Camp Scholler Conditions

i camp with some of the EAA volunteers each year and previous years they said that they bend over backweards getting the site dried out in wet weather. the forecast for next week looks daunting.

i'd advise your friends to cricle the wagons and hope someone decides to go home that has a good dry spot. or see if they can find a source for hay bales to help with the  wetness(someone else posted that tip here)

I'm posting from my 5th wheel in the campgrounds... today was very wet, it rained steadily from early morning to late afternoon.   There's a small river running through Paul's Woods (although not quite as big as the one last week after the big storms).   Class A Motorhomes are being parked on hard surface tonight, smaller units are going on higher and firmer ground in Camp Scholler.   We're doin' OK, but there have been less stressful days.  I appreciate enormously what the tremendous volunteers  are doing to keep things running as smoothly as possible.   Here's to blue skies, sunshine and drying winds tomorrow! 

What does Camp Scholler look like for people who are tent camping?

Walking around this evening, I saw 2 tents "ankle-deep" in water.  But that was all.  Depends on where you put your tent.  Presumably those bits will dry out and be habitable again in a couple of rain-free days. 

Maybe this is a good time to invent a tent on legs....you could get quite of lot of interest this week ....

I'm heading out this morning (Friday) about 11am, which should put me at Camp Scholler around 2pm or so... I'm dragging a 31' %th wheel with me and usually camp in the same spot every year (about 120 meters south of the beer tent area)   Does anyone know what the conditions are in that area ?   There is a drainage ditch right along the area where I put my trailer, but I've never seen water in it...probably will be now though.   I look forward to AirVenture every year and plan for next year as soon as I leave...Lets hope the weather will cooperate !

Scott

I've  camped in a RV several times in the 24 hr generator area near the showers, between Elm and Cottonwood, usually on 21st or 22nd st..  That area seems like it is getting higher as you go south towards the dump station, etc.

I would assume that area is not too muddy? Can anyone report on conditions there?

Hopefully, we'll be pulling-in to Camp Scholler with a fifth wheel Wed. evening!

Regards,

John

I don't know what the conditions are specifically in the campground, but I know many parts of Oshkosh are flooded out.   And they are prediciting more rain this evening and tomorrow, so conditions are only going to get worse around here. I work for UPS in Oshkosh and the air trailer is not  expected to arrive in Oshkosh until 2 pm this afternoon and then it all has to be unloaded and sorted yet and shuttled to the drivers who are having a hard time delivering because so many roads are closed due to flooding and sink holes.  On my way home from work, I noticed that all the power poles along County A between Neenah and Oshkosh were leaning way over and look like they were going to fall over.   The power lines were hanging very low to the ground and if they fall into water, there is going to be some power outages.

Before coming to Oshkosh,  I would contact the EAA  to find out which roads are open.   The area has received over 17 inches of rain since June 1 and  we have already broke the record for the most rain in July and we still have a whole week to go yet before the end of this month.  More rain is expected this evening and tomorrow and again by the middle of next week.   There is no place for the water to go anymore without  causing massive flooding.  The rivers and lakes are overlflowing  their banks and it could get very dangerous, if we receive more rain this next week.

I found some more views and news of Camp Scholler in this Northwestern.com  news article:

http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20100723/OSH0107/7230446/ 

I'm driving up Tuesday so I hope it'll have a little chance to dry out. *hope*

Thanks to all for the detailed descriptions. EAA's official media release is sorely lacking in any detail.

Rain on Thursday offered an additional challenge to ground preparations for AirVenture, but those challenges are being met and arrivals continue to be accommodated at the grounds at Oshkosh.

“There are challenges every year when preparing for and during Oshkosh,” EAA chairman/president Tom Poberezny said. “The advantage of nearly 60 years of fly-in experience is that plans are in place to meet situations such as this. We are making the necessary adjustments based on current conditions.”

The bulk of camping aircraft will not arrive until the weekend, so there is plenty of parking to accommodate early arrivals. In addition, drive-in camping units continue to arrive at Camp Scholler.

“People have been very patient and appreciate the extra mile our volunteers are going to help them,” Poberezny said. “Those volunteers and EAA staff are doing everything necessary to be ready for the opening of AirVenture on July 26.”

EAA will continue to update conditions to provide accurate information and assistance to all those traveling to Oshkosh for the event, which starts July 26. AirVenture aircraft parking status is also available online here.

Perhaps Tom should just state: "Come on in...the water's FINE!"

Gotta go buy some rubber farm boots ... :-)

 Thank you everyone who is providing information regarding conditions for plane parking and for camping sites.  Please keep the updates coming.  Also, this is my first Airventure and we will be flying in to KOSH in single engine piston.  Is it most common to camp with your plane if you fly in, or most common to park the plane and camp in Scholler?  Or, I guess in this case it may all be dictated by wherever dry ground can be found.  We are planning to arrive between 10AM and Noon on Sunday 7/25.

I was headed up thismorning from N. Illinois and my turbocharger on my truck took a huge scheisse about a half mile away from home :-(    At least I was able to gwet it home and to the shop...that woulda stunk if I was 100 miles from home !   Earliest I'll be able to come up is Monday night...I just hope that it dries out some before that !

In the meantime, please keep posting updates...   See y'all Monday night !

Scott

Camp Scholler is 'challenging'.  However, there are many arrivals and many parked on the side of the hard roads.  The water level is down from yesterday and another day or two of drying will make a big difference on the firmness of the turf areas.  I came in on Wednesday and parked with minimal issues on the sod area.  There was a heavy rain a few days before this but the area were usable when we arrived.  Based on this I think that Sunday/Monday will be drivable on many areas but in the meantime they are being cautious and keeping many on the hard surfaces.  Same for aircraft.  They are temporarily tied down on the 18-36 parallel taxiway until things firm up some.  When someone tries to drive on the soft area now it only makes it worse and will not firm up for a much longer time, like in front of me where a neighbor was in and out half a dozen times yesterday during the rain and now we have a mud hole in the road.

So I know how everyone wants an accurate description but I would suggest to show up anyway.  They will find a place.  This is Oshkosh and people will use there consideration and innovation to make it all work out just fine.  Just be patient and remember we are all in this together.

This is my first time to Oshkosh, but we are staying in a Class A at Camp Scholler and it could be much worse.  They have sent the biggest of the Class A's that came in this afternoon to the local Wal-Mart for parking until they get things dried out.  There is still room here for more though.

Thursday was a lot of water.  It is substantially lower in the ditches now.  Roads were flooding but that is down also.  Crews are working to dry things up the best they can it seems.

Tent camping is still fine at the Camp.  Some early arrivals made a mistake and pitched their tents in low lying areas, so now they get wet feet coming and going, but they are dry in the tents.

Thanks for posting the photos...Now I have a visual of what to expect when I arrive Monday night.    I'm wondering if I should leave very early Tuesday morning so I can try to pick a spot in the light of day...    Nah, I'll be up Monday...I already feel like I've missed too much  !

Yes, we been getting alot of rain, I live up the area. I seen post earier in week saying the sun would be out, and NOAA was callingfor 2 to 4inches. And NOAA was right.

Cabela's sells tents on legs. Both a one man and two man.

More rain today,so lets hope it drys ou tsoon.

I would also suggest bringing bug spray. With all that standing water there is going to be a bumper crop of "skeeters".