Definition of "stealth camp"

[Tin Man]

We stealthed for the first time near the infamous Governor Clemente shelter last Fall. After setting up camp, we checked the shelter and no one was there, so we felt a little silly and built a fire in the ring to go with our Scotch. (That's what I hate about stealth camping - no fires!) Well, about 1:00 am several AV's came through and then we heard random gunfire for the next hour or so. Glad to have our stealth camp that night!

[sliderule]

Never heard of gorilla camping. I wonder how that came about?

Gorilla camping is a more primitive version of hammock hanging. You just climb a tree and sleep on a sturdy branch.

[SGT Rock]

Is that Gorilla or Guerrilla?

[Topcat]

When we teach LNT to kids, we talk about using established sites when possible and if not, always remember to fluff your duff....lol

[Trillium]

When we teach LNT to kids, we talk about using established sites when possible and if not, always remember to fluff your duff....lol

newbie here; so please be gentle in answering, but what is duff?

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

"Duff' is the natural covering of the forest floor - leaves, small sticks, pine needles and such.

[Tin Man]

Watch for scat in the duff or your first fluf may turn out to be enuf.

[Topcat]

Watch for scat in the duff or your first fluf may turn out to be enuf.

so true...and it is tuff when the scat gets on your stuff

[bogey]

Is that Gorilla or Guerrilla?

you saved me from having to look up the correct spelling of the correct woid.!

[Tipi Walter]

To my mind, camping off the trail and out of sight is still just camping with some bushwacking thrown in. Many areas have no trails and yet traveling thru them and camping along the way could not be considered stealth camping. There are many areas along significant trails such as the Mountains to Sea Trail and in various state parks where camping is not allowed and to do so results in stealth camping. It's strange to read the MST guidebook where it talks about camping options and it says to find the nearest motel on the closest interstate and yet just a hundred feet off the trail there is a level, hidden place to camp.

An important corollary to stealth camping is car useage. It is much easier to stealth camp without leaving or thinking about a car sitting somewhere nearby. A good example of stealth camping is finding a place to camp on a long hitchhiking trip. When night falls and there's no rides the nearest treeline seems to always offer a place to sleep.

[saimyoji]

newbie here; so please be gentle in answering, but what is duff?

BEER!! Don't you watch the simpsons?

Duffman says: newbie, welcome to WB. Drink more beer.

[Patrickjd9]

To me it means HIDDEN. legal or not.
It cost me money to learn that, back in '77 when it was against the rules to stay at the shelters in the Shenendoahs, we were supposed to stealth camp and the ranger came around one night, stood on top of the fireplace and did a 360. He said: what color is your tent. i said orange, he said i can see it. you're illegal!

Those orange tents were still pretty common when I started backpacking in the early 80s. They were either a version of or knockoff of the Eureka Timberline.