Community Forums

Pyropete · 07-23-2019, 08:12 PM

Has anyone been out there recently? Is it still a massive tourist attraction For Salvation Hill? Went out and dry camped out there a couple times for about a month each time, but this was back about 10 years and 7 years ago when they did that documentary. It was quiet the first time, with normal residents and a great feel of community. The second time, 7 years ago, it kind of felt like Burning Man. How Burning Man used to be this awesome spectacle, and everything was free to this monstrosity with celebrities thinking its a costume contest, and having to pay to get in.. What a crock of crap it's become.

So, it's been like 7 years since I have been to Slab City, so I was wondering if we had people out there now that can post here? If so how has it changed from 7 years ago? I plan to go back for winters after I retire in 5-10 years so I hope it's not been ruined by tourists. They leave a lot of trash behind. Some of the residents had trashy homes, but at least it wasn't just blowing around all over the place. I want to make sure it's still a community before I go out.

twogypsies · 07-23-2019, 10:49 PM

You saw a noticable change from 10 yr to 7 yr. - a 3 yr. time span.

You can imagine what it looks like now - after another 7 years. Tourists didn't leave that trash you saw. Residents did.

530ktm · 07-24-2019, 09:55 AM

I can not imagine enough tourists would want to venture there and throw their trash around. I believe most of the trash and junk like all these types of communities create their own mess even on their own little piece of paradise.

Pyropete · 07-24-2019, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 530ktm

I can not imagine enough tourists would want to venture there and throw their trash around. I believe most of the trash and junk like all these types of communities create their own mess even on their own little piece of paradise.

You would be surprised.. 7 years ago there were about 150 people just at Salvation Hill. It might have been the time of year though. It was about March, and the first time out there was in December. I know a lot of the trash was from the residents but there were tourists leaving crap behind all over the place. 1-5 day campers mostly. But the permanent residents did have their own trash piles too.

Pyropete · 07-24-2019, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twogypsies

You saw a noticable change from 10 yr to 7 yr. - a 3 yr. time span.

You can imagine what it looks like now - after another 7 years. Tourists didn't leave that trash you saw. Residents did.

Yah.. I didn't kn9ow if it was the time of year, but 7 years ago there were a LOT of those 1-5 day campers. I would be further out into the desert so I will have privacy, but I wasn't sure of the state of things out there in the main collective. Not to mention if the drug trade has got more prevalent.

Was wondering if we had anyone on this forum currently out there. I had saw what these idiots ruined burning man so I was hoping these same types of people didn't ruin the collective out there.

Pyropete · 08-19-2019, 09:17 AM

A buddy of mine just was out there in his popup trailer and apparently a LOT of homeless from the Los Angeles area (including a lot of the addicted and mentally crazy people) so it's nothing like it was 10 years ago. A lot of weird druggies out there now. Oh well.. Looks like I will be on the other side of the 40mile long lake from those people. When I went it was starting to have a bunch of really weird people, but I am afraid if I went back in a nice 5th wheel they would attack me for having something nice, which is what they were doing even with my friend's popup since it was new. Oh well screw Slab City then. Just a drug den and trash pile of needles and drug bags.

Dan McMartin · 08-25-2019, 11:14 AM

We visited last year. We wouldn't stay there. I know there are different areas for different types (like snowbirds) but we drove around, saw a lot of the areas and frankly, it gave us the creeps.

There were the unusual types marching to their own drum, as we expected, but it seemed a lot of homeless, addicted and just plain scary folks too. Always dreamed about spending some time there while we were waiting to get on the road but no more. Either accounts of Slab City we'd read 5-10 years ago were romanticized or the place has gone downhill since we first heard about it.

Pyropete · 08-26-2019, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan McMartin

We visited last year. We wouldn't stay there. I know there are different areas for different types (like snowbirds) but we drove around, saw a lot of the areas and frankly, it gave us the creeps.

