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Disability-friendly camping ******************************* The city of Berkeley's "Very Special Family Camp" is held every year at the city's Tuolumne Family Camp on the weekend after Memorial Day. In spite of the dreadful name, it is good clean fun, especially if you have children, with or without disabilities. The cost is a lot less than the regular fee at Tuolumne camp, which is only fair since the camp is not officially open yet at this time of year, and there area few organized activities. But there are usually only about 40 people there in a facility that accommodates several hundred, so it's peaceful and friendly. The food is plain but good, served cafeteria-style. Accommodations are tent cabins with cots but no bedding; the restrooms are a few yards away, and accessible. There is a roll-in shower. The camp is on the side of a hill, so you need a power chair, strong arms or willing assistants. Price in 2009: (non-Berkeley residents pay a little more)
This year's camp was May 29-31 If you have questions about access at Tuolumne camp, please contact me (Ann, 510-655-8863) -- I was a regular there for many years. ******************************* Echo Lake 50 + Camps These are also run by the city of Berkeley, new in 2008, Friday through Monday, and including bus transportation to the city's camp near Lake Tahoe. Not oriented towards people with disabilities, and it showed. At Echo Lake, accommodations are similar to Tuolumne, above, but they have a swimming pool and a hot tub (no lift, and the hot tub is on a raised platform for state-of-the-art inaccessibility). The only accessible restroom was right by the dining hall and consequently often occupied, and paths around the camp are surfaced with wood chips, treacherously soft in places. The altitude there is higher, which may translate into colder nights. Meaning the little walk from your cabin to the toilet might be daunting, and a good sleeping bag is in order. Or, if you're me, and just count on warm quilts, socks, and woolly hat for camping, add one or two layers. It's amazing how much warmer a scarf around the neck keeps you. June 8-12, 2009 The price : $206.25 for three days, dinner Friday through lunch Monday, and the bus ride. We went in 2008, and since the bus had no lift, they reduced our fee rather generously, so we were able to buy gas for the trip, and enjoyed the flexibility of having our own wheels. But it wouldn't have done us much good if we hadn't had a car. Call 510-981-5140 for information or to sign up. *******************************
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