Life at Pepperland
We are so glad you are considering joining Pepperland!
Camp Amenities
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Communal shade structure for tents
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Shaded lounge for activities and hanging out
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Shaded dining area where dinner is served nightly
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Complete kitchen, including a large propane griddle and a small propane stove
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Two freezers (mainly for communal food)
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Daily ice runs
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Cargo wagon
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Generator and charging stations
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Shower stall (bring your own water)
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Grey-water catchment and disposal (for non-RV use)
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Plentiful and varied supply of delicious snacks
Camp Requirements​
​We hope that everyone interested in joining Pepperland appreciates the effort it takes to build and maintain a camp year after year. Every Burn, the camp comes to life through communal effort and that requires everyone to do their part whether you are a returning camper or new to Pepperland. If you're looking simply for a place to sleep and to store your gear, we are not the camp for you. These are our requirements:
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If you have a Setup Access Pass (SAP), help with setup
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Help with take down
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Take on a Camp Responsibility
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Organize or assist with dinner one evening
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Host or assist with an event or activity
Camp Dues
Our dues schedule is as follows:
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Total dues are $275 if paid in full by June 1st
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After June 1st, total dues are $350​
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You must pay your dues to secure your spot
Camp dues cover camp-related expenses only:
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Supplies
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Nightly meals
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Refreshments for work parties, trailer loading and unloading, etc.
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Fuel to transport our equipment to the Playa
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Fuel for our generator and kitchen cooking surfaces
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Non-RV grey-water removal
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Procurement and maintenance of infrastructure items such as kitchen setup, freezers, generator, lighting, sound system, bar, stage, tarps, poles, lights, rope, signage, tools, shower, etc.
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Trailer maintenance and repair, including lube, brakes, tire replacement, etc.
Dues DO NOT cover things like water, ice, event/activity supplies, and RV services such as water delivery and pumpout. Everyone brings their own water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene, and events/activities that they host. Meal Teams provide water for cooking and clean up; this water is reimbursable by the camp.
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Camp Shade Structures
Golden Slumbers provides shade for campers in tents. Space is limited and first come, first served; priority is given to campers who come early and help set up camp.
Strawberry Fields is our main structure and is primarily used as the dining room, kitchen, dish-washing station, lost-and-found and group meetings. It is also used for events and activities.
Octopus’ Garden is our place for gathering and relaxation for our campers as well as a place to host events and activities. It contains our bar, sound system, snack table and a variety of seating options. Our Beatles Sing-Along and Bar Event takes place here.
Events and Activities
Our camp hosts a wide range of events and activities. We’re a little different than most camps in that we offer mostly camper-led events and activities that cater to our campers’ strengths, skills and interests. There are two exceptions: our Beatles Sing-Along and Bar (held Tuesday and Thursday afternoons) and our Breakfast with the Beatles (held Friday morning). For camper-led events and activities, Pepperland provides only the space and volunteers. If you have an event or activity that you want to host—awesome! If you don’t have one in mind, most people would love help from you with theirs. Check out last year’s here.
Meals
The camp provides dinner every night. If you’re considering organizing one, please keep in mind you are cooking for 60 people under somewhat primitive conditions. Our kitchen is well outfitted for this purpose, but it can be challenging. Meal planners will try to accommodate dietary restrictions.
Camp Layout
Everyone and their vehicle will have preassigned spots in our camp; maps will be distributed in late July. For people in tents, we have a large shade structure and usually can accommodate everyone who needs shade. Space under the shade structure is allotted on a first come, first served basis. We'll let you know in advance whether you need to bring your own shade.
RVs and Trailers ​
Water
We are working to secure water delivery for RVs. Last year, we couldn't find a company willing to service a camp with less than 10 RVs.
Grey and Black Water
For those in RV's, the camp will arrange for an outside service to come to our camp twice during the Burn week and empty the grey/black water tanks of a limited amount of vehicles. This is a private company, and they will have been pre-paid. As of now, we have only ??? spots available to us on two days. Regardless of the size of the tanks, the total price is $??? for the emptying of both grey- and black-water tanks and is NOT covered by the camp. You may reserve a spot on one day or both days if desired. It will strictly be first come, first served.
Camp Responsibilities
Although Pepperland has always been low-cost and low-key with reasonable demands on members’ time, operating a Burning Man camp of 60 people requires everyone's help. In addition to being a ranger, our Camp Leader, Sgt. Pepper (a.k.a.Tabias), does the lion’s share of work before and after Burning Man, as well as runs the camp while we’re on The Playa. In order to help Sgt. Pepper make the camp run smoothly on the Playa, we divvy up the camp responsibilities that benefit everyone. Helping the camp run smoothly is in addition to requirements for setup (for those with SAPs), take down, meals and events/activities. Below is a detailed description of all the ways we help the camp run smoothly. Everyone signs up for an on-Playa camp responsibility even if you have a pre- or post-Playa camp responsibility.
Camp Setup
Everyone who receives a Setup Access Pass (SAP) is responsible for setting up the camp before the gate opens on Sunday morning. Those who receive a SAP are obligated to be AT CAMP, READY TO WORK, BY 7AM FRIDAY MORNING. To accomplish set up, everyone is assigned to a crew comprising 10-11 campers and will be given specific tasks related to setup, e.g., emptying the trailer, "surveying" the camp's perimeter and structures and mark with flags, gathering all necessary components for a given structure, assembling your assigned structure, etc. These responsibilities are in addition to your team assignment.
