[at-l] Remember the bear story?

[spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

Skylander wrote:
>Question:  Is the term "Stealth Camping" now being used to describe just
>plain camping?  I always thought that "stealth" camping had something to do 
>with
>camping illegally and where one is not supposed to camp.  Camping between
>shelters (I thought) was perfectly acceptable.  Is there a requirement that 
>AT
>hikers camp only at Shelters or "designated" campgrounds?  Or has the term
>"developed" to take on another meaning?
>
>Being a "Hanger" I would like to think that camping anywhere is just that
>except where it is against the law (trespassing, against Park rules, on 
>private
>property, or on public property where camping is not expected).

Y'know, this question comes up every once in a while.  And there seems to be 
a lot more confusion about it than there should be.

The term "stealth camping" was originated by Ray Jardine with respect to the 
PCT.  It meant specifically camping AWAY from the designated campsites - for 
two reasons.  First, because those who camped at "designated" campsites were 
far more likely to have unwelcome visitors (bears, racoons, mice, etc) than 
those who camped where the critters are not habituated to find food sources. 
  Second, stealth camping, if done properly, leaves "no trace"/ makes no 
impact on the environment.

Stealth camping does NOT allow for lighting up your campfire.  If you're 
doin' campfires then you ain't stealth camping, you're just making another 
impacted campsite.

Also - if you can see the trail - or if you can be seen from the trail - you 
ain't stealth camping. One point that some people miss is that the wildlife 
uses the trails.  And if you're camped next to the trail, then the wildlife 
(including the bears) know exactly where you're at.  And whether or not 
you've hung your food.

Nor does stealth camping mean you shouldn't (or don't have to) hang your 
food.

I'd make a rather large bet that the young lady Marsha talked about was 
camped next to the trail.  We already know she didn't hang her food.  
Therefore - she was NOT stealth camping, she only thought she was.

Ginny and I do a lot of stealth camping - it has nothing whatever to do with 
camping illegally.  It DOES mean that if you're doing it right, you don't 
have campfires, you are very quiet - and when you leave you spend some time 
restoring the site to it's original condition so the next person won't know 
you've been there.

Finally - one of the most persistent and ridiculous contentions/beliefs I 
see in beginning backpackers (and thruhikers) is that camping is only 
allowed at the shelters and/or designated campsites.  There ARE places where 
that's true - Connecticut and New Jersey, for example.  But for most of the 
AT it's utterly ridiculous.  What's even more ridiculous is that I've seen 
some AT thruhikers carry that attitude over to the PCT.  I really choked on 
that one.

Hope that answers your questions -
Walk softly and camp stealthily,
Jim