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For directions to the gathering, click here.

If you do not want a go directly to jail card, a mandatory court appearance ticket, or your stuff tossed all over the ground as you enter the gathering, read this.

If the information on this blog does not answer your questions, send an email to gathering info and someone should respond.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

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.

15 comments:

  1. Spring Circle/Council/Counsel Directions:
    Racetrack Creek/Racetrack Campground (13 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.

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  2. Check out the yakk area.north west corner.amish country.extream wilderness..low altatude.lots of water few people

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  3. peace holy,
    i'd like to vote for the site that has no manure. past gatherings in that section of the nation, had tons of manure that led to serious infections that lasted over 1 year & started before gathering was over. i've met rainbows in past whom think camping in & around manure is a way to show intergrity, that thats what makes a man not a boy, etc..., well there are many other people whom are not men, but children, & not all people may have a strong enough immune system to handle such type of microchondria, bacterias, viruses, parasites, funguses, molds, insects that partake in the bread of life as manure then fly or crawl upon one maybe take a nibble or believing its giving a wet kiss believing one loves being pointed out, even if it itches & one scratches till bleeding & infections could happen. for hygene sake, please pick a manure free site. thank you.
    not having a car at this time, i'd love to be at spring council. though there is no rides presently showing going that way from here. i post this in case i'm not there at spring council. peace holy

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  4. wondering how cold it will be there, esp. at night, hoping to be reasonably prepared as I'm attending on two wheels!

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  5. Latest news from the forest service...
    http://www.kaj18.com/news/usfs-spraying-for-bark-beetles-at-several-sites/

    ..."The U.S. Forest Service will apply insecticides at several recreation sites in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest later this month."

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  6. Thanks for posting this info. It's good to know how scouting is going. As the date becomes closer could someone post what are the most used family ride boards ? I have space for 2

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    Replies
    1. Rainbow ride share info is on the right hand side bar of this blog.

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  7. Heading to Montana this Friday. Seed camp still at the Racetrack Campground? Really wanting to go in early and help out. Got 3 people with me. Is there still snow on the ground?

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  8. Greetings Family! We are here from Taiwan where we have had humble sized Rainbow Gatherings three years in a row. While other folks from Taiwan and Japan (I imagine) are on the way, my wife and I are already in the US. Been on Dad's VA helping out on his farm, waiting to hear about the concensus of Spring Council patiently. We will be flying to San Fran to start our trip northward to the site, even if it's still unknown by our SF arrival on the 13th of this month. Biggest Full Moon of the year June 23rd. If there is still no word on the Gathering's site w/ directions (as we would LOVE to lend a hand with seed-camp) what to do? From Cali we head thru OR and WA....We would be greatful to stay away from Babylon as much as we can. If any folks along this way would take us in on some land to plug in till it's time to get to the Gtahering we weould be grateful. I'm Justin and my Wife is Yi Mei Chin. If any folks care to share , kindly email me at yagawtaroko@gmail.com or check my Wife's facebook Gina Yi to leave a msg.....hugs dear family! Have fine Oo-Lung TW tea to share that we brought along!

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  9. I would have loved to go, but there is no way that I am going to a "superfund" site. The water is not safe to drink, the area is very polluted with lead and arsenic. Google it. See you in 2014!

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    Replies
    1. This is the spring council site, not the gathering site.

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  10. as family member from Montana what if anyone has talked the the northfork of the flathead lots of woods and if you know the right area lots of parking the yaak is also a very special spot

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  11. Has a site been picked yet

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  12. Love the addition of marmite - marmite makes anything savoury taste even better!

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  13. Keep it up and I am so enjoyed reading your articles.



    Camp America 2014 & Summer Camp Jobs

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