Tag: Wilbur Sturtevant

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Camp News

3 Years & Counting

Remnants of Cabin-1 destroyed by the Bobcat Fire.

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:

Angeles National Forest plagued by closures from storms, fires, funding gaps

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 Reports Volunteer

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

Graphic camp map.

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 Quench Campaign

Quench Campaign is a Gusher!

The numbers are in and the tanks are full! Thanks to sixty-five distinct new donors, the Quench campaign has succeeded in collecting funds and pledges enough to pay the invoices for our new water tanks plus parts, shipping, and packing. We offer an overflowing thanks to each and every one of you!

The goal was to fund the restoration of the Sturtevant Camp’s water system after two of three tanks were destroyed last year in the Bobcat Fire. The main investment is two new fireproof tanks, which are due to arrive at Chantry Flat in just a few days.

A quick look at the public donations shows that about two-thirds were $100 or less, so many hands made light work. Most of the remaining donations were in the $200 – $300 range with two major gifts from family foundations to top it all off. Now the Board will plan the special events and souvenirs offered in recognition of everyone’s generosity.

A waterfall of thanks to everyone for all the support!

Next Steps, Literally

The new water tanks are due for delivery at Chantry Flat, the trailhead for access to camp, in just a few days. When all the parts are on hand we’ll sort through what can be loaded on the burros, and what and how to hand-deliver the rest. Then we’ll put out the call for some sturde* volunteers, with a goal of delivery in cooler weather late this fall. Stay tuned!

Mud, Pipes, and Success

Fire damage to the water system was an opportunity to not only repair the system but also improve it. A key piece was completed just this past weekend, which is rebuilding and updating the primary water collection pool. This small pond was originally constructed to serve the micro-hydro generating system but since the onset of the drought it has been pressed into service as the source of water into Sturtevant Camp.

Over time the pond has suffered a lot of abuse. In the past, a dose of hard rain would create a surge that knocked the shallow rock walls apart, which had to be hastily reassembled to keep water flowing into the system. Both deer and bears often pawed up the fragile liner as they drank, or apparently played in it like a kiddie pool! Dirt avalanches from the adjacent canyon slope also clogged with the pond, reducing its capacity.

With the planned extension and improvement of the collection/filtration system, new pipes would also need to be laid into the bottom of the pond. So this past weekend the old containment walls were disassembled and two pipes laid into the bottom. A replacement pond liner was put into place and the walls were more securely rebuilt with the help of a few sand bags filled with gravel. Finally, the intake zone was re-shaped and widened to capture all of the small but steady flow of natural water, and soon the flow into the water system was re-established.

Big thanks to board members Paul Witman (lead plumber), Teah Vaughn Piscopo, Sarah Barron, and volunteer-at-large Patrick Gorman, plus prior work by Dave Baumgartner and others.

Snapshot in History

Earlier this month was the 111th anniversary of Wilbur Sturtevant’s passing. Thanks to the Streetview function on Google Maps, we were able to “visit” the Soldier and Sailors’ monument in Cleveland, Ohio. On August 19th 1864, Wilbur was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in Company D of the 103rd Ohio Voluntary Infantry Regiment, and his name is engraved inside the monument among his Company. Unfortunately, the “S”s were just out of focus on the lower part of the wall.

* “Sturde” was Wilbur Sturtevant’s nick-name.

Categories
Camp News Fire Reports Quench Campaign Support Volunteer

Welcome To The New Bigcone Blog

Bigcone Douglas Fir with cones
Bigcone Douglas Fir, a.k.a. Bigcone Spruce

Thanks to the team we are up & running with this blog to post the latest news from Sturtevant Camp. You can sign-up for our newsletter to receive email updates and bookmark sturtevantcamp.com/news for quick reference.

During last fall’s Bobcat Fire, staying connected on-line was the best way to find, give, and receive crucial up the minute information. Coming up on one year after the fire, even though Big Santa Anita Canyon and Sturtevant Camp remain closed to the public, between the heat, the bears, and our damaged water tanks there is a lot going on up here. Stay tuned here for the latest, including the earliest news on when everyone can get back to camp.

