# Coolest camp you've ever had?



## sykgutt

Earlier this year I went out in the woods with a couple of friends to make the ultimate camping spot. We built a huge lean-to.







Also, we found a complete deer skeleton and mounted the skull on the tip of the lean-to, and I made a windchime out of it's bones and hung it on a nearby tree. We also dug a hole in the ground and hid an ammo box full of weed and various paraphernalia in it. The firepit had an old Belgian steel pot helmet to use for boiling/cooking food, and a metal posted sign for a grill. Next to it was an enormous dead, hollowed out tree (looked like a big spike), peering like a monument over the campsite. We pulled a huge dead tree over to use as a bench. The area was also full of wood and kindling for the fire. Lastly, we dug a hole, put a bucket in it, and pulled G's out of the ground.

Had some good times there, taking a bunch of friends up for a couple of days, feeling like mercenaries with all of our military gear.

What was the coolest campsite you've ever had?


----------



## sykgutt

damn... like a squatter's paradise


----------



## finn

This wasn't my camp, but some years ago in Pittsburgh, before the punks started buying the cheap houses (which caused all the squatters to move in with their friends), there was a camp in the woods in the middle of the city. If you aren't read up in your history of that city, the woods are there because it is forbidden to develop on that steep slope of land. The trees protect the homes, businesses, and roads below. Decades ago, during some construction further up, a landslide rushed down, demolishing everything in its way all the way down to the river. Landslides are common in that city, which is hillier than SF by a long shot.
About a dozen people lived there, in an encampment. There was a tarped communal kitchen set in the basement foundation of a home long since swept away in the dirt avalanche. Tents were placed nearby. It was a summer camp; when it got colder, anyone serious about staying in the city could squat a house or perhaps even resort to paying rent. It lasted about 3 summers.


----------



## bryanpaul

not the "coolest" camp really, but we made a nice little jungle in new orleans.... peep that fire pit...... and yeah i know, we're a bunch of dorks, whatever, cards and dice only amuse for so long....time for the literature


----------



## skunkpit

this was a shelter i made near my most favourite dumpster in the winter, stayed in it one day at -12c the side closes up with another chunk of cardboard. it was a funny scenario. i slept on the loading dock at first till an employee politely asked me not to sleep there and suggested the side of the building was good to sleep, so i said fuck yeah. made this pallet beach umbrella house and ceran warped it. i kinda leached onto the side of this organic wholesaler distributer place. found spring water in the dumpster and shit loads of anything organic yogurt, weekly at least 1x 50lb bag of organic, oats, rice, kamut, spelt etc etc. some of the familys iv helped give food away from this dumpster still are eating the rice and oats after 2 years, they still have some in their basements. anyways a friend pissed on the shelter next day it was bulldozed over.


----------



## Adonis

haha love the recliner! oh and the "sophisticated contraption of a tarp tent." and to think I carry a 4man(cough 2man) tent.  

I should really take some pictures of the whole Jeep camp site set up.. 

I set the tent up with trees on the back side and then park the Jeep a few feet away from the front of the door then I string my tarp over top tieing to the roll cage and the trees. this gives me nice covered standing room if needed like this time of year when we are having lots of rain. I might build a larger more complex log shelter this year before the snow flys though. 

Anyhow I am heading back out later today, been in town last couple weeks doing repairs and took me a bit to scrounge up the funds for a new starter! I'll take some pics of my set up and share em next time I'm near a wifi spot.


----------



## Adonis

haha love the recliner! oh and the "sophisticated contraption of a tarp tent." and to think I carry a 4man(cough 2man) tent.  

I should really take some pictures of the whole Jeep camp site set up.. 

I set the tent up with trees on the back side and then park the Jeep a few feet away from the front of the door then I string my tarp over top tieing to the roll cage and the trees. this gives me nice covered standing room if needed like this time of year when we are having lots of rain. I might build a larger more complex log shelter this year before the snow flys though. 

Anyhow I am heading back out later today, been in town last couple weeks doing repairs and took me a bit to scrounge up the funds for a new starter! I'll take some pics of my set up and share em next time I'm near a wifi spot.


