ROOTPILE

ALMOST EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU COME TO ROOTPILE CAMP:

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If you don't see the info you need here, email us.

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tent camping • rv camping • domes/yurts/large tent space • parking • meals/kitchen • hydration/ice • showers • toilets • trash/moop • medical • power • camp duty shifts • bikes • rootpile radio system • haulage • required contributions • tickets • general

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TENT CAMPING SPACE

• Shaded tent spaces of approximately 15 x 15ft and 8ft high are available to all tent campers and are included as part of your Mission Contribution. If your tent size plus tie downs & stakes significantly exceeds this area, then we may not be able to guarantee shade in our shaded camping area.

• Campers must provide accurate tent dimensions in advance of the Burn. Shade placement is not guaranteed to those who do not provide dimensions in advance.

• Includes single extension cord 5 amp power. Due to noise and safety concerns, personal generators will not be allowed.

• Tents are not provided.

• Only 2023 Rootpile camp members can stay in the tent camping area.

• Car camping is no longer considered a tent camping space. See Vehicle/RV Camping Space section for contribution amounts for different size vehicle camping spaces. Due to safety concerns, cars will not be allowed to park in the tent shade area.

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VEHICLE & RV CAMPING

• Vehicle/RV Camping Space: Since space and real estate on Playa is very limited, and the space an RV or other camping vehicle takes up impacts how many members we can have in camp, we ask for a contribution for this vehicle/RV/camper trailer space. Camping vehicles under 20ft require a $250 contribution. Camping vehicles between 20 to 30ft require a $500 contribution. Camping vehicles over 30ft require a $750 contribution. Pull vehicles and other vehicles cannot be parked next to your camper. They must be parked in the Rootpile parking area. RV Power is an additional cost. Please see RV power options in the next section.
  
  We require a minimum of two person occupancy per camping vehicle over 30ft. RV space is only available to Rootpile camp members.
  
  RV's are not provided, but we may be able to help you find an RV rental option, if you would like.
  
  Only 2023 Rootpile camp members can stay in the vehicle & RV camping area.
   

• Vehicle/RV Power: Due to carbon monoxide safety concerns, noise concerns, fuel storage & safety concerns, and in an effort to reduce our camp's overall carbon footprint, we cannot allow RVs to run their own generators unless there is a significant power outage of Rootpile's power grid, and only then with permission and planning from camp leadership.
  
  Camp members contributing to use space for their camping vehicle can elect to not have Rootpile supplied grid power, but are NOT allowed to run personal generators. If you plug in to the 30 or 50 amp power grid without permission, you will be disconnected. Minimum power supplied is a typical RV 30 amp connection. The minimum contribution for this is $750. 50 amp power is selectively available for a contribution of $2,000, as it uses more than 3 times the power of a 30 amp connection.
  
  If you will be using Rootpile's 30 or 50 amp power, you are responsible for bringing at least one power cord which fits your RV.
  
  Please understand that contributing for power does not mean that Rootpile's DPW volunteer team is expected to repair, troubleshoot, or consult with you concerning power problems that stem from your RV/vehicle and are not stemming from Rootpile's grid.

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PERSONAL DOME, PERSONAL YURT, OR OVERSIZED TENT SPACE

• There is limited space available for each of these options.

• Since space limits the number of camp members, and to be fair to people only using a very small space, we will have a $200 extra contribution for space for personal domes, personal yurts, or oversized tents (tents, including measurements for tie down lengths, that won't fit in the normal shaded 15 x 15ft, 8ft tall tent space). Due to space limitations, oversized camping cannot be set up in the standard tent shade area. We cannot promise shade for oversize camping, but some may be available on a case by case basis. This contribution is for a space to set up your own oversized camping. Please do not confuse this with any Rootpile supplied rental yurts.

• Includes regular extension cord 5 amp power, but does not include 30 amp RV power. Due to noise and safety concerns, personal generators will not be allowed.

• If you have a tent, including tie down lengths, that is smaller than 15x15ft and 8ft tall, you do not need to pay this extra contribution.

• Only 2023 Rootpile camp members can stay in this camping area.

