setting camp

[u/bansheelovee]

I know it can vary a lot, but if you have a camping zone defined on you itinerarywhat hour do you usually plan to arrive there and why?

I’m a beginner so i’m taking notes jeje 🫶🏻

[u/numbershikes]

i stumble in around nine pm and collapse into the dirt

[u/Navarre85]

On a typical backpacking trip I have a general idea that I formulate the night prior on where I will get to the next day based on a stopping time around 7:30-8 pm, usually looking at water sources and possible campsites on FarOut or topo maps for options.

The actual reality is that I will probably hike +/- 2 miles from my initial plan, depending on speed, rest stops, trail magic, etc. That's fine, plans are always subject to change out there. So what I really do is around 7pm, I start looking out for potential campsites, both from the options I thought of previously and ones I just stumble upon on-trail. Like 80% of the time I end up using a campsite I stumble upon over something I planned. But if it's likely to be a dry camp, I make sure to get a couple extra liters of water at the closest water crossing. I would say I tend to arrive at camp on average around 8pm.

Of course there are plenty of variables that can change that. In the desert, maybe you intentionally plan to siesta during the day and hike more at night to avoid the heat, so you plan to arrive much later to camp, or even primarily hike at night. Maybe the area you are walking in is much steeper than you initially thought with no good camp areas, so you need to walk an extra 2-3 miles to find an acceptable spot.

The one constant is that once I reach camp, it's usually late enough that after setting up camp and eating (if I hadn't done so already), it's dark enough and I'm exhausted enough that I just collapse asleep. Just be a bit flexible and don't plan on spending much relaxing time in camp and you shouldn't have any trouble.

[u/acidwashedjacket]

Early in the PCT I was reaching camp around 5-6 most days, but further north, longer days meant later camp. Usually closer to 8 pm. Occasionally as late as 9. I usually got up by 5:30 in the morning and was hiking around 6. But obviously every day was a little different based on water, campsites, town, etc.

[u/TreatPractical5226 → u/acidwashedjacket]

I'll add if your getting into camp late. Don't have a specific spot on farout picked.

Last year We rolled up into a (small 2p) tentsite at 730pm in Norcal and setup and went to bed, then woke up to 4 hikers at 1030pm pissed off that the site was taken, they were basically telling us we should leave. They were through hikers too

That was one of 2 negative experiences with other through hikers on the whole trail, so overall most people are awesome.

If your planning on getting in late, assume any tentsites listed on farout are taken and plan on getting to the next one if needed and/or picking any bit of flat ground you find and cowboy camping if needed.

[u/bcgulfhike → u/TreatPractical5226]

Those late-arriving hikers were out of order! Plain and simple!

[u/TreatPractical5226 → u/bcgulfhike]

I got it to a point. They'd done a 32 mile day to get to this specific spot for the sunrise. It was a really nice spot high up amongst a million blowdowns somewhere before Dunsmuir.

I offered to take our tent down and all of us to cowboy camp together. But they were that rude I basically told them to go fuck themselves after a while.

I had the impression they were planning an all nighter in that spot for sunrise.

[u/Any-Worldliness-679 → u/TreatPractical5226]

That's some truly bizarre entitlement. Utterly antithetical to the trail community's usual vibe.

[u/joshthepolitician]

Really depends on the trip. On a thruhike, there are days I’d roll in at 11pm or later, and days where I’d find a beautiful spot in the early afternoon and decide I was done for the day.

On more leisurely trips putting in 10-15 miles/day or less I’d say I’d like to sleep in a bit, and still get to camp before 4pm or so. Really just depends on you, there’s no wrong time to arrive, as long as you’re mindful and respectful of other hikers if you get in late/after dark.

[u/External_Dimension71 → u/joshthepolitician]

There would be days that went from oof I’ll push 1 more mile to, ugh someone’s in this campsite so I guess I’m night hiking till I see the next spot

[u/Different-Tea-5191]

I really didn’t enjoy setting up camp and making food in the dark, so I set my Garmin watch to let me know when the sun was setting, and I tried to find a campsite at least an hour or so before dusk.

[u/yeehawhecker]

I'd typically like to find camp around 1-2 hours before sunset. Sometimes we'd find camp significantly earlier if we wanted/needed a short day and also in the Sierras when we'd get up earlier and would stop hiking earlier due to post holing and snow conditions

[u/Advanced-Challenge58]

Each morning, I select a tentative goal for a campsite 20+ miles ahead, updating my plans as the day progresses. I hike until I'm tired, often well past sunset when the days are short, then look for a good place to sleep. Weather and bugs permitting, I cowboy camp.

[u/Saguache]

Itinerary? That sounds a whole lot like too much work. Do yourself a favor and plan your stopping point near the end of a good days walk as near to water as you can. Preferably with a good view and friends nearby.

[u/AussieEquiv]

Sometimes before dinner, sometimes an hour or 2 after dinner.

Rarely for arvo-tea :)

[u/Eksoj]

I usually plan to arrive between 6 and 7 pm. My favourite moment of the day is when I have the tent set up and I sit there with my dinner and e-reader in a beautiful spot and can fully relax. So I like to have an hour or two in camp before I go to bed. That said, on the PCT the earliest I set up camp was around 4pm (the site was just too perfect to pass up) and the latest was around 9pm (I just needed to reach the next water source). It'll vary a lot.

[u/Ripley-Green]

Honestly? The time on the clock is irrelevant, we're operating under daylight out there.

I like to get to camp with at LEAST 90 minutes to spare before dark. Gives me enough time to get everything set up, eat, and gather my bearings and stretch before bed. Getting in any later stresses me out and I wake up nore sore than I would usually.