----------



## EaznaZ

kitchen and main area of cabin, note: 7-10 people eating lots and living near a trash station and multiple dumpsters means lots of stuff, and yes the cat was found as well as everything in and composing the cabin. 'twas a good squat.


----------



## EaznaZ

#2 woodstove area of the cabin





#3 the Big tipi


----------



## Birdy

Last year around this time the kids in my friends neighborhood were all really tight and there were some woods off a dirt road right next to the neighborhood. Well on the side of the dirt road were a TON of really tall trees. The kids would always hang out back there, but there was nothing really around except for some couches and some toppled over trees. Finally the kids were bored with sitting out in the open when it rained and stuff so a few of them would get together and take time to build the fort. I don't have any pics of it from when it was huge and nice, the kids are stupid and decided it'd be fun to make the fort topple over and chop down some trees and have them fall on it. 
I never really spent the night in it, I'd goto my friends house and we'd hang out with the kids drinkin beer around the fire and singing songs by afro man and smokin the shweed.
A few months later when the fort was in it's last leg the neighbors got sick of listening to the kids chop down the trees so they called the cops and they chased out all the kids and posted up no tresspassing signs. I haven't been to that area in a REALLY long time, but when I think about those days I miss the fort.


----------



## Ravie

I stayed in a huge squat by the river names "the embassator sweet" And it was made of a living tree, tarps, branches, and bamboo. even had a door and a bar-bq!


----------



## eightstring

in terms of comfort my best was a really old cadillac in the bushes outside a little town in BC, only had one broken window so i duct taped a sheet of plastic over it, pulled out the front seats and the steering wheel/shaft, and put in another back seat from a nearby volkswagon to make one big bed. 
other than that i think my couple of pallets in a tree was great. rope and tarp roof over two pallets nailed to one another and held onto some boughs with rope about 8 feet up a tree. got kinda scary during a storm though. 
and my tarp shantee built around a stump on mount royal in montreal was good times too. the squirrels around there are so stupid! i got one with my slingshot without even getting out of my sleeping bag.


----------



## Geoff

there's some rad camping spots on the south side of austin in the greenbelt. there's even a platform/treehouse in a liveoak we would sleep in about 3 or 4 stories high.


----------



## Adonis

Widerstand said:


> Where are the photos? I wouldn't mind seeing them.




Never actually got around to taking any pic's myself but I had a friend stay with me at another site for a week and she took various pics (mostly trying to be creative with jeep and the fire) asking her to send them to me now so I'll get those up soon as she does.


----------



## Adonis

Here is some pic's, this was just a temp spot for about a week just outside of a small town called Gravenhurst.


----------



## iamwhatiam

in carrborro, north carolina we found a semi-hidden spot in the woods to pitch tents. about a 10 minute walk to the fire pit under the railroad tressel where we'd have parties and jam. the bridge had art painted all over it and there was a beautiful stream 30 ft from the pit to get water and do dishes. a short walk from there was where a free bus stopped that would take us to and from town. we squatted that place for months before we had any trouble......not the coolest camp i guess but was great while it lasted.

then were all the camps i had out in the woods in alaska growing up. there is nowhere better in my opinion to live out in the woods than alaska. by far.


----------



## Adonis

Thanks.

I am working on a deal now for a XJ (Cherokee) plan will be to drive to BC late spring early summer and set up longer stay camp in the Mt wilderness. I have been doing a lot of reading on vertical log construction and since I have over 6 years carpentry experience I think I may just give that a go.

Anyhow there is still lots of winter to get past first and my trailer to sell for spring (don't want to tow it that far away) and who knows what could happen/change between now and then.


----------



## Cpt_knuckles

Probaly wouldnt count as a outdoor adventure but 
me and my bud made a fred flintstone pallet house in some wal mart truck yard at 3:00 am hhaahah it was sick running water(rain) and Entertainment center (a small window looking out to the mountins and some random red blinking light)


----------



## dirty_rotten_squatter

Climbed El capitan in Yosemite took a little over 2 days, there were 3 others with me we all camped out on the side of the mountain. Warm clear skies stars and a full moon out. everything was quiet except for the coyotes. We busted out our portable ledges and just lied there it was very peaceful


----------



## Nym

This was the coolest camp i ever had!
there was a huge beached ship that was hella old 
and two drift wood huts!
haha! we partied hard till i fell outta the ship drunker then hell!:crew:


----------



## rabidpossum

in 2000, not too far into golden gate park, past where the coppers filled up their tanks we had raccoon camp. it was just off the road behind some trees and bush. on the other side of the fence was part of that huge rose garden area. we (on and off, about 7-12 of us) had that camp for at least 2-3 months. who knows how long it existed with the people who showed us the spot. i could leave my tent, guitar and pack there during the day and not worry.

called raccoon camp because one night we were getting drunk as usual and all of a sudden like 5-10 raccoons started scaling the fence from the garden trying to get in. we would shake em off and theyd climb right back on again. they were mounting a full scale offensive on our camp! thus, the name. good times, great oldies.


----------



## Mor

Adonis said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I am working on a deal now for a XJ (Cherokee) plan will be to drive to BC late spring early summer and set up longer stay camp in the Mt wilderness. I have been doing a lot of reading on vertical log construction and since I have over 6 years carpentry experience I think I may just give that a go.



This is called "balloon framing"? 
I can't imagine how to stabalize the walls properly.

I have seen a trapping cabin built with horizontal logs but the corners werent notched together like usual. They used square beams (vertical) on the corners and just butted and nailed through to the logs.


OK. 

And here is a picture of the coolest (literally) camp I've had:








Down in the Baja near the town of Catavina there is an expanse of house sized granite boulders. One such boulder was perched on top of three or four larger boulders and was hollowed out on the bottom by the wind to form a domed cave about the size of a small bedroom. It was a nice place to rest in the shade between forays into the maze of cacti and dirtpaths. 

I camped out there for a solid week until I ran out of food.

Oh, and the "vampiros"


----------



## bote

coolest camp I ever had was the tank at Slab city. I built a hanging house inside and a tiredome on the roof and a kitchen and water system in there and stuff. LAst I heard, Moth took it over and had some christmas lights going with my old solar panels (I never did get them working). Definitely my dream home, with a view of the sunset route no less.


----------



## ring

My favorite was an abandoned summer camp we found in the woods, we camped in these concrete gazebo type things, had a fireplace in the midde, we strung up a few tarps to be like walls, and hung a hammock between two support beams, i think a friend took pictures, its a real cool area. ill try to get pics


----------



## SpaceCadet

finn said:


> This wasn't my camp, but some years ago in Pittsburgh, before the punks started buying the cheap houses (which caused all the squatters to move in with their friends), there was a camp in the woods in the middle of the city. If you aren't read up in your history of that city, the woods are there because it is forbidden to develop on that steep slope of land. The trees protect the homes, businesses, and roads below. Decades ago, during some construction further up, a landslide rushed down, demolishing everything in its way all the way down to the river. Landslides are common in that city, which is hillier than SF by a long shot.
> About a dozen people lived there, in an encampment. There was a tarped communal kitchen set in the basement foundation of a home long since swept away in the dirt avalanche. Tents were placed nearby. It was a summer camp; when it got colder, anyone serious about staying in the city could squat a house or perhaps even resort to paying rent. It lasted about 3 summers.



I lived there for summer and most of fall in 05. Do you remember Centro? The punk house at the bottom of the hill?


----------



## finn

SpaceCadet said:


> I lived there for summer and most of fall in 05. Do you remember Centro? The punk house at the bottom of the hill?



I thought the camp was down in the fall of 05, I was visiting grace before she went down a medicking to nola, and there wasn't much left. And yeah, everybody and their mom remembers the Centro.


----------



## Smallredbox

Now, it wasn't my camp, but once upon a time my friends and I stumbled upon this huge tent city in the forest near Kissimmee, FL one day while going on a fishing trip. 

There were about six tents all interconnected by tarps. It was a bit creepy, because there was no one there; it was a ghost town. 

The cool thing was that about 3 days later, we went back and it was completely gone, without a trace.


----------



## sprout

Unfortunate circumstances stuck me in Middle of Nowhere, New Mexico earlier this year. We were in a town that is one mile long with nothing but a restaurant and a dumpy area that was used for, well, dumping. But we took all the old, moldy, broken, busted down recliners, televisions, refrigerators, stoves, plywood, etc. and made a pretty awesome spot. Luckily we didn't have to stay there for more than a day or two.


