The 395 and Owens Valley-Eastern Sierra Region

That is F'ing Genius!

 

And then they wonder why campgrounds and forests are shut down for idiot proofing.

I need my own planet at this stage of the game, fuck me...

 

I looked into building my own but materials and a flare tool added up quickly.

 

Meanwhile, I see pictures of people using flamethrowers...also Toyota which rhymes with yotasomething...

 

https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/diy-propane-firepit.174849/

 

yep...that's where i came across the idea

 

Propane fire pits seem cool and safe in the right hands, but sometimes the fire restrictions, in California at least, require a campfire permit even for the use of a portable stove. Just FYI.

 

Thanks for heading up to share with them they didn't go unnoticed.

 

LOL I wish everybody camped as if they were being watched by webcams, monitored 24/7 by the vigilant masses of TW!

This is an important point! I didn't mean to suggest that propane campfires let you skip all rules and regulations, only that they are allowed in many more situations than wood or charcoal fires, assuming you are following all the other rules.

Also, as someone who is sick of encountering smoldering garbage pits filled with bottles and cans, stumbling over the countless needlessly constructed fire rings at every camp site, and sighing at the scars of tasteless if not illegal firewood collection... I am hoping to promote propane campfires as broadly as possible to the back-country vehicle-based camping community. I realize that I'm preaching to the choir here, but it is time to embrace leave-no-trace principles when it comes to campfires. Better people than me have already decided to forego campfires altogether, but for those of weaker character such as myself, the propane campfire is the easiest way to enjoy the flickering incandescence of delightfully wasteful hydrocarbon combustion, without trashing or endangering our public lands.

Here is the link to the CA campfire permit site.

For what it's worth, here are what I think are the most important points of campfire safety and etiquette, which aren't specifically addressed in the permit course:

• Do not establish campfires under unsafe conditions, such as gusting winds in dry grasslands or forests, even if campfires are allowed
• Leave no trace: Do not construct fire rings, do not gather fire wood, do not spread invasive pests by transporting firewood, and do not leave campfire ash or unburned garbage (including pallet nails) on our public lands
• Position basic firefighting equipment at the campfire site before starting the fire--having it packed somewhere in your vehicle isn't enough
• Keep the marshmallows and chocolate bars in the fridge or cooler, otherwise they will melt and fuse together during the day

 

I saw today that Erick Schat (Schat’s Bakery) passed away today. I bet many of us have eaten a sandwich there or bought some other goodies.
There are a few words about Mr. Schat here https://sierrawave.net/71536-2/

 

I've been going to that bakery for as long back as I can remember. It was Always the family affair to stop for the pull a part bread on the way back to L.A. Still is to this day

 

I remember going camping at June Lake as a kid in the early 70s and always stopping there. My wife and I have stopped there many times with our own kids.

 

A CA campfire permit takes about 60 seconds to get. Maybe 70 if you don't have a laser printer.

 

The video is about 2:24 minutes long, isn't it? Here's a pro tip. You can skip the video by moving the place slider to 2:23. With auto-fill and skipping the vid I might be able to get sub 60 seconds. lol

 

There’s a bit of Eastern Sierra history gone.

I always enjoy stopping at either of the two (I know, not the same owner) depending where I am. I hope the family is able to carry on.

Godspeed sir, may you Rest In Peace.

 

Yes definitely a loss of someone who has touched many who travel and live in the area. I'll raise a toast next time I'm in the area enjoying tasty treats from Schat's!

 

I haven’t printed them for a couple of years now - just save it on my phone.

 

We are headed out to DV and the Inyo NF this weekend and have been contemplating the propane fire pit. They seem to fit into the spirit of being OK if a propane stove is allowed but where the current fire risk is now we are waving that option off. We do use it when fire restrictions are lower and its great for minimal impact to the areas we visit.

We'll make sure to stop at Schat's and eat our body weight in carbs to pay homage.

 

Sad to hear about Schat... we never pass that bakery when it's open!

Regarding propane... here's a tidbit of potentially valid internet math I came up with responding to a PM:

A regular 5-gallon (20 lb) propane tank offers about 430k BTU of thermal energy.

That's apparently about as much as 70 lbs of dry pine firewood -- about 4 or 5 typical bundles.

My particular campfire thing is rated for 65k BTU/hr output, but I'm quite certain it can consume fuel at at least twice that rate with a fresh tank. As the tank cools and ices over, the flow rate will slow down, but I'd estimate that for most of the tank, it can easily produce heat on par with burning 1 bundle of firewood per hour.

I'd argue that a propane tank and campfire thing are easier to fit in the bed than 70 lbs of firewood, but it's not substantially lighter, considering a full tank weighs 37 pounds and the campfire thing weighs 22 lbs.

 

I cannot disagree with the arguments for but where it gets dicey for me is when you're running a big open flame, you run the risk of igniting something. It's different with a stove since the flame is (mostly) contained in the stove and it's small--it can still ignite stuff but the stove isn't on the ground. So I'd probably not likely use a propane fire pit during fire restrictions.