LIfe as a Campground Host?

[MarkBC]

Any of you retired folks (or wannabees) ever think about becoming a campground host?
It's crossed my mind now and then when I've stayed in a campground that has a host...

This story from the Spokane "Spokesman-Review", about a full-time RVer couple who make ends meet as campground hosts most of the year, was carried in the Bend paper this morning:
Fifth-wheel living: Making the country a better place, one campground at a time

No, it's not a good fit for me...but I sometimes wish it was.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Mark, I don't think I would deal well with the people. While we were camped at Page Springs (SteensMt) lat year, the host went into a camp because the drunks were firing side arms, and he was ordered out. Two Harney county sheriffs were there about 45 minutes later. That's a fast trip considering they came from Burns.

 

[MarkBC]

If I was a campground host I'd just declare martial law with a 5 pm "in your rig" curfew. It would make things a lot simpler, and I think people appreciate order.

 

[Smokecreek1]

I worked with several CG hosts over the years, and they all had different experiences-some good and some bad! Allot depends on whether their job was as a no involvement host-just smile at the people, take counts that type of stuff or they cleaned the johns and act as more of a manager than a host and what type of support they had from the management agency. Me - I had one offer to do it, just don't think I could deal with all the problems that go with the job-especially staying there for five days straight and not being able to leave and having to depend on outside support if things go wrong-for LE or medical support! as a long time public employee the worst thing about the job is that 10% of the public that we have talked about on this site before! I've spent allot of time up at Eagle Lake and people know I'm retired BLM and always come up to me (including hosts) and tell me what's going on and what something done-nope just think being there 24 hours a day for 5 days or more straight!

Unfortunately today budgets have pushed these retired folk into more of a manager thing than just being just a lay back host, but for many of them this is their life and they mirgrate from area to area depending on what the season is because they have too-like no place to go, unless they have some part time home somewhere. I think it would get real old after a while and a bunch of drunks shooting up a cg one night happening to many times, would end my host career real fast! Again some people like to do it, but most of them tire of the job, and look for maybe special place to work at or find a place to stay. Had a good friend-retired fs, bought an rv and become a host-lasted a year came home. Maybe that's why I still have a real home and maybe just spend part of my life out exploring.

Smoke

 

[highz]

I've thought about it, but I'd rather do things that don't involve dealing with a lot of people. Being a a fire lookout is more my style (although I do get a few visitors from time to time).

 

[MarkBC]

...Being a a fire lookout is more my style (although I do get a few visitors from time to time).

Yeah, I've always thought that would be a good job for me. Too bad that staffed fire lookouts are in decline...

 

[highz]

Yeah, I've always thought that would be a good job for me. Too bad that staffed fire lookouts are in decline...

Maybe go talk to your local district's Fire Prevention or Fire Management Officer. See if there's a lookout near an urban interface or other full-suppression area that could be staffed, but isn't because of funding issues, and volunteer. That's what I did. No, I'm not getting paid, but I do get a lot of "thank-yous" On critical fire weather days here, the engine crews go out to the lookouts while on patrol. We volunteers free up one crew from having to go to our LO. Plus, we provide a weather report twice a day. You'd love that part, Weatherman,

 

[MarkBC]

Maybe go talk to your local district's Fire Prevention or Fire Management Officer. See if there's a lookout near an urban interface or other full-suppression area that could be staffed, but isn't because of funding issues, and volunteer. That's what I did. No, I'm not getting paid, but I do get a lot of "thank-yous" On critical fire weather days here, the engine crews go out to the lookouts while on patrol. We volunteers free up one crew from having to go to our LO. Plus, we provide a weather report twice a day. You'd love that part, Weatherman,

Thanks for the suggestion, highz...I'll look into that.
I do love big views, and that's guaranteed in a fire lookout.

(Last year I rented a no-longer-used fire lookout in the southern Oregon coast range for a couple of days -- really cool).

 

[highz]

How much did you pay to rent the LO? They are fixing up two LOs here for rental. I've been wanting to go up to "my" LO on a full moon night. I'd better do that before fire season ends here.

 

[MarkBC]

How much did you pay to rent the LO?...

Snow Camp Lookout was $40/night.

 

[Foy]

(Last year I rented a no-longer-used fire lookout in the southern Oregon coast range for a couple of days -- really cool).

Mark, your upcoming trip is to the Nirvana of USFS lookout tower rentals, particularly Idaho.

Foy