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Camp News

2024 Annual Meeting & Crystal Balling

Even hikers have meetings, so here’s the news from the Conservancy’s annual meeting, including the “Six Eras of Sturtevant” and speculations about re-opening in 2024.

The Quick-Hike Version

The Conservancy’s seven directors met Jan.28th at the Adams Pack Station to elect officers, look into the future, and figure out what to do next. Easily the biggest item on the agenda was “if the Forest Service opens the Canyon in 2024, how do we open for guests?”

Since the 2020 fire, the main job has been on-site repair and recovery. But being shut down also paused online functions like reservations and accounting systems. That created an opportunity to re-think and rebuild those services. With opening on the horizon, that work has moved up on the To-Do list.

Still, the trail is at the top of the list: thanks to the superheroes of Restoration Legacy Crew, the path is almost clear for the burros to get to Camp.  When they do, the final parts and materials will start arriving for rebuilding the water system, and water will be the top priority for opening to the public.

So pretty much everything both in-Camp and on-line has jumped to the top of the Must-Do-Right-Away-Now list: time to lace up all boots!

The Six Eras of Sturtevant   

There’s so much to be done almost immediately that the Board’s “get’er done” Directors were tempted to jump in boots first. Instead, the annual meeting started with a bigger picture of where are we, and where are we going? Taking a cue from Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour”, here are the Six Eras of Sturtevant.

  1. 1893 – 1910 The Founding Era: Wilbur establishes the Camp and builds it to national renown; after a stroke levels him, he later passes at LA’s Veteran’s Home in 1910. 
  2. 1911-1946 Transition Era-I: The Camp passes through several hands and often stands empty and for sale for many years. After the last private owner is arrested for misconduct, the Forest Service seizes the property and puts it up for sale under a public permit.
  3. 1947-2015 The Methodist Era: Riding the wave of post-WWII growth, the regional Methodist Church buys the Camp. They build up the Camp with a commercial kitchen, bathhouse and bunkhouses, and for nearly seventy years sustain year-round operations for private and public use.
  4. 2011-2020 Transition Era-II: With the mutual decline in youth camping and mainline denominations, the Church moves to close and sell the Camp. A volunteer Boot Squad steps up to sustain the Camp until the Friends of the San Gabriels purchases the Camp in 2015; in 2016 the Sturtevant Conservancy is formed to take on stewardship of the Camp as a public non-profit.  
  5. Fall 2020 – Spring 2024 Fire & Rain & Recovery Era: a time marked decisively by the Bobcat Fire and subsequent weather impacts that equaled if not exceeded the damages and complications of the Fire.

The Sixth Era – Renaissance: 2025 – 2043

Once Sturtevant re-opens, the Conservancy is aiming for a renaissance of the Founding Era, renewing the Camp to be the uniquely historic center of wilderness appreciation, education and inspiration in the San Gabriels for greater Los Angeles.

The Renaissance Era will culminate in 2043, when everyone joins in celebrating the 150th anniversary of Wilbur setting up tents near the running waters of the upper Big Santa Anita, and welcoming sturdy hikers for many more generations to come.

Officers Elected, Classes Filled

Board members around the table at the Pack Station.

In 2023, the Board adopted an amplified set of Bylaws; these are the map and compass for the Board’s navigation of its duties. During the 2024 Annual Meeting, the Board started to enact the details of those Bylaws.

This included electing the following officers: Gary Keene, President/CEO and Chair of the Board; Sarah Barron, Vice-President and CFO; and Kelly Davidson, Recording Secretary. The Board also assigned the titles and work of Treasurer to Jennifer Berry, and of Bookkeeper to Kelly Davidson. In addition, members were distributed into classes with successive 3-year terms of service.

The Board members are also organized internally around the key managerial functions: site/operations, administration/finance, guests/hospitality and general supervision. This spreads the work equitably among the Directors as a team. For a closer look, go to https://www.sturtevantcamp.com/who-we-are/

Stuff to Figure Out & Look Forward To   

Volunteers ready to hike after a day’s work in Camp.

The Camp is a registered non-profit, and a business that needs to generate income. What business is that? Sturtevant is basically a “hostelry”, a ‘place of lodging in the country’. But what a place! There’s really no equivalent for comparison, especially when you consider the Camp’s wilderness proximity to people—downtown Los Angeles is 23 miles from the Chantry Flats trailhead.

That means it is available to millions close by, except for that 4.2 mile hike in and out! Which is also how everything comes and goes: via the trail, carried on the backs of a people and burros.

So what should be the price for maintaining a hot shower at the end of such a trail? And a flush toilet? And built roof and walls above and around, plus wall heaters, mattresses, pillows, and OBTW a full kitchen, refrigerators, potable water and more (how about that Big Swing?)

Sleeping in the wilderness looks comfy in the Retreat Cabin.

All that said, staying at Sturtevant is not glamping: no hot tub or chocolates on those pillows (the mice would get them first anyway.) Camp is historic, which is to say rustic, and even with all the planned improvements, it will stay rustic; not only because of its location, but because that is essential to its authenticity and charm.

Bottom line, the Board has set aside a smaller group to analyze what would be reasonable rates to cover costs and plan for the future, and then how to market all of it effectively. Public feedback is totally welcome here in the comments, so speak up and help the Camp find and serve the next generation of guests.

NEXT BIGCONESPRUCE BLOG

Maybe? Scenes of the Adams Pack Train burros hauling into Camp!

Sturtevant Camp is owned and operated as a non-profit for the benefit of the public by the Sturtevant Conservancy Board (https://www.sturtevantcamp.com/who-we-are/).

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Camp News

So Many Boots & Wishes

Board members Paul and Teah (L+R) welcome new member Jennifer (center) at Camp.

2023 In the Rearview Mirror

With this year wrapping up, we’re looking backward and forward: backward to check our progress and say thanks to everyone who got us to where we are; and forward to strategize progress in 2024. From the perspective of the Sturtevant Conservancy, here’s what we see:  

Another volunteer crew prepares to head home after working in Camp. Volunteers were at Sturtevant 63% of weekends in 2023.

This year’s holiday gifts won’t need to be wrapped, because most have already been received, with gratitude: THANK YOU to all the Camp’s volunteers and supporters who have worked hard and given generously this year. Like Santa, we’ve checked who’s been naughty and nice—ok, just nice, and can report the following as of early December:

107 people volunteered over 32 weekends in 2023, for a total of 164 per-person/workdays (one person volunteering one day.) Twelve of those work weekends were overnights, expanding the work accomplished and netting more work per round-trip hike—which, at about 9 miles per person/per work event equals just short of 1000 miles. How much total elevation gain was in that? Almost 60 miles, or 11 trips up Mt. Everest, or 55 times up Mt. Wilson!

Triple-threat of volunteer sawyers working the storm-blocked trail.

