No-impact camping with the BK2?

[BRL]

So Saturday I'm driving up into the high country, picking a direction, walking for 4-5 hours,then sitting down to spend a simple night hopefully far away from Memorial Day weekenders. No fire. No shelter-making. No bushwacking. Bringing my BK2, but wondering if it'll clear the sheath even once. Can't think of why it would, but I'll report back with pictures either way.

 

[Idaho Guy]

So Saturday I'm driving up into the high country, picking a direction, walking for 4-5 hours,then sitting down to spend a simple night hopefully far away from Memorial Day weekenders. No fire. No shelter-making. No bushwacking. Bringing my BK2, but wondering if it'll clear the sheath even once. Can't think of why it would, but I'll report back with pictures either way.

Not to be a smart ass but why would you want to do this. Why would you not attempt to make fire and shelter? if anything just for the entertainment.

 

[Moosez45]

Not to be a smart ass but why would you want to do this. Why would you not attempt to make fire and shelter? if anything just for the entertainment.

There are alot of folks that run a cold camp. Especially during the summer. I have a few friends that don't make fires, the use small stoves to make their food, and drinks, but don't make a camp fire. They sit still as the darkness falls, and enjoy the night with better vision. One friend of mine, loads up on beta caratine for better night vision. Says you see more when you're not looking into the fire.

As for shelter, I sleep in a hammock. Don't even bend the grass.

I'll be interested to see how it goes. I'm not a LNT'er, but I try to be as low impact as possible.

Moose

 

[hughewil]

guessing you will take a pocket rocket or something for cooking. Will you take a sleeping bag or space blanket, what are your plans if it starts to downpour.

 

[Widerstand]

There are alot of folks that run a cold camp. Especially during the summer. I have a few friends that don't make fires, the use small stoves to make their food, and drinks, but don't make a camp fire. They sit still as the darkness falls, and enjoy the night with better vision.

When I am hiking I am one of these people. On trails like the PCT with a lot of people if everyone had a fire there would not be a dead or dry bit of wood within 200 yards of the trail and there would fire rings all over the place.

There is a time and place for self-reliance skills and a time and place for LNT ethics.

 

[foxx]

Why even take the BK-2, it's too heavy if you don't even think you'll use it. I've spent plenty of nights in a bivy, no fire, nor knife use, I'd at least have a multi-tool, and maybe it would cut open my Mountain House meal.

What gear are you taking? Tarp, hammock, stove, nothing?

 

[Moosez45]

I support LNT, I just don't practice it. I should say, not in the sense that some do. I always try to leave it better than I found it, but if I want a fire, I build a fire. If I want green wood to work with, I get it. When I don't, I don't.

I have the GSMNP here, and they are very strict about ground fires, and green cutting, like take your ass to jail for it, or fine you into poverty. But, LNT works well when you are back country and aren't supposed to be, for pulling a 3 day trout fishing excusion, when you can't stay in the park overnight, outta shelter.

Moose

 

[Widerstand]

I support LNT, I just don't practice it. I should say, not in the sense that some do.

I hear you, most of the time I find myself packing out trash left by other.

 

[Guyon]

It is impossible to LNT hike with a BK-2.
Its very presence alters the space-time continuum to some degree.
Fatwood stumps split open by themselves if you unsheath it.
And heaven help you if you accidentally drop the knife.
You'll need mountaineering gear to climb out of the chasm.

 

[Idaho Guy]

There are alot of folks that run a cold camp. Especially during the summer. I have a few friends that don't make fires, the use small stoves to make their food, and drinks, but don't make a camp fire. They sit still as the darkness falls, and enjoy the night with better vision. One friend of mine, loads up on beta caratine for better night vision. Says you see more when you're not looking into the fire.

As for shelter, I sleep in a hammock. Don't even bend the grass.

I'll be interested to see how it goes. I'm not a LNT'er, but I try to be as low impact as possible.

Moose

Yea after thinking about it I see what OP is doing. Certainly nothing wrong with having a knife along no matter what your doing. I might be new to this forum but not to knives. I have carried some type of knife almost everyday of my life since I was 7 yrs old and I'm 51 now (yes even in school). I know I would want mine along whether I planned on using it or not.

 

[Bladite]

a few gallons of clean water, a handful of pemmican, and a tarp. man needs no more than this. except in the artic, then you need a penguin

 

[MikeyJ]

I've done it both ways. A good buddy of mine is a serious practitioner of Leave No Trace. I love the backcountry and I do everything in my power to preserve it for future generations. However, I try to accomplish this by using camp sites that have already been established and not doing any unnecessary bushwhacking. I've got nothing but love for those who practive LNT, but I'm not legalistic about by any means...

 

[BRL]

Not to be a smart ass but why would you want to do this.

Because maethor called me a mall ninja once. I've got something to prove.

They sit still as the darkness falls,

This. Times 100.

I'll be interested to see how it goes.

Me too. This is my first attempt at deliberate LNT, because I really do agree with the goal. I've done some reading, done some thinking, now I need to get out there and see how to put it into practice.

guessing you will take a pocket rocket or something for cooking. Will you take a sleeping bag or space blanket, what are your plans if it starts to downpour.

No cooking; I'll just bring some sandwiches. The idea is to maximize enjoyment of the space I'm going to be in versus enjoying the camp-setup experience itself (that's going to be the following weekend). If it starts to pour, which it won't, I'll huddle in my bag under my tarp under a tree and whimper for my momma. Won't be the first time.

Why even take the BK-2, it's too heavy if you don't even think you'll use it.

1. Because I might find a mall that I have to ninja.
b. Because the more appropriate nessmuk I bought from Mark Wohlwend hasn't shown up yet.
2. Because I just got my BK2 and I love it and I'm looking for any excuse to carry it with me. I'd bring it to work, the toilet, and bed if I thought I could get away with it.

What gear are you taking? Tarp, hammock, stove, nothing?

 

[Flexxx]

Alot of times I will do the TNP, but I do prefer a small fire and my tent over sitting in the dark.

I also pack alot of gear I don't need just incase something does go wrong, I always seem to have two of everything...

 

[FAL'ER]

Should be a good experience for you. Maybe not while your doing it but later after your back.