BASSETTS — The Sierra Nevada Field Campus (SNFC), affiliated with San Francisco State University and located just a mile east of Bassetts, held an open house on Saturday to familiarize locals with its setting and courses. Despite this summer being the 75th in the camp’s active history, many in the area have never visited. Courses at the field campus are open to the public, with food and housing available for an extra fee.

Darrow Feldstein, SNFC Director, led a tour through the grounds, starting on the bridge leading onto the property, which crosses the North Yuba River. Feldstein detailed the history of the campus, starting with its founding by John Paul Leonard. Originally named “Camp Leonard,” the location was intended for young people living in the Bay Area to live in the mountains and experience nature, with students from San Francisco State University serving as counselors. Over time, and with leadership changes, the campus began transitioning to a true college field campus in the 1970s and further opened to the public in the 80s. This summer, the campus offers a record-breaking 40 classes in topics ranging from the natural sciences to the arts and will likely host over 700 people.

The three main buildings comprising the campus’s central area are the director’s cabin, staff cabin, and a two-story dining hall, kitchen, and activity building. The surrounding area provides gathering spaces for students returning from classes, including a fire pit built with student-made bricks. Courses typically involve traveling off-campus for full days, so time at camp is most often spent during the mornings and evenings. Hardworking staff cook breakfast and dinner daily in the dining hall, and a sandwich bar is available for lunch packing.

On-site shelter accommodations are provided on two trails, in the east and west directions from the center. Along the trails are platforms with pre-arranged canvas tents, which registrants can reserve. Students can also set up tents anywhere on campus, with the most popular spots being by the river. A bathhouse with hot water and septic is available on both trails.

Classes started on June 2nd this year, and offerings will continue through August 30th. Though many courses have been filled, many are still available to register for at https://bit.ly/4bmIPk3.