That’s a lot of miles on knees and boots, but that’s just to get to where the work starts. Then there’s shoveling, painting, hauling, plumbing, cleaning, re-wiring and repairing – all kinds of muscles and skills donated. Given a typical workday (not including the commute to Chantry) is about 9 hours or the same number as the hiking miles, the total volunteer hours also equals nearly one thousand.

What generosity! Thank you to everyone who got up early, shouldered a pack, made the hike, shared the food and fellowship, and moved Sturtevant another step toward welcoming guests back to Camp.

VOTY’23

After going through the work records to get the above report, it became obvious that one volunteer had a big impact on those numbers: Scott Wilson made the hike on average once every month all year. That’s head and trademark Stetson hat above everyone else. Site/Ops Manager Paul Witman also confirmed that Scott is a jack-knife of many trades, shoveling, plumbing, bear patrolling, way-finding, and hustling some very tricky sawyer work, all with a smile and his inevitable thumbs-up.

Although Scott is a regular at Camp, when not working for the City of LA, he’s also laying down the miles hiking all over the San Gabriels and Sierra Nevada ranges, and not necessarily on established trails: he recently located the remote location of Wilbur Sturtevant’s ‘hide-away.’

So there are stories to tell, but for now it’s a privilege and pleasure to announce Scott is the Conservancy’s Volunteer of the Year 2023. Thank you Scott!

Progress Report – Sort Of 

Volunteers scramble up the scratch trail along the White Cliffs on the way to work at Camp.

While the Camp remains closed under of the USFS post-fire order, we can’t welcome guests and serve the public, so we don’t have people stories to tell. Instead, the story is mostly about the place: the Camp in the Wilderness.

On the grand arc of Camp history, the Bobcat Fire is the apex of environmental and physical impact. But after the winter of late ’22 – early ’23, the record-breaking “atmospheric rivers” are first runner-up. Consider: the green bridge at Robert’s didn’t wash out right after the Fire in 2020, or in ‘21 or ‘22, but this year.

Volunteers trekking across a post-storm stream to get to Camp.

The loss of the bridge indicated what happened up and down the Canyon: prior recovery work washed away, new washouts and rockfall and nearly continuous tree-fall, plus a new version of the infamous Ladder Gap keeping the pack train blocked from getting up to Camp.

View of the center of Camp in mid-March after another storm, buried in tree-fall blown out of the upper forest canopy.

But not the burros only: volunteers hiking into Camp had to factor in extra risk and time and trail work just to get there. Once in Camp, broken roofs, washed out plumbing and heavy treefall have diverted volunteer hours from post-Fire recovery work to post-rain clean-up and fix-it jobs. Instead of making progress, we had to scramble just to get back to the starting line.

No complaints, just the reality of working in the temperamental wilderness. The abundant rains did gift the Camp with water flowing in the ‘old/main’ line for the first time after many years of drought. And other than the cracked roofs and accompanying water damage, there were no structural losses. Plus now there’s enough firewood to last a very long time! 

Trenching shown here in December finally undergrounded the last of the old overhead power lines.

2024 Crystal Ball

Looking into the new year, there are two scenarios on a single coin: that coin is the weather, with  another El Niño rainy season predicted. The two scenarios are whether the U.S. Forest Service opens the Canyon to the public—or keeps it closed. For now, what will happen is a toss of the coin.

That makes planning difficult, but the Conservancy remains fortunate because, as long as the Camp is closed, there are no significant fixed operating costs (no staff, etc.) Financially, we can ‘afford’ to sit and wait.

But the physical Camp cannot wait; the wilderness steadily degrades paint and wood and plumbing and shingles. The Camp has had only minimal maintenance for going on four years now, as volunteers have instead hustled to open the trail, recover the water system, and repair the post-Fire bear damage plus this past season’s weather effects.

Even the innocent Nature Trail sign got smacked by storm-fall.

For example, Site/Operations Manager Paul Witman notes that several roofs (including the main Lodge) are overdue for replacement; but for that you need shingles – lots of ‘em!—and until the pack train can get through to deliver those supplies, we’re stalled.

So the focus of physical work is, like the flipping coin, on two sides: one is in/at Camp, the other on trail access for crucial materials a.s.a.p. Thanks to the hard work of allied volunteer groups like Restoration Legacy Crew, there’s real hope for getting the burros through after the start of the new year.

Restoration Legacy Crew pauses on the new tread they carved out of solid rock at the infamous Ladder Gap.

The silver lining in the closure is it gives time for work on reimagining and updating many of the supporting systems for welcoming and managing guests. These include the on-line reservations system, payment and fiscal/accounting systems, guest orientation, safety and related policies, and time for a more thorough recruitment and training program for hosts.

Wishing for the Big Day

When the USFS opens the Canyon, we aim to hit the trail running, to stay ahead of the crowds of people who are already clamoring to get into the Big Santa Anita. Before that, when the pack train finally gets through, the work will double-up as supplies are received and the post-fire burn debris is packed out. We’ll be able to both purchase and deliver shingles, lumber, paint and more.

All depending on the balance in the checkbook.

Yes, your financial gift now will prime the pump for 2024. We’re looking forward to the first wave of guests, seeing their smiles, and especially the delighted surprise of returning hikers seeing the Camp in good condition after the fire and storms of these past years.     

Get in on making those smiles with your timely gift this season: http://www.sturtevantcamp.com/support/

And thanks for being part of the future.

The Board of the Sturtevant Conservancy: Jennifer, Brent, Kelly, Teah, Paul, Sarah and Gary.

The Sturtevant Conservancy is a 501(3)c non-profit eligible for charitable donations.

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Camp News

New Faces, Lost Hikers and Rockwork

Welcome New Board Member

Jennifer Berry

The Sturtevant Conservancy is pleased to welcome its newest member to the Board, Jennifer Berry. With her election, the Board now has its full complement of seven Directors; this will enable the Board to share the offices and work of the Conservancy more evenly and be more effective collectively.  Jennifer comes from a solid background in environmental advocacy work and residential camping:  she previously served as site Director for Sturtevant’s historic sister-camp in the San Gabriels, Colby Ranch. She currently works for the National Outdoor Leadership School. Watch for her profile to be added soon to the Who We Are page on the Camp’s website.

All the Leaves Are Down / And the Sky is Grey

All the Leaves

‘Tis the season – for raking! Along with all the trail-work getting done (see below), one task dominates this time every year: raking big yellow maple leaves. At approx. 3150ft elevation, Camp is in the eco-zone of the upper Big Santa Anita Canyon where most of the trees are coniferous or evergreen, like oaks and Bay trees. But the maples make up for it! Lovely as they are, it’s a fire hazard, so: we rake.