Why The Bigcone Blog?

There are a lot of blogs out there but only Sturtevant Camp is shaded by the largest untouched stand of Bigcone Spruce in the San Gabriel Mountains. And those trees drop huge seed cones. If you’ve ever had one conk you on the head, you’ll agree! So, we’ll claim that distinction for this blog: dropping big fresh news all the time!

Our Quench Campaign Is a Waterfall

Sturtevant Falls
Sturtevant Falls in Big Santa Anita Canyon

Thanks to more than thirty new donors plus two generous foundations, our Quench Campaign for potable water at camp has already filled two of three water tanks, and we gave less than 350 gallons to go to top off all three.

The campaign set out to fund the restoration and improvement of the camp’s water system after two of three tanks were destroyed in the Bobcat Fire last year. The big investment is two new fireproof tanks; the third “tank” represents all the replacement pipes and re-plumbing needed for a better collection and distribution system to guests and hikers in camp. We have set up an FAQ page to read details about the project.

Thank You To Our Donors

A big, wet, splashy thank you to everyone who has given so far!

Looking at donations for the new tanks, 20% of new donors gave on average 110 gallons each, or about $670 each. Gifts to the next tank averaged about 11 gallons each, or $65 each, but then two gifts from family foundations jumped the overall total to 3,947 gallons — just $2,112 short of full to the brim.

To fully Quench the campaign, visit sturtevantcamp.com/quench to donate as many gallons as you wish.

Breaking News

Last week we got word that the two new tanks are being readied for shipping all the way from Texas. Those will come to Chantry Flat in early September (after we’ve paid the second invoice with your support) where the materials will be staged for packing and delivery into camp.

Current plans are for the smaller parts to go up on the Adams’ Pack Station pack train but the main panels of the tanks will likely be moved to the top of Mount Wilson then hand-carried down the original Sturtevant Trail into camp for assembly.

Can You Help?

Are you interested in stretching your arms or otherwise helping out? Visit sturtevantcamp.com/volunteer to sign-up for a variety of tasks and projects to ready the camp for our re-opening. When will that be? Stay tuned here for early notifications!

Bears In the House

The latest volunteer work crew arrived in camp recently and started to unlock the manager’s cabin only to hear banging around inside, followed by a bear poking his head out of a hole she had ripped into the side wall of the cabin! She scooted out and up the hillside, followed by her cub tumbling out of the laundry room.

Bear damage in the Ranger Cabin
A bear got into the Ranger Cabin and left it looking like the morning after a frat party

The hot summer on top of the burned terrain is forcing many animals to forage for food. Many cabin owners are reporting repeated break-ins, with this mamma bear plus cub becoming increasingly bold and often destructive in their pursuit of food. We know it’s the same bear because she has a bum leg and we have named her Peggy (as in peg-legged).

Sturtevant Camp has been hit by the bears a few times, the hardest being right after the Bobcat Fire when the evacuation left lots of food in the kitchen. We still have refrigerator doors to replace, lots of window screens and door trim, and now a hole in the cabin, with siding ripped off and other buildings’ doors pulled off as well. Thankfully it’s “just” more carpentry repairs.

History Snapshot

William "Wilbur" Sturtevant's grave at Sawtelle federal cemetery.
William “Wilbur” Sturtevant’s grave at Los Angeles National Veteran’s Cemetery.

Wednesday, September 8th 2021 will mark the 111th anniversary of the passing of our founder, Wilbur M. Sturtevant. He was an infantry Lieutenant in the Union Army, serving in the Civil War, and is buried at the Los Angeles National Veteran’s Cemetery in Sawtelle, section 18, row E, site 8. There’s loose talk about pouring a dose of Big Santa Anita Canyon stream water on his grave on that Wednesday. Are you interested in joining in? Send us an email or message him on his Facebook page.

News In Pictures