Jim Walberg Hosted The 34th Annual Men & Boys Campout
July 28, 2009 by Jim Walberg · 1 Comment
For the past 34 years, Jim Walberg has hosted a campout for any men and boys who want to attend. The location of this event is Leavitt Meadows Wilderness Campground along the West Walker River on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California at 7,500 feet. This year we had 52 men and boys who enjoyed a time of expanding friendships while enjoying camping and fishing.
This adventure was never meant to be a well guarded tradition. It started by just three men and their boys going camping and fishing for the first time along one of the most picturesque trout streams in the Sierra Nevada mountains 34 years ago. I was one of those three men. The next year we said, “Well, let’s go camping again along the Walker River.” We just kept doing going camping in July each year at the same campground, and more and more men and boys joined us along the way.
What has unfolded over these past 34 years is a time of male bonding, learning about the outdoors, teaching each other about the respect that Nature requires, and learning about the Native Americans that lived and thrived in this exact location of California – the Piute Nation. The rules that are a part of this campout are very simple; 1) With guidance from men, the boys are free to explore all aspects of this special region; 2) Mom’s are not informed about the events of this trip unless it is critical for them to know; 3) No electrical devices that make noise are allowed; 4) The only trout that are kept are ones that will be eaten that day. All the rest are released; 5) Each man and boy are expected to respect and protect each other each day. If they there are moments when boys are being boys and there is unacceptable behavior others intervene and make it right.
Many of the boys that are gathered into this brotherhood are from single parent families where there is no father figure. The deal is that just because the man doesn’t have a son, he can still join the annual event by finding a boy that would benefit from discovering the “magic” of five days in the outdoors. And, we had men and boys who have come from Nashville, St. Louis, Scottsdale, San Diego, Portland, Denver, and many more cities across the country. Most of them first started their participation when they lived in California. But, as they moved to other areas of the country, they kept coming back on the fourth Wednesday of July to join us for this magical reunion of those few fortunate men and boys.
Because we have spent so many years in this region of the Sierras we know it like the back of our hand. There is more to do in those five days than is possible. We have named the places that we hike and drive to for a day of trout fishing; The Swimming Hole; The Meadow, Girl Scout Camp, Rattlesnake Canyon, Roosevelt Lake, Lane Lake, Secret Lake, and many more. There are also field trips that are taken; Bodie State Park ; lunch at Walker Burger; a night time visit to the ghost houses at the abandoned 100+ year old trading post that is just a quarter of a mile from our campsite. And, the finale of the annual campout is the Saturday night campfire talent show. This year one of the dad’s put on a harmonica concert that dazzled all of us. We also have the two most coveted awards made to the boys at the Saturday night campfire; The Pig Pen Award for the dirties kid of the campout; and, The Butt Head Award for the kid who has done the dumbest things during the campout.
Everyone who attends this event is transformed because of spending five days with so many amazing men and boys in midst of one of Nature’s most beautiful spots in California. If you want more information on this unforgettable experience, please contact me. I guarantee that it is worth the effort to attend. Until next time, your East Bay lifestyle detective remains on duty.
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yo jim where are the pictures of the camping trip?