Added to the job are the oak trees’ acorns—big, fat rollie ones after this year’s abundant rainfall. They carpet the trails, making it hard to get traction going up, and too easy to slide/fall down, often right where you don’t want to lose your step! Second verse same as the first: we rake.

Volunteers Mike, Grace, Danny and Robert pause at the Big Swing after a long day of work
Volunteers break for lunch on a perfect autumn day-surrounded by raking yet to be done
Jose, Scott, and Rick shovel out Cabin 3
Robert works down a bypass trail ahead of winter waters yet to come

The EOY Season

The smell of roasting turkey is coming fast, followed quickly by the fresh smell of snowflakes – at least higher up. In other words, the End of the Year. We’ll be back here in early December to report on this year, look ahead to 2024 (re-opening?!)

And yes, of course, to invite your tax-deductible financial support before 2023 disappears like Thanksgiving’s gravy and mashed potatoes. Stay tuned!

Lost & Not So Lost Hikers

The Big Santa Anita Canyon

The Camp is very lucky to have hard-working volunteers helping to reclaim the Camp from the Bobcat fire. And sometimes they go way beyond the planned work. Several times over recent months, hikers have come down into Camp from Mt. Wilson—singles and couples who “somehow” didn’t know or ignored not only the trail-head closure signs, but also websites (USFS, ours), social media and trails-app info.

Typically, they’re pretty trashed. There’s a reason the Canyon remains closed: the trails are in nasty shape, often impassable. Yet somehow they pushed through, hoping not to have to turn around and go back UP. Or, they ‘had a plan’ for how they would shuttle back to the top.

Recently, two incidents in the same weekend occurred: a solo hiker one day and then a pair the next day found themselves down the Canyon near Camp and the sun disappearing. A Camp volunteer took pity on the first and hiked the person safely out in the dark AND drove them home (their car was stuck behind the now-closed gate on Wilson.) The next day, the Sierra Madre Search & Rescue Team located the duo and got them out in the dark, putting themselves at risk to do so.

Hikers and trail-runners spread the word: the Big Santa Anita Canyon is STILL CLOSED. Save yourself AND those who would have to bail you out at risk to themselves, and enjoy the mountains elsewhere—there’s plenty to go around!

Or, Don’t Go There Either

https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/travel-site-puts-san-gabriel-mountains-on-its-annual-no-list

Rock On – Rock Off: Progress @ the Ladder Gap

There’s a Trail In There
Scoops, Brenda, Kevin and Michael on the rocks
RLC’s Diana and Kevin chip the hard rock while Guy pulls down the looser stuff

All hail the stubborn Restoration Legacy Crew! Brenda Beck and Dave Baumgartner have led this quiet group of talented volunteers for years in restoring trails throughout the San Gabriels. Now they’re literally hammering one spot several times a week, for multiple weeks in a row: it’s the infamous rock-bound Ladder Gap on the main trail up to Camp. Until the rock is chiseled back and the tread seriously firmed up, the Adams Pack train can’t get through, and much repair work at Camp remains stalled waiting for materials and supplies. The RLC folks aren’t fancy, but they’re sure tough and relentless—that should be their new name: the Relentless Legacy Crew! When the Pack Train finally gets through, and the Camp can be fully restored, it will be because of the RLC: thank you in advance very much! Check them out on-line, and plan on sampling their work once the Canyon opens.

Annual Meeting & Beyond

Board members Kelly Davidson and Paul Witman

The Conservancy has set their Annual meeting for 2024 in January (California non-profits are required to hold at least one annual meeting.) The Board has met regularly during the year for administrative house-keeping that will set-up the annual meeting to focus on the future: what are the goals prior to re-opening the Camp? And what are the goals beyond that?

The vision beyond re-opening could stretch 20 years to 2043, which will be the 150th anniversary of Wilbur’s opening Sturtevant’s Camp to the public. It’s a ripe opportunity to imagine—and strategize for—a vital future. Come along for the hike by signing up for this newsletter here.

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Camp News

3 Years & Counting

September 6 marked the third anniversary of the start of the Bobcat Fire in 2020. On that Sunday, volunteer host and now Board member/manager Teah Vaughn-Piscopo smelled the smoke, then got the word by hand radio: take the guests and evacuate.

It has been a long, busy three years since then, with many volunteers working hard to recover basic access to the Camp, begin major repairs, and struggle to cope with the continuing aftereffects of record rains and wind damage.

While the U.S. Forest Service has re-opened most of the burned areas of the Angeles National Forest, the Big Santa Anita Canyon remains closed (see below). The Sturtevant Conservancy remains hard at work on repairs in Camp and on the trail, with the help of many generous volunteers— see following stories for new good news.

Volunteers Gary Keene, Ted Baumgartner, Sharon Miller, Paul Witman, and Maggie Moran (Adams Pack Station).

What He Said

The Daily News of Los Angeles published an extensive story on the post-Bobcat Fire closures in the Angeles National Forest (ANF). The detailed article by Steve Scauzillo draws on a wide variety of sources in and outside various government agencies and the public, including the Canyon’s own Glenn Owens, author of The History of the Big Santa Anita Canyon.

It notes that Chantry Flat is the “second most visited area” of the ANF, and “For decades, critics have blamed Congress for short-funding the management of the ANF, which in 2021 had more visitors than the Grand Canyon or Yosemite National Park. Damage from drought, fires and torrential rains may have exposed the lack of funding.”

Altogether it gives a good understanding of why re-opening the Canyon continues to be pushed off into the future, deepening the dilemma for Sturtevant Camp.

See the full article below:

Surprise Summer Storms

You think you’ve seen everything – fires, mudslides, ‘atmospheric rivers’ – and then here comes the tail of a hurricane into the San Gabriels. The result? Winter-quantity rain in late summer! Suddenly grass is popping up on the trail like it’s May, and so are the ruby newts.

The August 20th tropical storm dumped 8.2 inches at the heliport, and Labor Day weekend dosed another .56 inches. Fortunately, the rain was steady, so no significant erosion or “relandscaping”. A few more trees down across the trail, but that’s the new normal. Good news is the quality trail work RLC (see below) and others have done is holding, a positive indicator for this coming winter’s real storms. Stay tuned!

USFS Back in the House (Cabin)

USFS personnel Estephany Campos & Rosa Sanchez in the historic Ranger Cabin

In late June, the U.S. Forest Service sent two staff persons to hike the Big Santa Anita and document needed trail work with photos and GPS locations. This was the key step in getting approval for a formal work agreement for wider volunteer participation in putting the trails in shape for the pack train and the public.

We were privileged to guide the hike and welcome USFS personnel Estephany Campos and Rosa Sanchez into Camp, who made the first official USFS visit in many years to “their” cabin—the Ranger Cabin. Often assumed to be part of the Camp, in fact the Cabin belongs to the federal government (although Camp volunteers keep it cleaned and open for the public). Built in 1903, the Cabin is the oldest federal ranger cabin on its original foundation in the nation.

