Sierra Expedition
 Sierra Expedition - YMCA Adventure Guides

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Schedule of Events

                            Sierra Expedition Jones Gulch Fall Campout
                                                October 10-12, 2008

Friday, October 10 - Early Arrivers
3:00-6:00pm
Registration Table Opens
Simcock Lodge "Patio"

Dinner
On your own
7:00-9:00pm Smores  (Mystic supplies)
BBQ area

Saturday Events

We are responsible to manage the flow to the zip lines and climbing wall. This is a new requirement from the Y last year as we are one of the only groups that strains their capacity for which they are insured.

What this means is that we will hand out tickets to attendees as they arrive with letter codes on them. We will then assign each letter to a specific time window (different hours) for both the zip and climb. ONLY PEOPLE WITH APPROPRIATE TICKETS MAY GO TO EACH PLACE WITHIN THAT TIME WINDOW.

Sunday, the Zip Line and Climbing Tower are not regulated and will operate on a regular line basis.

Saturday, October 11 - Main Event
8:00-9:00 Breakfast Dining Hall 
Clean up-El Dorado
9:00-9:30
NEW! Camp Store Open Dining Hall
9:00-Noon
NEW! GaGa Pit
Ball Field
9:00-Noon Climbing Wall North of Ball Field
9:00-Noon Zip Line
Behind the Admin Ctr
9:00-Noon Canoeing Pond
9:00-Noon Archery East of Ball Field
9:00-Noon Pumpkin Carving Dining Hall Deck Area
9:00-5:00 Picture Framing
Dining Hall Deck Area
9:00-5:00 Jelly Bean Counting Contest
Dining Hall
10:30-11:45
Evening Ceremony Leaders Rehearsal Meeting Indian Bowl
12:00-1:00 Lunch Picnic Area
Cleanup -
Ponderosa
1:00-5:00
GaGa Pit
Ball Field
1:00-5:00 Canoeing Pond
1:00-5:00 Climbing Wall North of Ball Field
1:00-5:00
Zip Line
Behind the Admin Ctr
1:00-5:00 Archery East of Ball Field
1:00-5:00 Pumpkin Carving Dining Hall Deck Area
4:00-5:30 Skit Rehearsals Wherever
4:30-5:30
Dinner Preparation
Picnic Area
(2 Helpers per Circle)
5:30-6:45 Dinner Picnic Area
Circle Navs & CB's serve
7:00-7:15 Parade to Indian Bowl
Start at Your Circle Cabins
7:15-8:45 Ceremony Indian Bowl
9:00-9:30 Snack Mess Hall

Saturday's Side Activities

Dinner Cleanup: 2 dads from each circle at conclusion of dinner to help clean BBQ area.

Jellybean Counting Contest: 9am-5pm in the Dining Hall

Photo Framing: 9am-5pm near the Dining Hall


Sunday, October 12 - Closing Ceremony
8:00-9:00 Breakfast Dining Hall - Clean up-Shasta
9:15-10:15 Closing Ceremony Drake Amphitheater
10:30-11:00 Camp Store Open
Dining Hall
10:30-11:30 Nature Hike, YMCA guide to lead
Dining Hall
10:30-12:30
Climbing Wall North of Ball Field
10:30-12:30 Zip Line
Behind the Admin Ctr
10:30-12:30 GaGa Pit
Ball Field

 Suggestions

Check-in:  When you get there:
You can put your gear in your cabins anytime after 3:00pm on Friday. 

NEW:  You must check in, Dad by Dad.  On Friday, the Registration Table will be at the Simcock Lodge (across from the Ball Field) from 3:00-7:00pm.  On Saturday, the Registration Table will be at the Administration Building (cute little building with porch as you drive in) from 9:00am-Noon.  After that, check at BBQ and after 1:00pm, check inside the Simcock Lodge for an envelope with your Circle’s name on it.  We will ask you to sign in and take (and wear) your name tag.  We will also give you “speed passes” for the Zip Line and Climbing Tower, first come–first served. There will also be a map and a schedule of events, if you need them.

Friday Night:
The evening is a casual get-together.  This is a great time to meet new members and get re-acquainted with old members.  Circles are on their own to provide food and drinks for their dinners and cook them.  The Mystics will supply smores for those who want to fulfill their camping necessities beginning approximately 7:00pm and thereafter at the BBQ area.  Remember to bring camp chairs so you can sit around and socialize with the other circle members.  Also remember to bring flashlights and lanterns.  It can be really dark underneath the redwoods.

Saturday:
Show up anytime - the earlier the better.  It gives you a chance to meet everyone before the events of the day kick in.
Breakfast is served in the cafeteria from 8:00-9:00am.
NEW!  The Camp Store adjacent to the Dining Hall will be open at 9:00am until approximately 9:30am.

