Boondocking... Maps are your Travel Agent

[Overland]

Another situation where a map wouldn't be much use.  Nor GPS.  I hope everyone is carrying a long piece of string.  😝

 

 

[Steph and Dud B]

34 minutes ago, Overland said:

Another situation where a map wouldn't be much use.  Nor GPS.  I hope everyone is carrying a long piece of string.  😝

I always carry a bag of breadcrumbs. Can't be too careful...

[Steph and Dud B]

59 minutes ago, Overland said:

That's where we were a few weeks ago - beautiful sunsets

That is a gorgeous photo! Wow. Want to go to there.

[BoondockingAirstream]

Impressive photo of the Narrows... even more so looking down!  Yikes... This year there were several Flash Floods this Summer... if you see any chance of rain... do something else.

There are Slot Canyons at Zion, but also near Kanab and other areas of sandstone erosion. Some are very narrow and you have to squeeze through.  Top 10 Slot Canyons of Utah is a good place to search.

A United States Geological Survey professional paper 220 of Zion Park that has everything you would want to know and maps... copies are always for sale on the Internet and no doubt some to load onto your lap top computer.

A photo of people in these Natural Wonders are always fun to see.  Post more.  How about Angels Landing at Zion?  The FIRST time... you will not forget.  🙂

Oh yes... been to the Black HIlls and seen the Mountain of Bicycles?

 

[Overland]

That was actually a little state park in Nevada. Really neat spot.  It was recommended by a ranger at Great Basin, and I'm glad he did since it's not the sort of place I'd be attracted to just seeing it on a map - pays to stay open minded.  Oddly, for the first time we ran across another Oliver there, and then met the next door neighbor of another Ollie owner.  The slots are mud, and so constantly changing.  Most are pretty short, though a few offer some surprises, if you're comfortable with tight squeezes...

Angels landing is a must, though we have some friends who went to Zion earlier this year and didn't do it.  Not sure we can talk with them anymore.  But I liked Hidden Canyon more -no chains! - but unfortunately it's closed now after a rockslide, perhaps permanently I've been told:

Not sure I'll go out of the way to see the bicycles.  But if it's on the way, I can be a sucker for a good roadside attraction if it's weird enough.    

But really I prefer my weirdness in rock form.  Anyone familiar with this hidden moonscape?

 

[BoondockingAirstream]

DeLorme Atlas and Gazetteer: Topographic Maps of States  

I am a Geologist.  We do have GPS. We use a wrist GPS to mark where we park our Trailer, our Tow Vehicle when hiking to relocate where we parked and even can Store locations we like.  (Garmin Forerunner GPS...  over 15 years old and still works.)  We do not need an expensive or inexpensive large system with details we do not need.  The wrist watch GPS units now are even more sophisticated.  We like ours. We park, get a GPS location marked and go.  When we want to return to the vehicle, we know the direction to hike, how far away we are.  Often not a straight line, as we are in a Canyon, on the other side of a Mountain.  Never been lost WITH the GPS watch.

We DID get Disorientated ONCE in the wilderness of the Gila National Forest over 15 years ago.  I had a Compass... but when we hiked West to the North/South dirt road... it was do we go South or North.  We went South and in less than two miles... found our Airstream Trailer. Whew....  First chance... found the Garmin.  I advise this BEFORE getting any fancy hand held system.

I  keep DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer of All Western States we camp.  Often they are on Sale.  Newer ones are often improved with more detail than older editions. We have the older and when they get worn, get a newer Edition, but keep both.  We MARK ALL OF OUR CAMPSITES ON OUR DeLORME ATLASES.  Date, elevation and if we liked or did not like the campsite.

Yes... some of you want the most up to date, sophisticated electronics. Good. But... not us.  Once you are in the Back Country, roads on a screen or map are NOT passable... or are better... or have been closed for years due to disrepair.

I like paper maps of areas we frequently.  I can look at Colorado, Wyoming and Utah Maps at the SAME TIME.  Ohhhh Weeeee.

Nancy follows the map while I am towing the trailer, Off the Grid Boondocking.  We change ADD road number changes, or turns that are not on the map, make notations, put an X where we camped, information of how, when, where, what and why we were there.  Paper is good for us.  It worked on maps of the Oregon Trail and today... if you get lost... check the map, your compass, the Sun direction.... and enjoy your Exploring. We do... and these are cheap Tour Guides!

The DeLorme Atlas has about 16 inch x 11 inch pages. Colored as to State, BLM, National Forest, Private... property.  But, often private property can be in any of these areas by Homesteaders in the 19th Century. But you have more information than you need.  Sure... a large computer screen downloaded with detail may serve you well... we do not need it.

I have scanned some of the Wyoming Atlas. Check a copy out at a store that offers them.  Price shop on the Internet.  Abebooks.com has booksellers selling maps for big discounts if used or new older editions. We carry ALL the Western States we think we may be traveling.  If it is raining in the mountains of Wyoming, we head to the deserts of Utah...

[BoondockingAirstream]

Some other examples of maps and maps.  Good sources for FREE maps... local library sales and free book shelves. Also University and College Libraries get paper maps and they will throw them away or put them into an Annual Book Sale.  A ten year or one year old Geological Map works for us.  A twenty year old map of the National Forest... is just perfect.  Many roads were built in the late 1890's to 1950 for access for lumbering, mining, grazing access... and so on.

