Thanks for the feedback - we appreciate it. Yes, I definitely know that there are no guarantees and no camp should count on any particular number of tickets. Part of the reason I was asking is because we had co-led a larger camp in the past (20-30), which always seemed to get just about as many DGS ...

Hi all, I have a question about how DGS tickets are allocated. I'm asking because last year we started a new camp in the 12-18 person category. We had a great time - served 4 pancake breakfasts + bloody marys, etc. Also came out green on the moop map, and filled out the post-playa placement team sur...

Hi all, Last year our camp designed and built a 40' by 30' flat top grid from 1" EMT conduit, using connectors and feet from YSBW. It worked out GREAT, really sturdy, deep dark shade, social, inviting, a really lovely home. This year we have a new challenge: seating. As we are a pretty international...

Costco carports become available in spring each year. There is a whole long thread here on them. But I looked at their website recently, and they showed replacement roofs available even now for a resonable price. That makes sense. I couldn't tell if they were just out of season, or discontinued. Th...

Also, tons of other great advice here, thanks so much! Corvus, I like the idea of camo netting walls. Where do you buy yours? Fossaferox, that's awesome - really close to what I was imagining. In the past, we haven't build shade over our tents - we just made an open shade structure for communal spac...

A 1" EMT structure is no more sturdy than a carport (assuming Costco brand) A 1" DIY gabled EMT with walls will cost more than a carport, even before you work through windows/door issue. We had a kitchen carport and 20x30 flat EMT shade this year. Each served its purpose. Use the advice given for a...

Oh trust me! I've been and I understand. I'm not going for lab-standard hygeine.... just enough of a wind block to boil a pot of stew without getting a nice deposit on top :) This was exactly what our old carports provided, so I'm looking for something that can replicate that for the kitchen, just w...

Nah, dust & stars (a pretty tiny camp). The real wind disasters apparently happened last year, when I wasn't there, but I'm taking there word for it!

I do appreciate it all the same! I was considering a monkey hut as well for a kitchen and/or dressing room area. Do you think a monkey hut covered with a silver tarp, which is then taped to a tarp on the floor and with sides added, would do a decent job keeping out dust in order to prepare food? Wha...

We do "footies" (short sections of EMT with 3 inch diameter disks on the bottom to act as load spreaders) and ratchet straps on each and every leg. The footies are to keep the structure from punching through the playa crust which would result in loose ratchet straps and a loss of integrity to the s...

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I know that water accumulation will be something to watch out for if we go with tarps. With shade cloth or aluminet, on the other hand, it looks like people say that water seeps through - so no danger but also no dry spots beneath. Hmm, maybe a mix of the two options wo...

Good to know, thanks. I suppose if we have enough room we can leave the awning folded and only draw it out when the winds are calm enough.

If a tarp structure definitely won't work, what would you recommend for a kitchen space? What do other people use?

Thanks so much! This all makes a lot of sense. One question - if you don't stake the poles themselves at all, only rebarr'd guylines on edges and corners, does that mean that the structure bounces and shifts a bit in the wind since the poles themselves aren't grounded?

Hi all, In the past our camp has done connected carports, but after some wind catastrophes I think we're done with those. This year, I was considering doing a flattop design: EMT conduit piping, connected via fittings in 10' by 10' squares raised 8' high. For the covering, I'm still debating whether...