Hello from the Bar 717 Ranch,

We’ve heard from a number of you in recent days with questions, kind words, and offers of help due to the proximity of the Monument Fire to us here at the Bar 717 Ranch. Thanks to everyone who has reached out. It’s wonderful to see the extent of the Camp Trinity community and we really appreciate hearing from you. To keep you all informed, we will be posting updates from the ranch regularly to our website and social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram.

Currently, everything at the ranch is fine. We have spent the past 20 years preparing the ranch for fire and while there is never a guarantee of a 100% positive outcome, we remain confident that the work we have done to date will allow fire managers to protect the infrastructure and resources we value. We’ve had some smoky days but the fire has not grown significantly towards camp. Unfortunately, due to a Shasta-Trinity National Forest closure order and the poor air quality, we have had to cancel both weeks of Family Camp and our plans for Alumni Weekend.

We have a hardy crew of a few counselors and support staff who have opted to continue working with us to help pack away the program areas and take care of the animals and other chores around the ranch. You can look forward to future updates with news and photos about what it’s like to be here during “fire camp.”

As has been the case during past fires in this area, the Incident Management team working on the Monument Fire has been in touch with us as they make plans to reopen strategic fire lines in the Pattison Roadless Area. If you’ve ever hiked up Gates Mountain or on the Pattison Peak Trail, then you have been on those firelines! These lines run adjacent to or through the ranch and utilize the parts of our property where we have done work previously to reduce brush, slash and other fuels. It’s always gratifying to hear the firefighters’ appreciation of the preparations we’ve made to have these naturally occurring fires back in our landscapes.

Thank you for your support of Camp. We are sending you best wishes for continued health and safety.

All the best,

Kent