Disconnect to connect: The Lost Sierra Hoedown

Z Reynolds and Drew Fisher, organizers of the annual Lost Sierra Hoedown, were at it again this year from Sept. 19 to 22 at their family and eco-friendly event.

A mellow, musical, communal, back-to-the-land experience, attendees are encouraged to go simple: “Park the car, disconnect from technology, and stop producing trash,” and engage in this immediate and sincere community where attendees could be seen dancing, hugging, sharing camp items, listening to great music, or exploring the beautiful surroundings at the historic Johnsville Ski Bowl.

The organizers of this “low impact event” also provided a free Klean Kanteen reusable stainless steel pint cup to each participant wearing a bright orange “Hoedown” wristband.

They asked Hoedowners to “bring reusable utensils, bowls, and eliminate any single use items from your camping list,” and they showed a real respect for the beautiful setting of the Ski Bowl.

There were over 40 musical groups and events listed, but informal jam sessions occurred spontaneously throughout the day and night.

The fun got started shortly after noon each day and ran until well after 3 a.m. on some days, with a late-night tent for the nocturnally inclined.

Volunteers were laid back and welcoming. Daytime participants soaked up sun and sound and moved at a slower pace.

The combination of environmental awareness, community, and music gives the Hoedown its unique flavor.

“A lot of people are really involved in their own communities, working for nonprofits or the outdoor industry,” said Gabe Harland-Castellanos, who was working as an unofficial volunteer. What brought them together, and caused them to keep in touch after the Hoedown was a common desire to work to “better our home planet,” Harland-Castellanos added.

What also sets it apart from other music events is its intimate feel — only 500 tickets are sold each year, and it has sold out in recent years.

“From the beginning,” said Reynolds, “we wanted the music to be awesome,” the kind that “moved people and gave people a certain, very intimate feeling.”

The Ski Bowl makes for the perfect venue, as it’s scooped out of the mountainside. Colorful tents nestled together up the bowl and below, Hoedown residents lounged in front of the old Intorf Ski Lodge that dates from the nineteenth century.

The Lodge’s front deck was perfect for intimate performances, and the Lodge itself hosted smaller sit down sets. “When you start with magic,” said Reynolds, “the lodge and the location … it works perfectly for the outdoorsy, nature loving, community loving type of person.”

Also, there’s no prescribed space for anyone. You come, you find your place, you pitch your tent, and you enter the flow. The place is infused with good will, and the proceeds benefit the Johnsville Historic Ski Bowl and its partners, the Plumas Ski Club and Plumas Eureka State Park.

Fresh spring water was available free of charge, while Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and The Brewing Lair provided cold beer on draft. One hundred percent of beer sales went to support the Plumas Ski Club.

The history of skiing in this area dates back to the 1860s. In fact, the mountains between Johnsville and La Porte are noted to be the place where skiing in the western hemisphere originated.

By 1863, Eureka Peak, which towered over the mining town of Johnsville, had a downhill ski run of 2,600 feet.

The Plumas Ski Club originated in 1950 as a nonprofit organization, and in 1959, the Plumas-Eureka Ski Bowl was incorporated into the state park.

Besides biking, swimming in Eureka Lake, and hiking to Eureka Peak, there were other activities, such as the art tent, which provided lots of fun activities for both children and adults. They had activities planned with painting and clay, along with “some music activities, story time, bubbles, and crafts, among other things.”

Many participants said they come back year after year. And, the reasons they give are remarkably similar and refreshing in this post-modern world. Hoedown stalwarts said they return for the sense of community and good will. And, many also called it a life changing experience.

Some are also regulars at the High Sierra Festival just down the road in Quincy. But, this one is different, “magical,” one said. There was a good contingent from Truckee, Lake Tahoe, and Reno, but festival-goers also came from California, Oregon and beyond. This year, there was also a group from France and guy from the Netherlands.

When asked how they heard about the Hoedown, “Word of mouth,” was most often the answer. They might come from all over the globe, but this is a very tight group.