Camp Loll's After Season Adventures 2014

Camp didn't really end when the staff pulled out on August 18.  The weeks which followed were full of adventure and service to Camp Loll.

An important step in preparing for the summer of 2015 is to train High Adventure Trek Guides.  As the majority of the staff headed "back to school", a crew of intrepid explorers began a three night-four day hike through the Tetons.  Not only did Chris, Nick, and Dan - who plan to join several other trained Loll Staffers as Rangers next summer take the challenge but so did Wes and Quinn, their leaders, and several of the ladies of Loll.  Too busy to do much hiking in the core season, Maryanna, Morgan, Paola, Victoria, joined the crew, as did Nate - who is off to the Marine Corps next summer, and special guests Jan and Matt. 

On Thursday Dave and I headed north - arriving at Jenny Lake a few hours early - planning to hike up canyon and meet the crew.  Instead we were just in time to meet them coming out three hours early.  They were wet from three nights in the rain - but spirits were high. 

Nick and Chris were glad to see dad!

 Lunch in Jackson Hole was followed by a drink at Hopper Springs.  There was more fun to be had there at the park in Soda Springs.

The Crew was home and my worries greatly reduced by late Thursday night.

A week later brought the Labor Day week end of Alumni Service to Loll. 

The list of projects for Labor Day weekend included:
1. Painting the shutters on the Barlow-Wadman Lodge
2. Installing a permanent shutter securing system for the shutters
3. Putting vents on the Cheyenne and Ute KYBO's
4. Replacing a rotting base log on the "girls cabin" the old dining hall
5. Moving all the logs along the pumper trail
6. Making a plan for renovation of the upper parking lot
7. Delivering a flag and work in lieu report to the Forest Service
8. Preparing the vent covers for the "old KYBO's
9. Turning off the water and draining all water lines and tanks
10. Putting distilled water in the batteries and preparing them for winter
11. Placing water bars around the KYBO's at Ute and The High Seat
12. Fixing the water bar above the road to the landing
13. Putting up the support cable on the east end of the lodge
14. Putting out plywood for keeping the pumper from getting stuck in Navajo
15. Painting the stage at the campfire bowl with water seal
16. Cleaning out the excess ashes from the Camp Fire Bowl fire pits
17. Reordering and moving tent poles from under the deck
18. Fix the leaky shower in Jody and Julie's room and get it ready for a new shower stall floor
19. A final picking of the KYBO's in preparation for next week's pumping

By Monday, Labor Day, all the projects above, except the parking lot plan, and many more acts of service were completed.

Camp Loll Committee Chariman, Lynn Hinrichs and raido-communications expert Jeff Stork, team up to put a vent in the Cheyenne KYBO.

Lynn cuts a hole for the vent.  He also put one in the side of the toilet box so the air can flow.  By the way - Lynn managed to fall off the roof - Jeff "caught" him.

Not the best picture - but the best solution.

By the way - in order to power the tools, Lynn brought Karlo Mustonen's generator back to life.  Once more Karlo to the rescue.

Scott and Lynn Hinrichs remove a rotten log from the base of the old dining hall cabin, find a new log in the woods, trim it and with the help of some "big strong Hansen boys" and our floor jack, put it in place.

Ben and Dallas are on hand to lend a hand.

Geoffery Anderson and Steve are also working hard to make things work.

Everyone in place.

And, the wall is in place as well.

 



Meanwhile Bryce Jones and Jon Hollingshead set to work fixing the shower in the Orme's room.  In 2013 they prepared to fix the north room shower and then put in a beautiful and perfectly water tight new tile floor.

A little exploration reveals the problem; the membrane to hold in the water had been improperly installed. 

 

 

The front lip on the bladder should have been turned up to keep the water in - also the membrane was only installed to meet the corners, not coving up the walls at all.  This allowed leaking to happen around the edges of the shower floor. The new membrane is one piece, with built-in sides.

The rotting flooring had to be removed and fresh materials put in place.

 

Everything is ready, and after a season of drying out the new shower will go in next spring.  All the materials are ready and waiting.

 

Meanwhile Reagan Orme organizes the next generation of Loll Staffers in a host of important projects.  The jumble of poles and logs under the steps is sorted - tent poles stored in the garage the rest set right.

 

 

Just in case the pooper pumper decides to try and get to the 3 KYBO's at the back of the camp, the crew carried ten sheets of plywood out to camp Navajo to get Clynn across Navajo Creek.  They receive a good deal of support from Janice, Christine, Lauren, Tyler Shaw and Doug Coburn. 

 

 

Once the plywood was in place, the crew headed for the Campfire Bowl to seal the deck.  A battle that had to be fought between rain storms.  They got the entire deck and three rows of benches done before rain and lightening drove them to another task. 

 

 

While the young'uns painted, Jeff, Ben, and Dallas cleared the ashes out of the fire pits. 

 

 

Meanwhile - back in camp, 

 

 

Lynn starts work on the Ute KYBO vent.

