# To all boaters traveling to Fibark and camping



## whip (Oct 23, 2003)

I you're thinking of camping on the north shore of the Ark downtown on the Union Pacific land by the tracks, they will be denying access and prob ticketing. Alternate sites are mentioned on the website.


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## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

they say this every year but it always ends up happening. whats to think this year wont be any different?


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

They have publicized it more. It is going to cause major problems. They say it brings 20,000 people into town..... I know many of them rent B&B's and hotels, etc. but probably half of them camp, and I don't think there is that much camping available anywhere else.

It is going to create DUI's left and right, for this reason and others I will be avoiding the evening scene this year.


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## Swank (Jun 20, 2009)

Right now they are talking about highway 50 access. KKTV - Livestream


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## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

there are usually hundreds of people camped between the old railroad stuff and the road, in all those bushes along the river.....they are going to need an army to get/keep everybody out of there


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## Snowhere (Feb 21, 2008)

This is how they plan on keeping people out. They placed some concrete barriers, where the typical railroad crossing is. Too bad they don't offer walk in camping at the high school fields, like they allow for Ride the Rockies. As is, there is really no camping at Fibark. Salida East is it, and it is not close, and there are not a lot of campsites there.


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## ednaout (Jun 3, 2005)

I just don't understand this. Has there been trouble in the past? I know some jack asses set off fireworks last year (I happen to know the jack asses), and maybe incidents like that play a role, but it seems really strange to have a river fest and not allow for camping. Apparently, RVs are not allowed to set up in town either. Between no camping and no RVs they are really excluding a large part of the population that comes for the event.


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

ednaout said:


> I just don't understand this. Has there been trouble in the past? I know some jack asses set off fireworks last year (I happen to know the jack asses), and maybe incidents like that play a role, but it seems really strange to have a river fest and not allow for camping. Apparently, RVs are not allowed to set up in town either. Between no camping and no RVs they are really excluding a large part of the population that comes for the event.


According to the Mountain Mail (Salida's newspaper) they had dozens or more of complaints from citizens regarding the situation last year. The crowd that arrives for Fibark is the party/festival crowd more than the river crowd anymore.... apparently there was feces and trash left everywhere, there were problems with vandalism and fights and people wandering downtown in the middle of the night causing trouble. In the paper they were recommending people camp at Salida East or the National Forest campgrounds which are spread though-out the county.

So everyone is aware, Salida East was damn near full when I was there 2 days ago.... also, there is a construction zone between town and Salida East where a new Forest Service/State Parks and Wildlife building is being built. This will be a perfect spot for the highway patrol to set up a check point (not sure if that will happen, but I am concerned it will).


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## Flohotter (Jun 22, 2010)

FibArk isn't what it use to be. We haven't been the last two years for primarily the shit (literally) that Logan has mentioned. That being said, seems pretty illogical to have a multi-day gathering without providing some type of camping for the public. They could probably even sell tickets for said camping and make a few bucks. 

Get it together FibArk Planners!


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## moabmic (Apr 13, 2004)

One more option would be to check in with River Runners. There was discussion about them running a bus from Eddyline on Friday and Sat nights to Runners to FIBArk. This would allow you entry through the DUI gauntlet and easier access to camping around Nathrop/BV.


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## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

lmyers said:


> The crowd that arrives for Fibark is the party/festival crowd more than the river crowd anymore....


After hearing your comments during our discussion the other day, this is also the conclusion I came to, and now understand and support your decision!

I see why, and I guess I can see how they are going to try to enforce it. All I have to say is good luck, especially when people like my brother in law show up. You are going to need several large dudes with guns to tell him he can't camp there.....and even then he might press the issue...


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## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

How's the smoke from canon city down there?


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## ednaout (Jun 3, 2005)

> The crowd that arrives for Fibark is the party/festival crowd more than the river crowd anymore.... apparently there was feces and trash left everywhere, there were problems with vandalism and fights and people wandering downtown in the middle of the night causing trouble.


Well, with that being said, who could blame them for not wanting to open up their town to such things. People are unbelievable....


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

yesimapirate said:


> How's the smoke from canon city down there?


Not bad. There is actually a small fire on the Sangre's that I think is contributing more smoke to the area than the Gorge fire. Didn't really notice anything in Salida yesterday, but looking back south from BV I could see a little brown haze.


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

yesimapirate said:


> How's the smoke from canon city down there?


 It's blowing toward Colorado Springs. The Black Forest smoke has been blown up to Denver. Fibark should be good to go.


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

It is private property across the bridge, not public land. If you camp on private property without permission, you are trespassing and should expect a visit from the owner or law enforcement. The lot across the bridge is completely empty right now and will remain that way through the weekend.

Past years there was some campers over there without many problems, but last year it was basically an out of control free for all. Unfortunately, people cannot and/or will not behave themselves (generally a minority of them), so why would the city want to provide its parks or school fields to be mistreated? 

