Tuolumne Blues Information Sheet

Thank you for your interest in the upcoming Tuolumne Blues weekend with the Tamsen Donner Band. Tuolumne Blues officially begins at 11 :00am on Tuesday , Sept. 6, 2011 and ends after breakfast on Monday, Sept. 12, 2011. Once again this year we are happy to offer you full meals and lodging from Tuesday and beyond so feel free to begin your stay before the masses that arrive on Friday. Tent cabin choices are generally much better the earlier you arrive. The office will open for registration at 11:00am on Tuesday the 7th, and then will open at 9:00am every day after that. Please do not arrive before 9:00am.

Suggested items to bring:  Any and all instruments that you play, sleeping bags or bedding, bug spray, pillows, propane or battery-operated lanterns, flashlights for each person in your cabin, towels, soap, toilet articles, casual clothes (and something warm for the evenings), sturdy shoes, swim apparel (air mattresses and innertubes are great for the river), camp chairs, extra blankets if the nights get cold, snacks and beverages (3 meals per day provided), camera, fishing gear, and a good attitude! Temperatures normally are in the 70’s during the day and the 40’s to low 50’s at night. Keep in mind that the weather can be unpredictable and change quickly.

Items NOT to bring: Pets, firearms, candles, ashtrays or kerosene lanterns.

The tent cabins at Tuolumne can sleep 4-7 people. Most tents have room for four single beds inside or 4-5 single beds on the deck, or any combination of inside/outside beds. I prefer to sleep outside on the deck, but the choice is yours, and you can configure the beds in your tent any way you want. There is also a cabinet, broom, and garbage pail in each tent. There is no electricity in tents (except for a select few, reserved for campers with special needs), and very limited lighting around camp at night.  That is why flashlights are a must, and lanterns are very helpful in tents. Most tents have an excellent view of part or all of camp, and some are right on the river. Tents are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.  You will make a tent selection from available tents when you arrive. Please do not ask to save tents for friends arriving after you. There will be no ADVANCE RESERVING OF TENTS. Not all tent cabins are created equal! It’s best to arrive as early as you can to get your favorite cabin.  Large families or groups can have any tent they want (from the available tents at the time of arrival), and sometimes it’s possible to group three or four tents together. This can only be done if all parties have arrived at camp. All tent cabins must have at least one adult.

Also please note: There is NO SMOKING in camp, in tents, in the dining hall, and common areas. Smokers must smoke in the parking lot above camp or outside the camp boundaries. This is in consideration for other campers as well as a safety issue in the forest. Thanks for your help in this matter.

If you have not been to Tuolumne Camp before I strongly suggest you plan to arrive with some daylight left. The camp terrain can be hilly in places and with low or no light it can get tricky! You will be carrying/carting your gear from the main camp area up to your tents, so pack only what you want to carry. Bring flashlights. One for each person in your party really helps! There are large two-wheel carts available at no charge for big loads or those with heavy gear. We strongly urge you to arrive no later than 8:00pm. It is VERY difficult to check you in, find a cabin, and move gear in the dark. Please plan your arrival accordingly. If you will be arriving late please call the camp to give an ETA (209) 962-7234.

Directions:   From most of the East Bay, plan on about 3-3.5 hours of driving. Friday afternoon and evening traffic could add to that total. If you head to Yosemite via Hwy 120 from where you live, you will eventually join up with some part of the following directions. For reasons of simplicity, these directions are from the central location of Walnut Creek.  From Walnut Creek, head south on Hwy 680. At Dublin take Hwy 580 east to 205 east.  From 205 take Hwy 120 (Manteca) to Hwy 99. Take Hwy 99 north for about one mile then look for the signs for Hwy 120 east on your right. Follow the signs to Hwy 120/Yosemite. Highway 120 goes all the way to Berkeley Tuolumne Camp. Follow Hwy 120 where it turns left at Oakdale (F St. ) and junctions with Hwy 108.  About 25 miles further is where 108 separates from 120. Turn right on 120/Yosemite and go approximately 35 more miles during which time you will pass through Big Oak Flat and Groveland. About 20 minutes past Groveland you will go over a big bridge and see a sign reading San Jose Camp and Cherry Lake. DO NOT TURN YET! Three miles further is a sign for Sawmill Mountain and just past that sign is Harden Flat Road and Berkeley Tuolumne Camp. Turn right on Harden Flat Rd.  Go about 2 miles (past the trailer park) and watch for the signs for BTC. Continue until you cross the bridge over the river then turn right into the camp parking lot. Park in the lot and come on into camp. The office is next to the volleyball court. Look for an authoritative type for tent assignments and unloading instructions. If need you need specific directions from your particular location, please call Jim Vermeys at (925)228-2212 or send an email to jimmypaul@jps.netCamp phone: (209)962-7234 (emergency only please).  See you at camp!

J.V.