Thanks to Estephany and Rosa’s enthusiastic and persistent work, volunteer work on the trail has jumped forward. With many more boots on the trail and hands on shovels, the trail should be up to spec soon (see “The Acronyms We Need” below).

Peter’s Game

“Old” Camp volunteer and New Game Warden Peter Witman

Camp-Family news: there a several “kids” who have grown up at Sturtevant, and none more active as a youth and young adult volunteer than Peter Witman, son of Board member/manager Paul Witman and Barb Witman. After a long and arduous process (that included getting tasered), Peter was recently sworn in as a California State Game Warden – hurrah!

The Board, volunteers, and Canyon community all join in celebrating Peter’s achievement, and following an internship period, look forward to his posting back to Southern California, where we trust he’ll re-join the work crews on the trail and at Camp!

The Acronyms We Need

RLC volunteers Marilyn Chang and Scoops Adamczyk pause their trail work – briefly.

For everyone who loves the BSAC (Big Santa Anita Canyon) and is eager to see it re-opened, here’s an important new acronym: SGTWPG. That’s the San Gabriel Trails and Wilderness Preservation Group, a new non-profit established by Maggie Moran (owner/operator of Adams Pack Station).

Its purpose is “to restore and maintain the trails within the Chantry Flat trail system,” so everyone – and every critter, starting with burros! – can safely use the trails into the backcountry of the ANF (you know, Angeles National Forest). Check it out here.

Even more importantly, the Group now has its VSA from the USFS: that’s a Volunteer Service Agreement from the United States Forest Service. That agreement opens up supervised trail work to a much wider variety of volunteers. First up has been the RLC (Restoration Legacy Crew), who have committed to hiking in to work every Sunday and Tuesday: thanks to them there is already significant progress on the pack trail coming up out of Fern Lodge (see photo essay below of RLC crew members Lauren Ballas, Scoops Adamczyk, Marilyn Chang, supervisor Brenda Beck plus Guy Webster at work.) Click here to sign-up for news and work sponsored by SGTWPG.

See you on the trails!

Behind The Scenes of Trail Restoration with the RLC:
L: The trail crossing before the RLC crew started work.
C: Teamwork + tools + sweat + persistence.
R: Marilyn & Lauren wrap up a big job done well.

Keeping the Community Strong (and Well-Fed)

Campers chowing down at the summer Canyon potluck.

The Conservancy is a volunteer member of the Big Santa Anita Canyon Permitee’s Association (BSACPA). Traditionally, the Association was a friendly collection of folks with a shared interest in their cabins in the Canyon.

But following the Bobcat Fire, the Association quickly came together in a much more urgent and active role to advocate for cabin owners, many of whom lost their cabins to the fire or experienced damages.

To nurture that community and keep the connections strong, the Association recently renewed its annual progressive dinner; the Sturtevant Conservancy partnered to provide the main course at Ruth and John Woods’ cabin, hiking in potato and fruit salads, and grilling up burgers and brats.

It was a warm time together with folks who share a deep love and intimate knowledge of the Canyon. In an era of limited funding for the Forest Service and its responsibility for the Canyon, the Association and Camp share in the much needed hands-on stewardship of the Canyon to the public’s benefit. A la’famiglia!

Scott Wilson, Danny Armanino, Paul Witman, Teah Vaughn-Piscopo, and Brent Pepper.

A Notable Passing – Again

One hundred thirteen years ago this week, our founder Wilbur Sturtevant passed away at the Veteran’s Home in Sawtelle/Los Angeles (September 10, 1910). Check this link for an interesting snapshot of his life and work, especially the establishment of “Sturtevant’s Camp”.

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Camp News Camp Operations Reports

Annual Meeting, New Members, President’s Promises

Greetings from the Board of the Sturtevant Conservancy, and a belated Happy New Year.

There’s a wise saying that ‘If you would make God laugh, make a plan.’ Oh, we’ve made such plans, and God—or at least Mother Nature must be chuckling mightily. Part of the plan was to deliver an Annual Report for 2022 here in January; instead, we’ve been soaking our boots, scrambling over rocks, shoveling mud, and otherwise coping with 2023’s “atmospheric streams” that delivered 18.75 inches of unexpected but much needed rain to the Camp and Canyon.

It’s all good, just not what WE planned! With a little grace, we do ‘plan’ to deliver that fancy number-crunched annual report a bit later. If you’ve been following the updates on the Camp website and Wilbur’s Facebook page, you have a pretty good idea of the Camp’s on-going status: still closed with the Canyon’s closure, and still busy with volunteers struggling to get the water system in place—and that after doing a rocky boot-dance up and down the trail. For sure our volunteers are committed and won’t say quit.

Annual Meeting

We did fulfill one part of our planning by gathering for an official annual meeting of the Board in mid-January. This was a rare ‘down the hill’ and face to face meeting, that is, no hiking or other work involving carrying large objects or tools or digging. It was a special delight to reconnect with member Teah Vaughn-Piscopo after a long gap imposed by her becoming a mom this past summer, and extra-special that she brought new baby Ripley with her for introductions and toe-squeezing all around the group.

Among a wide-ranging agenda, early up was the election of two new members to the Board: it is with real pleasure that we welcome Kelly Davidson and Brent Pepper as directors/members at large to the Board (read their profiles below and later on the website.) Their addition expands the Conservancy slightly and definitely strengthens it.


Looking Forward

In time, the goal is to add 1-2 more members, along with a semi-formal circle of allies and advisors to address specific needs. In that mode, we were fortunate to have Adams’ Pack Station owner/operator Maggie Moran participate in the whole meeting: the Camp/Pack Station relationship is obviously symbiotic and crucial, and we look forward to working more closely, especially to integrate on-line guest reservations and packing needs.

Although we are entering a third year of shut-down with no business revenue and an uncertain re-opening date, what inspires confidence is how strong the Board is as a team, and the many volunteers who keep up their support by hiking, working, and sustaining their donations to the Camp’s future. And, frankly, although the big rains have added to our work and uncertainty, to see and especially hear the Big Santa Anita running loud and clear again is wonderful. No wonder we all keep coming back, and we’ll stay on track to welcome everyone back to Sturtevant as soon as possible – Mother Nature willing!

