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Western Region Annual Meeting
September 17-18, 2005 at Berkeley-Tuolumne Camp
Hosted by the Mother Lode Grotto

Project Caving
Project Caving is, as many Western Region cavers know, a very rewarding and worthwhile way to spend your time. It's also a heck of a lot of fun, a great way to make new friends and see some terrific caves. Special bonds grow between cavers who work hard to achieve a goal, whether it's digging out more cave passage, helping to complete a detailed survey or being a sherpa for scuba tanks on a dive expedition deep underground. To keep everyone up-to-date on new developments with western projects we have a number of speakers already lined up. We will learn something about the history of these projects, about new and ongoing efforts and best of all... how we can get involved! It's always nice to hear about new developments with these great projects, but it's even better to find out how you or other members of your grotto can get involved. We've asked our speakers to make sure this is part of their presentations. If it is time to revitalize your grotto, there is no better way than to get the grotto started on a meaningful project that uses the many talents of your grotto members.

Camping Accommodations
Berkeley-Tuolumne Camp is a delightful environment! This is a summer camp for the City of Berkeley and has all the amenities that make a group camp successful: scrumptious meals, 24 hour coffee, tea or hot chocolate service, tent cabins and cots, (all you need is a sleeping bag), hot showers, an ampitheater under the stars, hiking trails, and a child-friendly environment. Besides your sleeping bag you may want to bring a pillow, flashlight, bug repellent, sunscreen, swimsuit and your toiletries. It can get cool in the evenings so bring some warm clothing as well.

Alternate Lodging
For alternate lodging, please see the Highway 120 Chamber of Commerce website at http://www.groveland.org/ or by phone at (800)449-9120.

Rules
Due to fire concerns and a policy set forth by the US Forest Service there will be No allowed fires outside the designated area of the lodge. This means that anyone planing to go it on their own will not be able to prepare food over any kind of fire on the camp grounds whether inside or outside of a RV, travel trailer, and the like. This prohibition includes the parking area as well. In the past folks have had fires in barbecue devices. This is not allowed. Anyone found disregarding this will be required to leave.

  • Pets are only allowed in the parking lot.
  • Smoking is only allowed in the parking lot.
  • Bears and other critters are normally not a problem but please avoid tempting them by not putting food in cabins. Drinks in coolers are ok.

Meal Plan
There will be four meals offered in the plan... breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday. For additional cost, dinner on Friday night will be available as well as a box lunch on Sunday. Registration includes meal plan, program/guidebook, and your ID tag.

Sessions
Our tentative program includes presentations on the CRF projects at Lava Beds National Monument by Janet Sowers and at Lilburn Cave by John Tinsley. Bern Szukalski will tell us all about the Mojave Desert Project and Paul Lukshin has agreed to enthrall us with tales from the Cave City Dig! We are planning additional presentations on other Sequoia projects like Crystal Cave and Mineral King. The Larsons will be able to get us up-to-speed on their work in Belize with a presentation on Cave Mapping. In addition to the sessions that will be held there will be a general meeting of the Wester Region as well as activities of general interest.

Activities
Vertical challenge course.
This will be an unsupervised rope obstacle course. A Knot-tying session will be held mid afternoon.

Survey course.
There will be a brief 'intro to survey' workshop Saturday morning.The course will run all day Saturday. The course will be unsupervised, with markers indicating key stations, (but not all possible stations).

Geocaching.
This will be a short introduction to the sport of 'caching'. There will be on site help to using or purchasing a GPS receiver. There will be a course of hidden spots to locate using a GPS receiver and a chance to learn about tracking, routes, waypoints and having fun exploring.

Annual Auction
Don't forget to bring something for the annual auction on Saturday! Now is a great time to get rid of that gear in the back of your closet. And bring money for that Item you've just got to have!

Young Person Scholarship
Young people, ages 12 to 16, here's your chance to attend for free! Just send in a short essay (100-250 words) on "Why I see project caving in my future". One winner will be selected from entries received for a free registration to the 2005 Western Regional.

Directions
From North on CA-99 at Manteca take CA-120 East (from the South on CA-99 take J14 to Oakdale then take CA-120 East)

  • From I 5, (North or South) take the CA-120 exit towards MANTECA/SONORA
  • Stay on CA-120 E as it merges with CA-99 N
  • Take the CA-120 E/YOSEMITE AVE exit towards SONORA
  • Follow CA-120 through the scenic Central Valley and the foothills all the way to Harden Flat Road!
  • Look for Berkeley Camp signs,turn R onto Harden Flat Road
  • Follow Harden Flat along the beautiful Tuolumne River, camp will be on your R in about a mile!
  • Look for signs to registration.


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