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PARKING

• If you are bringing your own vehicle, please let us know in advance, as parking is very limited and we cannot promise parking in camp, and BMORG does not specifically allocate space in camp just to park cars.

• Parking is first-come, first serve, unless arranged in advance.

• If it is necessary to park your vehicle outside of camp, we can arrange rides. But we are usually able to accommodate everybody within our camp borders.

• If you will be camping in your vehicle, please see Vehicle/RV Camping Space section with contribution rates above.

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MEALS/KITCHEN

• Camp meals, other than concert BBQ/Pinto Bean service, are for 2023 Rootpile camp members only. Campers should not bring Playa friends to meals without permission.

• Camp breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served each day during Burn Week during set hours.

• Breakfast & dinner will be served during Build and Teardown.

• The main kitchen is only open to those who are on a meal team shift. There will not be self-serve food in this kitchen.
   

WATER, TEA, COFFEE & ICE

• Water, Tea & Coffee: In the dining hall, there will be three large containers. One will always have cold drinking water, one will have electrolyte water, and the third will have sweet tea. We will also have coffee brewing at certain times with our industrial Bunn coffee maker. There will be a spigot to fill your personal drinking water containers, and there will be a hand washing station in the dining hall.

• We ask that all campers try to be conscientious of water use. Water is expensive and not easy to come by in the desert.

• Ice: Ice is for sale at Arctica in Burning Man Center Camp as well as two other locations on Playa. We will have at least one daily ice run if campers want to place orders/pay and not have to go separately. Ice should be stored in each camper's personal ice chest, and not in Rootpile freezers/coolers. Have cash on hand to buy your ice.
   

SHOWERS

• Two shower rooms with warm water are available so that campers can take one daily shower. Campers are expected to conserve water as much as possible.

• Showers should not be shared with outside guests without explicit permission.

• Time in the shower room is limited to ten minutes per day. If used more than this, we may run out of water, and shower rooms will be shut down.
   

TOILETS

• For 2023, we are adding a commercially-built toilet trailer with six toilets on the women's side, three toilets & three urinals on the men's side, and two hand wash sinks on each side.

• Toilets and sinks should not be shared with outside guests without explicit permission. Black water capacity is limited, so use by guests will cause the tanks to fill to available capacity, and the bathrooms will be shut down for the remainder of the Burn in this case.

• Toilets are a gift and a privilege, and Rootpile reserves the right to also shut down the bathrooms if they are not kept clean or if they become out of order.

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TRASH/MOOP

• Campers must pack all of THEIR personal trash out.

• At the end of the Burn, leftover food or drink donations will only be taken if they are needed by the kitchen. NO ALCOHOL DONATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. ALL other food must be packed out of Burning Man.

• There will be no common camp garbage cans. The only receptacles available will be useable at meal times. These are for burnable plates, bowls, utensils, food waste, and crushed aluminum cans. No personal trash is to be placed in any camp receptacles.

• Avoid bringing in excess packaging. Please PRECYCLE all trash.

  • PRECYCLING means removing all unnecessary packaging before you arrive at Black Rock City.

  • Try to buy items that will not create more waste.

  • Bring reusable water bottles. We will provide drinking water, so you should not need to bring multiple plastic bottled drinks. There is no possibility of collection of recycled plastic, glass or tin cans at Burning Man.

• Campers that have burnable waste can assist the Waste/Burn Barrel team and possibly burn some of their burnable trash during Burn Barrel times. This will be overseen by the burnables volunteer team. Burn barrels should not be used without the supervision of the Waste/Burnables Team. This does not mean that you can simply drop your burnable waste at the burn barrel area. You must participate in the burning of your personal burnable waste.

• All Burner Express riders can take one bag of trash and one bag of recycling to the bus depot at the time of exit. If you are taking trash to the depot, we will give you a ride to the Burner Express bus depot, if possible.
   

MEDICAL

• Rootpile will have a first aid tent with some basic first aid/medical supplies. If further medical help is deemed necessary, campers will be advised to seek medical attention at Rampart on Playa.