For the Board of Directors

  • Gary M. Keene, President / General Manager
  • Sarah Barron, Secretary of Record-Treasurer / Manager, Administration and Finance
  • Paul Witman, Manager, Site and Operations
  • Teah Vaughn-Piscopo, Manager, Guests and Hospitality
  • Kelly Davidson, Member at Large
  • Brent Pepper, Member at Large

Kelly Davidson

Since childhood, Kelly grew up spending every weekend or available time hiking around Big Santa Anita Canyon. Her passion for being in the canyon led to a volunteer position at Adams’ Pack Station, where she helped with store operations for nine years. Kelly currently works in the demanding field of property management, and brings those skills to the work of the Board and Camp operations. When she’s not in the Canyon, she spends her spare time as an avid VW/Audi enthusiast at automotive events such as Cars & Coffee and at the race track; she also enjoys gardening, reading a good book and relaxing on the beach. But hiking is her favorite activity because it leaves her with a clear mind and full cup of appreciation after spending time in nature. She is excited to continue volunteering and help give back the Camp as a special historical place that feels like a home for so many.

Brent Pepper

As a Mountain Ultra Trail runner, it’s only fitting that Brent’s first introduction to camp was during a training run. He soon joined the Camp’s volunteer ranks during the water-tank-hauling campaign of Fall 2021 and keeps coming back for more. Well-skilled in the use of a McCleod, Brent also brings a load of talent in digital media development and management to the Camp’s business needs. He sees the time serving on the Board and in Camp as his way of paying forward the opportunity for others to come into the canyon, make that four-plus mile trek to Camp, and enjoy the beauty and the solitude of the mountains. If he’s not in the Canyon, you can find him volunteering at endurance running events across Southern California, at work for his family’s furniture business, enjoying trails throughout the Angeles National Forest, or at home with his wife, son, and daughter in Ventura County.

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Camp News Reports Volunteer

Storm Report, Thanks to Deb, and Sturde’s Ask

Rain and Relandscaping

What 5″ of rain in 12 hours looks like going over the check dam behind the Main Lodge.

“Be careful of what you wish for.” True that! Water in the Canyon and at Camp has been in long-term short supply. But recent winter storms have deluged our wishes for rain, relandscaping the streambed (again), and creating new projects throughout the Camp. Most importantly, the rain is forcing not only more shoveling, but new strategies for capturing and delivering water into the Camp’s system. Stay tuned for news through the winter season and check the Camp’s and Wilbur’s Facebook pages for work-weekend updates.

Deb’s Long Run

Snapshot of Deb on video giving a tour of the Camp.

The winter of 2011 was grey with uncertainty; after nearly 70 years of owning the Camp, the regional United Methodist Church moved to shutter and sell the historic buildings and operations. Volunteers struggled to keep the Camp open, and after four years, the best option became real: Deb Burgess, a cabin owner and trail runner who had already stepped up to successfully build up the Pack Station, organized the Friends of the San Gabriels to fundraise and purchase the Camp. After lengthy – emphasize lengthy! – negotiations with the Forest Service and denomination, the keys were transferred in 2015.

Along with her mother Sue Burgess, Deb moved quickly to put the Camp on its own feet operationally and legally, filing to create the Sturtevant Conservancy. As President of the tiny board and ‘chief operating officer / packer / repair technician / etc.’, she almost single-handedly worked to bring the Camp into a new era of outreach and hospitality. Using her business savvy and a wide range of skills, from plumbing to crafts to advertising to decorating, all fueled by an endless dynamism that left others sucking wind to keep up, she upgraded and stabilized the Camp to serve its original purpose; welcoming people to a boot-based experience of the wilderness.

In time, running both the Pack Station and Camp, along with life’s many changes, began to wear heavy even on this mountain trail runner. As the Conservancy’s volunteer support base grew, Deb sold the Pack Station and moved up north to the Sierra foothills. After the Bobcat Fire destroyed her cabin in 2020, she stepped down as President/CEO of the Conservancy to focus on her own rebuilding efforts while continuing as an officer on the Board.

Deb on the old zip-line, as usual moving faster than anyone can keep up!

Earlier this year, Deb tried to resign to make room for new members, but that was immediately tabled! Many operational threads remained to be unwound and rewoven with new hands. With most of that work done, the Board has now acted to formally name Deb Burgess as “Founding President and Member Emeritus of the Board of the Sturtevant Conservancy”. This keeps her in an ex-officio/non-voting relationship to the Board, with the freedom to give the benefit of her experience and opinion any time she darn well pleases.

The Camp – and the public it serves – are indebted to Deb for taking on the huge task of transitioning the Camp at a darkly crucial time and putting it on a good path to the future. The Board, on behalf of the Canyon community and the hiking public, offers their gratitude, best wishes, and yes – happy trails. Thanks Deb!

Sturde’s Holiday Ask

Sturtevant Camp runs on two things: Desire and Dollars. Desire is what draws both hiker-guests and hiker-volunteers up the Canyon for the unique experience of ‘camping indoors’ at Sturtevant. Without desire, no boot hits the trail, no hot chocolate awaits in the Lodge, and no doors or pipes or anything gets fixed at Camp.

If desire is the Top Line of the Camp’s purpose, there is also a Bottom Line— the Dollars. The Camp doesn’t run on the free firewood laying around: there’s propane for stoves and fridges, filters and pipes for water and waste systems, and shingles on roofs keeping beds with pillows dry inside and so much more—SO much! All of it demands constant maintenance, repairs, and ideally, improvement.

This has been true since Wilbur “Sturde” Sturtevant built the Camp, but it is urgent this season. The Canyon has been closed for two years now with no revenue, and it’s unknown when the USFS will allow us to re-open for business. In the meantime, volunteers have been hustling to make critical repairs to the Camp following the Bobcat fire, but these are repairs, not the regular maintenance the Camp needs.

Fundraising for the big repairs has covered most of those costs, and now we need to make up for the absence of guest income to tackle the basic maintenance needed to re-open the Camp. We still have extensive bear damage to repair, deferred maintenance on the Lodge floor and ceiling, etc. The irony is that the closure gives our volunteers a window of opportunity to get that done – IF we have the dollars for materials and supplies, including lumber, paint, and more.

So, this is Sturde’s two-point holiday “ask”: first, your DESIRE to see the Camp sustained, improved, and readied for re-opening, and secondly DOLLARS to help make that happen. You can do the dollars at sturtevantcamp.com/support

And if some of your desire includes hiking to Camp and joining in the work got to sturtevantcamp.com/volunteer.

Thanks in advance for your generosity!

Road Open, Gate Closed

The first week of December, Chantry residents got word that the road construction crew would finish their work the following Tuesday. Residents and cabin owners hustled to deliver a tasty taco lunch and offer thanks to the remaining workers on their last day. Everyone enjoyed that gratifying sense of a (big) job finally done.

Which does not mean the road is open: the Canyon remains closed under the USFS order. But it will mean that Camp volunteers can come all the way up to Chantry Flats and start hiking (and hauling supplies) from there. For some residents, it will mean a return to full-time living at home, and for Maggie Moran and the Pack Station, a very big step toward re-opening for business. Stay tuned for breaking news!

