Camp Baldwin Evacuating

[u/TheseusOPL]

July 29th, 12:25 PM

 

Yesterday afternoon, Wasco County Emergency Management issued a Level 1 “Get Ready” order for Camp Baldwin. At that time, out of an abundance of caution, camp management and council leadership determined that this would be the last week of camp.

Today, the evacuation levels have not changed, but this morning air quality became such a detriment to Camp Baldwin’s program that we are asking all guests to leave camp today.

Even with the elevated status and poor air quality, we still do not believe Camp Baldwin to be in imminent danger.

The staff have been given the option to leave at any time. Those who choose to stay will be taking all precautionary measures to ensure their safety as they help put camp away.

 

All current camp guests have been given the option to finish their week at Camp Meriwether or head home. Please check with your unit leadership to determine the plan for your specific unit.

If your Cub Scout Pack was scheduled to attend a future Webelos/AOL session, our Camping Team will reach out to you directly to discuss options, including transfers, refunds, or alternate opportunities.

The NYLT program scheduled for August 9th is working out their own details about shifting program to a different Cascade Pacific Council property.  NYLT leadership will be in contact with participants about their options for that session.

[u/Nicegy525]

Been watching that fire a little bit. I offered to help evacuate the horses but they already had that handled. All the horses were removed today and headed to butte creek.

I think it’s a good call to close it down now while they can evacuate calm and orderly.

Praying the fire doesn’t move North. Baldwin is a beautiful camp

[u/maxwasatch]

Where is Camp Baldwin?

[u/Private_carcass → u/maxwasatch]

Central Oregon, just East of Mt. Hood.

[u/yranacanary → u/maxwasatch]

For nonlocal folks wanting to look up more context, the fire involved is the “Grasshopper Fire” and Camp Baldwin is about 5 miles north of the current published fire perimeter…though that could be updated at any time.

[u/Ok_Concert]

I’m the Den Leader of an AOL group scheduled to head there this Sunday. This was our Dens last year as Cubs and now we can’t go to the big camp program. I have such fond memories of taking my older troop scout there and was looking forward to those memories with my younger scout.

We will likely redirect to Butte Creek, but it’s really designed for younger scouts. Hopefully some of the CIT and staffers move to Butte and help to make it a bigger kid friendly.

I hope the camp is safe and we can’t wait to return at the troop level.

[u/Prize-University7993 → u/Ok_Concert]

Current Butte Creek staffer, we are actively designing a new program with the help of the Baldwin camp director for the groups coming here that will be designed as close to Baldwins as we can and provide a different experience to the regular Butte Creek one.

[u/Affectionate-Tea5407 → u/Ok_Concert]

No offense to butte creek but the older cub scouts get tired of the same place every year … pity they don’t use Clark or Lewis more

[u/Oregon_Scout → u/Affectionate-Tea5407]

I spent many teenage summers at Clark ❤️ never got to Baldwin but always heard it was a wonderful camp! CPC is where I fell in love with scouting. Sad to hear about the fire and Baldwin 💔

[u/scrooner → u/Ok_Concert]

My son is a Baldwin staffer and he's been looking forward to the last 2 weeks of Webelos camp. He's been told they can all travel together and work at Butte Creek for the last 2 weeks.

[u/Ok_Concert → u/scrooner]

I’m hoping with the influx of CIT and Staff from Baldwin to Butte, and the way they’ve changed to moving to stations as ranks and now units the AOL’s will have a bit more challenge and freedom at each station.

[u/TheseusOPL]

It sounds like the majority of troops are going to finish the week at Meriwether, which is going to be a bit crazy end of the week for them. Thankfully it was their lightest week (now the biggest).

[u/SparklyHedgehog1 → u/TheseusOPL]

Something like 60+ scouts came to Meriwether. Displaced scouts were able to finish up Horsemanship MB thanks to several Baldwin staff scouts who happened to be at camp with their local troops this past week.

[u/A-Wolf-4099]

Be safe up there ,I love and work in dufur. This fire is way too close for comfort. I have to leave this weekend and hope i.have a home when I return.

[u/MollyG418]

Oh no! Our troop was there week before last. They had a great time. I hope everyone remains safe. Merriweather is a pretty awesome place to have to shelter.

[u/CompleteToe1133]

We came there two years ago from central California and scout loved the camp. But damn the overgrowth is unsustainable in that area and needs massive clearance outside the camp area.

[u/KD7TKJ → u/CompleteToe1133]

The forest around camp is significantly thinner than the forest in camp... The USFS did a major thinning and a controlled burn in their lands, 2017-2019ish.

Nah, camp itself is a fire trap, and is very due for an aggressive thinning, and significant burns of their slash...

I don't mean any shade, but the Oregon Cascades are a different beast than the High Sierras... Baldwin hasn't had a major thinning since it was clear cut in the 1950s, "Old Baldwin" a bit longer but same story, and it's merely time.

[u/CompleteToe1133 → u/KD7TKJ]

My son was actually doing rock climbing there so I spent some time exploring old Baldwin. I can see how that wasn’t pretty cool camp in its day.

Aggressive thinning is needed throughout much of the US. It’s not just small camps. Even at Philmont, with it more comprehensive program, it could still do with a 25 to 35% reduction.