----------



## SpaceCadet

finn said:


> I thought the camp was down in the fall of 05, I was visiting grace before she went down a medicking to nola, and there wasn't much left. And yeah, everybody and their mom remembers the Centro.



It was there in the summer of 05. We stayed (about 4 us) there even after centro closed. We squatted centro after everyone moved out.


----------



## Drunken Hearted Man

My traveling partner and I met this old school guy in Nashville this spring, he kept telling us about this magical spot in Illinois where you could make 100+ dollars flying signs (every day), and where the cops are so nice they just don't give a fuck what you do. I had my doubts, but all three of us hopped up to Chicago and made our way out to this suburb. Apparently he wasn't lying, no travelers ever go there, and there's virtually no homeless people, so we were the craziest thing these (super rich) people had ever seen. Anyway the only patch of "wilderness" was this little half mile chunk of light brush/trees in the middle of a heavily developed area (malls, walmart etc.). Rusty had been coming there for about three years and had built a hooch in the woods there, it was still there when we got there, so we fixed it up and lived there for about a week or so. The aldees dumpster threw out like 50lbs of meat every other day along with fucktons of other food, so we "borrowed" a grill from the back of some nearby business and spent most of our time drinking whiskey and grilling steaks.

Pictures (left to right).
1. Overall view of the hooch.
2. Talia and I posing with a new half gallon.
3. Holding 150-200 dollars that we made in about 45 minutes.
4. The grill we stole.
5. Rusty (He brought us there)
6. Asstons of dumpstered food (box in the middle is all meat)


----------



## stink

Drunken Hearted Man said:


> My traveling partner and I met this old school guy in Nashville this spring, he kept telling us about this magical spot in Illinois where you could make 100+ dollars flying signs (every day), and where the cops are so nice they just don't give a fuck what you do. I had my doubts, but all three of us hopped up to Chicago and made our way out to this suburb. Apparently he wasn't lying, no travelers ever go there, and there's virtually no homeless people, so we were the craziest thing these (super rich) people had ever seen. Anyway the only patch of "wilderness" was this little half mile chunk of light brush/trees in the middle of a heavily developed area (malls, walmart etc.). Rusty had been coming there for about three years and had built a hooch in the woods there, it was still there when we got there, so we fixed it up and lived there for about a week or so. The aldees dumpster threw out like 50lbs of meat every other day along with fucktons of other food, so we "borrowed" a grill from the back of some nearby business and spent most of our time drinking whiskey and grilling steaks.
> 
> Pictures (left to right).
> 1. Overall view of the hooch.
> 2. Talia and I posing with a new half gallon.
> 3. Holding 150-200 dollars that we made in about 45 minutes.
> 4. The grill we stole.
> 5. Rusty (He brought us there)
> 6. Asstons of dumpstered food (box in the middle is all meat)



what town in illinois is this? ive been here for a while. and i never heard of such a place


----------



## seldomseen

@ Bryanpaul - If that's not a jungle I don't know what is. Great pic.


----------



## wildboy860

damn it.... ! enough stories, post more pics of your cool ass camps, please...!!!


----------



## jobe

i had a sick camp in richmond va that I "built" tracks on one side, river on another and freeways on the other two. There was no access by vehicle and no rva locals knew about it. 

I shit you not my 2nd or 3rd day going back there I saw a fucking long white hair mountain goat...big curly horns n shit. It was a decent walk form carytown where I got my supplies but not bad at all. the only sketch part was the access point was at the end of a dead end in some white suburban neighborhood. Ii had to kinda climb over one of those spots where people toss their old christmas trees n shit. I loved it though.