Safety Stocking Stuffers for You & Yours

Check out this list from REI sporting goods…

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/ten-essentials.html

Looking Ahead to 2023

Our Annual Report, fresh faces on the Conservancy Board and at the USFS, and – you know – the latest on winter conditions in the Canyon and at Camp. Until then, Happy Holidays!

The Sturtevant Conservancy – Gary, Sarah, Paul, and Teah.

Categories
Camp News Reports Volunteer

Naming Names & Shoveling Gravel Soup

Thanks by the Names & Numbers

The Sturtevant Conservancy is an all-volunteer operation, and we now have the numbers to show just how grateful we can be—and are indeed! Although we’re not hard-core bean-counters, there is some real data to analyze, estimate and extrapolate*. Here’s the picture based on what we have so far this year:

55 volunteers have signed waivers to work in the Canyon/at Camp; 32 have showed up for one or more workdays. Using static data (distance to Camp, elevation gain, etc.) and average data (time hiking in/out and hours in Camp), as of Nov.17th, we get 495 total volunteer hours of hiking and working combined. That’s 62 days at 8 hours a day – even though most days were 6:30am at the gate, back out at 4:30pm = ten hours.

In terms of hiking, we also calculate 495 total miles, not including all the schlepping back and forth in Camp while working which can add up to way more than a mile. The total elevation gain is nearly 582,000 feet, equal to climbing the height of Mt. Wilson 102 times, or Mt. Everest 20 times.

But that’s the numbers; here are the names of all those who put boots to dirt to move Sturtevant into the future:

Volunteered at least one full workday in 2022: Susan Stahl, Taylor Crisp, Aaron Blanco, Peter Vance, Charie Contreras, Sandra Sanchez, Todd Williamson, Fred Tanis, Sharon Miller, Ted Baumgartner, Avery Arauz, James Krist, Alex Barron, Elizabeth Sturdevant, John Butta, John Binninger, Reg Willson, Ty Oehrtman, and Jim Oberman = Thank You!

Volunteered more than once: Dave Baumgartener, Andrew Bousfield, Anna Binney, Maureen Nally, Kelly Davidson, John Peel, Emily Sawicki, Peter Witman, Patrick Gorman, and Patrick Kelly. (Special call out that several of these folks were even more active in 2021, back when we weren’t trying to track the particulars.) Double-Thank-You!!

Scott Wilson, Brent Pepper, and Nate Bousfield volunteered five times or more for a collective total of at least 135 miles hiked and 158,625 ft of upward trail. No counting of all the parts carried, shovels-flung and dirt inhaled; a mountain-sized THANKS to each of you!!!

There simply would be no real progress on recovery from the Bobcat Fire, much less conserving the Camp’s long-term condition for future use without all these boots, miles, hands and hearts: thank you all so very much! We’ll have year-end totals after the holidays, a snapshot of the Board member data, and next year we should ‘count calories consumed’—that should be an outstanding number. If you want to get in on the action, sign up to volunteer sturtevantcamp.com/volunteer.

*Board members are not included so as to not skew the data.

Raindrops Keep Fallin’ — and Moving Stuff

The early November storm that smacked southern California did a real number on the San Gabriels. Despite the dramatic changes of the 2020 Bobcat Fire and the subsequent storms at the start of 2021, this one seemed to do even worse. Winter Creek* was especially hard hit, with the familiar green bridge at Roberts Camp ripped from its foundations, along with all the forest cover at the junction with the Big Santa Anita stream. The view is simply devastating.

Up-canyon, the water did some more re-landscaping, and more trees were down, thankfully none in Camp. The heliport rain gauge measured 6.9 inches from the storm, and that plus the volume of surface gravel yet again wiped out the Camp’s rebuilt collection pond, along with much of the hardware. Volunteers have already shoveled a LOT of soupy gravel to locate what was left, and rebuilding is underway. As posted on Wilbur’s Facebook page, certainly Mother Nature bats last, but thanks to our volunteers, we’re still in the game!

*Winter Creek is so named because that’s when and where Wilbur paused building a new trail (the one we know as the Zion Trail) from Sierra Madre up to the Camp. It was his second trail into the Big Santa Anita, after guests complained about the difficulty of his first one. Speaking of which…

Happy 130th Birthday Sturtevant Trail!

1899 ad for camp from a Los Angeles magazine called “The Land of Sunshine”

Wilbur Sturtevant opened his trail resort in 1893, the first in the Big Santa Anita Canyon, and now the last in the San Gabriels. The country was in the midst of a severe economic depression, and his chief financial asset was the string of 23 pack animals he had built up and brought west from Colorado. While there was money in packing for local projects such as the Mt. Wilson toll road and construction of the Observatory, he was a bit of a loner and likely preferred to work for himself.

Wilbur observed the success of Martin’s and then Strain’s camps on Mt. Wilson and figured he could do even better; a camp would create guest revenue and a steady demand for packing (just like the money in selling printers is really in replacement toner cartridges!) Scouting the front range, “he first laid eyes on the gently sloping wide spot by the upper Big Santa Anita creek…”* With its steady water supply, majestic trees and a good dose of sunlight, it proved to be an ideal setting for a trail camp. But how to get there?

Anyone who has hiked the San Gabriels, and especially those who have done trail work, know how difficult the conditions are. Yet Sturtevant set to carving a steep trail down from the summit of Mt. Wilson to his new camp. It would prove to be 2.8 miles over 2800 feet of elevation – drop and the gain on the return, the same rate as the infamous Chilkoot Pass on Alaska’s Klondike Trail. Everyone who has hiked Wilbur’s trail knows it is a ‘butt-kicker’, ideal for training AND great views across to Mt. Baldy.

The Sturtevant story is the trail resort opened in 1893, likely summertime; that would put starting the construction of the trail into at least 1892. So, as we wrap up 2022, here’s Happy Birthday to the Sturtevant Trail, now 130 years old!

*G. Owens, “The Heritage of the Big Santa Anita”, pg. 4

Coming in December

The road re-opens (probably?), the Becky Page story, looking into the new year, Board changes and more. Until then, have a gravylicious Thanksgiving!

Categories
Camp News

Autumn Preview 2022

There She Is!

With an extra week of incubation capped by 23 hours of labor, Ripley Arliss Piscopo finally joined the sunshine world at 8:28am Thursday, August 4, 2022. Mom and Conservancy Board member Teah Vaughn-Piscopo and Dad Graham welcomed Ripley, along with a whole canyon-full of folks looking forward to Ripley’s arrival. Now the game is on to predict how soon Mom will have her cub in a sling and up the trail to Camp – stay tuned!


The Pour is On

Chantry Road – bird’s eye view (photo by David Nickeloff)

Even with the heat drying out the canyon hillsides, sending constant showers of gravel down on the project, the Chantry Road bridge is moving toward completion this fall. Two of four concrete pours are done, so the sections connecting the bridge to the original roadbed are scheduled. Next up will be negotiations with the County and the USFS to allow controlled access to Adams Pack Station.


