Firewood Rip offs

[tplife]

Re: Firewood Rip offs

HogSnapper, you're only encouraging Mike. Think about it, he represents the "future" of camping: "We Are the Borg. You Will be Assimilated. Resistance is Futile." Now my idea of a campfire is a nice bed of hardwood coals, and a VW magnesium engine block...priceless!

[Mike]

Re: Firewood Rip offs

Ahhh, no. I won't give up campfires. ever.

Probably TPlife is correct about Hogsnapper trolling me (all in good fun).

I like campfires too in cool or cold weather. I can do without them in the heat of summer, though.

Where I live and camp in Wisconsin, Michigan, etc, firewood at the campgrounds is easy to find for free with just a little bit of savaging in the forests around the campsites.

However, my eyes were really opened when I went camping in California and the northeast USA where camping pressure has an enormous impact on the campsites. Those campgrounds are picked CLEAN of any and all burnable material.You don't find twigs or pine cones and in some places, not even pine needles or leaves. Bark is peeled off of trees and any reachable branch on trees is broken off - green or not. For camping in parks like that, bringing firewood or buying it is the only option.

Clearly, as our nation's population grows and our national forests and campgrounds shrink with the continuing sales of national parkland, those examples of high-traffic, high pressure campsites ARE the future of camping in the USA. I think many of us on these forums have seen the change in our own lifetime.

One of the things that I find almost ludicrous is campgrounds with campsites shoulder to shoulder with each burning millions of BTU at their private campfires each night so that the campers have a flame to stare at for a few hours. It is so contrary to the concept of appreciation of nature and the outdoor experience. The net environmental effect in the busy summer months must equate nearly to local dumps burning refuse. Now imagine all the national, state, county,and private campgrounds in the USA with all that burning going on in the busy summer months when nearly every campsite is full.

I would at least like to see campgrounds hosting localized social group campfires or bonfires and invite whole sections of the campgrounds to enjoy and discourage the use of individual campsite fires. They used to do this in the 1960’s and 1970’s. In addition to the campfires, the park rangers and others told about nature and the parks. Sometimes professional story tellers were invited. People met each other, were entertained, and enjoyed a communal fire.

Anyway, Hogsnapper, next summer when the weather is hot, just TRY my suggestion for candles or hobo can fires instead of a campfire. You won’t sweat around a hot fire. You won’t choke on smoke when the wind blows your way. You won’t have to deal with campfire fuel. You will have more time to do other stuff… like the camp organizing you like to do.

[Nickadeamus]

Re: Firewood Rip offs

I live and camp in the Northeast and never had a problem with finding firewood.

I have never paid $ for firewood but I have paid in sweat. As soon as camp is set up I go out and start gathering wood. It could be right around the campsite or a mile down the road. If I go outside of the Campgrounds or my campsite I use my car or truck and a chain saw to collect what wood I need.

I have never seen bark removed from trees other than from beavers, bears or bucks. And if you burn leaf material than it tells me you are from the city and don’t know what you are doing because all it mostly will do is give off a lot of smoke and burn very fast. But I have seen people use a small amount to start their fire. I never do or had to, but that is me.

All I am saying is if a little sweat doesn’t bother you than your wood will not cost you any money. At least that is how it is up here in the northeast in the Allegheny National Forest area.

[Mike]

Re: Firewood Rip offs

I live and camp in the Northeast and never had a problem with finding firewood.

I have never paid $ for firewood but I have paid in sweat. As soon as camp is set up I go out and start gathering wood. It could be right around the campsite or a mile down the road. If I go outside of the Campgrounds or my campsite I use my car or truck and a chain saw to collect what wood I need.

I have never seen bark removed from trees other than from beavers, bears or bucks. And if you burn leaf material than it tells me you are from the city and don’t know what you are doing because all it mostly will do is give off a lot of smoke and burn very fast. But I have seen people use a small amount to start their fire. I never do or had to, but that is me.

All I am saying is if a little sweat doesn’t bother you than your wood will not cost you any money. At least that is how it is up here in the northeast in the Allegheny National Forest area.

Yes, in Pennsylvania, there is still a lot of good camping without the pressures you will find if you go to some of the other areas especially along the highly populated coastlines(both east and west).

[terasec]

Re: Firewood Rip offs

should check with your states regs on such,
in NY, Illegal to remove downed wood from state lands,
even if its same lands as the campground is located,
you drive 1 mile down the road, load your car, once loaded you have removed it from the state lands, even if your headed back into the same lands,
also you require the following self certified certificate anytime your transporting your own firewood,
Self-Issued Certificate of Origin
for transport and possession of Untreated Firewood


In accordance with ECL Part 192.5, Firewood Restrictions to Protect Forests from Invasive
Species, persons who cut and transport Untreated Firewood, from a New York source, for
personal use must complete and possess a Self-Issued Certificate of Origin from the Department
1. Name of transporter:
2. Street Address, City, State, Zip Code
3. Origin of transported firewood (Village, Town or City):
4. Destination of firewood being transported:
5. Approximate volume being transported (cords, face cords, cubic feet, truckload, etc.)
I understand that this Untreated Firewood shall not be moved more than 50 miles from it=s origin
(the “village, town or city where the trees were grown, as determined according to the
regulation).
I further understand, under the regulation, that no person shall transport Untreated Firewood into
New York State from any other State or country.
I hereby affirm that under penalty of perjury that information provided on this form and all
attachments submitted herewith is true to the best of my knowledge and belief. False statements
made herein are punishable as a Class A misdemeanor pursuant to Section 210.45 of the Penal
Law.
Printed Name of Transporter:______________________________________ _____
Signature of Transporter and Date:_____________________________________________ __

[tplife]

Re: Firewood Rip offs

Mike, you have to do a little more camping out here in California. I can show you campgrounds in the Sierras where the rangers have the trimmers dump the firewood right in the capgrounds, free for the taking. Further south, you only have to go a mile or two and collect dry deadfall. Many of our USFS campgrounds have social fires during summer months for several weekends, and they are a great way for families to meet. We go to them, but only at our motorcycle rallies since we probably spend more time in our local forests than they do (patrolling the campgrounds for things tied to bushes or trees and drowning fires burning after 10 PM).

[Mike]

Re: Firewood Rip offs

Mike, you have to do a little more camping out here in California. I can show you campgrounds in the Sierras where the rangers have the trimmers dump the firewood right in the capgrounds, free for the taking. Further south, you only have to go a mile or two and collect dry deadfall. Many of our USFS campgrounds have social fires during summer months for several weekends, and they are a great way for families to meet. We go to them, but only at our motorcycle rallies since we probably spend more time in our local forests than they do (patrolling the campgrounds for things tied to bushes or trees and drowning fires burning after 10 PM).

Wow, that sounds fantastic. We sure don't get free firewood delivery here. I have camped in the Sierras and that was pretty rugged country - especially the backcountry. No problem finding firewood there for sure.

[familycamper]

Re: Firewood Rip offs

Firewood prices here aren't too bad, but it's soft wood and burns fast. Most of the time, I camp in the forest and we can gather wood for free. If anything, I stop by one place in particular and buy a bundle of good, dry wood. The guy knows me well and usually gives me a little extra and a big bag of kindling. I get a lot of wood for $5. The campgrounds up here are fairly generous with their wood and a bundle runs $5 as well. I have never spent more than $20 on wood for a 3 day stay at a campground. I prefer dispersed camping off of an old logging road in the forest if I have a choice. I camp partly for the serenity and to get away from the noise of the city. I don't mind a few people around, but I rarely camp near anyone if I can help it. I figure they drove up in there that far for the same reason I did so I don't want to bother them.