----------



## barnaclebones

Drunken Hearted Man said:


> My traveling partner and I met this old school guy in Nashville this spring, he kept telling us about this magical spot in Illinois where you could make 100+ dollars flying signs (every day), and where the cops are so nice they just don't give a fuck what you do. I had my doubts, but all three of us hopped up to Chicago and made our way out to this suburb. Apparently he wasn't lying, no travelers ever go there, and there's virtually no homeless people, so we were the craziest thing these (super rich) people had ever seen. Anyway the only patch of "wilderness" was this little half mile chunk of light brush/trees in the middle of a heavily developed area (malls, walmart etc.). Rusty had been coming there for about three years and had built a hooch in the woods there, it was still there when we got there, so we fixed it up and lived there for about a week or so. The aldees dumpster threw out like 50lbs of meat every other day along with fucktons of other food, so we "borrowed" a grill from the back of some nearby business and spent most of our time drinking whiskey and grilling steaks.



what burb was it, nails? ....the chicago suburb dumpsters fed me for YEARS... theyre fuggin amazing. we'd ride the commuter train out in the winter, hit trader joes and score salmon steaks, christmas hams, fudge, veggies galore, cheese, bread, pastries.... its like dumpster eden in the west suburbs (glen ellyn, wheaton, elmyra, oak park..)


----------



## Adonis

Mor said:


> This is called "balloon framing"?
> I can't imagine how to stabalize the walls properly.
> 
> I have seen a trapping cabin built with horizontal logs but the corners werent notched together like usual. They used square beams (vertical) on the corners and just butted and nailed through to the logs.




It's actually referred to as Vertical log construction and was first developed by the french around (i think) the 1300's they would dig a square trench and stand the logs up inside, The logs are all vertically notched and a strip of wood is inserted between each so when the square is complete all four walls stand on there own.. Its a cool way to build cause you can be extravagant or very very simple.

Anyhow there is tons of info on the web about them with great pics if you actually wanted to fill your interest.


Now that I am actually out here in BC I have come up with a slightly different idea/plan... A floating log cabin! but more on that later


----------



## 1percentfreeloader

I have to admit, I did very little to create "the coolest camp ever" but I did find some camo netting that came in super handy when the trees thinned.
OK: This camp culd not be seen, even with campfire, 20 feet away. NO shit. It sat in a little valley that did not flood. Above was a jogging trail surrounded by "wilderness" for asthetics. 20 toward the street was a two track sidetrack that used to service a factory long since shut down. **Thats a whole other amazing story* *You seriously had to know the landmarks just to find the short ass trail that it was. Picture this: 5 or 6 tents surrounding a covered common area that usually had a fire going, some folks cooking, throwing bones or generally living. Two picnic tables resided under the community canopy. The location could have barely been more beautiful. 5-10 min walk from downtown so d-dived food was always stewing, literally a stones throw from an all ages hall and an enjoyable little beach. To this day I can't think of a more together camp, couldn't ask for much more, really.
BTW- We kept tight lipped about its existance so idiots from the shows or any random shitbag couldn't blow up the spot.. Not to say that that generousity wasn't in effect. We just kept it Sucka Free..Boyee!

I'm looking for flicks as we type.. Hopeflly I can show its bad assedness lol..

Stay up y'all


----------



## LeeevinKansas

awesome stuff. i recently stumbled upon this spot in a pine forest not far from where i live. Fuckin this pine forest is already extremely thick and u have to stoop low as ballz to get anywhere, well these people made a natural wall/fence by interlocking pine tree's branches in a circle, its pretty bad ass. they cleared out the area inside the fence. Theres a lil wooden half ass table, 3 logs to sit on, a door mat made of twigs woven together. lots of alcohol. and its like completely hidden from view. ill go and take pics soon. its pretty tight.


----------



## Mr. Expendable

This place everyone called hidden valley we scange a whole little village.... wed find tarps chairs couhes tables matteress all struff being thrown out.... and we had tents and blankets given by the local kids.... the first camp was the best in its prime it had 2 make shirt tents two big sided tens 3 couches , carpet, a hommockand three or more mattressesall kings and queens.... tables and chairs.... but the cops raided and each time we'd build a new spot it would be smaller and more hidden till everyone gave up on it and some people stayed at local kids houses some traveled away and some lived in the squat house we found..... very depressing time because we all where so close...almost like a giant tribe and it was all torn at the seems.... but it got in the local news paper.... they called it the punk rock shanty town


----------



## sh4d0wm4573ri7

One my favorites northern MN:


----------



## Nemo

For me one of the best places I've gone camping was in the black mountains at a festival called the leaf festival.. I was young then so I'm not sure how much I'd like it now of course. But there were friendly people everywhere, everyone "was caring and sharing".. It was a great time at age 14.