Cooking Volunteers

Brent Pepper, Scott Wilson, and Emily Sawicki hike the trail to Camp for a day’s work on plumbing, carpentry and fire clearance.

The summer heat has made volunteer work at Camp even more of an exercise in commitment. Work has continued on the water system, fire clearance, building repair and maintenance— but just hiking in and out takes extra effort in the heat. Paying attention to staying hydrated has made the water system an even higher value asset, so that volunteers can resupply in Camp.

In the Canyon, the stream has gone underground in many places, typical for August. But we’re still getting a decent little flow into old tank #1, while the new valve and control system for the new tanks is being completed.


Looking Ahead

Volunteers at Camp: enchanted Emily Sawicki, observant Paul Witman, Brent “Side-Eye” Pepper, and Scott “Sweaty” Wilson.

Volunteer work on multiple projects will resume in earnest Labor Day weekend. The goal is to double-down on projects by scheduling a few overnight work teams this Fall. To get in on the action (ideally in cooler temps), visit sturtevantcamp.com/volunteer and/or send an email stating your interest—you can make the difference!


Looking Back, Musically & Generously

Back in the day, Mr. Glenn Robison was operations Director for the multiple camps in United Methodist system, including Sturtevant. Now in retirement, he’s expressing his eclectic talents and tastes with a radio show focusing on vintage pop and jazz music of the 1920s-30s. Remembering the Camp and Adams Pack Station, he put together a segment on music about mules, burros and pack trains, with a link to donate to the Pack Station! Shout out and thanks to Glenn, with plug for the Pack Station to boot (or hoof.) Check out his intro and the music here: https://www.glennrobison.com/rapidly-rotating-records-78-rpm-show-august-7-2022/

Categories
Camp News Camp Operations Volunteer

Hot Summer News

What’s Boring?

Paul with plumbing parts

Frankly, the news from Camp is boring, for now. A lot of detail work on valves and pipes, and a lot of grunt-work doing fire clearance in & around Camp, plus brushwork on the trail. That’s cutting back all that tall green grass from this winter that’s gone brown. Also, many of the toasted and burned chaparral and smaller trees are finally sagging into and over the trail, and have to be clipped/cut back so the pack train can get through. That will be exciting news (the pack train delivering) but, later! Check back here in August for the latest.

Arbutus Comes Home

Meet Arbutus

After many years in hibernation elsewhere, ‘Arbutus, the electric green mule’ has finally come back home to Sturtevant. Designed to hand-truck propane tanks to and from the Camp using an electric bicycle wheel, its conception and journey parallels the recent history of the Canyon and the Camp.

Back in 2005, the Chantry Road was closed, similar to now, but because of a complete wash-out of one section, and an avalanche of rocky dirt on another. Although guests could (and did) hike down from Mt. Wilson, getting propane into Camp was “a problem”. With the road impassable, there was no way to get tanks filled and to the Pack Station for the burros to carry in. And without propane, there’d be no cooking, no heat in the cabins – and no happy campers!

How to bring tanks in and out from another trailhead? Doodling on a napkin, manager Chris Kasten and previous manager Gary Keene spit-balled a design for a tank carrier running on a car-battery powered electric bicycle wheel. Working with gravity, the carrier would roll a full tank down the Mt. Wilson trail, then turn around and boost an empty tank back to the top. They took the design to a bike shop that did the custom welding, and Chris named the contraption Arbutus (look it up!) Story continues below.

People, Who Need People

The crunch in summer air travel is mostly pegged to a shortage of staff—cabin stewards, gate personnel, etc. Those ‘front facing staff’ are the key to making the travel experience a positive one, while the mechanics and pilots work behind the scenes to actually deliver.

That’s similar to Camp: while the Conservancy works to get the water system working and the Camp ready for re-opening, it will be the Hosts who actually greet guests and help make their time at Camp a positive one. Those people (guests) need those people (hosts)!

The best hosts are ‘people people’ who know that “a pleasure shared is a pleasure doubled”. It’s true that Hosts also manage a lot of the house-keeping, and Camp being the nearly 130 years old, they often have to step in to make repairs and keep things safe over the weekend. So hosting isn’t coasting through a weekend at Camp.

But in return, Hosts become part of a special team with customized access to the Camp and Canyon. The job criteria are simple: are you a people person who appreciates the Camp and wants to share that? Are you available to commit to a few weekends in Camp (on your own schedule) over the course of a year? Oh, and do you love to hike?! An updated job description and orientation program will be available this fall to get ready for the Camp’s re-opening. If you have been a host before or want to be considered, visit sturtevantcamp.com/volunteer and/or send an email stating your interest — we’re interested in you!

Bun Definitely in the Oven

Teah and Gary

If ever there was a “bun in the oven”, Ripley Vaughn-Piscopo was it! With her birthday coming VERY soon, a baby shower for her mom (and Conservancy Board member) Teah was in order. Maggie Moran offered her home and its expanded porch at Adams Pack Station as the location, so in the scorching heat of an early summer Sunday, immediate family and friends gathered on the deck with the burros braying in the background. Teah was (as always) the life of the party, accompanied by husband and future dad Graham (sweating not the delivery but the heat, along with everyone else!)

Maggie and guests

Maggie was Hostess with the mostest and emceed the party, which included cold beverages, tasty snacks, and some fun games (including real horseshoes). NO tails were pinned on any actual donkeys, but most guests did visit the pack train in the corral to meet Teah’s “extended family.”

Thanks to Maggie for providing a great place to celebrate (plus her custom cupcakes!), and to board members Sarah Barron and Gary Keene for organizing and refreshments. Thanks also to Patrick Kelly and Dave Nickoloff of the Canyon Patrol for staffing the gate to get all the guests in on time. News of Ripley’s arrival will be posted on Wilbur’s Facebook page. Stay tuned!

Arbutus Continued

Arbutus headed back home

The shop finished Arbutus right when Chris was scheduled to be away for a rare vacation, so Gary picked it up for the test run. Rolling the loaded rig down from the summit of Mt. Wilson while feathering the brake was a breeze. The next morning, he turned around with an empty tank loaded and headed up: a small lever actuated the battery supply, and the ‘mule’ pulled the tank up the trail about 20 yards— and died.

Whaaaat?! After a few moments, the green light came back on: power on, roll forward and up – and dead. In between pushing and dragging, this on/off pattern repeated for another 3/4s of a mile or so, then stayed dead. Gary reported, “What was usually an hour hike to the summit took over 3 hours and was the toughest I’ve ever done—Mt. Rainier included!”