• Do not keep health concerns to yourself. "If you see something, say something." If you can't find a doctor or nurse in camp, let camp leadership know and have them help you get to one of the Burning Man Medical Stations.

  • Burning Man Medical Stations are located on C near the 3:00 and 9:00 plazas, at 5:15 on the Esplanade, on H near the 4:30 and 7:30 plazas, and one last one out near the Temple. These are staffed with a mix of clinical (RNs, MDs, PAs, NPs, etc.) and field (EMT and Paramedic) volunteers. The stations are equipped with cots, basic medical supplies, quiet air-conditioned spaces, and plenty of medical providers to care for the urgent medical needs of the citizens of Black Rock City.

• Consider buying evacuation insurance.

  • Medflight Evacuation Insurance ($50 insurance will cover a $30,000 medical helicopter evacuation). USA residents only.

  • Care Flight Insurance Recommended by Rootpile's TCO's. This is the service we use. USA residents only.

  • For non-US residents, please research availability of flight insurance from your home country.

• Bring any medications and personal care products you may need, as they may be difficult to find at Burning Man. Quick off-Playa trips for supplies are not possible.

• Stay hydrated. Make sure to drink plenty of water and electrolytes.  It is easy to get dehydrated in the desert!
   

POWER

•  Each tent and yurt has the option of an extension cord with 5 amps of 110 volt power, included in Mission Contribution.

• Due to noise and safety concerns, the running of personal & RV generators will generally not be allowed unless, for some reason, we lose our main power source. These generators are not allowed in tent camping areas at any time, due to safety considerations.

• RVs, campers, and camping vehicles have the option to go on the Rootpile 30 or 50 amp power grid for an additional contribution. Personal generators will not be allowed, unless the main power grid is down.

• Fuel must be stored properly in the Rootpile fuel dump.
   

CAMP DUTY SHIFTS

• Team participation shifts will be arranged in advance of Burning Man by each team lead. Each team will be organized so that team members will typically be doing a two to three hour shift per day, but shift lengths might vary by team.

• Campers are expected to do one shift each day of Burn Week. There are also opportunities to work Build or Teardown. Team Lead positions are also available, which have the opportunity for Rootpile to help you find a ticket for you to buy and also possible reductions of camp fee contributions.
  See the Camp Involvement page to find out more details about camp team options.

BURNING MAN DEPARTMENT VOLUNTEER SHIFTS

• Burning Man is a volunteer-driven event. Most of the work done on Playa is done by volunteers. Without these volunteers, Burning Man could not exist. Doing volunteer shifts at Burning Man is a great way to meet other Burners and expand your Burning Man experience.

• All Rootpile campers are encouraged to sign up for at least one Burning Man departmental volunteer shift during the Burn.
   

BIKES

• We will provide bike racks for you to safely lock your bike. Please bring a bike lock. Bicycles are commonly stolen, even within camp.

• If you left a bike with us in previous years, please do not expect that bike to have survived these past years. We were left with dozens upon dozens of bikes which we have had no way to safely store from the elements.

• It is possible that we may facilitate delivery of bikes for camp members that rent through Playa Bike Repair. If this rental service is available in 2023, we will communicate further details to our camp members in advance of the Burn. Please do not rent bikes from Playa Bike Repair, expecting them to be delivered to Rootpile; if delivery is to be arranged, your rental needs to be processed a certain way. Otherwise, you will have to pick up your own bike from Playa Bike Repair in Reno.
   

ROOTPILE RADIO SYSTEM

• We will have a 2-way radio system so that campers can communicate with base camp, each other, or our multiple art cars and handicap vehicles.

• If you are interested in being able to communicate with camp and want to bring your own handheld radio, contact us in advance of Burning Man.

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HAULAGE

• We will not be providing any haulage in 2023. If you would like to ship your gear to Empire, NV, we can arrange a destination for $25 per box + the cost of shipping.
   

CONTRIBUTIONS

• In order to accomplish our mission, it is necessary for our Rootpile campers to provide a significant amount of daily work in camp. It is truly a cooperative experience. In order to support our campers working this hard, we feel that it is important that the camp operation helps our campers to get their work done and also enjoy their Burn. Support includes meals, shade, showers, toilets, art car tours, drinking water, etc. All of this is accomplished through the team effort of our campers and also monetary contributions. These contributions are broken into many categories, based on each Rooter's use of our existing infrastructure, but there is one basic contribution for all Rootpile campers explained below.