 

 

He has plenty of help - right to left - Ben Kraus, Dallas, Scott, and Geoffery.  He also has strict instructions not to fall off the roof.

 

 

 

Every thing in place. 

 

 

Not the most fun of jobs - but one that, like picking out the wipes - must be done.  The "bactee" must be allowed to breath.  By the way - don't be too concerned about the mess on the toilet seat.  It is the result of Jody and my activities.  We spent six hours picking out the wipes and other forbidden things in the tanks.  Once the heads are pumped they will be ready for cleaning and made "presentable" for the campers.

 

Now for the window project:

 

 

While all these projects are underway - the major project of the weekend is underway.  The shutters need to be painted.  Jody already, with the help of the Anderson "girls", had prepared the primer coat.  Here Kevin and Justin Hansen prepare the 2/4 base bracket for the window frames. 

 

 

 Russell Stevens makes the measurements of the up coming framing.  He has carefully removed the moldings - will insert 2/4 "padding plates" and then reinstall the original trim.  Then the entire window will be covered with a shutter bolted in place from inside. 

 

 

As always, Jody is our master painter.  However this year he gets a lot of help from Tyler and Doug, who put the final coat of red-brown paint on the shutter boards. 

 



 

However, like most of the rest of us, Tyler finds time to enjoy the huckleberries. 

 

 

Everything must be fabricated on site - by our master craftsmen.

 

 

 

Everyone lends a hand.

 

 

The final product, painted, stained, sealed and in place. 

 

 

Kevin moves from one master piece to the next.  At last the entire lodge is encased and closed up for the winter.

 

Jeff Stork finds plenty to do.  When not rescuing Lynn from falls - he helps pull thistles, and winterizes the batteries.  

 

 

 



 

 

None of this would be possible without the meals necessary to keep our crew running.

 

 

Between service out in the camp, Savanna and Kara help (left to right) Kara Jones - the main planner and driving force of the whole weekend, Janice Conner, Julie Orme, Lauren Hansen, and Christine Anderson to make sure no one goes hungry. 

 

 

Day after day, meal after meal, everything is perfect, and sooooooo tasty!

 

 

We are a family!!

 

Monday saw camp locked up and in much better shape for winter - but one other big job remained.  The KYBO's need pumping.

 

On Thursday, Sept. 4, Leonard Hawkes and I head back to camp.  We arrived just after dark.  The camp was empty, peaceful and so beautiful.  We did not turn on the power or water.  Everything was by flashlight and Leonard's lamp.  In the morning we drained the final water from the water tank lines - running a new hose down the hill and opening the main line which had been separated from the pump.  We unloaded the repaired dryer, gathered several "forgotten" items, got dressed for the pumping and waited for Clynn to arrive.  We called several times from the "Verizon Bench" - but as we had heard nothing by eleven thirty we headed down the road to Ashton, expecting to find his broken down pumper truck at every turn.  We stopped in Ashton for some business and the Forest Service and then headed down the highway.  We saw nothing of Clynn.  We now know he had had trouble getting across the Idaho line and had had to go back to Tremonton to get some paperwork.  But I spent most of the day worrying that he was in a hospital somewhere.  I got back to Layton about 7:00 PM.  I finally got a call from Clynn's wife.  She told me Clynn had headed for Camp but was several hours late.  More worrying.  Finally around 8:00 PM he called.  He had been in, pumped the lodge septic and the Crow and Nez Pierce KYBO's.  I arranged to meet him in Ashton at the sewage lagoon Saturday morning.  I started looking for a helper.  I did not want to go alone.  Wes Mathis came to my rescue - calling to tell me he was on his way over at about 3:14 in the morning.  We were on our way by 4:00.  We were in Ashton by 7:30.  I drove the speed limit the entire way!  We met Clynn for breakfast - he headed off to the Lagoon and Wes and I headed back to camp. 

 

 

Clynn and Wes at the Cheyenne KYBO.

 

 

Wes and I moved logs and picked any offending rubbish out of the tank, Clynn and his truck did the heavy lifting.  Clynn assures me that Loll's KYBO's are the best taken care of in the council.  Way to go Jody. 

 

 

Clynn by the Whorlaway truck.  There would be no Camp Loll without him!

 

Unfortunately we found a hole in Clynn's oil pan.  That meant a three hour trip to Ashton and back between pumpings of the Staff KYBO and the High Seat.  It was after 7:00 PM before we were on our way.  Wes and I put the bear boxes and fire barrels back in place and capped the KYBO's.  We also did some measuring of the broken east-end railing for a further winter's project. A long two days.  But not without satisfaction and some rewards. 

 

 

There was a magical mist on Gibson Meadows -

 

 

and the sunset on Indian Lake was wonderful to see.

 

Thanks to everyone who made Loll a success this summer, and to all who worked so hard to make Loll safe and ready for the winter and for our next summer of Scouting.  Because you see, Camp Loll doesn't really ever end.