Pit River Campground
We’ve arrived to Pit River Campground, a BLM site in Northern California, this spot is our home for the next two nights.
3 Comments
Post a comment
Me, my wife, and a dog … living and traveling full-time in our 188 sq ft Airstream trailer. Living mobile since April 2015. Flirting with early retirement since March 2018.
Photo credit @gm3sm
My Instagram Photos
. I first learned of Lake Louise years ago from a former (Canadian) boss of mine, who on occasion spoke wonderfully of a seemingly mythical place in the Canadian Rockies. I knew that Kelly and I had to get there someday. . In August of 2013, a group of our Airstream pals caravanned for weeks into Washington and western Canada - to include a stop in Lake Louise. Kelly and I desperately wanted to join the trip, but were not yet living full-time on the road and could not break away from San Francisco long enough to partake in that journey. . Finally, on Thursday we arrived to Lake Louise. . Everything I heard about the magical turquoise water was witnessed and verified with my own eyes. . More impressive however is the hiking. Any person willing to walk the trails uphill for a few hours will escape the maddening levels of crowds and joyously bear witness to mountainous peaks in all directions, watch glacial avalanches fall harmlessly into insanely large snowfields, and meander alpine meadows. Your cheeks will ache from all the smiling you will do. . And yes, we did hike to the Plain of Six Glaciers teahouse. Who cares that we arrived at 9:30am - doing so didn’t stop us from enjoying soup, biscuits, and of course, the legendary chocolate cake. . . . #lakelouise #plainofsixglaciers #larchvalley. Sometimes a twenty-five minute lunch view is well worth the technical, three hour walk to the top. . Glacier National Park Canada continues to deliver. . . . #glaciernationalparkcanada #lunchwithaviewThe Monday morning alarm is not so bad when an alpine brunch is the day’s objective. . . . #glaciernationalparkcanada #parkscanada #cheopsmountain. Absent an actual hammock, this @enohammocks bug netting hack will undergo further testing. . For the time being, and despite my haven taken a sizable advantage over the pesky flies and mosquitoes, the struggle remains real while I enjoy a good book. . . . #glaciernationalparkcanada #enohammock #rvlife #airstreamlife. As much as I enjoyed yesterday’s downhill park ride, I can’t shake the sense that I cheated. . Let’s be honest - while loads of fun - the ride consisted of a relaxing, scenic gondola ride to the top, followed by a downhill. And repeat. . No painful uphill. No slow grind, cursing all the way to the top. . So today i had to make things right. I rode uphill. A lot of of uphill. . Up the road out out of town, before jumping into a mix of exposed forest roads and single-track. . The trees finally offered shade relief, but the barrage of never-ending technical switchbacks nearly had me waiving the white flag in surrender. . It sucked beautifully. . And the descent was all the better knowing I earned it one pedal stroke at a time. . . . #goldenbc #pivotswitchblade. My first time downhill riding today was a blast. . Kudos to @kickinghorsemtn bike park for its great course offerings. . Who knew riding a ski resort was so much fun! . . . #kickinghorsemtn #goldenbc #britishcolumbia #pivotswitchbladeNinety minutes and 2,292 feet later, we saved ourselves (CAD) $58 each by walking to the top. Much easier walking down. . . . #banffnationalpark #banffgondolaMost of my full-timing RV pals proudly eschew full hook-up camp sites (water, electric, & sewer) during their travels. Kelly and I are no different. . These types of campground sites cost the most and are very often the least desirable in terms of space. Because we have ample solar and battery capacity and have become quite adept in conserving water, we tend to avoid them. But not always. . Every few months we find ourselves briefly with full hook-ups for one reason or another. . Most of my full-timing RV pals - those who are honest that is - will sheepishly admit that full hook-ups can be a nice treat, affording otherwise non-had luxuries such as a long(er) shower. Kelly and I are no different. . Also, full hook-ups present an easy opportunity to complete free campsite laundry using a $5 Home Depot bucket and $3 toilet plunger agitator. . . . #rvlife #homeiswhereyouparkit #diylaundry. The town of Banff is a juxtaposition I cannot capture easily. . It is typical of *destination* resort towns - small, absolutely packed with tourists, cars, & tour buses. . There no shortage of kitschy commercial offerings of all types. . Really, it is pretty much a shitshow. . However, with only the slightest effort - and the willingness to take any one of multiple uphill trails - it’s easy to get lost for hours and effectively escape the nonsense. . Having been here a few days, I am nicely settling into a cadence of morning hikes with Kelly followed by an afternoon spin on the bike while she does yoga. . We’ll make it work here. . . . #banffnationalpark #bikebanff #roadlife #pivotswitchblade. The uphill was long and steep. . The views were amazing. . The downhill was fast. . . . #kananaskisfirelookout #peterlougheedprovincialpark #pivotcycles #pivotswitchblade. We crossed into Canada a week ago with no issues and quickly settled into Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. . Having found ourselves in south-central Alberta and nesting on the eastern edge of the Canadian Rockies, we celebrated the long and rained-soaked Canada Day weekend in a spectacularly beautiful area. . Mother Nature was not all sour grapes however. In the windows free of rain, Kelly and I did find time to play outdoors. . The hike to Rae Glacier was a wonder trek. First, up and through an alpine lake campground and the free firewood pile, then onto a rock field, before a final steep ascent to the top. The trail was nearly ours alone and lunch at the foot of the glacier, while quite chilly and windy, afforded stunning views. . Unfortunately, we couldn’t linger. As we say high above the tree line, we could see the next storm rapidly approaching, forcing us off the glacier. . . . #peterlougheedprovincialpark #alberta #raeglacier #rvlife. Instantly, I fell in love with @whitefishbikeretreat. . Never-mind the fantastic network of local biking trails surrounding the venue, there is onsite communal lodging and RV/tent camping available, enabling quick and easy access to flow trails, pump tracks, and skills courses. . Maybe my visit - a Tuesday afternoon - is not an accurate representation of the place? I highly doubt that. The overall vibe is very laidback which suited me just fine. . Oh, I almost forgot - the variety of cold beer available (bottles and cans) is quite stellar. . . . #whitefishbikeretreat #pivotswitchblade #whitefishmontana. Originally our travel route had us departing Glacier National Park and arriving to Calgary (Canada) on Sunday. However, once we saw extended rain in the forecast we ditched that plan and instead decided to take retreat in nearby Kalispell (Montana). . Exploring options we located a retired couple who allow temporary free camping on their beautiful, six-acre property conveniently located close to town. . The homeowners are great and we’ve also met a few other full-timing travelers - all of us momentarily centering our travels around the national park, but ultimately coming and going in various directions and purpose across the country. . These past fourth-eight hours have been a reminder that despite all the cable news noise highlighting the many differences that too often divide and isolate, Kelly and I are fortunate to live as we do. The diversity of people we regularly meet on the road - regardless of differing ages, social, political, or financial situations - are generally gracious, open, and welcoming. . Free from the noise, Kelly and I are lucky to cross paths and socialize with these fellow travelers, even if only briefly. . . . #rvlife #homeiswhereyouparkit @blessedwithoutboundaries @eatseerv. Initially, the trails were dry and free of snow as we ascended the mountain. Small patches of snow and ice were easily avoided, until they were not. . At higher elevations, only the few trails with virtually no tree cover are free of snow, mud, and spring melt water crossings. . While we had a GPS device aiding our navigation, the steep slopes and deep snow complicated things. Navigating a descent through the dense network of trees - we were wet, regularly postholed to our knees, and backtracked multiple times before a final glissade to dry land. . All of this slowed our travels, but absolutely increased the fun factor. For a few hours, a group of us - all in our mid/upper 40’s, momentarily put adult worries aside while reliving the joys of our childhood.. Here at Glacier National Park, the infamous Going To The Sun Road remains closed. . Crews have recently finished plowing winter snow, but many road surface and guardrail repairs remain to be completed. . During this road closure period, park visitors may bike or walk the famous alpine highway. This afternoon Kelly and I laced our sneakers, grabbed the binoculars, and set our for a walk to Logan Pass hoping to see Big Horn Sheep or Mountain Goats high on a ridge, perhaps even a few bears in one of many valley meadows far below. . We didn’t see any animal activity off in the distance, but you’ll understand our surprise to round a bend and effectively walk into a pack of nine sheep quietly grazing at the side of the road. (swipe for video) . If you have never been to Glacier, it must be added to your list. This place is simply magnificent. . . . #glaciernationalpark #goingtothesunroadArchives
- Follow Wandering With Purpose on WordPress.com
It looks like a pretty view!
Yeah, it’s a great spot. Apparently, many of the holiday weekend campers are elsewhere … which is fine with us.
Just spent two days and nights at Pit River CG. Just two other sites occupied and fishermen going to and from the day-use area. Very quiet and clean. No water in the CG so be sure to bring your own.