Camp Montgomery: “Camp of rain & black bears!”
Jan Jacobsen's Summer Camp Diary
July 28-August 8, 1994
Thursday, July 28 — The months of planning were over!
The Summer Camp Committee was ready to depart for Idaho.
Five vehicles met at Albertsons in East Springfield at 7:30 a.m. to begin the caravan.
Chris Minarich who flew in from New York the night before needed to shop for some last minute
supplies.
Bob and Pat Dark are driving a pick-up pulling the trailer with the kitchen appliances.
With David Morgan and Betty Macy as passengers, John Jacobsen drives Bob Dark’s van and trailer.
Wes Prouty with Chris are pulling another trailer.
John and Lenore McManigal are in their camper pulling a trailer with the giant canteen.
Sharon Ritchie has Virginia Prouty and Sylvia Harvey in her car.
Sharon has her mountain bike on the back of her rig.
I wondered if she planned to ride her bike around camp to keep track of everything.
If so, I hope she brought a whistle.
I was driving my car and trying to learn the ins and outs of managing a CB radio with one hand and
the steering wheel with the other.
Except for Wes, all of the rigs had CBs.
The CBs helped to make the drive more interesting and added much laughter.
At rest stops, I would get comments about my progress on the CB.
I’m not using the right words.
We arrived at a campground on the Payette River around 8:00.
We quickly put up tents and enjoyed our potluck.
By 10:00, we were in the hot springs recovering from the long, hot day.
Everything seemed very dark and then I realize I still have my sun glasses on.
Friday, July 29 — We stopped in Stanley to get gas, ice, and other supplies.
When we arrived at camp, we saw a band of 2,200 sheep.
The sheepherder, who was from Peru, had his wagon parked where we would be camping.
As soon as he saw our gear, he packed up his wagon, horses, and dogs and moved on up the valley.
By 10:00 we were unloading and setting up camp.
As expected, the rain came around 2:00 just as we finished setting up the cover for the tables.
Wes explained what hex nuts and wing nuts were so we could assemble the tables.
Sylvia was a pro at this task.
Thanks to Pat and Lenore, we were able to expand our leftovers from the potluck for lunch and dinner.
We gave some cheers when our cooks, Greg Belknap and Nita Gray arrived.
Saturday, July 30 — The bagels are now a bit dry for breakfast.
I wonder if I could throw them away, but some camp committee members think we should save them for
lunch.
I wish I could leave camp and head for Smiley’s Restaurant for a breakfast.
Sharon and Virginia leave for Ketchum to buy groceries.
Bob leaves to fill up the giant canteen.
The toilets are delivered.
Ed and Anne Lichtenstein arrive and bring tofu pate for lunch.
Showers, lunch tent, dish washing cover, and supply tents go up.
It is beginning to look like camp.
The big topic of discussion is whether we should allow people to hang their ditty bags from the
dining cover frame.
Some think it looks tacky and is inconvenient to tall people who keep running into them.
Wes suggests a compromise of hanging a separate line.
Yea! We eat dinner at Smiley’s.
Some of us tackle the job of washing the red and white table covers.
They were put away wet last year and had mildewed. This was a fun project!
People are beginning to arrive and set up tents.
Sunday, July 31 — Greg and Nita serve french toast for the camp committee.
It looks like it will be an easy day.
Some people hiked up the valley to the headwaters of the Salmon River.
More people arrive and the campground begins to take on color as more tents are set up.
Around 2:00, a HARD rain and wind begin which lasts for several hours.
It was a surprise to Margaret Weise, Ed and Ann who were taking showers.
We stand under the tarps and watch rivers of water invade the camp.
I am so glad that I brought my umbrella. Some take refuge in the toilet.
When I see the rainfly on Margaret and Catherine Jones’ tent blow off, I persuade John that
we need to perform a rescue mission.
For the next hour, we and many others are out in the rain, wading in lakes and diverting floods
of water from tents.
The ground was so dry that the torrents of rain caused rivers that dammed up around tents.
People who arrived in the rain could only wait in their cars.
Some cars headed for a motel.
The rain stopped before dinner so that we could dry off the tables and clean up the muddy
splatters.
Sharon began the evening campfire with lots of tips and plenty of humor.
She explained how to use a #10 can during the night.
Because of fire danger, we were not allowed to have a fire are our evening entertainment.
We started introductions with family groups.
Aletha Macdonald who attended the Sawtooth Camp 33 years ago is there with her son, Stuart.
Royal Murdock and John McManigal have brothers attending.
Bea Fontana’s father, Bep is there. Glenn Meares has his two grandchildren.
Jane Hackett’s sister from Sacramento is there with her husband and two children.
Chris Shuraleff brought her two nephews from Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Attending camp for the first time is Sam and Zola Miller with their two children.
Margee Wright and the twins, Jenny and Megan are back.
John and I have our nephew, David.
It is fun to have so many kids at camp so that we can share our love of the out-of-doors.
Monday, August 1 — The food is superb. Greg is doing a fantastic job.
The assistant cook needs to return to Eugene so many camp members pitch in to cut and chop and
cook the oatmeal.
People head out on hikes to Sawtooth Lake, Goat Lake, Alpine Lake, and Headwaers of the Salmon River.
Some visit the site of the 1983 Summer Camp on the Yankee Fork.
One can take tours of the dredge and tour the mining towns.
Some stay in camp to dry out their tents and gear.
It rains again around 2:00.
While sitting at the campfire, Bill Montgomery called attention to the Black Bear on the hillside
on the other side of the Salmon River.
He said it looked like a bear. Everyone sat up straighter or even stood up to get a better view.
Rick Ahrens calmly said with a chuckle, I’ve been watching that Black Bear for two nights
and it hasn’t moved.