As far as super-secret-awesome-hideaway camps I haven't much on that frontier besides when yet again I was young and a neighbor Adam built a series of underground tunnels and rooms underground in our neighborhood. That was neat-o but way too dusty.

I've actually been dreaming up a little something lately and gathering materials along the way but land is so scarce to come by at a good price. I guess I'll have to take my risk and chance it by squatting. 

OH camping one summer with a close group of friends we built a spiderweb deal high in a few of oak trees. It was a nylon rope net attached to 3 trees not so far away.. We used Ashiko hand and foot spikes to climb to the lower-level branches to secure the setup. That, I think was my favorite sleep/camping style ever. A lot of work but worth it.


----------



## joshbryan

bokor hill staion, cambodia. It's an old french military stronghold and current ghost town atop a huge "hill" (mountain) on the coast. We squatted on the roof of the hotel. Google bokor hill station for pictures. the sunset was incredible. best birthday of my life.


----------



## joshbryan

or, agua verde, baja california. A beautiful beach with a private abandoned palapa, old fishing boat, our own island, shit loads of fire wood, Bioluminescent plankton, tons of beautiful and tasty fish, and a wonderful little fishing town/camp just down the dirt road. It was incredible. I 've been twice and will return.


----------



## Eden

The best time I ever had in Florida was taking a boat out to one of the barrier islands near Key Largo and setting up shop. Had an entire island to ourselves, made all the noise and ruckus we wanted and never saw hind nor hair of anyone else, especially the coast guard. If you've ever been to the Keys you should know all about the green trees, crystal blue waters, and spectacular orange sunset.


----------



## katbastard

bote said:


> coolest camp I ever had was the tank at Slab city. I built a hanging house inside and a tiredome on the roof and a kitchen and water system in there and stuff. LAst I heard, Moth took it over and had some christmas lights going with my old solar panels (I never did get them working). Definitely my dream home, with a view of the sunset route no less.


 that place was awesome bote, tobad moth is shitting in the bottom now. but the awesomeness will still be there after he is long gone


----------



## katbastard

the best camp i have ever had was in slab city in one of the old ammo lockers, its a 20 foot by 20 feet, had screen at the door to keep out the horse flys, had shade cloth to keep it cool, this was during the summer, temps get to around 120 degrees. had tiki tourches and a hot springs 1/2 miles away, queen size real bed in there, this place was pimped the fuck out. here are a few pix but i wish i had more. the first two pix are the hall way going in to the box, my road dog douche bag kevin in the pix, the next pic of of me and an exgirl friend who i dont really like, at the mouth of the hall way, the next two pix are of the sut set out side my place.
View attachment 22316
View attachment 22317
View attachment 22318
View attachment 22319
View attachment 22320


----------



## venusinpisces

katbastard said:


> the best camp i have ever had was in slab city in one of the old ammo lockers, its a 20 foot by 20 feet, had screen at the door to keep out the horse flys, had shade cloth to keep it cool, this was during the summer, temps get to around 120 degrees.
> View attachment 22316
> View attachment 22317
> View attachment 22318
> View attachment 22319
> View attachment 22320


 These are nice pics. I want to head down there in a couple months and have been looking for photos of the place.


----------



## katbastard

venusinpisces said:


> These are nice pics. I want to head down there in a couple months and have been looking for photos of the place.


 
better to go sooner then later, it get hot. awesome place though


----------



## Diagaro

Hippie chick bushwhack Zak and I found a awsome one in east meridian mississippi some over grown old railyard sidetrax and switching area.
Lots of old evidence of beign a hopout/jungle/hobo camp
I'll not post pixures here, they are on our respective facebooks
We got smashed and had a huge bon/trash fire then fell asleep on top of a grainer in the yard and caught back into NoLa at about 4 in the morning


----------



## venusinpisces

One of my favorite camps was deep in Golden Gate Park, in an area completely covered with bramble bush. I had a 2 person tent set up in the thick of it for about 3-4 months and nobody ever took a thing because it was so well hidden. I get cold easily but was toasty every night due to all the insulation from tarps, tent and multiple sleeping bags. I even had a gigantic cooler back there!  Don't even think about trying this anywhere near Hippie Hill or the beach. Those areas are well patrolled by the police, especially by the hill.


----------

