Location

We had always wanted to visit the west coast, specifically California, so we’re elated we landed our very first Camp Hosting job in such a beautiful area. We are Camp Hosts at Coldwater Campground in Inyo National Forest, in Mammoth Lakes, California.

Delayed Start

Our jobs were supposed to begin on May 21st, but we didn’t get started until June 27thbecause the road leading to our campground was under four feet of snow and impassable. So, while we patiently waited for the snow to melt over the next month, we hung-out at the lake’s basin in Glen Pine Campground, also within Inyo National Forest. This campground is at a mere 7,500 feet above sea level. Ha! And although we’ve finally made it up to Coldwater, there are still patches of snow everywhere you look. Who would have thought? And in July!

Camping at Glen Pine

 

We just hung around

About Coldwater Campground

Coldwater Campground is situated at approximately 9,000 feet above sea level. It’s in the high 30’s at night and 40’s in the morning, with several hours of blazing sun during the day. The weather is constantly changing and definitely requires layered attire, but makes for great sleeping weather, coffee-sipping mornings, and warm sunny days for exploring.

We have no cell service, internet or television at Coldwater. We are completely disconnected unless we drive or take the trolley into town, which is located at a lower elevation. There we can check voice mails and emails and convert a table at Starbucks, or any other cozy coffee shop, into an office. In exchange for what some might consider an inconvenience, we have an awesome campsite and an incredible view located in the middle of the forest and surrounded by nature, wildlife and way too much to explore in the few months we’ll be here. We think it’s a fair trade and don’t mind a bit!

Our Campsite

 

Our View

The Area

Whatever your addiction… camping, fishing, hiking, biking, horseback riding, paddle boarding, boating, skiing, snowboarding or all of the above, you can have it all right here in Mammoth Lakes. And you can do it in the middle of some incredible scenery! Also, and this is important… this is bear country! It’s best to understand right from the start that you’re invading their territory, not the other way around… even if a bear decides to invite himself to dinner in your campsite. They are everywhere and sightings are frequent, but a little common sense and respect will help keep things harmonious.

Adjusting To Our First Camp Hosting Job

Our campground (Coldwater) opened July 5th, so that means we’ve officially been Camp Hosts for a whopping six days! The first day was pretty rough since people came in droves to claim their campsites. Plus, we’ve never done this before so we didn’t have a “system” in place. It was a little chaotic, but we got through it and felt good at the end of the day. Since then, we’ve established our own system and things are “flowing” quite well.

 

Between the time we made it up to our campground (June 26th) and July 5th, there was a very long list of things that needed to be done in preparation for opening day. We were shoveling, raking, sweeping, wiping, cleaning, painting, organizing and you name it! We had a lot to do in a very short period of time. Needless to say, we were very busy!

It’s Not All Work Though…

In the meantime, we get two days off a week and plan on hitting some of the trails right here near us. The trailheads for Duck Pass, Emerald Lake and Heart Lake are at the top of our campground, so there’s no excuse to not hike those, but there are plenty of other trails in the area (some day trips – some overnight) we plan on hiking as well. There’s also horseback riding, which we think we’re going to give a try. Neither one of us has ever been on a horse, so it should be interesting! And, of course, we will share it all with you as we explore this beautiful area and add some more work-camping experience to our resume!

 As always, We Will Keep You Posted

We will be here in Mammoth Lakes until the end of September, and I would imagine we’ll be “professionals” at this whole Camp Hosting thing by then. We will publish a post closer to the completion of our employment and provide information on everything Camp Hosting entails, including the details of the work performed, hours, pay, pros and cons and general experience. If you’re interested in more information pertaining to camp hosting and other work-camping jobs now, please review the Helpful Links on the sidebar of our Home Page.

 

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