The Luck of Roaring Camp

By Antoinette May Herndon

Some people will go almost anywhere for a good steak and do almost anything On a recent Saturday night Ginger and I and our dubious husbands, Barry and Charles, parked our cars at a small clearing east of Pine Grove and climbed hesitantly into a truck. Our excursion left Pine Grove at 5 p.m. Sometimes there are as many as fifty people divided into two open trucks. This however was a quieter night—all the nicer to enjoy an hour-long descent through dense forest. It was an 1800 ft drop, mostly done by switchbacks. As we inched our way down the six-mile grade, a guide regaled us with stories. Spanish priests and their soldiers had preceded gold miners to the area in the early 1800s. We saw fig trees planted by the former and a giant foxholes dug by the latter. The guide also pointed out the miners’ hanging tree. Claim jumping was a no-no; miners’ justice swift. Miscreants were summarily executed up through the 1920s. Roaring Camp was closed along with the other mines during World War II but reopened shortly after. It’s still a working operation. Interspersed with the narrative were excited comments from fellow passengers. Everyone knew someone who’d found gold somewhere, at some time. There was talk of panning nuggets worth $75. The descent to Clinton Bar is precipitous but once at the bottom, the breathtaking scenery makes everything worthwhile. The Mokelumne River Canyon is narrow, the meandering river bordered on

either side by lush forest and almost vertical mountains. It’s another world. Visitors stay for an evening or a summer. They can be as active or inactive as they please. I met Alice Strong of Sacramento who’d brought a suitcase filled with paperbacks and never cracked one. All her time was spent panning. I also talked to Don Young of Stockton who’d planned to pan and ended up back against a tree, feet dangling in the water, devouring one old west novel after another. Charles and Barry preferred to cover the mining scene from the bar, a makeshift operation that overlooked the historic river. Philosophizing over their scotches, they were probably in agreement about the futility of what Ginger and I were doing—wading confidently into the Mokelumne with our gold pans. Well, we showed them! And one of these days we’ll make those guys rich with our adroit panning. Just wait and see!

Eventually the call of the campfire overwhelmed us. The four of us convened down by the chuck wagon where steaks were being barbecued. Warning: Point out which steak you want and explain exactly how you want it cooked. Besides the dinner steak, there’s fried bread (a Roaring Camp specialty), corn, salad and ice cream. The price—up from last year—is $50. Not the greatest time to raise prices, but the Saturday Cookout Dinner does cover transportation up and down the mountain for the 5-hour trip, plus a tour of the camp and panning lessons. I loved the mellow music of Johnny and the Jordannaires

and wished there’d been a lot more of it. His melodies were just right under those starry skies with only the river for an accompaniment. The family patriarch Elton Rodman followed, certainly an extraordinary master of ceremonies. Rodman refuses to give his age; suffice it to say he arrived in Roaring Camp as an adult in 1937. Rodman has presence. He’s master of all he surveys and knows it. What followed his anecdotes were hokey jokes told by family members. Yes, really. And, no, you won’t have to cover your kids’ ears. The jokes aren’t that funny. I’d have enjoyed a lot more of Johnny and his music. It could have been a perfect night but still managed to be a very pleasant one.

VITALS: Roaring Camp. The departure point is at Pine Acres Resort on Hwy 88 just beyond Pine Grove. Phone: 296-4100. Saturday night dinners include panning, swimming, touring. Trucks leave at 5 p.m., return at 10. Credit cards accepted. amherndon@sierralodestar.com

Pictures

1) Trucks take adventurers to Roaring Camp 2) Wild cat trophies from the shores of the Mokelumne River 3)A panner’s view of the mighty Mokelumne 4)The cook station is an important destination at Roaring Camp 5) A sip from a mountain spring tastes good on a hot day 6)Mine shafts are part of the Roaring Camp scene 7) Animal trophies are part of Roaring Camp’s rustic décor.