Camp Strike
Everyone is obligated to help with take down and will be assigned to a crew. Octopus's Garden will come down on Saturday. Strawberry Fields and Golden Slumbers will come down on Sunday at which time we will load the trailer. On Sunday, we are NOT done until the trailer is loaded! We provide a pancake breakfast for all campers at 7AM before we start take down on Sunday. Your crew will be given specific assignments for take down: loading the trailer, disassemblng your assigned structure, taking down the perimeter, final MOOP sweep, etc.
Meal Groups
Using Meal Groups, Pepperland provides a hot meal every evening and a hot breakfast Sunday morning before take down—10 meals total—starting Friday night (the 22nd). EVERYONE is obligated to either organize or assist with one meal. Each meal has a Captain, a Co-Captain, and a team of helpers. Meal supplies are paid for by the camp, and the budget is $10 per person.
Events and Activities
We require that everyone either host or help out with an event or activity (if there is need). Expenses are covered by the host(s); you must pay for your supplies, including ice and water. If you want to host one, fill out the Events and Activities Form on Pepperland’s website. You also need to clean up afterward, including hauling home any garbage. The camp provides snacks and beverages for the snack table, and event/activity attendees are welcome to them.
Power Team
The Power Team maintains the generator, batteries, inverters and charging stations. This involves keeping the generator fueled and batteries charged, monitoring the fuel supply, troubleshooting equipment problems, moving and replacing batteries when needed, and keeping critical things plugged in. In addition, the team works with the Reception Team to set up the sound system and lighting in the bar.
Kitchen Team
The Kitchen Team sets up and maintains Strawberry Fields. This involves organizing it after setup, providing instruction regarding griddle use and dishwashing standards, monitoring the propane supply, ensuring the propane is turned off after each use, ensuring that meal groups have cleaned up after dinners (no dirty dishes or garbage left behind), and periodically tidying the kitchen and dining areas.
Reception Team
The Reception Team is responsible for the public face of Pepperland and for providing a place for us to gather with each other and our new Playa friends. The team sets up our bar, seating, decorations, signage, sound system, lighting system, and bike parking, as well as keeps everything set up and working as designed, keeping the space safe, tidy, usable and MOOP-free.
Moop Sweep Team
A MOOP sweep is done each morning. If everyone disposes of their garbage in bags at their camp and keeps things tidy, a sweep should take about 30 minutes. Besides picking up loose items and trash, you will be identifying problems, such as areas that are messy, unsafe or need attention, as well as maintaining the cones and flags on our perimeter. There is a lost-and-found box in Strawberry Fields for non-garbage items.
Bar Team
The Bar Team plans, procures supplies for and runs the Beatles Sing-Along and Bar held by our camp on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. This includes procuring the supplies needed, staffing the event, leading the sing-along, and cleaning up afterwards. There is a blueprint and supply list for the event that can be tweaked as needed. If you sign up for the Bar Team, you don’t need to sign up for an event or activity. Working the bar is two two-hour shifts.
Camp Layout Team
The Camp Layout Team designs our camp's layout. This involves soliciting info from campers, addressing Burning Man's guidelines, creating and maintaining a barrier between public and private areas, and coordinating with neighbors regarding fire lane, fuel, and generator placement. The team is also responsible for the group shade structure for tent campers, including designing the structure, assigning spots to campers and overseeing its set-up on Playa.
Evapatron Maintenance Team
The evapatron is a large kiddy pool we use to store and evaporate grey water. Grey water is water used for dishes, pots/pans, laundry, and personal washing. Maintenance requires making sure the evapatron is operating efficiently and kept free of solid matter.
Shower Maintenance Team
The Shower Maintenance Team ensures the shower stall is kept clean and supplied: no trash or belongings left in the stall, the shower pan emptied, the enclosure and tub sprayed with sanitizer, and the sanitizer spray refilled. If everyone empties the tub and cleans the shower after each use, this job should take about 20 minutes.
Ice Run Team
We’ll be making one or two ice runs a day. We’ll take orders and collect money every evening at dinner and make the runs in the morning. A run requires at least two people and involves buying the ice and delivering it to campers. An ice run typically takes about an hour, depending on line length and number of orders.
Camp Leader
In addition to overseeing the running of Pepperland while on the Playa, our Camp Leader, Sgt. Pepper, works quietly behind the scenes taking care of all BMORG paperwork, DSG ticket and Setup Access Passes (SAPs) assignments, and on-Playa logistics such as grey-water removal and water deliveries for RVs. He procures, stores, maintains, and hauls all the camp’s gear to the Playa every year, as well as maintains the camp's books. He is supported by Pepperland's Town Council, a group of veteran campers.
Events and Activities Coordinator
The Coordinator takes the information provided by campers via the Events and Activities Form, curates a schedule and provides the info to BMORG for both the printed and electronic deadlines. They ensure that there are no conflicts regarding timing or resources, e.g., two scheduled at the same time that both need the sound system or a noisy one and a quiet one scheduled at the same time. They also facilitate volunteer recruitment for the events and activities.
Camp Responsibilities Coordinator
The Coordinator determines staffing needs and oversees staffing of camp positions.
Meal Coordinator
The Coordinator recruits volunteers to organize meals, creates a meal schedule and assigns campers to meal teams.
Sacramento-Based Crew
The Sacramento-Based Crew loads and unloads the trailer before and after the Burn. The crew also helps with inventory and maintenance of camp equipment.
Pepperland Website Team
Pepperland's website is Pepperland's online public face and the repository for all things Pepperland!