Information for Students
This page is to help our Students to know what to expect and to be prepared for a successful event.
Welcome to the Between the Rivers Family! We appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedules and spending time with us, and for helping to make this gathering a success. We hope you will plan on coming back year after year. Between the Rivers Gathering is family friendly camp with a no drugs and alcohol policy - safe for children and entire families.
Location: Our Gathering is located within a few miles of Chewelah, WA, about an hour North of Spokane just off Hwy 395. Detailed instructions and a map are posted on the Schedule & Map page of this website. Our campus land is closed during non-event dates.
Welcome to the Between the Rivers Family! We appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedules and spending time with us, and for helping to make this gathering a success. We hope you will plan on coming back year after year. Between the Rivers Gathering is family friendly camp with a no drugs and alcohol policy - safe for children and entire families.
Location: Our Gathering is located within a few miles of Chewelah, WA, about an hour North of Spokane just off Hwy 395. Detailed instructions and a map are posted on the Schedule & Map page of this website. Our campus land is closed during non-event dates.
Between the Rivers - Where we get our name
We derive our name from our general geographic location in Salish lands. We are nearly halfway between the Pend Oreille River on the east and the mighty Columbia River on the west, and we are about 45 miles north of the Spokane River. Historically the rivers here were the highways and there were smaller overland trails that connected them in places. Our gathering location, in historical geographic terms, is simply, "Between the Rivers."
Ancestral Skills & Self-Sufficiency Classes - the core of the Gathering!
On Monday morning at 9am we will have an open house/blanket fair for about an hour before we have our opening orientation meeting at 10am where we will have the instructors introduce themselves, tell what they will be teaching and when their classes will be held. You will want to bring a notebook and write down the things you are interested in and what time they will happen, then you will have a chance to prioritize your interests, talk with the instructors, sign up for classes and such. There will be many free classes available, and there will be some that require an appropriate fee for materials depending on what is being made. Classes will start at 1pm Monday.
Our instructors come from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds. Some are nationally (or internationally) known while others are local experts or enthusiasts. The majority of instructors have been in their respective field for years and are knowledgeable about much more than what they are teaching at Between the Rivers.
A list of possible classes can be found on the Schedule page to give you an idea of what you may expect.
Students are welcome to arrive as early as Saturday before opening meetings, and to stay a day late if needed.
Our instructors come from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds. Some are nationally (or internationally) known while others are local experts or enthusiasts. The majority of instructors have been in their respective field for years and are knowledgeable about much more than what they are teaching at Between the Rivers.
A list of possible classes can be found on the Schedule page to give you an idea of what you may expect.
Students are welcome to arrive as early as Saturday before opening meetings, and to stay a day late if needed.
Full Event Tuition Includes:
Access to all classes & evening activities, 2 meals per day to include a light breakfast and dinner, bathroom facilities, potable water, camping, parking, and entrance to an amazing community the whole week!
Tuition Rates listed on Registration Page
If we must cancel the gathering due to COVID restrictions, or another global pandemic we will refund tuitions in-full!
Access to all classes & evening activities, 2 meals per day to include a light breakfast and dinner, bathroom facilities, potable water, camping, parking, and entrance to an amazing community the whole week!
Tuition Rates listed on Registration Page
If we must cancel the gathering due to COVID restrictions, or another global pandemic we will refund tuitions in-full!
Camping:
This is a traditional camp, and we would like to preserve the atmosphere of the setting. Although we encourage old-style canvas camping, this is not a time-period camp, so all styles of tents and gear are acceptable and welcome. Please come prepared to camp self-contained with your own tent, bedding, etc. Porta-potties will be provided, as well as water, wood and room to camp. There will be a central fire pit for socializing & cooking, and several satellite fires throughout camp that may be used for the same. If you have your own fire it needs to be in a self-contained, above ground fire apparatus and done safely, and have a bucket of water and shovel nearby.
For campers in the main camp: When you arrive please park temporarily and walk in to find where you plan to camp, then return and drive in to unload and set camp, and when you are finished your vehicle will need to be moved to the parking lot. We will have camp host staff who will be available to assist you with campsite selection and with parking if needed. You will have access to your vehicles, and may come and go as needed from the parking area. Do not make multiple trips in and out of the main camp in your car during the week - if you need to bring something in, pack it in on foot or in a cart. The main camp will be closed to vehicle traffic during the week of camp except to those needing to set or take down their full camp. If you car camp, or camp in modern RVs, you may do so in the designated areas. Car camping in the main camp area will not be available at this gathering. Camp set-up for Students will be all-day Saturday and Sunday. We have a beautiful site on private land with trees, grass & loam. Please respect and take care of it. We currently have limited space for large RV's or busses. We suggest that you check with us before to make sure we have room.
Some of our campsites are still pretty rough and overgrown, and campers are welcome to clear underbrush and limb trees to make campsites more pleasant. We are mowing and grooming as much as possible, but some great sites are still a bit overgrown. Remember, this is raw land, not a KOA - not all sites are completely level and groomed. We will have some tools available at the office and, of course campers are welcome to bring their own.
Please take responsibility for your own trash and keep your camp clean. If you brought it with you, it's yours. Please make sure it leaves with you. Please make arrangements to leave your pets at home if at all possible! If you must bring your dog it must be on a leash at all times, and you are responsible for keeping your dog from becoming a nuisance to others.
