basecamp vs roming camp

98dango

Expedition Leader
So this was brought up at dinner the outher night. I got to wondering how and why some of you have come up with you camp set ups. I have always used a basecamp style. We set up camp and explore with in x distance and then come back. When I was younger we jumped in the truck and drove slept woke up drove slept. I was not so fond of this but it was fun and you coverd ground this way.
 

Abel Villesca

Explorer
I think it depends on where you will be exploring. Some locations provide an opportunity to return to a base camp every night, while others (Hole in the Rock Trail for example) require camping as you go.
 

Root Moose

Expedition Leader
We've always done the "sleep/wake" version. Plus side you can make some serious ground over the course of a few days. Downside was I personally always found it stressful trying to find a decent camping spot on Crown land to set up at before night fall.

When we get back at it again the plan is to haul a trailer and depending on the mood do one version or the other. The trailer has to be rugged enough to make it in exploring mode.
 

goodtimes

Expedition Poseur
I do both....but generally I prefer to move every day, unless we are setting up base camp to go explore on foot.

I do like to take my time in the morning, and I like to arrive at the next camp early enough to set things up and then relax a bit before having to cook dinner....generally 5 or 6 hours of exploring, then I start looking for a new camp.

When I am on the moto...I tend to spend less time in camp, and more on the trail.
 

ExpoMike

Well-known member
For me personally, I did base camping for years when I owned OHV's. I really got tired of always coming back to the same place or limiting how far I could explore since I always needed gas to get back to camp (atv or dirt bike).

Now that we have a street legal rig and a camp trailer, I have finally been able to do what I have always wanted to do, cover much futher distances and have a new place to camp each night. Try doing something like the Mojave Road or El Camino Del Diablo with base camping and you really can't.

If I end up going some place where I can setup camp at a central location and can explore different routes that are only day trips, then I might do base camping again but for me, point to point is in my heart.

If nothing else, just get out. It really doesn't matter where. :D
 

Robert Bills

Explorer
I think it depends on where one is going and how long one plans to be gone. Personally, I like to mix it up on long trips. After two or three days of breaking camp every morning it's nice to settle in for awhile and relax.
 

98dango

Expedition Leader
This why I asked. All of my exploring has been here in the pacific north west or when I lived in Moab. Here I can cover 95% of what I want to see in 5-6 hurs and there arent that maney great camp spots. When I lived in Moab I would sleep in my jeep but even then aside frome hole in the rock I was never more than an hour from my bed.
 

Funrover

Expedition Leader
I have always done base camp in the past. However this summer I have planned a trip that requires roaming camp. I am looking forward to it. I want to build up my rover to make the set up/break down as quick and easy as possible. I will miss the set up once and be done idea but to get in further and really enjoy the backcountry you have to be able to just stop at a random spot and listen.
 

IH8RDS

Explorer
Sometimes I have the big travel trailer and I am very limited so I tend to base camp. When tent camping I like to base camp too because set-up and tear down take a while with me. When I do take my big trip in a couple of years I will have to be more mobile to cover/explore more areas. It will take lots of practice for me. :sombrero:
 

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