Camp location

Hambone0341 · Oct 25, 2016

To preface this question, I am not new to camping but have only been camping around 100 ' elevation flat land.

A friend and I are planning a trip to CO. early to mid September for archery elk. We will back pack in and camp roughly 3 miles from the road, this puts us smack in the middle of the wilderness area.

The question I have is what elevation should we be around? We are between 8k and 10.8k. I feel that camping low will get us closer to a water source and may protect us beter from weather. But camping higher might save us energy in the morning when choosing a direction to head in and walking over and down or if we wanted to glass first thing in the morning we are already high so less time climbing early.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Gut Shot · Oct 25, 2016

You don't want to be at the bottom of a valley nor at the top of the mountain. If it is cold the valley will be much colder, near the top you will get more wind. Ideally I think 1/2 to 1/3 down from the top is about right. Once you get into the area you will probably find old campsites that will be good places to set up.

Flatland Crusoe · Oct 25, 2016

I think you should camp in a place so that you can roll out of bed and move to your glassing location within minutes without much need for vertical elevation gain. Its means a dicier camping spot in some cases, but maximizes time spent glassing. If you are hunting out of a backpack you should embrace it as a way to not hike 2 hours on either side of a hunt into an area.

Z Barebow · Oct 25, 2016

I will echo what others have said. 1/3 of the way down is preferable. Make sure your downhill is NOT where you expect elk to be, day or night. Listening to thundering hooves isn't a great sound from your sleeping bag, or when you are actually hunting. I prefer the lip of a bench and the downhill is a rockslide.

But this year in ID, there wasn't a flat spot on any side hill. I ended up on lee ward side of a ridge. Windy but I was able to glass within 150 yards of camp.

Hambone0341 · Oct 25, 2016

Thank you for the suggestions. Looks like the spot I picked should work just fine. Its a little over 1/3 of the way down on a bench and I would have a mountian face behind me. This could all change when I get there but for now it looks like a good site.

Camp location

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