That's right. We will have the exclusive use of one of the
group sites (maybe two if it's a huge crowd) at the Yellow Pines
Group Campground near the Sentinel Picnic Area. Along with
the group site, participants will also have the use of a free park
pass for the weekend of the Event. So what's the catch?
In exchange for the group site and the park pass, you will be asked
to spend one day performing some menial labor to help make Yosemite
a nicer place for everyone. Here are the particulars:
Update 10/5/05: I've posted the
Gate Pass for those that need it. Just print it out and
bring it with you. You shouldn't have any problem getting
through the Entrance Station, but if you do, just tell them that
you're attending a VIP (Volunteer in the Park) Event. The VIP
fill in coordinator is Christine Thorpe if you need a contact
person. For those families with children under the age of 18,
there will be a release form to fill out when we gather on Friday
night/ Saturday morning. I'll have copies to hand out, but if
I miss someone just remind me. At the end of the workday
(Saturday), there is also a quick Evaluation Form to fill
out. This helps the Park justify the program to the
boss's back at HQ, so please fill it out and return it to me.
Print out the map if you need it, and make your way to Site
D. If we have an overfill situation, we are allowed to use
the adjacent site as well.
Update 8/1/05: I had a question on how to find this "secret"
campground, so I've included a Topozone Map with a short
description, and you can also plug in the following coordinates so
you don't miss the turn, neccessitating a scenic drive around the
one way loop: N37 43.953 W119 36.216.
Where:
Yosemite Valley. Hard to miss, but if you've never been
to the Valley, there's basically four ways to get there.
Three from the West: Hwy 120 from the North, Hwy 140 from
Modesto, and Hwy 41 from Fresno. For those folks coming
over the hill from Bishop, Hwy 120 from Lee Vining is the only
choice. Plan on taking the better part of a day for the drive.
The coordinates at the top of the description is just a rough
guess of where we'll be camping. As the date gets
closer, we'll be assigned to one of the five or six sites that
are in the campground. I'll post the site number when it gets
assigned, so check back a week or so before the Event.
When: You can
arrive as early as October 14th (Friday), and can stay as late
as October 16th (Sunday) afternoon. I plan on taking a
leisurely drive up on Friday and hope to arrive in the early
afternoon. The work part of this Event will take place
on Saturday, and will be for the entire day (with lunch break
of course). Plan on some hot and dirty work. Dress
appropriately, and bring lots of water and some food. In
the evenings we can either potluck it, or let everyone fend
for themselves. I'll probably bring something to share
for Saturday night and encourage everyone to bring a simple
side dish or drinks to share. There are BBQ's at the
campsite so feel free to bring something to grill (I'll bring
the charcoal).
What: We haven't
been assigned a project yet, but having done a few of these
types of things, it usually entails work with shovels, rakes,
and occasionally a saw. All ages are welcome, but
everyone is expected to pitch in. Most of the time the
work is doing some campground cleanup type of work (shoveling
ash from firepits, raking needles up, etc.).
Bear Facts: Yosemite has a bear problem. No doubt
about it. All campsites in the Valley are equipped with large
metal boxes for food storage. You will be warned at the
entrance station that ALL food must go in these boxes. Bears
can make pretty easy work of just about every model of car.
Don't take any chances; use the boxes.
Equipment: The
Park Service will provide all the tools necessary for the
project. You'll be responsible for getting yourself to
the worksite, all your camping necessities, and food.
Showers are available at Curry Village up the road a bit and
run a buck or two (includes a towel and bar of soap).
There is also a very well stocked store at Yosemite Village in
case you forget the marshmallows for smores or you need more
ice to cool off the brews. The campsite is primitive.
Meaning that it's equipped with pit toilets and a small tanker
trailer for water. I usually toss in a couple of jugs of
water just for convenience sake.
