Volunteer Camping

[indigocaz]

Can anyone provide some insight into where the volunteers usually camp?

A) Where is this area?

B) How does it usually fare in the rain? Does it get soggy or does it seem to drain well?

C) How is it noise level wise?

[K-Step]

There are a couple of answers to your questions.

Volunteers can camp anywhere that camping is allowed at the Festival. So, not all volunteers choose to camp in the official Volunteer area.

That area used to be (I cannot vouch for it this year, though it is likely) down near the main stage, along the flat road that leads off to the left, after you enter the main gate.

That area has advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages:

-- Really close to the festival, main-stage, volunteer dining tent, showers
-- Flat. (much of the festival camping is on varying degrees of slopes)
-- You can hear much of the Main Stage music from there

Disadvantages:

-- Quite noisy during the day with folks walking by from dawn till late
-- If the festival gets rainy, this area gets quite muddy, and nearly impassable if the rain is hard
-- Crowded, cheek-to-jowl-style campers lined up

If being close is most important, than this is a good place to be, though.

[K-Step]

Volunteers who arrive on-time Wednesday usually are there ahead of the bulk of the people attending the festival. So, they get a much better pick of choice camping spots throughout the festival, not just in the official Volunteers Camping area.

Some of the flat spots, shady spots, or cozy spots, which are wayyyy up on the high parts of the hill are really nice, but fill fast. I have found many volunteers forming encampments up there. That "early pick of spots" is one of the nice things volunteers enjoy at FRFF.

Up top can be much quieter, and much less soggy if it rains. There are also lots of fun campfires up there with song-swaps and drop-in gatherings. If it is going to rain a lot, higher up on the hill is definitely less muddy.

So, the factors for choosing a camping spot are pretty much the same for volunteers as they are for regular festival ticket-holders.

[K-Step]

You might want to print this and bring it along with you, if this is your first time. Here is a

Falcon Ridge Volunteer Camping Primer

I have worked the front gates where people are coming in. And, I have roved in campgrounds crew and talked to lots of folks camped all over the festival. Over the years, I have developed some hopefully concise answers to the constant question we get: "Where should we camp?"

The answer really starts off: "It depends ..."

It really does depend upon what is more important to you: shade, quiet, slope, mud, closeness to stagesmusic-jams & song-swaps. I am going to refer to different names of camping areas at Falcon Ridge, which are all listed on the on-line map here: http://falconridgefolk.com/files/sitemap2008.jpg

Here are some different priorities, and where to find good camping to suit each of these:

SLOPE-- Almost the entire festival camping is on some angle of hill, except for the RV and Volunteer area. The flatter spots get occupied first. As a volunteer, you get the pick of these. If absoluetely flat is you highest priority, the volunteer area may be for you.

SHADE -- There is practically no shady camping under trees almost anywhere at Falcon Ridge. So, bring your own tarp or sun-shade, and expect to be woken up early by the sun.

If sleeping-in is a bit of a priority for you, here are a few camping tips. The sun rises in the East, meaning over the hills opposite the festival (across the valley). However, there are a few lines of trees at the festival. If you camp right under the uphill-side of these trees, you will get a bit more AM shade. Not a lot, but "a bit." These campsites fill up incredibly fast.

Late afternoon shade can be had by camping along the upper rim of the festival, under the downhill side of the trees lining the tops of the fields. Again, these camping spots fill up first.

QUIET -- If you mainly want to be in a peaceful area away from the stages and late-night drum-circles, loud whooping, etc. .... camp in "15 acre". It is a longer walk (15-20+ minutes) from the stages, less crowded, and more full of families. That can mean the boisterous noise of kids earlier in the AM may wake you up.

Another area that is still quiet, but closer to everything is "Upper Ledge." It is a good compromise between "too far" and "quiet enough."

In answer to your question, the "Volunteer Area" is pretty noisy during the day, with crowds of folks walking around nearby. You will also awaken early AM with the sounds of early risers. Late night, you will be further away from the drum circles, so you will not hear them as much. But, you will be closer to Rt. 22 down there, and so will pick up more road noise than higher up on the hill late night, if you are in a tent.

MUD -- In drier years, mud is not much of a issue. Check the 5-day weather forecast. If it is going to rain a lot, expect mud in the main areas at the base of the hills.

Considering most festival camping is up a hill, that means rain tends to run down off the slopes. This means it is less muddy (relatively speaking) camping on the hills.

Another factor to consider: IF it rains a lot, the roads can get very muddy. If it rains too much, FRFF Security may briefly close the roads, to prevent everyone from getting stuck. So, if you plan to drive in / out a lot, realize you will have to carry stuff up on foot if that happens.

The Volunteer camping area on the flats at the bottom will get the muddiest if it rains a lot. If so, mud will permeate your entire body and campsite. Want to avoid the mud? Higher up on the hills, towards the top of "Upper Pasture", "10 Acre", "Upper Ledge" will be much less muddy if the week is wet.

Also, if you want to avoid mud on the hills, camp away from the roads that criss-cross the slopes horizontally (side-to-side, not up-and-down). They end up forming grooves which stop the rain run-off, collect water, and so get muddier fast. Here is a trick: Camping on the uphill side (above) the roads, or further into the meadows will reduce that problem.

A word to the wise: "If the festival is going to be rainy, bring those tall, rubber fireman's boots, or highhhh galoshes. The main festival roads near the stages, food, etc., all get quite swampy when wet."