Technology is great...until the battery charge is used up, or just decides to not cooperate.

We do not need High Tech Maps and GPS to find a spot to set up our Trailer Campsite.  Open area... great.  Trees, maybe.  Rock outcrops, possibly can fit.  I scanned other examples.

There are maps for everything, every place and for multiple reasons.  Many are made obsolete to those using hand held computer and software. Great... for ME.  I carry maps on our trips.  They are cheap... if you do not buy them from a Mountain Climbing Shop.  Get them used at Goodwill and other similar places. A box for $5 of your area.  Give duplicates away.  United States Geological Survey Quadrangles can be found new and used for nothing. They are obsolete to Engineers today.

You and I are Boondockers. I am not looking for where natural gas lines are located... today.  Mountains do not move.  Roads get improved over the years.  Lakes have shorelines that change... but the roads move when necessary.  New dirt roads are added over the years... you will see it.  ...and often, Boondockers are finding campsites by accident.  Good campsites are NOT on a map, unless a National Forest Campsite designed for... Tent camping with a picnic table.

I scanned some other maps.  Even local towns have maps of places to see and visit for FREE.  The BLM has Free Maps for ATV trails.  If you get lost often... maybe have your spouse read the map to you.  The passenger is the best 'Guide'.  Imagination... is not a good way to find a way IN or OUT of the National Forest.  🙂

Go to your Library. ASK if they have MAPS FOR SALE or FREE.  They want to get rid of them.  University Libraries have thousands of maps donated that will end up in the Dumpster.  (Ask me how I would know.  🙂 )

 

[BoondockingAirstream]

Wyoming had few paved roads in the 1920's. When a Tow Vehicle broke down... it was left in the Red Desert.  If you ran out of gasoline, you could hire one or two horses to pull you into the closest town.  You often camped in a tent along side these early roads. We have found some of these early campsites in Central Nevada and they would leave bottles and cans as a 'gift to those' who own an Oliver and live in luxury beyond... these Pioneers autos and homes! Enjoy and to to places you have been afraid of visiting or exploring. These people did it... and only a few had to walk.

Some were pushed into ravines to keep erosion from doing any more damage.  Great for parts if you knew what kind of vehicle it may have been.

This one obviously did not... start.  We tried.  It had wooden door frames.   These early roads were Wagon Trails, Cattle Trails or two rut roads to Yellowstone.  Wagons were either pushed into Ravines, or burned.  Vehicles abandoned were scavenged for parts for years.

[BoondockingAirstream]

Maps are very useful.  Books about areas you would like to explore can be more interesting, IF you have the Map.  An example:

Report upon the Reconnaissance of Northwestern Wyoming including Yellowstone National Park made in the Summer of 1873 by William A. Jones

Zzzzzzz Please read the one part of a page of text before dozing off.  You will begin to catch onto WHY we like maps and books... well, I do.  Nancy has no choice.  🙂

Some of those involved, since this was a Military operation.  General P. H. Sheridan.  General W. T. Sherman.  Officials of the War Department and other now, historical figures.

This book is 331 pages and has over 50 drawn maps of Routes that Indian Guides brought this group into the Yellowstone. Well known by local Indians, but a mystery to many that heard about the area... but not going in the area with all of the Indians known to Summer Camp.

What does this have to do with OLIVER Trailers? A Lot.  You can get a REAL Boondocking Adventure by finding a modern Reprint of this book on the Internet.  My original printed in 1875 by the Government Printing Office was made of the cheapest paper for text and worse for the thinner than a postage stamp foldout map routes to get into the Yellowstone on trails, created by Cheyenne and Sioux Indians, among others.  

Rather people were afraid... to go into Yellowstone.

This one page of text at the mid section appears to be in Idaho Territory.  I did not want to spoil everything by using landmarks given and leave it up to you.

The Western USA, especially Wyoming has had Trappers and Wagon Trains passing through since the early 19th Century.  When you get to Oregon Buttes... on a Wyoming Map... there are Cutoffs... short cuts that were used after the earlier routes.  YOU can find them.  They are marked.  Setup the Oliver at a campsite and follow the two rut Jeep trails.  You are living history.  Much like Little Big Man... Dustin Hoffman... "Living Indian".

Is this... easy?  Of course it is NOT Easy.  If it was easy, I would not be telling you.  The Adventure begins at the time you lock the door to your Home. The rest is up to you, your choices of maps and inexpensive books written the original explorers from the 1830's to Wyoming Statehood in 1890.  I no longer give out the locations we camp, as there are Websites that now take the information, and offer it on their sites to everyone to see.  Just this one time, I am pointing you to the State of Wyoming, Montana,  Nebraska, South Dakota, Colorado, Utah and Idaho are among the most explored by the US Government in the 1860's to 1890's. With maps, but you have to find these books.  If I could find them... anyone can.  We expect to see some Olivers out west.  We are the ones with the two Blue Heelers.

(The text page does not transfer well.  It is on page 54 'Indian Trails'.  We will see once I post this.)

 

[BoondockingAirstream]

I have the second half with the top of page 55.

The post shows one name... and there are three other trail names as many used parts of one trail and then departed to Utah, California or Oregon. We do this area often, but not enough to know everything. That is for you to do... and post.

 

[Mike and Carol]

I’m getting inspired to plan a fall trip north through the Dakota’s then west to Wyoming and Idaho then south to Colorado to visit our son and family….

Mike