Aspen camping - PSA

[scootmanjones]

It seems as if several of the campgrounds above Aspen on Hwy 82 towards Independence Pass are not allowing tents or soft-sided campers due to a bear incident (sighting?) on 6/29. It threw a wrench into our plans when we rolled up on Friday night. Read up on latest conditions.

[benlen]

Interesting––does that apply to dispersed camping or places like Difficult Campground as well?

[JChitwood]

Bear sighting? There are bears all over the country. Never heard of shutting down all non hard shell camping because someone saw a black bear. Maybe a griz on a rampage.

[SkiBikeClimb99]

Appears to only apply to 2 specific campgrounds

http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/whiterive ... ?aid=34756" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[peter303]

Must have been earlier than that. Tent camping was banned on 6/23 on the Aspen side of Independence.

[lordhelmut]

This happens every summer

[polar]

I'm thinking of heading to Indy Pass this Saturday for some climbing. The two campgrounds that are closed due to bear (Weller and Lincoln Gulch) happens to be the two campground closest to the area I wanted to visit. What other options do I have in terms of camping with a tent (both paid or dispersed), especially on a Saturday? I'll be coming in from the Twin Lakes side of Indy Pass, and I don't mind stopping way before the climbing area for the night, if it means a better chance of finding a camp site.

[SolarAlex]

yeah we had a problem with this on sunday night when we were trying to find a spot to camp...we had planned on the bells but drove around for a few hours not finding anywhere to camp . Anywhere that wasn't closed was completely jam packed. It was pretty astounding and probably the dumbest reason I've ever had for getting shut down

maybe next time we will come from the north and try to camp somewhere over there.

[peter303]

yeah we had a problem with this on sunday night when we were trying to find a spot to camp...we had planned on the bells but drove around for a few hours not finding anywhere to camp . Anywhere that wasn't closed was completely jam packed. It was pretty astounding and probably the dumbest reason I've ever had for getting shut down :

A lot of the dispersed camping mentioned in Roach's first edition has been closed by the billionaires who have built their Xanadus to the edge of public lands. Their security patrols will let you quickly know if you paused in the wrong place, e.g. a lot of Castle Creek Road.

[handonbroward]

I'm thinking of heading to Indy Pass this Saturday for some climbing. The two campgrounds that are closed due to bear (Weller and Lincoln Gulch) happens to be the two campground closest to the area I wanted to visit. What other options do I have in terms of camping with a tent (both paid or dispersed), especially on a Saturday? I'll be coming in from the Twin Lakes side of Indy Pass, and I don't mind stopping way before the climbing area for the night, if it means a better chance of finding a camp site.

Although there isn't a lot of "dispersed" camping on the pass, there are a ton of places to camp. Not that I have ever camped where I am not supposed to, but behind a certain climbing and bouldering spot there is an amazing site for a 2-3 man tent underneath an overhanging rock face with a couple bolted lines on it. It is a 2 minute walk from the road. Completely secluded, enough to even have a fire without worrying about an overzealous ranger somehow finding you in the middle of the night. That being said, I wouldn't have a fire up there right now no matter what.

[rdp32]

I just wanted to verify---I can still sleep in my car at those locations, right?

[Diver Mike]

I have a question please

Parry Peak, Sunset Gulch and Twin Peaks are dispersed camping areas in the vicinity of the NW La Plata trailhead.

Having not been up Independence pass in 16 years, are there other dispersed camping areas along that road?

I see on a map that just to the east of La Plata trailhead(between 82C and Hayden Gulch) there appears to be a pullout, is camping allowed there?

I would rather stop at Twin Lakes and camp on a Thursday night then driving additional miles to and fro looking for a spot.

I called the ranger district office and they indicated a campground called "Lostman" was in the area but I was unable to locate that particular spot.

Thank you for any insight you can provide.

Mike