I sent the campground an email asking pertinent questions. Lets keep this place in mind, OK.
vb:literal>
I sent the campground an email asking pertinent questions. Lets keep this place in mind, OK.
Happy Trails!
Weekend in January is out for me and probably tenting anyway - ohhh the back but I will watch. Would love to enjoy a 2fer sometime this weekend and if the place had a cabin - well, I could probably do it and make a stew, french toast and enjoy your campfire!
Do you have a date yet?
Well don't revolve around me. I was hoping Vic would do his event again this year. I could snowmobile to it again if I am not working.
If it is in Topsfield I will not go for sure. I probably would not spend the night but that is not for sure either. I started another project again. I am writing another book and it needs to be done by the beginning of February or maybe mid February.
If it was a weekend that I am free and close I might show up or even spend the night.
The reason I offered my place is because I know I could attend if it was here.
Like I said don't revolve this around me. If you want to go to Topsfield then go there. I know I will not drive that far. Go with what the group wants. I can not believe you have not had more replies on this yet.
I have some suggestions though.
If I was going to host a winter overnighter these are some of the things I would do.
I would have it someplace central so people did not have to drive to far. The more central it is the more people will attend and the more fun it will be.
I would hold it at a place where there was a hill kids could come for the day and do some down hill sledding.
I would have a fire pit with a good size fire going where people could gather around and get warm and socialize.
I would have it at a place where people coming for the day could park there cars and not have to walk very far at all. It is hard to keep little kids wanting to go when they have to walk to far.
Have plenty of hot coco, apple cider, coffee and snacks for the kids.
Have extra blankets for people to wrap around them if they need extra warmth.
These are just a few ideas that I have to offer.
Blazing Troll
Yes Vic did a great job with the winter camp out last year. And Tom too.... This camping trip in 2 weeks I thought was just that. A camping trip with whomever wanted to go. It was never planned to be an event as far as I was concerned. I just wanted to do more winter camping this year, and I know there are others who feel the same way. Isn't that right Aaron, Stef, Karen and Tom.
Happy Trails!
right on Brad.
Ok Rick, and the date I proposed, but we don't have to stick to is January 6th.
I'm going to think more about it after Christmas.
"Given a chance, a child will bring the confusion of the world to the woods, wash it in the creek, turn it over to see what lives on the unseen side of that confusion." --Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods
Do you need a 4x4 to get in to the campground in topsfield? My new car has less clearance then the van did. I might be able to go just need to know if I have my grandson or not. My daughter will not let me take my grandson on a winter camping trip. Need to convice her that he will live through it if I could just figure out how. She thinks he is too young and it is too cold.
I'd go every weekend, if I could!
I just got word that my schedule has changed and I may have weekends free in early January, so I'd like to go either Jan 4/5, 5/6; or even next weekend for any two days from Friday through New Years day.
Last year, we had a small advance group try out the camp before hand. That worked out nicely because we were better able to plan for more people. Of course, that was a published event and we had to have more organization than a non-event.
As far as selecting a site, the most important things to be sure of ahead of time are:
- parking. You don't want to be towed, and you don't want to have search and rescue trying to figure out if there are lost hikers in the woods. Some places require shuttling cars, like Blackwoods CG in Mount Desert.
- wood. A fire is nice, but the wood supply has to be planned, you can't gather it the way you do in summer. For two days, a 1/4 cord is not much but, we don't NEED any. I vote for more, not less!!
- access. We may need to shuttle people if fwd/high clearance is required.
- Distance/Terrain I think for most of us here, the distance needs to be no more than 2 miles and flat or slightly downhill on the way in.
- Toilets. We should always practice leave no trace, so if there are no other provisions, we should at least bring a few “wag bags”.
- Stuff to do!
So, here's what I know about possible places:
Blackwoods CG Mount Desert:
Distance, about 1 mile, climb 100 feet then descend 115 feet. Wood and porta-pot available. Wood needs to be split. Parking is very limited, so cars need to be shuttled. There are caches to be found, and lots of trails nearby.
Maine Wilderness Camps:
Don't know much about this. How far is the hike in? It looks like it's just across the lake. Do they supply wood? There is a cache at Trout Pond, 450 feet climbing, 2 miles in! There is also my newly adopted cache, Squish, Squash, Look at That, Oh my Gosh; 850 feet climbing, 2 miles in. Both caches are “not winter friendly”
Flying Point CG: Brad, did you get a response back?
Rick’s backyard: Very easy and more open to everyone!
There are lots of other places, like Mt. Blue State Park, Rangeley Lake State Park, Vic’s place (if we’re invited back) but I think these 4 are enough to choose from!
Last edited by tat; 12-22-2007 at 11:23 AM. Reason: Don't know the name of my cache! :)
we could all do a snowshoe hike up tumbledown and camp out up there.
Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.
Me thinks you would need crampons and some good rope this time of year.....
Just smile it won't crack your face
The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four persons is
suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best
friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.