Slab City, California Observations

[Chuck_Sorensen]

We recently visited Slab City, California; it is located just southeast of the Salton Sea.

Slab City started as a Marine training base during WWII. When the base was no longer needed, the buildings were removed from their foundations, leaving bare concrete slabs.

I had pictured dozens and dozens of empty slabs arranged on a grid of roads available for camp sites. The reality is that there are not quite so many slabs and that all of the slabs are in use by others; most slabs with some kind of structure built on them. Some people live there year round; others during the winter. No utilities and little infrastructure.

We did find an amiable fellow who had dragged an open boat up on one end of “his” slab. He was framing it in preparation to closing the walls. He did let us pull the van up on the other end of the slab and take a picture; concrete step leading up to a PW on a slab.

Another desirable camping site option was the area maintained by the local Loners on Wheels chapter near the east end of LoW Road. Their area looked so good that there was talk about Vickie, my wife, staying out of sight while we camped there. Google Earth shows how well the chapter has cleaned its area.

We ended up camping on a random patch of desert; of which there is much.

On the road to Slab City sits colorful Salvation Mountain; the two decade + tribute to God by one man. I found that after climbing “the yellow brick road” to the top of the Mountain that the shortest, and safest, way down for me was to sit and slide down the back of the Mountain to a dirt road.

Chuck Sorensen
Buellton, California
2012 PW Excel TS

[CKNSLS]

ffjeff wrote:
If you have visited the area, many are not living harmless or inconsequential. Broken glass, burning pallets and leaving the nails. Dumping waste tanks on the side on the side of the road, plastic bags fluttering on every little bush.
Changing oil in the open, letting the stuff just go into the ground.
That said there are many free camping sites on the other side of the lake. No very improved but nicer.

Haven't been but heard of the things you mentioned. Let's face it-only a certain type of person tries to "live off the grid" in the middle of nowhere. Again-we are not talking about the seasonal RVers, but those who live there.

I have also heard that theft is rampant as well. Society has rules for a reason-I'll pay my taxes and take my chances living among people who try to follow the rules and pay their taxes as well.

[ffjeff]

If you have visited the area, many are not living harmless or inconsequential. Broken glass, burning pallets and leaving the nails. Dumping waste tanks on the side on the side of the road, plastic bags fluttering on every little bush.
Changing oil in the open, letting the stuff just go into the ground.
That said there are many free camping sites on the other side of the lake. No very improved but nicer.

[Snowman9000]

I've observed that there are many many people who simply cannot tolerate anyone "breaking the rules", living outside of the system, no matter how harmless or inconsequential to others. A recent post regarding Big Bend NP gave a snapshot of that, with posters lining up on both sides of the issue at hand. At some point it is inevitable that such a person will be in a position of authority to run Slab City out, and will do it.

[stan909]

Maybe some enterprising person will take a tanker truck around and sell water. All over the desert Southwest there are companies that sell water to many people who would otherwise not have it. I think it's done in Quartzite all the time. Not sure why Niland would not just charge people for the water they use.

[CKNSLS]

That's the way they are going to muscle people out....cut off the water.

[Escargot]

Just read this post from SoCal:

Posted: 12/19/14

For veterans of Slab City the water at Niland Chamber of Commerce is being shut off. You can still dump tanks there but can't take on water. Shut off 1 Jan '15. Two Rivers rest area Calpat also to close autumn of '15. Soooooo slabs may become a thing of the past.

David
Slab City

[mlts22]

jjrai wrote:
"Their area looked so good that there was talk about Vickie, my wife, staying out of sight while we camped there."
We're you concerned for her safety?

LoW is for singles only, so a couple wouldn't be welcome.

[Escargot]

There's a place in town where water is available for filling of FW tanks. Don't know about locations for dumping, other than rest areas.

Some snowbirds, and others, have taken it upon themselves to pick up litter and deposit it at designated areas. The city trash truck goes around every week or so for disposal.

There was a "christian" group that wanted to take over Slab City, charge a fee (of course) for camping, and proselytize (of course).
The residents were solidly against this move. I don't know how the controversy has been resolved.

I haven't been to The Slabs in a two years so I'm not sure if anyone is upkeeping Defacement Mountain, either.

[Oasisbob]

So no water? Where do folks dump? It is an interesting concept for sure.

[Old-Biscuit]

Used to go out there in early 1980's.

We would attach a ski rope to a bracket set in PU truck bed and then water ski in the Coachella Canal.
Tricky..........had to 'land launch' from opposite bank so timing was critical and you had to hold ski rope high to just clip tall weeds/bushes on side of canal.

Oh the things one does in their youth for entertainment/fun.

[jjrai]

"Their area looked so good that there was talk about Vickie, my wife, staying out of sight while we camped there."
We're you concerned for her safety?

[Vacay_Wheels]

Nomadic Fanatic just spent some time in Slab City and posted a bunch of videos. Here's a few:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rZcTxPE6oc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx1rfd8yTR0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S07dsvjPmI

[dreed]

I camped there once in the 93 PW I had. Beautiful sunsets and free boondocking. However the trash that was around was really depressing. Felt the need to help clean up the place but no dumpsters to put it in.
Dave 04 Excel TD

[wgriswold]

I am pretty sure my wife and I camped there in a tent in 1970. We camped in area with lots of empty slabs and were told it was an abandoned military base. There were very few people there, we may have been the only ones.

[mlts22]

From what I've read, Slab City over the past few years has started to become popular, and there has been a lot of fighting between the long-term residents and the newcomers.

ISTR, the US government owns the land, and even though the state of California wants to toss all the people out, they can't really do so since it is Federal property. However, that area has a law onto its own.

LoW, from what I've read keeps a tight, clean camp, but from what I've seen from people who spent the winter in the general area, it isn't exactly a vacation resort.

I am sorry that the maker of Salvation Mountain has died. I've not read about anyone trying to take care about that place, and it really is a monument.

Did you pay that a visit to the Range, Slab City's entertainment venue? I've read/heard mixed reports about that place.

Slab City isn't somewhere I have plans on going to, but it is interesting to read/hear about people's stories there.