• The required contribution for membership is the Mission Contribution.

  • Mission Contributions: (We no longer have a separate Yearly Dues cost.) The Mission Contribution expected from each Rootpile camp member helps to fund the camp's on-Playa & off-Playa operations. On-Playa costs include tent space, shade, daily meals, drinking water and electrolyte water, warm showers, flush toilets, community space, support of Rootpile's Mission, and also the opportunity to hang out with real-life hillbillies. Off-Playa costs costs consist of, but are not limited to, storage, equipment maintenance/repairs, vehicle and trailer insurance, liability insurance, and replacement of equipment which is often destroyed by the Playa, such as refrigerators, instruments, etc. The Mission Contribution for each camp member in 2023 is $1200 per returning camper and $1400 for new camp members. In May this contribution will increase $100 per month. These fees can be reduced depending on your level of engagement during Pre-Burn, Build Week, and Teardown Week.

    • Those in the following team positions may receive an honorarium (if needed) to reduce their Mission Contribution:
      a designated full team member of Build Team or Teardown Team, a Team Lead or NOAH, a designated Pre-Build week team member, or a member of the Transport Driver Team. We will reach out to these key team members about honorariums.

    • A returning camp member is defined as: someone who has been approved to join camp in the past and paid their dues, regardless of whether they were able to attend or not.

  • If we are allocating you a DGS guaranteed ticket, please be advised that your Mission Contribution is due before the ticket allocation will be assigned to your Burner Profile.

• Campers will receive a mandatory questionnaire after paying their contributions. This questionnaire will gather info about tent/yurt/RV space needed, diet/food allergies/special health needs, emergency contact info, arrival/departure dates, generator electricity needs, etc.

• We will begin accepting Mission Contributions in January. After you have filled out your Rootpile member application form, by clicking the "Join Us" tab at the top of this page, and once you are approved, we will send you a link to pay your contributions.
   

TICKETS

• Tickets are very hard to come by.

• You are responsible for getting your own ticket for Burning Man. There are many ways to get a Burning Man Ticket, which we will not take the space to explain here. But, we will help advise you on how to navigate the various sales. And we suggest that you network with your local Burner Community, which is a good way to get help finding a ticket. But the best way to get a ticket is to save your money, be ready, pay attention, and listen to what the Fixxer tells you to do!

• Once you have made the decision to attend Burning Man, immediately set up your Burner Profile here. You will need to set up a profile in order to purchase tickets.

• Every year, Burning Man allocates camps a certain number of tickets to help camps in good standing build their core membership. We reallocate these limited tickets for opportunity to be purchased by team leads, camp leads, musicians, and those people particpating on the Build or Teardown Teams. This year, 2023, based on early feedback from the Burning Man, we are expecting a lower allocation of DGS tickets, meaning that it will be unlikely that we will have DGS tickets for people not listed in the categories above.

• ***If you are provided a ticket of any kind through camp, and can no longer join Rootpile, please be advised that this ticket MUST be returned to the fold so that it can be used by other Rootpile core members***
   

GENERAL

• Ice, fuel, and water are the only things available for sale at Burning Man. Anything else you may need must either be brought with you, provided by camp, or gifted to you. Practice Self-Reliance!

• See the About Burning Man and Resources pages for additional tools and info to help you prepare for Burning Man.

• Become aware of the The Ten Principles of Burning Man.

• If you are interested in joining Rootpile, click on the "Join Us" tab at the top of the page, and this will link you to an application to join our camp. We will then review your application, and if you are selected to be a member of our camp, we will email you a link to pay your Mission Contribution.

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If you don't see the info you need here, email us.

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tent camping

rv camping

domes/yurts/large tent space

parking

 meals/kitchen 

hydration/ice

showers

toilets

 trash/moop 

medical

power

camp duty shifts

bikes

rootpile radio system

haulage

required contributions

tickets

general

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