Pooches who got bit on the Schnoot by Rattlers. As the Poison spreads, and the Tissue dies - in the most sensitive part of the Dog's Anatomy - she said the howls are just unearthly.

Meanwhile, Anti-Venom is many hundreds-of-Dollars-per-Shot, with multiple Shots often req'd. If the Vet even stocks it. She said that $2k or $3k of Anti-Venom Treatment is not unusual in S. California.

A Fella down in Arizona does Week-long Aversion Training with Dogs so that they stifle their innate curiosity about Snakes, and avoid the encounter. Just a FYI... I was at Powell in November, and did not have to worry. I put local Vets' Phone Numbers in my Cellphone as A-R Trip Prep. There's about ~1 hour after the Snakebite that's critical. The conical Mountain in the Pic background had a Verizon Cell Tower at the top, but I did not want to be surfing for Vet info when minutes count.

A very Outdoors-knowledgeable Pal about stepped on a Rattler a few weeks ago while out on the Colorado Grasslands. A real Monster, apparently. As Murphy's Law would have it, he was not wearing his usual Snake-deflecting lower Leg 'Chaps'.

Enjoy whatever spot you land at this Winter!
.

[ROLLNSMOKE]

Originally Posted by Engineer Guy

I'm groovin' on the various Locales being posted here, as much as the next Guy. I'm Bookmarking them as spots to hit in our new Nash 23d.

Before heading to Lake Powell to SUV Camp with Da Pooch, I checked into the whole Rattlesnake Topic [see below]. A Family Member worked a Vet's Office for 12 years. She provided some really Heart-rending First Person Accounts of saving/trying to save Pooches who got bit on the Schnoot by Rattlers. As the Poison spreads, and the Tissue dies - in the most sensitive part of the Dog's Anatomy - she said the howls are just unearthly.

Meanwhile, Anti-Venom is many hundreds-of-Dollars-per-Shot, with multiple Shots often req'd. If the Vet even stocks it. She said that $2k or $3k of Anti-Venom Treatment is not unusual in S. California.

A Fella down in Arizona does Week-long Aversion Training with Dogs so that they stifle their innate curiosity about Snakes, and avoid the encounter. Just a FYI... I was at Powell in November, and did not have to worry. I put local Vets' Phone Numbers in my Cellphone as A-R Trip Prep. There's about ~1 hour after the Snakebite that's critical. The conical Mountain in the Pic background had a Verizon Cell Tower at the top, but I did not want to be surfing for Vet info when minutes count.

A very Outdoors-knowledgeable Pal about stepped on a Rattler a few weeks ago while out on the Colorado Grasslands. A real Monster, apparently. As Murphy's Law would have it, he was not wearing his usual Snake-deflecting lower Leg 'Chaps'.

Enjoy whatever spot you land at this Winter!
.

Uh oh... That didn't sound good...now i'm worried... Lol not for me so much but the dog. I just heard about a lady bit by a rattle and she died other day... Shehad some reaction to the ani-venom...

[darcan]

Wow, lovin this thread. I'm making notes and bookmarking sites like crazy. DH and I are planning a trip south this winter and these are exactly the areas and activities we are looking for. Thanks everyone. Keep the suggestions coming. Maybe we will run into some of you down there.