The Arizona Decompression is October 8th-10th 2004. Located at Gateway Ranch near Flagstaff. This event is free of charge. This is your chance to get rid of the post Burning Man decompression blues! Come out for 3 days of fun, creativity and participation. All Black Rock City customs and courtesies apply. You must come prepared with everything you need to survive this event. There is no power or water.
Voluntary Donations to Star School are much appreciated in appreciation of Mark and Kate allowing us to have our event on their property. A little work around the ranch during the event fixing things and cleaning up is also much appreciated.Children and dogs. If you bring either they MUST be under control at all times. Guidelines on children at our events
Dogs must not be allowed to shit in other peoples camps or piss on their tents and ice chests, or fight with other dogs. If you cant absolutely, 100 percent guarantee us that it wont happen, then leave your dogs at home.The Arizona decompression is on 80 acres out in the high desert near Flagstaff. The closest neighbors are about 5 miles away. It is the year round home of Dr. Mark Sorensen and his wife Kate and their son. It is next door to James Terrell's "Roden Crater" and extinct Volcano that has been turned into a huge natural observatory. The crater is currently not open to the public but we may get a guided tour since they are neighbors, as long as we leave no trace. The Crater or volcano bowl is a fabulous, huge interactive piece of artwork. To describe what they have done is really not possible. Picture in your mind subterranean passages with golden star cases, underground rooms lined in granite, and a huge cement and polished granite compass at the bottom of the bowl with an underground room that looks out through the center. Absolutely fabulous. Photos from last year are at this link. Decompression Photos 2003
Mark And Kate own and operate a Charter School near their home that serves predominantly low income Navaho students. It is also the first totally solar-powered charter school in the U.S. The AZBurners community has taken on the charter school as a pet project. Mark and Kate offer the students instruction in the arts as part of the overall program. We would like any AZBurners who would like to contribute time talent and resources to the school to do so. As usual, we are not charging admission to the Decompression. As part of our commitment to the school as well as a thank you for allowing us to use their ranch for the decompression, we are encouraging but not requiring people who attend to voluntarily make a donation of any amount to Star School to further the programs the school offers these children. A public Amphitheater project at the school was the recipient of a Grant from Black Rock Arts in 2004. A description of the grant is at this link, BRAF Grant RecipientsA short clip with photos of a newspaper article about the school is at this link, (Sorry they make you pay for the rest of it). Newspaper Article
Please be respectful of the land and plants at the Decompression. There are parts of the property and certain plant species that Mark And Kate do not want damaged from vehicles or camp sites. The will inform you of that upon arrival, As always, pack it in pack it out leave no trace.----------------------------------
Directions to the Gateway Ranch from I-40:About 8 miles East of Flagstaff, take the Cosnino Rd. exit. Go North (left)2 miles until Cosnino Rd. ends at a T. Turn Right onto Camp Townsend-Winona Rd. at this point, go 2 miles and take a left onto Leupp Rd. Go about 12 miles NE on Leupp Rd. (7/10 mile past milepost 440).
Turn left at a dirt road with about 10 mailboxes (start looking for evidence of Burner activity at this point). Follow this dirt road for a little over 7 miles. You can know you're on this dirt road by it's the only somewhat maintained road in the area. If you get on a road with volcanic rocks or where two vehicles couldn't pass comfortably, you're off the track. We'll have signs, lights and various other clues to reassure you that you're in the right place.Travel advice: unless the road has been recently graded, it tends to be washboardy. The washboard effect is reduced if you can drive over 30 mph (assuming you have adequate visibility and there aren't any upcoming hazards).
Watch out for possible cattle, pronghorn, rabbits and the occasional fox, coyote, porcupine or other critter on the road-- the jackrabbits do kamikaze attacks just like in Nevada.-----------------------
No firearms allowed at this event. No vending, advertising or offering items or services for sale.Gary Taylor
Burning Man's Arizona Regional