CLOSENESS TO STAGES -- A rare delight for festivals is camping so that you can hear the music on the main-stage right at your campsite. If you want this, camp in "Lower Pasture." It is a popular spot because you can hear the whole festival without going anywhere.

MUSIC JAMS & SONG-SWAPS -- One of the high-points of Falcon Ridge for many are the bountiful campfire sing-alongs, song swaps, and jams that happen, many at night. Read on.

Some of the drum-circles get quite loud, with much late-night whooping and yelling. They are all kinds of fun. But, they are not so good if you want to get to sleep before 1 or 2 am (or later) -- beware! The wilder drum-circles tend to be in "Upper Pasture" and "Lower Pasture."

Campfire song-swaps and sing-alongs, etc., are sprinkled throughout the fest. In general, I have noticed they tend to happen along the edges (and in) "10 Acre", and "Upper Pasture" and "Lower Pasture". The left-edge of "10 Acre" usually has a couple of really hot jams. There seem to be fewer in the RV and volunteer areas. Just wander around and keep your ears open to find them. (I usually ask if I can sit down, and have never failed to be warmly invited in. There is a lot of Falcon Ridge friendliness everywhere.)

I hope some of this helps.

[Tomes]

Nice post.

[darkdeer]

I have a question concerning volunteer camping:

Are volunteers not supposed to camp in 10 acre? I was a last-minute volunteer this year so I didn't get my packet. Since we've gotten washed out in the mud flats that is the designated volunteer camping area, we decided to pitch our tents higher up this year and ended up in 10 acre. I was under the impression, as K-Step said, that volunteers can camp anywhere that camping is allowed. On the way home, though, my friend (who was camping w/ me and also a volunteer) pulled out her paperwork and saw where it said that volunteers can camp anywhere except for in 10 acre. Is that true? And, if so, why? I don't want to break the rules, but we were very happy in our new spot and hoped to camp there again next year.

[K-Step]

I have a question concerning volunteer camping:

Are volunteers not supposed to camp in 10 acre? . . . . . my friend (who was camping w/ me and also a volunteer) pulled out her paperwork and saw where it said that volunteers can camp anywhere except for in 10 acre. Is that true?

That is a puzzling development, I agree. I sense that is new this year.

I am guessing that because many ticket-holders consider "10 Acre" the prime real estate at FRFF, the staff may have decided to try and reserve more of it. It does tend to fill first, and gets tighter as the weekend goes on.

You might shoot an e-mail with this question to Barbara, the FRFF Volunteer coordinator, and see if she has some insight into it. E-mails will reach her at the following:

(I am disguising the following e-mail address a bit, so that automated "Bots" which rove the web, harvesting e-mail addresses for spam, are less likely to get a hold of it.)

volunteer {aaat} falconridgefolk {daht} com

[john r]

<<I sense that is new this year. >>

it has been that way the past couple of years, with the 10 acre field at least 2 years in the past, taped off until the gates officially opened. this has meant that some of our GFP campers who were vounteers could not pitch their camps at our site. my guess is that you are right - that they want to keep the 10 acre field open to ticket holders and not have volunteers claim those sites.

[Gail Greenberg]

First Volunteer Camping Post of 2011
Where will volunteer camping be this year? And will we be able to park near the campsite if we get there early enough. Looking forward to my first visit to Falcon Ridge. See y'all soon.

[darkdeer]

Hi, Gail. Volunteer Camping is always down near the flats but I think volunteers can camp anywhere (except the 10 acre). (See my posts from last year. LOL) When you check in, they'll direct you to volunteer camping if you ask them. You can park next to your site wherever you camp, weather depending. If it's rainy, the hills get pretty slick and they may ask you to keep your car below until it dries out.

BTW, responding to John's post below -- the 10 acre field was not taped off until the gates officially opened last year. We got there on Wednesday and it was pretty full even then.

[Gail Greenberg]

I actually did read last year's posts to become familiar with FRFF (and I'm still coming!)

I've read the pros and cons about different camping areas - slick hills vs. muddy flats - and I'll probably start out in the Volunteer Campsite and see how it goes.

I'm curious - why is 10 acre off limits?

Stop by the ice tent to say hello.

[peskyjnixon]

I actually did read last year's posts to become familiar with FRFF (and I'm still coming!)

I've read the pros and cons about different camping areas - slick hills vs. muddy flats - and I'll probably start out in the Volunteer Campsite and see how it goes.

I'm curious - why is 10 acre off limits?

Stop by the ice tent to say hello.

Gail, my understanding regarding 10 Acre is that it is considered "prime" campground and to let the volunteers stake off land prior to the paying campers is seen as unfair. I don't believe the rule is that 10 acre is offlimits, I believe it is off limits to stake down prior to the Wednesday landrush. (I may be wrong there).

[Gail Greenberg]

Fair enough. It sounds reasonable and I'm sure they'll tell me the rule when I show up. I promise not to arrive a week early and pitch a tent in the dark! My first time camping and volunteering will be a real adventure. Can't wait

[steve_martin_upper_darby]

10 acres opens once the gates are open to all campers. Which generally means that volunteers can not set up a tent in 10 acres until the gates are open.

[steve_martin_upper_darby]

If anyone finds that they need some tent poles, look me up. I usually bring a collection of spare poles and maybe we can piece together something that will work.