Spike Camp Life

-Spike Camp Life-

Spike camp is where it's at! It is out of the main fire camp away from all the noise, smelly toilets and distractions of the outside world. A spike camp is made when it takes too long to travel from the main fire camp to the fireline.

The Craggie Fire spike camp in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness was an ideal place away from it all where the crews could eat and sleep and be ready for another day of work. The only access to the fire was by helicopter. The crews were happy to be spiking out and were glad to be out roughing it. The next summer the area in this spike camp was swallowed up and burned over by the massive 400,000 acre Biscuit fire.

The B & B Complex Spike camp at Racing Creek Spike Camp was a drive-in camp up on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. Long commute times back to the main fire camp in Sisters made it necessary to have a remote camp. We were away from it all and we were happy. The main camp had over 2,000 people.

The Blossom Complex spike camp at Eden Valley Spike Camp was a drive-in camp situated near the fire. The drive from the main camp at Agness was long and windy. The temperature up in spike camp was a good 15 degrees cooler than the hot and muggy conditions back at the main camp. We were in paradise up here at Eden. We had close to 300 people in our "little" spike camp but it was dispersed enough so you would never know it.

Landing and unloading at H-20 Spike Camp on The Craggie Fire. The only way in to the fire was by helicopter so everyone and everything had to be flown in.
H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire

H-20 spike camp was located on the fire's edge. Here is the view of the fire looking down towards Tincup Creep from the ridge where H-20 helispot is.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire

Off to work! The crews get unloaded and head out to construct fireline.

The whole ridge was painted red with retardent.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire

Looking down at the ridge where the spike camp is. The helispot was at the high point of the ridge and the spike camp was spread out on the ridge above the helispot.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire.

The Union Hot Shots enjoying spike camp life after a hard days work.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire.

The Union Hot Shots in Spike Camp.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire

View of the spike camp at H-20.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire.

Photo by Kevin Johnson

There's nothing like life at spike camp. Who would give this up to stay in a base camp with roaring generators and smelly outhouses.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire.

Chowing down on MRE's. There's nothing like an MRE (or two) after a long day at work.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire.

Morning in Spike camp. The First Strike (contract crew) waking up and getting ready to head out for the line.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire

The Union Hot Shots heading out of spike camp to work on the line.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire

Click on the photo for a larger view

A heavy helicopter coming in with a delivery of supplies to spike camp. They deliver and take away food and equipment using longlines and cargo nets.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire

A light helicopter at H-20 spike camp.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire

I had some free time while I was in camp so I took a hike to the top of the ridge above camp. Nice View.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire.

Doing a belly hook on a helicopter. A belly hook is where the helicopter hovers just off the ground and a crew member on the ground hooks the longline up to the hook on the bottom of the helicopter.
H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire.

With the line attached the helicopter takes off with the line and gear.

H-20 Spike camp
Craggie Fire.

This is another the camp at Tincup Creek at the bottom of the fire. This is the medics area of the camp where the Vale Hot Shots were camped.
Tincup Creek Spike camp
Craggie Fire.

A second view of the medics area of the spike camp.

Tincup Creek Spike camp
Craggie Fire.

The spike camp near H-10 on Tincup Creek where the Ruby Mountain Hot Shots were camped.

Tincup Creek Spike camp
Craggie Fire

This is the drive-in camp on the B&B Complex fire on the north side of the fire. We were serving hot meals out of buckets delivered by truck from the main camp.

Racing Spike camp

B&B Complex

Just after sunrise at Racing Spike after serving breakfast. The crews are heading out of camp.

Racing Spike camp
B&B Complex

The crew sleeping and a parking area at Eden Valley Spike camp.

Eden Valley Spike camp
Blossom Complex

We had our food served out of 5 gallon "hot buckets" at this nice trailer provided by the meal caterer.
Eden Valley Spike camp
B&B Complex

Mealtime at Eden Valley Spike Camp.

Eden Valley Spike camp
Blossom Complex

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