Pinnacles National Park: June 12-14, 2020

Recap - COOLED!

Belated but Cooled nonetheless!

Our first Camp Coolmoves of 2020 took us to Pinnacles National Park. Though we didn’t see any of the famed California Condors, we saw other wildlife- quail and woodpeckers at the campsite, and a return visit from our nemesis from Camp Raccoon! Luckily the Racs didn’t get our hot dogs this time- we’re wise to their human hand tricks- but they did crawl around underneath Jenn and Kuku’s tent looking for dog food in the middle of the night. Not cool guys!!

The Goodness

• Inaugural launch of the Camp Coolmoves banner- designed and handcrafted by Estella.
• Didn’t see California Condors, but learned how to tell them apart from the more common Turkey Vulture (Condors are much larger with a 9 foot wingspan and have a white triangle on their forewing when in flight)
• Camp site #76 was great. It was a narrow site and surrounded by brambles but it gave us maximum privacy to fit 4 tents.
• Second Stair! Our campsite was also super close to the bathrooms, but you had to go down a 3 foot drop on the second stair to get to them… The drop just got more precarious in direct proportion to the number of Coors Lights consumed. Yell “Second Stair” as you jump down so it will be known if rescue is required.
• No campfires allowed first night :( Luckily fire ban was lifted second night, and that is when Liz and Rob showed up and made us amazing deep dish pizzas over the camp fire!

Things Learned

• Glassy Eye Sharpshooters- though an invasive pest present in firewood in Napa was virtually unknown in Pinnacles
• Walkie talkie protocol- Big Tent, this is Coolmoves, Liz and Rob are en route! Kind of reminds you of the scene in The Shining…
• Kuku was probably in league with the Raccoons, we will keep a better eye on her communications at the next cooling

• Campground Website
• Map: Google
• Site: 76, Loop C
• Checkin: 1pm
• Checkout: 11am

Attendees (We’re FULL!)

• Ali, Ivan, Bibo
• Liz and Rob
• Jenn