Turns out back then there were two kinds of electric wheel: one to help you get going, and a different model that you pedaled first, then it would assist. Arbutus had the first one, although it is doubtful any version could conquer Mt. Wilson. As usual, Chris figured it out, swapped out the wheel, and switched the delivery route over to Newcomb’s Pass (driving the tanks on the F.S. road to the drop-off/pick-up point for a most downhill run in.)

Arbutus fulfilled its purpose, carrying propane and groceries and repair supplies into Camp until the Chantry Road was repaired and re-opened. Then it got moved over to another Methodist camp in Wrightwood, where it languished for many years. With the closure of the Chantry road for a new bridge this season, Gary (as current General Manager) got to wondering where the it had gone to hibernate.

The green mule was recovered and turned over to John “JT” Thompson, the Camp’s ex-officio electrical wizard (who also happens to be a cyclist.) He renovated Arbutus, giving it two ‘tiny but mighty’ nicad batteries in place of the old car battery. Fourth of July weekend, a work team delivered Arbutus up the trail—or rather, chased it up the Canyon: with no load (this time!), the tire was skipping and pulling fast over rocks and roots, tossing dust and mud in the face of the drivers.

Next it will be tested for carrying various supplies in and out of Camp; eventually it will stay in Camp and help volunteers move propane tanks around the cabins, bathhouse and dining hall. No carrots, but regular re-charging should keep it in service for many years to come – check it out when you finally get back to Camp!

Binocular Report

While the Canyon is closed this summer, the Conservancy’s “backpack” is full of work: installing the filter and valve system for the water tanks, getting the pack train up to Camp, recruiting a new cadre of hosts, developing marketing before the Forest opens, plenty of repairs and maintenance on site – in other words, we’re keeping our boots laced up and ask you to do the same with a visit to sturtevantcamp.com/support

Categories
Camp News Reports Volunteer

More Hiking & More Digging

Not Quite a Valentine

February 14 was the first official day of the planned eight-month closure of Chantry Road for the construction of an all-new bridge. By June, it will be physically impossible for any vehicle to cross the gap where the bridge is being built. But the project will maintain a pedestrian walkway, so that people can cross from both directions: this will allow Adam’s Pack Station owner Maggie Moran and her family, plus the USFS residents of Chantry Flat, to get in and out—and for our volunteers to stay on the job of prepping the camp for eventual re-opening. The walk-around will add about a half-mile to the work-day distance total, guaranteeing that everyone gets their “steps” in, with or without carrying pipes and parts!

Unfinished Business

Weekend work-team lunch break; standing L-R are Scott Wilson, Brent Pepper, Maureen Nally; seated are Kelly Davidson, Board members Teah Vaughn-Piscopo and Sarah Barron.

Most fundraisers offer thank-you incentives and souvenirs to donors — T-shirts, tote bags, etc. There are a few of those for last season’s Quench campaign to fund the new water tanks, but we also promised something special to many donors: thank-you luncheons and experiences at Chantry Flat and at Sturtevant Camp.

However, the closure of the Chantry Flat road has put a very real roadblock on those plans, compounded by continuing concerns over Covid exposure. Therefore, the board has chosen to put a hold on everything until we can do those events right — on site, safely and fully inclusive. Before then, we’ll ask for your feedback on the best, most accessible versions of the events, so please watch your email in-box for customized messages, and reply with your preferences.

The Recovery Business

The two storms at the end of 2021 were a real set-back on the water system project, but thanks to the skill and tenacity of our board members, and the many new and returning volunteers, we are back on track. Volunteers have done so much shoveling — so much — and Site & Operations Manager Paul Witman has been hands-on/in the dirt and mud to guide the recovery and rebuilding of the essential plumbing. Soon the focus will shift to installing the new water tanks after we solve the cement delivery dilemma.

Our volunteers have proven themselves to be reliably sturdy, but we won’t ask them to haul 60lb bags of concrete up the trail— that’s what burros are for! Cement is needed for the base of the water tanks, but the main trail is not yet passable to the pack train; there is serious technical work to be done in several key spots, as well as miles worth of basic shoveling. As a temporary alternative, pack train owner Maggie Moran has explored the original Sturtevant Trail down from Mount Wilson to camp as an alternative. That would also require some work, plus complicated logistics, including staging the pack train at the observatory for a week or so. We’ll have an update in the next Bigcone blog on how the dilemma is resolved.

Big improvement added to the ropes — a crevasse ladder! Board member Gary Keene tests a donated and carried in 15ft extension ladder.

The Nut$ & Bolt$ of Business Closure

The guest welcome board in the dining hall, unchanged since the group evacuated from the Bobcat fire in September 2020.

Not being open for business is obviously bad for business, but the Board is working hard to not go out of business and get ready to do business—when the time comes! We are fortunate that we do not have the daily-demand costs of Adams’ Pack Station, whose burros don’t care about road and Forest closures—just bring on the feed!  That’s why we encourage everyone to support Maggie’s on-line fundraisers at adamspackstation.com.

But we do have on-going expenses: more than just insurance and fees, the demand for basic repair and preventive maintenance is constant. As much as we enjoy the forest wilderness, it is a hostile environment to the camp’s buildings and infrastructure, requiring steady attention and investment.

With the road’s construction closure through October, combined with the USFS closure of the canyon until further notice, we do not anticipate guest revenue until maybe the 4th quarter of 2022, and that is very hopeful. It does give us time to tackle both major repair projects from the fire, as well as long-sought improvement projects. For example, the 1897 dining hall has serious termite damage to repair, and the roof is due for replacement; the shut-down is an ideal time to get these kinds of projects done.

Thanks to the Quench campaign and the cash balance of business income before the fire, the camp has its fiscal head above the financial waters—make that its nose! Project-focused fundraisers are on the horizon, and in next month’s blog, we’ll outline the historic and projected fiscal ecosystem of the camp as we plan to go forward.

Until then, your financial support strengthens our ability to use this closure to improve the future of the camp’s service to the public: sturtevantcamp.com/support Thanks in advance for doing so!

Green & Black, Flowers & Scat

Coming into February, our volunteers are seeing plenty of green sprouting in the canyon; while the Bobcat fire likely burned out some of the familiar invasive species, it has also given opportunity to many of the indigenous plants of the San Gabriel Mountains to take their rightful place in the sun. Right now, white blossoms of the climbing wild cucumber are all over, lightly scenting the air.

There’s also good news for some of the fauna: horticulturist and board member (and bear-whisperer!) Teah Vaughn-Piscopo identified several recent doses of scat on the trail as bear-poop which were very black and dense. This indicates a diet unusually heavy in meat; whatever the unfortunate source, at least the bears have not been back into our kitchen and buildings (knock on wood).

Next Month’s Bigcone Blog

News from the U.S.F.S. for the canyon, a snapshot of the camp’s fiscal ecosystem, updates from the cabin owner’s association annual meeting, and whatever else happens between now and then.