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Relentless · 10-26-2008, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Relentless

I'm towing with a 06 Ford Expedition which is essentially a 1/4 ton. We have over 12,000 miles towing all over the West, including up and down several mountains, with no problems.

John

Did I say 1/4 ton?

I meant 1/2 ton.

John

halimer · 10-26-2008, 08:16 PM

I have done a good amount of camping in NPs and SPs out west and Alaska with a 3/4 ton GMC club coupe SRW 2WD 8' bed and a Lance 10' truck camper. I never I had any problems with sites. Now I have a 2002 Ford F-350 SRW 2WD crew cab with 8' bed and 25' Classic. The TT size would not be a problem. I can see having problems due to the length of the TV getting into tight sites with narrow roads. Any experience with short TT and long TV's??

Boondocker · 10-27-2008, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

I agree with all of the above.

I boondock, a lot, an absurd amount in fact. If the question is truly boondocking as opposed to national forest campgrounds, then the real issue is WIDTH. When you get into the boonies, it is common for the prime boondocking spots to be down narrow lanes or tracts. A couple of my favorite boondocking spots would simply be inaccessible with a wide body. So if you really mean boondocking when you say boondocking, then you might want to think about the narrow body that the vintage units have

Just remembered this image from this summer in Colorado. You wouldn't want to tow a wide body up Rat Creek. The road is just the width of the truck and see them willows up ahead?

halimer · 10-27-2008, 11:03 AM

I drove down to Echo Park Campground with my previously mentioned vehicle and truck camper. It would take a short wheelbased TV and short TV to make around the hairpin turns. I got my time in and out. Thirteen miles got over 1 hours. After the trip I had to get the front end realigned.

Mark

Echo Park Campground

Echo Park Campground is located 38 miles north of the Canyon Area Visitor Center. It is located near the confluence of the Green and Yampa rivers. Access to the campground requires high-clearance vehicles. RVs and trailers are strongly discouraged due to sharp turns and steep grades.
Echo Park Campground has 22 sites, including one handicapped-accessible site and four walk-in sites. There is some shade. Suitable for tent camping. There is running water and vault toilets. No showers. Check with a ranger for current fire-use policy. Fee is $8 per site, per night. There are no reservations, but the campground rarely fills. The water is turned off from September to mid-April, and there is no camping fee at that time.
There is one group site. For group reservations, click here for a reservation form or call (435) 781-7759 to have a reservation form mailed to you.
Echo Park Campground is open year-round, but access is dependent on weather. The last 13 miles of dirt road are impassable when wet. Winter access is often impossible due to snow.

purman · 10-27-2008, 11:19 AM

Yep, Colorado can be tricky for Boon docking... One minute the road is fine and the next there's a 3 foot deep wash, and no place to turn around.... We go up to silver Jack in the summer.... I have scouted most of the roads I wanted to go up and glad i didn't... Saw some trailers up there but I know they bottomed them out.. Always best to disconnect and drive up the road if your not sure...

DumOleBob · 11-11-2008, 04:16 PM

Here is my opinion for true, pure boondocking (under the most conservative of interpretations, i.e. unimproved, rough country spots with no hookups, etc. Your length is of secondary importance to ground clearance, especially as it pertains to the dump outlets, front jack height, rear over hang and such.
Twenty-three or five feet will get you into most spots, but you DO NOT want to get hung up on your the underside - Believe me!!! You esp. don’t want to rip off your sewer outlets! Oh what a mess:-(

pmclemore · 11-12-2008, 10:55 AM

Halimer, I am truly impressed that you took your 25'er down (and back up again) to Echo Park. I was glad to get my truck in and out.

Beautiful place, though. You'll recognize the wagon in my avatar.

Pat

oops - just realized that you took a truck camper, not your airstream. Oh, well.

dogpound · 11-12-2008, 04:20 PM

Jason;
We have been up to Silver Jack and came in to it from the Cimarron side. I was on what you would consider a narrow county road or forest service road used primarily by ranchers. It wasn't a bad trip but the roads were so washboardy we had to put a lot of dishes back in the cupboards after reaching campsite.
Will be glad when we can get back out and do some boondocking.
____________________________

Bob
Member Four Corners Unit
WBCCI # 10105

halimer · 11-12-2008, 06:21 PM

Pmclemore,

I drove down to Echo Park with my Ford F-350 Crew Cab, SRW, 2WD 8' and a Hallmark 9 foot truck camper. Not my current 25' Classic. It was similar to some of the 3 third mountainous countries I've been deployed to.

DumOleBob · 11-13-2008, 10:54 AM

Learned the hard way!

Out here in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho & Utah - Always, yes -ALWAYS unhook and scout out any "in-the-sticks" places your tempted to go before you tow your rig in and can't get out! Never blindly pull your trailer into a two track, or even a supposed campground.

There are countless roads and two tracks around here that once you get in it'll be heck to pay gettin' out!

Don't I know...