The black object was a log.
Bill’s reputation as a “Bear Sighter” was firmly established.
Ed has a good crew working on lunches.
He and Birgitte are up early every morning to set out the lunches.
As usual, Ed is pushing the left over food.
Allethe Macdonald joins this crusade as she suggests Pancake and french toast sandwiches.
I try to sell as many Obsidian T-Shirts as I can.
I even manage to sell one to Royal while waiting in line for the bathroom.
Tuesday, August 2 — After the trip reports the night before, everyone is off to
hike or sight-see.
John Jacobsen with assistance from Steve McManigal leads a mountain bike trip for some of the
teenagers.
It was a 14 mile loop trip with a steep downhill filled with rocks, banked curves and switchbacks.
Who can notice the scenery when one is gripping the brakes and looking at the ground?
A forest ranger attended the campfire held under the dining tarp because of rain.
She talked about the salmon and their 900 mile trip to the ocean.
Gene Thaxton told us how to find Ernest Hemingway’s grave in Ketchum.
Wednesday, August 3 — Some head for Ketchum to shop.
Ewart Baldwin led a trip over Lost River to see the earthquake scarp near Mt. Borah and the
Challis Hot Springs.
There were around 20 Obsidians visiting the Hot Springs that afternoon.
Some stopped a the Yankee Fork Mining Museum.
There are so many hikes and nearby lakes for swimming that one has a difficult time making choices.
Bob Dark stayed in camp every day to take care of things.
He does a garbage run every day. He took time to drive John and me up the old Galena Road.
We had to back down several miles when stopped by a mudslide just short of the summit.
Sharon and Virginia make a food run to Ketchum.
All the responsible people are doing such a good job or organizing the duties.
The camp is running smoothly.
All the work that Sharon did ahead of time really paid off.
At the campfire, Ewart gave a wonderful talk about the geology of the region.
Ray Harris organized star watching. Ray and Rick Ahrens provided telescopes.
Thursday, August 4 — Alice Lake, Bench Lake, Redfish Lake, Mt. Borah
and Sunbeam Hotsprings are a few of the hot spots.
Entertainment for the campfire is a skit about the history of the Sawtooth Valley, Stanley Basin,
and the attempts to cross the Galena Summit.
Bob Dark described all of the locations mentioned in the skit.
He has visited and read about most of these historic sites.
Actors took the roles of the various homesteaders, miners, and explorers, telling their experiences
trying to cross over the summit in all kinds of conditions.
For the finale, I wrote a skit about what might happen to the Summer Camp Committee and friends
if they were crossing the Galena Summit with their CB radios.
After the campfire, we waited for the Mt. Borah climbers to return, Rick Ahrens led
Chris Minarich, Steve McManigal, Trevor Radan, and Bill Montgomery to the summit.
The summit is 12 feet higher than it was 11 years ago.
Friday, August 5 — Today is the last full day of camp.
There are so many choices that it’s difficult to decide where to spend the last day.
Hikers headed for Alice Lake, Sawtooth, and other favorite spots.
Some stayed in camp to begin taking it down.
Tonight is the President’s Tea so people are busy with their secret preparations.
At the beginning of the President’s Tea in honor of Bill, a bear came running down
the same hillside.
It took everyone by surprise.
Cameras were working furiously.
Only later, did we find out that the black bear was Steve McManigal dressed in a black garbage bag.
Did he work up a sweat for the run!
What a feat!
Birgitte gave Bill a “Bare Stick” made in China.
Skye Ridley presented Bill with a Bear Sighting Confirmation Certificate good for one suspect
bear sighting.
The young people in camp made the throne for Bill.
The theme was gold. Rocks were wrapped in gold paper or painted gold.
He was given a pick for a scepter. His crown was an odd hat with gold balloons and tie.
Katie Titel gave everyone a yellow piece or paper with Bill’s name on it so that we could
have a wave of chanting.
When Steve McManigal was running down the hill, he thought we were yelling Bear, Bear, Bear!
A skit of Clementine was presented With his fancy rope maneuvers, Bill with many laughs played
the role of the 49er who rescued Clementine played by Courtney Radan.
David Titel volunteered to play the villain before he realized the villain was to marry Clementine.
He announced to the audience that it was not his idea!
Thanks to Jenny and Megan Wright who organized the play and other activities.
I gave Bill the sacred necklace that has been passed down from Gene Thaxton, Rick Ahrens,
Jane Hackett, and Sharon Ritchie.
Pat Dark made this necklace for Gene at the Ruby Mountain Summer Camp.
Sharon Ritchie presented the Camp Montgomery board made by Wes Prouty.
She also gave Bill a gold #10 can.
Bill received many gifts that I am sure he will treasure for years to come, especially the bottle
of Salmon River water.
Saturday, August 6 — Greg served a light breakfast.
Everyone is busy taking down camp.
By 9:30, we are loaded and are on our way back to Eugene.
We make the trip in one day.
The hardest part is driving over the Santiam Pass late at night.
Sunday, August 7 — Bob, John Jacobsen, John McManigal, and David Morgan worked at
Lodge unloading.
I did laundry.
Monday, August 8 — At 9:00 a large crew of people meet at the Lodge to unload
and put away to close out another great summer camp.
* * * * *
Thanks! —
How do we thank the many people who worked so hard at camp to make it run smoothly?
The camp committee, the responsible people, the cook, and everyone who pitched in.
A special thanks should go to the responsible people: Claire Tucker, Chuck Mitchell, Gary Marx,
Royal Murdock, Vera Woolley, Margee Wright, Birgitte Williams, and Sylvia Harvey.
Jan Jacobsen
Back to main “Camp Montgomery” page |