Malheur Base Camp
2 sites · Lodging5 acres · Drewsey, ORSTARGAZING + AMAZING VIEWS: Our place sits on five acres overlooking the middle fork of the Malheur River, surrounded by cattle ranches. Our nearest neighbor is about 2 miles away, we're remote, but accessible... if you don't mind a couple of miles of gravel road.
We're in a dark spot, perfect for laying out in your little yard and admiring the Milky Way in an indescribable setting. At night, the only lights visible truly are the moon and stars. Bring your telescope if you've got one!
COOKING + DINING: Prepare your meals in our simple, yet functional outdoor kitchen. Located on the cabin porch, the kitchen includes a prep area, dishtub, and a two burner camp stove. You also have a generously sized mini fridge right inside the cabin.
We've recently decided to make our DELUXE CAMP KITCHEN complimentary**! You won't have to worry about bringing cookware, dishes, cutlery, knives, cutting boards, a can opener, a bottle opener, basic seasonings, or dish washing necessities! **We just ask that you let us know when a seasoning or condiment is running low and that you please wash and return everything to its original spot to avoid an additional cleaning fee of $35.
PETS: We welcome your furbabies! Please be advised that there is an additional fee of $25 per pet, payable as a Hipcamp "extra" or in good ol' American greenbacks. Please pick up after your pets and try to keep them in your area. We ask that you do not allow your pets on the furniture -- if we find that they've been allowed on the bed, we will require you to pay for the replacement of the bedding at a cost of $200.
We have one dog, an exuberant 150 pound Newfoundland named Hagrid, multiple free roaming cats, and three semi-feral children who may be outside. If you are bringing your pet(s), please contact us prior to arrival.
SHOWERING + WHATNOT: Enjoy a luxurious shower in your private outdoor shower house, complete with skylight and on-demand hot water. Towels are provided. The building also contains your fabulous composting loo.
**Shower availability dependent on weather, may not be available in freezing weather.**
SUSTAINABILITY: We're kinda into crunchy stuff like solar power, composting, sustainability, salvage/upcycling/recycling, and supporting local farmers - artisans - businesses. You'll find that many of the little touches on our replace reflect those values.
CHARITY IRONWORKS: If you see or hear Tom puttering around out in the blacksmith shop, you’re welcome to go over and visit. If you need gifts for the folks back home or souvenirs from your epic trip, we also have a selection of our blacksmithing and coppersmithing wares available -- just ask us and we’d be happy to show you our stock. We also offer our 3 Hour Blacksmithing Basics Workshop with Tom at a cost of $95 per person age 12+ - payable as a Hipcamp "extra" or in cash money.
*SUMMER/FALL: PLEASE CONTACT US ABOUT THE WORKSHOP PRIOR TO BOOKING - Tom is a wildland firefighter and his availability will be dependent on fire activity.*
OTHER THINGS TO NOTE...
There IS cell phone reception here - Verizon works best and there's usually 3-4 bars of LTE.
We're in the Pacific Time Zone... But while you're here your phone will probably ping off of a tower located in the Mountain Time Zone, so if you're not sure what time it is, just ask!
The cabin is rustic, there is no A/C, but there are fans and the cabin cools off well at night. We have a couple of options for swamp coolers, so please ask if you think you'll need one. There are extra blankets in the cedar chest, and there are cleaning supplies next to the fridge. Please do not remove the blankets or pillows from the cabin.
There's a mosquito vacuum/trap on the south side of the cabin. Just plug the USB cord into the battery pack tucked into the top pocket of the solar panel and it should draw the little pests away from your porch and shower. There's also an electric mosquito swatter located inside the cabin.
We have lots of complimentary maps and brochures available to help you explore the local sights and cuisine. We're always happy to give recommendations to our favorite haunts.
Did we mention that we're remote?
And that the nearest grocery store is at least an hour away?
STOCK UP: Either in Vale if you're coming from the east, Burns if you're coming from the west, or John Day if you're coming from the north.
We're about 15 minutes from the Malheur National Forest, 30 minutes from Beulah Reservoir, and an hour and a half from Steens Mountain.
BE COOL: Please don't allow your pets on the beds or furniture. Please don't smoke in the cabin OR in the tent. Please don’t take the bedding or pillows out of the cabin. Please don’t cook in the cabin. Please wash and return the deluxe camp kitchen pieces to their designated spot. Please don’t put anything in the loo except TP, sawdust, and your business. We only mention it because, well, we’ve had people do a few sketchy things in the past. We’re sure you’re super cool and would never do anything like that, but we kinda gotta say it anyway. We don't want to have to give you a poor review and/or charge you extra cleaning and damage fees, and we're sure that'd be a bummer for you, too.
**SHOWER AVAILABILITY DEPENDENT ON WEATHER.**