Camping at higher, more exposed, elevation?

[hikingfish]

Hi All,
Couple of friends and I are supposed to go camping this weekend in the Adirondacks and it got me thinking...is there a spot in the dacks, the whites, etc where one could camp above treeline or perhaps camp in a fairly windy / exposed spot? I've never experience roaring winds and the likes, I thought it'd be cool to give it a try!

I know in Quebec one can camp on top plateau of Mt Ham in the winter, which is a definite "todo" for next year!

Thanks all!

Fish

 

[Neil]

I believe it is illegal to camp at elevations higher than 3500 feet except in designated sites. Any camping above 4000 feet is illegal. Since treeline is usually above that height you may be out of luck. I know that people set up camp below 3500 feet then make the trek to the summit during the night to enjoy the full moon and/or watch the sun rise. I don't know what technically constitutes "camping". Say you went to a summit just before sunset and sat in your sleeping bag, bivvy bag then dozed off for several hours would you be camping and therefore illegal? I wonder.

Edit: I'm only referring to the Adk's here.

 

[TCD]

Actually, there are lots of treeless spots in the Adks below 3500'. You just have to know where to find them.

Remember to camp at least 150' from a road, trail, or body of water. And, if in the Marcy Dam - Lake Colden corridor, camp only at designated sites.

The summit of Round Mountain is one (fairly open secret) spot. There is a trail, but there are plenty of spots at least 150' away from it that meet your criteria.

 

[Jim lombard]

In the Whites there are some tent-sites that get you fairly close to tree-line. Valley Way tent platforms are off the trail by the same name and in a clearing well above 4,000 feet. Guyot is another one, I know of that is pretty high on the mountain.

 

[funkyfreddy]

Just make sure you don't pitch your tent directly facing the wind, because if it's windy you won't get much sleep as your tent will be flapping away with every gust. You're better off camping out of the wind and going up to the summit by headlamp if you want to see the view at night. Believe me, I know this from experience. I spent a very uncomfortable night on an exposed mountain top after getting sick years ago and unable to hike down, having just enough energy to put my tent up and crawl in before dark. The wind was so LOUD that it kept me up worrying about getting blown off the summit.

 

[hikingfish]

FunkyFredy, although it won't remove the fact that your tent could get blown off the summit, if you get ear plugs, you should be able to get a good night's sleep.

 

[DougPaul]

if you get ear plugs, you should be able to get a good night's sleep.

Ear plugs may or may not be adequate.
A flapping tent can also flap against the occupants.

Other possible problems of above T-line camping
* tent can be damaged
* gear can be blown away
* if precip, likely to be wet inside
* hard to cook in the wind
* electrical storms

It can also be very enjoyable in nice weather.

I prefer a protected location, if feasable.

BTW, it is legal in the whites if on 2 or more ft of snow.

There is a legal (designated) spot in the trees on top of Stairs Mtn in the Whites.

Doug

 

[dr_wu002]

Actually, there are lots of treeless spots in the Adks below 3500'. You just have to know where to find them.

I've noticed that a lot of open areas below 3500' have no camping signs near them.

-Dr. Wu

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I've noticed that a lot of open areas below 3500' have no camping signs near them.

Then are usually areas that are not legal (too close to trail or water), but look like nice campsites. People, ignorant of, or ignoring the rules had often camped there, so they placed the signs. Try to find one of those signs in an area which is 150 feet from water or trail. ( I know of ONE place)

 

[TCD]

Thanks, Pete and Dr. Wu. I should have been more precise: "Actually, there are lots of treeless, legal spots in the Adks below 3500'."

As Pete points out, most of the no camping spots are close to trails. They are either too close, or they are spots which have become unattractive to most people due to the amount of use they've received, and have been closed so they can recover.

But as a bushwhacker, I constantly pass by open, high spots very far from any trails, roads, and far enough from bodies of water that would be spectacular campsites.

 

[jbreen]

Fish -- I spent an unexpected night exposed to 45-50mph winds with higher gusts and thunder. I'll never forget it. Feeling the ground lift underneath my bag from tree roots stressed by the winds, the tent being blown in with the fabric about a foot from my face. I was concerned but the weather really would have made leaving difficult. The worst part was it took me about 20 minutes the next morning to un-tree my bear bag.

Jim

 

[1ADAM12]

You might want to try Mount Everest

 

[Bob]

Gulf of Slides- (next to Tuckerman's Ravine)
provided there is enough snow cover left, and not in an avalanche area.

 

[snowbird22]

try going to Mt major in the lakes region. I know it is above tree line a very exposed. It is also well below 3500ft. Not sure if there is any rule about not camping but there used to be a hiker hut made of stone on the top. It is still there but, the roof is missing. I believe it was built in the 1930's and after the first winter the roof was ripped off. The following year a new roof was put on and i think that may have lasted two seasons before the roof ripped off. Then they never bothered to put a roof on again. That is just to give you an idea of the exposer there and the funny thing is that the mountain is only 1500ft high. Check with gunstock recreation. Gilford NH

 

[funkyfreddy]

You might want to try Mount Everest

Yeah, if you have a spare $75,000 to burn or whatever absurd amount they charge you to climb it nowadays.

Hikingfish, earplugs wouldn't have helped. Imagine trying to sleep with your tent fabric less than a foot from your head going WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! every minute or so, not to mention the WHOOOOOOOOSH! and freight train like rumble of the mountain rock beneath you. I guess some folks could sleep through that..... not I, though.