Anyone else ever get stuck late in the day and have to set up a Pirate Campsite? I have had to resort to this 3 times in the past. That's what can happen when you like to stay on the move. I have however never ask to share a campsite.

Not I.

But it's a definite danger the way we travel. We're often going into lesser-used entry points on smaller lakes with fewer campsites. But except for the first night, we also tend to set up in the early afternoon, so if we're in a tight spot we just keep looking.

I have. No big deal. Leave no trace.

Not yet-But in summer I try to get a site before 2 pm.

Typically I go in October and May before the fishing opener. Not too much competition for the sites then :-)

I have as well. It was during a fire ban anyway, so its not like we made a fire pit. We ended up fishing way too late and tried searching for a campsite in the dark on Agnes two years ago after coming in from the Boulder River.

Left no trace, left early the next morning to get back to the EP. We figured even if the FS did stop and say it wasn't a site, they'd understand our scituation.

It was actually a really nice spot, on the little island on the north end of Agnes. Nice and flat and completely covered with pine needles, which helps when you don't have a sleeping pad.

We've never had to do it and we've pushed pretty late a couple of times. Just lucky, I guess. Happy about that because we do enjoy a fire and I wouldn't make one at a pirate site unless the heat was a matter of life and death.

My wife and I had to do the pirate thing years ago back in the early 90's when we pushed too hard traveling and it was 8pm and starting to get dark. We ended up finding one of those smoothe flat granite shorline shelves that are common up there. All we did was break out our sleeping bags and slept on top of the rock shelf, leaving our equipment in the canoe. Come morning, we packed up and continued on. Dave

Ditto Beemer. Gone @ dawn. Once so far.

I did a moonlight paddle last summer about an hour after I got bluff-charged by a black bear. 2 gentleman at the west campsite of Ensign asked me what they could do to help, and I asked if I could lay on the rock by the shorline and sleep till daylight. They were very nice about it, and I was very relieved with no other options.

LOL!! Yes! (obviously, I guess)

Yes.

June of 2006. Buddy and I caught in a thunderstorm that wouldn't go away. I don't think you would be able to tell we had been there.

Not yet, but it will happen. "Leave no trace" and "Gone@dawn" applies here also :)

I never worry (much) about going out and away from the masses. It is the return that troubles me. Our plan on the return to an exit point has been to position ourselves far enough out (to avoid congestion), but close enough to make it out on the last day.

Soap Box: "Homesteaders" (base camps) in congested areas do cause a bit of angst for the "through tripper".

This spring, we will head for Highway 1 @ South Kawishiwi R. from Hog Creek. Unfortunately, that trip involves close encounters at several points and at the ending. As always, we will get on the water early and stop early.

Not yet but have come close. Rose lake was full had to go to Watap lake before we found a site. Lucky for us it was one of those days that there was light at 9:00 PM.