There were the unusual types marching to their own drum, as we expected, but it seemed a lot of homeless, addicted and just plain scary folks too. Always dreamed about spending some time there while we were waiting to get on the road but no more. Either accounts of Slab City we'd read 5-10 years ago were romanticized or the place has gone downhill since we first heard about it.

yah, it's been 10 years since I have been out there. It was really cool back then. they had clubs there and it was pretty self sustaining. But hearing about the homeless people situation out there my buddy went there in his popup, and texted me saying DO NOT COME HERE EVER! I guess the homeless and druggies had taken over. Some of the people he talked to out there that have been there a long time no longer want to stay there. A lot of homeless and drug users out there. A lot of shady drug dealers driving out there in the middle of the night dropping off supplies for the dealers there. It's crazy. No cops so people doing this all out in the open, needles on the ground. Condoms on the ground.

I loved it there 10 years ago but had heard bad things recently.. Oh well.. Maybe on the other side of the lake away from them?

Mtn. Lion · 08-27-2019, 06:03 PM

It is hard for me to believe that place was ever an area where someone would shut their eyes at night, feel safe and fall into sleep.

Old-Biscuit · 08-27-2019, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diginomad

It is hard for me to believe that place was ever an area where someone would shut their eyes at night, feel safe and fall into sleep.

In the late 1970's/early 1980s we used to tent camp on the slabs and water ski in the water canals
Ski rope attached to truck stake pocket ---truck would take off down service road and step off onto the skis
WOO-HOO!

Went out one time in late 1990s....
Drive thru and didn't

Didn't care to be entertained by the locals

Pyropete · 08-28-2019, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diginomad

It is hard for me to believe that place was ever an area where someone would shut their eyes at night, feel safe and fall into sleep.

Yah last time I was out there was in 2010 or 2011. We just stayed in a tent for approx 5 days. I noticed it wasn't like when I camped there in the early 200s or late 90s. There were more people there and there were more wandering weirdoes talking to themselves.

Buddy was out there a bit ago and he left. There were a lot of people without homes, and a majority of them just slept under one of those blue tarps in like a communal shelter of sorts, or cheap pup tents. He had said there were quite a few druggies out there. He advised me not to go boondocking in slab city but that the other side of the sea/lake was ok and that nobody was there. Approx 40 miles from slab city.

twogypsies · 08-28-2019, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pyropete

....... the other side of the sea/lake was ok and that nobody was there. Approx 40 miles from slab city.

Keep in mind that the sea/lake can be very, very smelly. To us, it's not a pleasant place. Period.

RescueRamsey · 08-29-2019, 05:06 AM

Stay away. It's not safe anymore. There was a couple that went out there about a year ago, they were beaten, raped and left for dead.
I was out there shortly before, lot of druggies, and sketchy people. I'm not a wimp, or paranoid, I can and will defend myself and I would not stay the night out there if I didn't have to.

Pyropete · 08-29-2019, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RescueRamsey

Stay away. It's not safe anymore. There was a couple that went out there about a year ago, they were beaten, raped and left for dead.
I was out there shortly before, lot of druggies, and sketchy people. I'm not a wimp, or paranoid, I can and will defend myself and I would not stay the night out there if I didn't have to.

Yah I will stay away.. For the smell too I guess hehehe. But yah, my buddy left. He didn't feel comfortable there either and he's got a big dog, guns, and he's a big guy. I guess a lot of the Los Angeles drug and homeless problem has moved out there so the cops stop bothering them. They can get their fix and be left alone to mumble to themselves.

10 or so years ago I was out there for a month and it was really cool there and there were nice people. It was a bit trashy but the people were good. About 7-8 years ago I stayed for about a week and something seemed off. More people with trashy pup tents with junk all around them. People sleeping all day (which are the same people I suspected of using). Found a couple needles in the trash, and empty small baggys and balloons.

Thanks for the heads up. That has officially been X'd off my list.

This means I will be leaving CA never to go back. I am not fond of CA, Washington or Oregon so I am staying west but not going to hit any of those three states at all once I am retired. Nevada, Idaho and Arizona are as far west as I am going.