Spring Council/Seed Camp Information

Updated 6/17/13 7 AM (California Time)  - Spring Council has disbanded.

Directions to the gathering are available here.

Spring Council is when all potential sites for the gathering are brought to any people who want to be involved in selecting a site. The council usually takes one to seven days and normally ends with either a consensus by silence among people at the council or an exodus of the majority of people heading to the preferred site.  T-Council picked June 7 for the start of Spring Council.

People participating in the spring council process have been counciling and out walking potential sites and yesterday (Friday 6/14) counciled with USFS staff. Today (6/15/13) folks will be counciling.  Rumor has it to not expect a decision (by consensus or foot) for another couple of days.  So maybe Monday (6/17) or Tuesday (6/18)

Due to the northern location of this year's gathering and the late snows.  The further north we are, the later the snow melts.

While all are welcome to participate in Spring Council, please keep in mind that conditions may be cold and/or wet and little or no infrastructure is set up.  Bring food to share, drinking water, and be prepared to relocate once folks decide where "HOME" will be located. While home is often within 75-100 miles of the spring council site, this is not always true. I know that at least one of the sites still being considered is further.  If gas money is tight, you may want to stay where your are until an announcment is made.

Update for 6/9/13 @ 9 AM Cali time from a friend

Spring Council population is approaching 300, we had our first circle yesterday. Not much much serious business on the first day, mostly heartsongs and getting to know each other. We are still waiting for some of the people doing scouting to arrive.

We will have another circle today, and then the general feeling seems to be we will send out scouting parties on monday and have them walk the land on some of the potential sites for 4 days, and we will resume counciling on Friday. This was predicted at Thanksgiving Council, when we consensed that Spring Council would BEGIN the weekend of June 7-9...so it's likely to be a late announcement. There's simply more work to be done before we can accurately decide which location would be best to send the family to.

Once the decision is reached, people move onto the site and start "Seed Camp."  Seed camp involves earlier arriving gathering participants.  Folks  find and develop water systems, set up the first kitchens & a health care system, and dig the first latrines. Seed camp folks design the layout of the actual Gathering by developing trails, selecting a Main Circle site, marking parking areas and setting up Welcome Home. Coop and Banking Councils are set up to address the needs of Seed Camp. Please do not show up for seed camp unless you are willing to chip in on the work, can deal with the rough conditions and can contribute to creating a wondeful and positive gathering. 

Please note that more cop hassles happen during early seed camp than during the gathering itself and plan accordingly.  If you're not sure what I mean by cop hassles, click here and read the right hand side of this blog.

 ** DIRECTIONS  TO SPRING COUNCIL **

Racetrack Creek/Racetrack Campground (20 miles south of Deer Lodge, Montana)

From Interstate 90: Exit 197 Galen. Take Left onto 273 South (Galen RD), go 3 miles on paved road to Willow Road (NO SIGN and be aware -- as 273 bears left, Willow Road goes straight, it is the gravel on right).  Go 1 mile to Bowman Road at the four corners. Take left onto Bowman which becomes Modesty Creek Road (you will see a Forest Service sign for Racetrack Campground 6 miles). Watch for cows on road and immature Golden Eagles on fence posts! Keep following signs for Racetrack CG.

****Please respect signs for private property.****

Once inside the Forest, FS road 169, welcome home!   There is ample parking, bus village, and handicamp on the north side (right) after the cattleguard just into the forest (only two tenths of a mile from FS boundary) with some tree line camping off the south (left). There is a piece of private property inside the spring council area; this stretch is about a ½ -mile long and is well-marked along the road.  There is a FS Campground where there is an anticipated fee early June. Beyond the campground, FS Road 169 diminishes so be aware of poor road conditions and it may be difficult for big rigs to turn around. OR take Racetrack Exit 195 Roads are less paved but it gets you there – follow signs to Racetrack Campground. Avoid Dempsey Lake Road – there is a bridge out over this
creek.

For USFS info on Racetrack Campground, click here.

For directions to the annual gathering of the tribes, click here.