Greetings from the Cabins!
Welcome to the latest edition of, “News from the Cabins”, an update on current conditions and what’s going on at the Tilly Jane cabins. Last I wrote, the cabins had to be closed due to the onset of the COVID pandemic and we were still planning for the summer/fall work parties.
COVID-19 Update
The A-Frame closed mid-March and reopened on July 1st with updated user capacities and rates. The Guard Station was also closed in March through June and did not reopen this past summer since the closure extended past its operating season. The Guard Station is set to resume operations as of December 1st through June 2021 with updated rental requirements. Below is a summary of the updates. You can review the full details by visiting the cabin rental pages on Recreation.gov.
A-Frame
- The cabin can only be reserved by 1 group per night (it no longer accommodates people from multiple parties or households)
- Capacity has been reduced from 20 occupants per night to a maximum of 6 (as of this writing, to align with the Oregon COVID Freeze and guidelines from Governor Brown and the OHA for Hood River County). Please note this is subject to change depending on any State or County public gathering limit changes.
- The rental rate has been updated from $400 per night (20 people @ $20 per person) to $200 per night. Whether you have 2 people in your party or 6 people or somewhere in between, this year we only have one flat rental rate for the entire cabin.
- All cabin occupants are required to wear face masks while inside the cabin
- Renters are required to perform a thorough cabin cleaning upon arrival and prior to their departure using the on-site cleaning supplies we have provided.
Guard Station
- Cabin capacity has been reduced from a maximum of 8 guests to a maximum of 6 guests from a maximum of two households. (depending on the renter group “quarantine family” status)
- Rental rates have NOT been updated and remain $200 per night with a two-night minimum (Friday and Saturday nights)
- All cabin occupants are required to wear face masks while inside the cabin
- Renters are required to perform a thorough cabin cleaning upon arrival and prior to departure with the on-site cleaning supplies.
Because the cabins do not have on-site management, they are not cleaned between each rental party. We rely on renters to manage the cabin cleaning, maintain proper social distancing and to wear masks while inside the structures. We realize each person has varying comfort levels about renting the cabin under current circumstances. Our goal is to keep the cabins open and safe, and for everyone to make their own decisions, as long as they follow the rental requirements as outlined. Of course, we are also monitoring the situation and may have to adjust or fully close the cabins based on Forest Service, State, and County guidance.
2020 Summer Work Party Summary
Last I wrote, the Save Tilly Jane campaign was winding down with all fundraising goals and restorations projects largely completed. We held one offsite and three small onsite work party events last summer in August where we were able to complete all the odds and ends project work; We rebuilt the wood carts, added a toilet vent pipe, fixed some of the indoor benches, replaced the most damaged shiplap walls and painted the A-Frame interior. At the Guard Station, we installed a French drain, painted both the garage and cabin exteriors, and rebuilt the gate from the campground. We also held the annual Wood Haul work party in October. We hosted roughly 65 folks who came out to help prepare the cabins for winter use. Everyone wore masks and practiced safe pandemic protocols. We were treated to a nice sunny day , had NO CART BREAKDOWNS, and Solera Brewery even came up and donated a keg to help reward the crew after we hauled, stacked, split and cut 11 cords of firewood. We ended the day by holding a small raffle with lots of gear donated by Gerber Gear and other area businesses.
Needless to say, the cabins and surrounding area are winterized and looking amazing!
Looking Ahead
We had planned on rehabilitating the Amphitheater last summer, but this was put on hold due to the pandemic. The Forest Service is leading this project with heavy support from the ONC and Tilly Jane volunteers. We will share more details on this as we learn more. In the meantime, we will continue to address cabin maintenance and issues as they arise. Jennifer & I took an early season ski last month and we see that it is time to brush out and mark the Tilly Jane Ski Trail, so we are starting conversations to plan for this work next summer.
Cabin rentals have slowed down due to the pandemic and rental capacity/pricing changes that were made. There are plenty of opportunities to book a night or two depending on your comfort level. Our goal is to transition back to standard operating status as soon as possible but that’s looking like it’ll take a little longer than we all expected.
Thank you for all your support and care for the cabins. We are 100% volunteer-based and couldn’t do all this without you! Please, be safe out there. We will keep you posted as we learn more, and we hope we get to see you on the mountain sometime soon.
Cheers
Andre’ Oregon Nordic Club