Camp Robert L. Cole

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Cisco Grove, CA
Camp Robert L. Cole

Camp Cole is a Boy Scout camp in Northern California in the Tahoe National Forest at an altitude of 6,700 feet. Camp Robert L. Forest Service. Robert L.

it is surrounded by a high alpine forest and 13 nearby lakes. Cole is located in the Tahoe National Forest in Northern California. It is notable for its high altitude of 6,700 feet (2,000 m) and the surrounding alpine forest and 13 nearby lakes. It is located 7 miles (11 km) north of Cisco Grove, California off of Interstate 80, about 32 miles (51 km) west of Truckee, California. It is on the sout

h shore of Lake Sterling on leased land owned by the U.S. Forest Service and Pacific Gas & Electric Company. In 1952 and 1953 Buttes Area Council Executive Alden Barber worked closely with volunteers to identify a new summer camp site in the Sierra Nevada mountains near a lake. They found Lake Sterling, a Pacific Gas & Electric reservoir, and discovered that it was within 5 miles (8.0 km) of 13 other small lakes suitable for back country treks. They opened the Glacial Trails Scout Ranch at Sterling Lake in 1954. The property consisted of 5 acres of land leased from the United States Forest Service and 100 acres leased from Pacific Gas & Electric Company. The council built a permanent kitchen in 1957, and after a severe winter storm severely damaged it, were forced to rebuild it in 1958. It was reconstructed once again in 1970, during which volunteers also built a new staff dining building. The Buttes Area Council and the Mount Lassen Council were merged with the Golden Empire Council in 1993. The camp was closed in 2003 and 2004 when the Golden Empire Council was unable to pay for improvements required by the Placer County health dept and the U.S. Cole, President of Goodwin-Cole Company, contributed $260,000 in a matching grant to help pay for the necessary upgrades. The camp was reopened as a high-adventure camp in 2005. On July 21, 2007 the Camp was renamed to honor contributions made to the council and camp by Cole. The Cole family continued to support the camp and facilities through its closure as a council summer camp in 2015. The camp is adjacent to the Lake Spaulding Campground owned by PG&E. It has a boat ramp which allows for easy access. Drinking water, vault toilet facility and picnic areas are provided. Walk-in tent sites and a limited amount of overflow parking spots in the boat launch parking area are available. RV's and trailers longer than 30 feet are NOT recommended for sites in the campground loops. Drinking water, vault toilets and picnic areas are provided. Lake Spaulding Campground is included in the recreation area managed by Pacific Gas and Electric Co. in Northern California.

03/28/2023

Anyone seen any data on the snow level at Camp Cole this winter? Total snow fall at Soda Springs, 6,800 feet elevation and 10 miles SE of Camp Cole, is currently 596 inches. Camp Cole is at 7, 200 ft. We're guessing > 600 inches or 50+ feet. The buildings are likely buried in snow.

05/03/2021

Good news! PG&E, which drew down Lake Spaulding by almost 50 feet last year, completed repairs in November to the upstream face of Spaulding Dam. I haven't seen the lake itself yet, but it should be returning to its normal fill level soon!

The campground will open on May 21. You can make reservations now for dates through July 11th. Then, on June 14th at 8:00am, you will be able to make reservations for stays between July 12th through the Reservation Season Close date, usually after Labor Day weekend.

Visit PG&E's recreation site and select Spaulding Campground to reserve a date. https://recreation.pge.com/reservation/camping/Index.asp

11/05/2018

Great video showing their week of high-adventure at Camp Cole from the Sparks Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Sparks Stake High Adventure at Camp Cole - Lake Sterling, California

07/11/2018

There's a lot of opportunity for hiking around Camp Cole. Some photos courtesy of Sharon Lowman.

Address

Sterling Lake Road
Cisco Grove, CA
95728

Telephone

(800) 427-1417

Website

http://www.gec-bsa.org/camping-/camp-robert-cole/63148

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Founded in 1954

Camp Robert L. Cole is a Boy Scout camp in the Tahoe National Forest in Northern California. It is notable for its high altitude of 6,700 feet (2,000 m) and the surrounding alpine forest and 13 nearby lakes. It is located 7 miles (11 km) north of Cisco Grove, California off of Interstate 80, about 32 miles (51 km) west of Truckee, California. It is on the south shore of Lake Sterling on leased land owned by the U.S. Forest Service and Pacific Gas & Electric Company.

In 1952 and 1953 Buttes Area Council Executive Alden Barber worked closely with volunteers to identify a new summer camp site in the Sierra Nevada mountains near a lake. They found Lake Sterling, a Pacific Gas & Electric reservoir, and discovered that it was within 5 miles (8.0 km) of 13 other small lakes suitable for back country treks. They opened the Glacial Trails Scout Ranch at Sterling Lake in 1954. The property consisted of 5 acres of land leased from the United States Forest Service and 100 acres leased from Pacific Gas & Electric Company.

The council built a permanent kitchen in 1957, and after a severe winter storm severely damaged it, were forced to rebuild it in 1958. It was reconstructed once again in 1970, during which volunteers also built a new staff dining building. The Buttes Area Council and the Mount Lassen Council were merged with the Golden Empire Council in 1993.

The camp was closed in 2003 and 2004 when the Golden Empire Council was unable to pay for improvements required by the Placer County health dept and the U.S. Forest Service. Robert L. Cole, President of Goodwin-Cole Company, contributed $260,000 in a matching grant to help pay for the necessary upgrades. The camp was reopened as a high-adventure camp in 2005.