People need to be accountable and if you have to drive somewhere to camp, don't get drunk, music ends at 10:00 and that is a still reasonable time to drive a short distance to camp. And can someone really expect an entitlement of "camping" just because they want to get wasted and not drive? That expectation leads to the complaints being addressed in various ways this year.

I find the fibark board to be very receptive to the community, and they have taken steps to address the concerns that arose last year with more emphasis on the river activities, the no camping policy, more family friendly music, etc. The City also has been proactive with the board to address those issues.


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## kelloggshow (Jun 14, 2011)

It is always unfortunate that the minority has the power to ruin a good thing for the majority. However, we were camping across the bridge last year and I must say it was a gross mistreatment of the generosity of the city of Salida! A disgusting display of human behavior NOT fit for people of any age, let alone kids. I don't understand where "outdoor festival" even coincides with drunk fest, human dumping grounds and public fornication? This takes drunk to a whole new level! I'm not sure why FIBArk is degraded to such a low when Lyons Outdoor Games is not, GOPro Games is not, BV is not ... Lyons and BV offer camping? What's the tipping factor here?


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

kelloggshow said:


> It is always unfortunate that the minority has the power to ruin a good thing for the majority. However, we were camping across the bridge last year and I must say it was a gross mistreatment of the generosity of the city of Salida! A disgusting display of human behavior NOT fit for people of any age, let alone kids. I don't understand where "outdoor festival" even coincides with drunk fest, human dumping grounds and public fornication? This takes drunk to a whole new level! I'm not sure why FIBArk is degraded to such a low when Lyons Outdoor Games is not, GOPro Games is not, BV is not ... Lyons and BV offer camping? What's the tipping factor here?


Simple answer is alcohol.

Previous sponsor: New Belgium
Current Sponsor: Eddyline Brewery

People don't put on Teva sandals or shoot GoPro video and turn into idiots.

Who sponsors Lyons Games?

BUT...

The music is free, and the beer is not, but pays for the music. Good trade off? Not sure myself. We will see if things change toward improvement this year.

Last year Fishbone closed up the Saturday night show, and they were about as offensive as could be, singing about rape and otherwise swearing and downright ugly. The board accepted culpability for not doing a little more research, but I think everyone was a little surprised at the level of inappropriate they took it to. That show left a foul mood over the place that lingered through the late and trouble filled night.

I had a friend on the board a several years ago that said they decided one year that enough with the happy/cheery bluegrass bands, lets bring in some FUNK and get them dancing! (Paraphrasing there, but thats the idea...). That led to a wave of a different genre of music like hells belles and lez zeppelin and fishbone that kinda changed the atmosphere of the festival. I'm not surprised a bluegrass band is doing the saturday show this year, I think that will provide a different aura.


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## Swank (Jun 20, 2009)

Highway 50 is open.


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## jmack (Jun 3, 2004)

Last year's shit show probably had less to do with the sponsors and the band than the fact that there were no paddlers there. Seriously, who is going to show up for 300 cfs? 

Alcohol clearly adds to bad behavior, but go to baileyfest and try to tell me that it dictates bad behavior. Not a single fight or scrap of trash on the ground.

If your event becomes nothing more than a hippie festival, then you get a hippie festival. 

That is all.


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## twitch (Oct 16, 2003)

> What's the tipping factor here?


Turkey legs...


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## Brotorboat (Apr 14, 2009)

They definitely should start running shuttles to the nearest camping areas, for a fee. Pay the fee and you get a bracelet that you wear all weekend. Seems like a no-brainer...


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

Cops are already out in full force, got stopped heading home from work yesterday for a crack in my windshield that has been there for over 2 years..... he was just looking to see if I was intoxicated. Be cautious and make wise decisions this weekend.


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## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

DoStep said:


> The lot across the bridge is completely empty right now and will remain that way through the weekend.
> 
> Past years there was some campers over there without many problems, but last year it was basically an out of control free for all.


The visible lot generally stays empty most years anyway. The shenanigans and loads if drunk people are always further up in the willows along the river. And it hasn't been "some people", every year for at least the past five there's been 200+ people in that tiny little area......I know because that's where I've camped and where all my friends camp.


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## kcon (Apr 2, 2010)

twitch said:


> Turkey legs...


Close, but we all know it was the MONKEY BALLLLLLLLS


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## Jensjustduckie (Jun 29, 2007)

DoStep said:


> .
> 
> Who sponsors Lyons Games?


Doesn't Oscar Blues sponsor the Lyons Games? So they have a beer sponsor too but no shit show, maybe it's not just the alcohol but the type of people in the crowd.


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## gh (Oct 13, 2003)

twitch said:


> Turkey legs...


Nice subtle reference. Well played.


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## gannon_w (Jun 27, 2006)

They should expect a hit in money spent at the festival and local businesses...camping on the north side I always walked to the carnival or local places and ate. Probably only spent $50 on food and another $25 on useless stuff (I did buy a $45 dress last year...for a friend!) for the weekend but now I just bought all my food in Denver where it's cheaper and hang at the camp site. No desire to drive to town, find parking, then walk around a carnival.

Bring back the camping and add some more police if you don't like the rowdy actions.


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