Boondocking

Leave No Trace, trail edition: stay ON the trail even when it's muddy (going around makes it wider forever), brap less near camps at dawn, and if a gate was closed when you got there, it's closed when you leave. Access is a privilege that gets revoked one jerk at a time.

Cell booster or Starlink? I held out for years with a WeBoost and I'll say it: if you work remote, just get the dish. The booster still wins for quick overnights where you don't want to set anything up. Happy to answer questions on either.

Overnighting etiquette that keeps spots open for all of us: arrive late, leave early, no chairs-and-awning setups in a trailhead lot, and spend a few bucks at whatever business is letting you stay. Boring advice but it works.

Free-camping etiquette, since the good spots keep getting closed: pack out MORE than you brought, don't camp in the wash (flash floods don't care about your plans), keep generators to daylight hours, and leave the fire ring cleaner than you found it. Every closed spot started with somebody's trash.

Solar folks, sanity check me: 400W on the roof, 200Ah of lithium, running a 12V fridge and Starlink most of the day. I'm barely breaking even in winter sun angles. Anyone running a similar load — did you add panels or just tilt them?

PSA for folks new to BLM land: the 14-day rule is real and rangers do check. After 14 days you need to move 25 miles, not just to the next wash over. Keep a photo of your arrival date somewhere — saves the awkward conversation.

Golden rule of boondocking that took me two years to learn: arrive with full fresh tanks and empty everything else. The best spots are always 40 minutes past the last dump station, and nothing ends a stay early like being full where it counts. #boondocking