Abandoned summer campground

I can do that.

What would I need to do to make it winter tight? The walls are whole, but just wood, not insulated, it's got a single pane windows and a fireplace, and a second story with a door that's missing that leads to air.

 

Well, you could bring a camera up the next time you go. And bring print outs of the pictures and a tape measure the very next time. Take a lot of measurements and make note of them on the pictures. You could use them to plan ways of sealing or closing off any cracks. For the sake of discussion, say the interior walls are exposed studs. Measure the distances between the studs and note them on the pictures. When you get home you could cut foam board and glue it to plywood. Then all you would need to do is fasten the insulated plywood in place on the walls. An open doorway, if you don't plan on using it, could be sealed off with another sheet of insulated plywood. Just dig up a sheet of really weathered plywood to fasten to the outside. I would probably fab up an insert for the fireplace or hunt up a good sized wall tent stove. Or something along those lines. I seem to be leaning towards converting a 25 or 30 gallon drum for your situation. It could be easily insulated from the walls with cinder blocks and angle iron legs. The stove pipe could then be run right up the existing chimney, terminating with a spark arrestor just below the top. The single paned windows could be blacked out with spray paint and then insulated and covered or left as is, whichever suits your needs.

If I were in your shoes, I'd probably pick a building out of the way and perhaps secluded from the rest of the others so as not to draw attention to your improvements and give anyone else any ideas. Being accessible by vehicle only helps this along.

Within forty minutes of my location, I know of an old logging camp that, so far, has been either ignored or unnoticed. Some friends and I, when we were kids, fixed the roof and reglazed the windows. We even made a number of trips with five gallon buckets of gravel and Quikrete to floor it with. I go by there occasionally so I know it's still there. Unfortunately, someone bought the property and would probably object to my use of it WTSHTF, regardless of my current relationship with them.

 

Okay so I talked to my friend who gave me a broad overview of the directions. I tried looking this area up to get more specific but I only found the southern reference point (I didnt look too long).
His camp was off of Rt 8 just North and East of speculator. From there you hike to the Siamese ponds. Then go towards hudson gorge. Not sure where but during that hike is where we found this. The next morning we got up and hiked for a short time, less than 1/2 hour and came to a paved two lane road. We ended up traveling by foot along that for a while until my friend showed me where to go back in the woods to go back to the cabin.

 

I'm gonna have to print this out and try to follow it. I'll try and skirt your friend's property and give the map the reckless eyeball. Thanks for this. If you ever feel up to it, I'm always down for a Saturday hike.