The morning events start at 9:00am and go to 12:00pm.  The morning events include the Climbing Wall, Zip Line, Archery, Canoeing, GaGa Pit, Pumpkin Carving (don't forget to bring your own pumpkin), Photo Framing, Holiday Parade Craft and the Jelly Bean Counting Contest.

Lunch is served at the barbeque area from 12:00-1:00pm.
From 1:00-5:00pm all the events (Climbing Wall, Zip Line, Archery, Canoeing, GaGa Pit, Pumpkin Carving (don't forget to bring your own pumpkin), Photo Framing, Holiday Parade Craft and the Jelly Bean Counting Contest) are ongoing.

There will be water available at the Climbing Tower and at the GaGa Pit.

After the events close, it is time for the circle members to meet at their respective cabins and practice their skits.  The skits are given during the evening ceremony.  This is also a good time for our younger daughters to get some much needed rest and refreshment.

Dinner is served by our circle officers starting at 5:30pm and goes to 6:45pm.  Dinner is prepared by our resident Chef Steve Weinstein and his support team.  Make sure you thank these dads for all the effort they put out to make dinner a success.  Please help clean up after dinner, so that we all can be ready for the evening festivities.

The evening events start promptly at 7:00pm.  The evening starts with a parade through the cabins and up to the Indian bowl.  Have all the dads and daughters waiting outside their cabin at 7:00pm.  The procession will go by all the cabins and everyone joins in.  Listen for the sound of the approaching drum of Navigator Dancing Buffalo (Mike Liddle).  The procession then heads up the hill to the bowl where the ceremony begins at 7:15pm.

Ceremony - wait and see.  It will be full of surprises.
After the ceremony, everyone moves down the hill to the cafeteria where hot cocoa and snacks will be provided.

Sunday:
Breakfast is served in the cafeteria from 8:00-9:00am.
A closing ceremony occurs at the Drake Amphitheater starting at 9:15am.  The Camp Store will be open from 10:30 to approximately 11:00am adjacent to the Dining Hall.

The Zip Line and Climbing Tower will be open from 10:30am-12:30pm on a first come-first served basis.  The GaGa Pit will also be open from 10:30am-12:30pm.

The popular Nature Hike will also leave the Dining Hall at 10:30am and will conclude approximately an hour later.

How to get there:
Go to http://sierra.lscheffer.com/ext/JonesGulchMap.html for driving directions.  It's a windy road, so be careful.  It takes about an hour to drive there from Saratoga.

What to Bring:
Your vest, sleeping bags and pillows, toiletries, sun block, warm clothes, flashlights and lanterns.  Good walking shoes.  You will also want to bring Friday evening and Saturday afternoon snacks and drinks.

A little course knowledge:

Pumpkin Carving - This event is located outside the mess hall.  It is much cleaner and more convenient to clean out the seeds in the comfort and safety of your own home. The rest of the carving is done at Jones Gulch.  Carving tools and decorations are provided, but are in short supply no matter how many we supply.  I've found that bringing your own carving utensils speeds up the process significantly.  All the other decorations are provided.  Also, there’s lots of paint and other clothes ruining stuff around.  I usually bring an old t-shirt to cover up my daughter for this.

Photo Framing - This event will be next to the pumpkin carving.  Polaroid cameras and film and all the decorations will be there.

Zip Line and Wall Climbing – These are our most popular events.  We will assign your time blocks, first come, first served, as you check in.

This year, we may have campfire rings at our individual cabins. Your circle Navigator has all the details on this. Our good reputation with Jones Gulch has given us this chance. We do not want to lose this luxury.  Please follow all the rules.  Remember to douse your fire when it is not attended.  Firewood is supplied by Jones Gulch, but it is wise to bring fire starter and kindling.

Remember to bring camp chairs so you can sit and socialize with your circle.

Your princess may insist she does not need a jacket at the ceremony. Temperatures of 40 degrees are common this time of year at night. Carry her jacket to the ceremony anyway (and bring yours too!).  I always bring a couple of car blankets to sit on during the ceremony and to use as a wrap if it gets really chilly.

The trail to the Indian Bowl is dark and rocky.  Bring a flashlight for yourself and each of your princesses.

Bring lots of liquids to drink.  Our girls can get pretty dehydrated during the events Saturday, which leads to severe grumpiness later that evening.  There will be some small water bottles at the Zip Line on Saturday.

Raccoons;  Don't leave any food unguarded.  The Raccoons will get it.  Don't leave ice chests outside.  The raccoons have figured them out, too.  Lock all food in your cabin or your car. Make sure to close your cabin door and windows securely.  Don't try and pet them and don't feed them!

Each cabin must be swept clean and litter picked up before you leave or we will be charged!