For campers in the main camp: When you arrive please park temporarily and walk in to find where you plan to camp, then return and drive in to unload and set camp, and when you are finished your vehicle will need to be moved to the parking lot. We will have camp host staff who will be available to assist you with campsite selection and with parking if needed. You will have access to your vehicles, and may come and go as needed from the parking area. Do not make multiple trips in and out of the main camp in your car during the week - if you need to bring something in, pack it in on foot or in a cart. The main camp will be closed to vehicle traffic during the week of camp except to those needing to set or take down their full camp. If you car camp, or camp in modern RVs, you may do so in the designated areas. Car camping in the main camp area will not be available at this gathering. Camp set-up for Students will be all-day Saturday and Sunday. We have a beautiful site on private land with trees, grass & loam. Please respect and take care of it. We currently have limited space for large RV's or busses. We suggest that you check with us before to make sure we have room.
Some of our campsites are still pretty rough and overgrown, and campers are welcome to clear underbrush and limb trees to make campsites more pleasant. We are mowing and grooming as much as possible, but some great sites are still a bit overgrown. Remember, this is raw land, not a KOA - not all sites are completely level and groomed. We will have some tools available at the office and, of course campers are welcome to bring their own.
Please take responsibility for your own trash and keep your camp clean. If you brought it with you, it's yours. Please make sure it leaves with you. Please make arrangements to leave your pets at home if at all possible! If you must bring your dog it must be on a leash at all times, and you are responsible for keeping your dog from becoming a nuisance to others.
What to Bring
Items we suggest you consider bringing:
- Shelter: All time periods (traditional or modern) are welcome; they should be sturdy and able to withstand weather conditions.
- Clothing: Bring clothing that will keep you warm and dry as well as shelter you from the sun. Wearing clothing in not optional.
- Food: A light breakfast, and dinner will be provided each day. You are responsible for your own lunch and snacks.
- Water: There will be potable water available to all campers, so bring personal containers and canteens to fill for your own camp.
- First Aid kit and other personal items like allergy meds, sting kits and electrolyte replacements.
- Cash: Some classes have a materials fee so plan accordingly. Also, many of the instructors and students will have goods for sale or for trade so bring some cash or tradable goods.
- Bedding: Nights can get cold so a good sleeping bag and/or extra blankets is a wise choice.
- Toiletries: There will be Porta-potties on-site with toilet paper. There will also be handwashing stations. You will need to bring any other hygiene needs with you.
- Lighting: There will be many guy lines & ropes set up in camp to keep all of the shelters up and sturdy, so if you do not want to trip over these bring a light source: candle lantern, oil lamp, or kerosene lamp, flashlight, or headlamp. Old style lighting is encouraged and adds to the ambiance of camp. There will be some torches in communal areas.
- Tools: Instructors will provide tools for the classes, but a good woodsman will never leave home without a good knife, saw, and hatchet. These are indispensable tools. Tools for cutting brush and clearing ground to improve you camp will be available, or you can bring some.
- Music: Musical instruments create a beautiful atmosphere especially around the campfire. Spontaneous entertainment is always welcome so be sure to bring the instruments of your choice!
- Weather: It is generally warm in Northeast WA at the end of May, but it can also be chilly and rainy at times. The best strategy is to expect a mixed bag, dress like an onion, and come prepared for anything.
Children's Program
We generally have a children's program that allows your children to learn amazing skills with their peers and to have an great time. We ask that there is a parent in the main camp at all times when your child is in the children's camp and that you take responsibility for your children. Kids camp is not child care. You are still responsible for your child's needs including water and snacks.
Materials Fees
The instructors come and teach because of their passion for primitive skills and self sufficiency. These instructors come at their own expense and bring their own materials that are needed for the classes they teach. Some instructors choose to have a minimal fee and others choose not to, but any fee that is charged is for materials only.
Barter, Trade & Such
It is common at gatherings for folks to bring things to trade with others, and some may have items for sale. These things need to be related to ancestral skills in some way, such as your own hand-made items and/or raw materials for crafting and ancestral skills. To avoid the situation getting out of hand, trade/sale should limited to instructors and paid participants (no tailgaters). Camp can be a great place to pick up unique quality gifts for your loved ones and some gear for yourself! Organized blanket trades are also a common sight at gatherings. Come prepared!
Services: There are several small towns within a short distance. Valley is only a mile away and has a small grocery and general store with an ATM, and a small post office. Chewelah is the largest and has a grocery store, mechanics, hardware stores, restaurants, motels, etc. It is a few miles to the north. Ask us for our recommendations if you are unsure where to go for specific things. Don't want to camp? Prefer to stay in a hotel and come out for the daytime activities? Our friends Paul and Andi at the Nordlig Motel in nearby Chewelah will treat you well. Check out their website here: http://www.nordlig.com/index.html Be sure to make your reservations with them far ahead.
Barter, Trade & Such
It is common at gatherings for folks to bring things to trade with others, and some may have items for sale. These things need to be related to ancestral skills in some way, such as your own hand-made items and/or raw materials for crafting and ancestral skills. To avoid the situation getting out of hand, trade/sale should limited to instructors and paid participants (no tailgaters). Camp can be a great place to pick up unique quality gifts for your loved ones and some gear for yourself! Organized blanket trades are also a common sight at gatherings. Come prepared!
Services: There are several small towns within a short distance. Valley is only a mile away and has a small grocery and general store with an ATM, and a small post office. Chewelah is the largest and has a grocery store, mechanics, hardware stores, restaurants, motels, etc. It is a few miles to the north. Ask us for our recommendations if you are unsure where to go for specific things. Don't want to camp? Prefer to stay in a hotel and come out for the daytime activities? Our friends Paul and Andi at the Nordlig Motel in nearby Chewelah will treat you well. Check out their website here: http://www.nordlig.com/index.html Be sure to make your reservations with them far ahead.
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