Skull Hollow ( Smith Rock) Campground Question

[elaine]

Hey all,

 

I haven't camped at Skull Hollow in years ( been spoiled staying at a friend's vacation home), but I'm curious as to the improvements or "aesthetics" (if you will) with the private concessionaire taking over the camp. I'm willing to pay the fee, but it would be nice to know if it was being taken care of at least a little.

Thanks for any info!

Kellie

[Winter]

Stayed there this weekend. It's well taken care of. Clean sites - clean toilets. Caretakers kept a low profile and left us alone. No meth heads, no garbage.

 

Now if they only they would keep it open during the winter ... and ditch the $3 fee for an extra car.

[elaine]

Many thanks, Winter!

[hemp22]

Agreed. It is well-kept and generally clean and full of riff-raff. And some of the sites are pretty large

glad to see you getting out there

 

[DougT]

Last time I went I had to put up with a drum circle until 2 a.m.

 

Just in case you're reading this drummers... Your drum circle sucks and you make others suffer so you can enjoy your brain altered state all hours of the night.

 

Never went back.

[elaine]

Seems as if the caretakers needed to put a lid on the drum circle. Thanks for the heads up!

[KirkW]

Although I don't usually find myself participating in drum circles perhaps those of you that are so bothered by them would prefer to camp at the much more quiet and sanitary climbers bivy that is all ready provided by the Park?

 

Don't know why anyone would stay at Skull Hollow since last time I checked the PRIVATE "concessionaire" that has control of the PUBLIC land that Skull Hollow sits on is from Utah and couldn't give a good god damn about anything but making money.

 

More Here

 

 

[shapp]

Last time I went I had to put up with a drum circle until 2 a.m.

 

Just in case you're reading this drummers... Your drum circle sucks and you make others suffer so you can enjoy your brain altered state all hours of the night.

 

Never went back.

 

Though I am not one of the drummers, the grass lands, now called skull hollow, has been the scene of late night climbers parties since time immemorial. Go to the bivy or motel 6. The grass lands has never been sought for quiet solitude.

[Lodestone]

 

Though I am not one of the drummers, the grass lands, now called skull hollow, has been the scene of late night climbers parties since time immemorial.

 

 

What's the deal with the name change? I still call it grasslands but people don't seem to be doing that these days.

 

 

Chad

[elaine]

@ Lodestone & Shapp - I call it both because it is "National Grasslands" but the campground is officially called Skull Hollow.

I had a wonderful experience ( many fond memories from being out there before), and met the caretaker. Noise quieted down around 10:00 or so from a Mazama ICS school.

[pazzo]

Just in case you're reading this drummers... Your drum circle sucks and you make others suffer so you can enjoy your brain altered state all hours of the night.

 

Bwahaha. I second your opinion. Granola eating drummers

 

We motel it in Redmond for a reasonable price. Hot showers, Wi-Fi and movies all night make for a comfortable stay.

 

[markwebster]

I'm not a drummer, but I do like to play live music when there are guitarists around. I play the blues harp.

 

The late Jonny Copp ran a drum circle at Jtree at xmas for a few years, New Years eve. Now that was some very special drumming. He and his friends had some serious talent. I miss Jonny, great guy, always would welcome people and encourage them to join in.

 

But I do sympathize with people who want a quiet nights sleep. When the parties get loud, or last past 11 at grasslands/skull hollow, I've been known to pick up my bag and bivy sack and walk out into the bushes a block or two, to get away from my own drunken friends. You don't have to go far to get silence. It's always fun to get up at 7 and have a noisy breakfast.

 

Climbers will party, especially the college students. The bivy site is much quieter, but still has some jam sessions until ten-ish.

 

A year ago, in September there was a woman at the Smith bivy site with a cello. She was very pretty, your typical climber babe, and single. She was playing Bach concertos under the stars...a supremely magical experience. She joined us in some blues after that. Climbers are some cool people, but you have to take the good with the bad.

 

And don't hesitate to ask musicians to quiet down. We lose track of time, but we also (or at least most of us) don't want to offend anyone.

[JoeR]

What made skull hollow an attractive camping option is gone now that they've gone and privatized it. I haven't and won't be camping there as long as it remains a privately controlled campground run for profit. There are other options, some of them free. Just look around.

[kevbone]

When does it close for the winter?

[JoeR]

Reading the link Kirk posted, it looks like they have closed in Oct and Nov in the past. Though Aud & Di Campground Services Inc. has said that closure depends on profitability.

[rl23455]

I emailed them and they said they would keep Skull Hollow open until the end of November weather permitting.

 

Also heard recently the campground hosts called the cops on one group because they had 20 or so in one campsite. Their list says 6 people 4 cars per site? Don't they know it has been a tradition to have large groups there?

[pazzo]

I'm not a drummer, but I do like to play live music when there are guitarists around. I play the blues harp.

 

The late Jonny Copp ran a drum circle at Jtree at xmas for a few years, New Years eve. Now that was some very special drumming. He and his friends had some serious talent. I miss Jonny, great guy, always would welcome people and encourage them to join in.

 

But I do sympathize with people who want a quiet nights sleep. When the parties get loud, or last past 11 at grasslands/skull hollow, I've been known to pick up my bag and bivy sack and walk out into the bushes a block or two, to get away from my own drunken friends. You don't have to go far to get silence. It's always fun to get up at 7 and have a noisy breakfast.

 

Climbers will party, especially the college students. The bivy site is much quieter, but still has some jam sessions until ten-ish.

 

A year ago, in September there was a woman at the Smith bivy site with a cello. She was very pretty, your typical climber babe, and single. She was playing Bach concertos under the stars...a supremely magical experience. She joined us in some blues after that. Climbers are some cool people, but you have to take the good with the bad.

 

And don't hesitate to ask musicians to quiet down. We lose track of time, but we also (or at least most of us) don't want to offend anyone.

 

 

There is NO fine line between a talented music person and a horrible one. Unfortunately one can not say the same about art.