Five TV Crews – Enough?
Wednesday 6am, October 2, 2024, and the fire gate at the top of Santa Anita Avenue finally swung open to the public, and the media. With the burros honking in the background, Maggie Moran at Adams Pack Station was soon overrun with microphones in the face and plenty of questions about, well, EVERYTHING. In the end, all she could say was what said everything: “We’re open, we’re open, we’re open!”
The same was true up at Camp, but no media and a little bit longer for the first two people to arrive: Camp volunteer Connor Jackson and pal Brian Bender, trail runners (of course.) They signed the new Hikers’ Register and were soon followed by others, a total of 18 the first day. The first weekend was similar, then the next – BOOM, over 100, mostly because of two large hiking groups.
Coming into November, the patterns have taken shape: 20-30 each weekend day, typically folks who were frequent hikers before the fire and eager to get back in to see everything post-fire. Most are from within 25 miles of Chantry, with a typically strong showing from the South Bay (Long Beach, etc.) So far only a few who’ve been blocked out of the trails closed by the Bridge Fire – we empathize!
Speaking of closed trails, the most common points of conversation are the Zion and Wilson loops: disbelief and disappointment they are still closed and “When will they be opened?” All have volunteer trail crews actively working on them, so it’s only a matter of time—and weather.
Now through the end of the year holidays the Camp will be open to visitors on Saturdays and Sundays. C’mon up and sign the register, grab a cookie, and get back on the Big Swing: we’re OPEN!
Click, Hike, Stay the Night
Starting January 2025, Sturtevant Camp will be open to overnight guests by reservations only. The on-line reservation system is available here, with all the detailed background information updated on the Camp’s website.
Although the Camp is entirely analog and off-line, to be in business means to be on-line; the new system is based on a national service that aggregates camping opportunities mostly for RV’ers, customized to the Camp’s very “unique” lodging and amenities.
The Conservancy Board expects the usual start-up glitches and welcomes user feedback. All of it will be worthwhile, because it should streamline most of the nuts & bolts of reservations, taking a load off both the guest booking the reservation, and the volunteers managing the Camp’s use.
Ideally, the system will also help guests to connect with their volunteer hosts: that’s the relationship that matters when you’re all up in the mountains together, four miles by boots from everything!
WMS Birthday Party @ Camp
Saturday November 23rd is Wilbur M. Sturtevant’s 163rd birthday, and everyone is invited to bring their lunch up to Camp to celebrate with frosting, fire and a hearty round of Happy Birthday. Wilbur’s story will be told, original family photos will be on display, and never before seen heirlooms revealed. Easy-peasy, just gotta hike the beautiful Canyon and restored trail. See you there!
Giving Tuesday and Holiday Giving
Both the Camp and its Conservancy run on all-volunteer hours, sweat, boots, ideas, skills— and a deep love for the Camp and Canyon. Yet there’s still money involved, because there is stuff to be bought: a replacement mini-fridge for the Retreat Cabin, new shingles for all the roofs, and whatever else will finally wear out or a bear will tear up and need to be fixed.
Guest revenue is currently budgeted to cover utilities, packing and “regular” maintenance and repairs. But major damages or breakdowns, and any capital improvements or upgraded guest amenities depends on charitable contributions directly to the bottom line.
December 3rd is national “Giving Tuesday” and the Conservancy is eligible for donations as a public 501(3)c non-profit. But really the whole month of December is about gratitude and giving, so we’re inviting everyone who is grateful for the Camp to support its future by giving now.
For inspiration to give, here’s a sample from “Wilbur’s Holiday Wish List for 2025”
- Three new doors with windows to replace doors on the Lodge, Retreat, and Managers’ cabins.
- Funds to upgrade of Cabin-4 to “Family Cabin” status, with a kitchenette similar to the Retreat Cabin’s; including sink, stove, mini-fridge, plumbing, tables & chairs for 5, etc.
- Four sliding glass window sets for the front of the Lodge to match the rest of the Dining Hall windows (and finally keep the winter woodstove heat IN.)
- An “angel sponsor” or sponsors for the Honeymoon Cottage: the Cottage is the third truly historic building in Camp (after the Lodge and Ranger Cabin), and needs both dollars and skilled attention for a careful restoration.
- USFS-grade picnic tables, 2-3: there are two of these heavy-duty beasts heavily used in Camp, and a few more would be a big plus for welcoming both guests and day hikers. The cost is both in the heavy lumber and (heavy) packing.
- A new clothes drier for dealing with the guest linen service (sheets / pillowcases)—and a few strong bodies to pull it up to Camp on a hand truck!
These are big-ticket items, but every gift moves us closer to making these repairs and improvements: thank you!
Dirt 411
As we go to press, a hiker missing for two weeks somewhere in/around the Big Santa Anita Canyon remains unfound. Multiple search and rescue teams from LA, Orange and San Bernardino Counties, China Lake and our local Sierra Madre crews have been tromping the trails and drainages. Talk has shifted from discovery to recovery.
Any hiker of any skill level can make a mistake and go off the slide of our steep, loose trails. It’s more on the hiker if they bypass posted closure signs. In Camp, we’ve been turning people back, and catching many trying to start up closed trails despite multiple signs. Mentioning the lost hiker barely dents some of their awareness and persistence.
It has been rewarding to help the S&R crews with our intimate, current, on the ground / in the dirt knowledge of the trails and their status, especially for teams coming from outside our area.
But it all still comes down to Respect the signs, and Hike within your ability!
