Mary E. Ilium Camping

[Skubes]

Will shuttles run to town on Wednesday for first grass? Also, do we have to buy water at the festival, or carry it in? I thought I saw somewhere that you could refill water bottles free at the festival? Just wondering if that’s true.

Water inside the festival is FREE!  Bring a reusable bottle and drink up.  Mary E. will also have free, potable water.

The school bus shuttles will be running from Mary E. to town on Wednesday.  You'll then need to take the free gondola up to Mountain Village for first grass.

[TRL]

  Skube you are awesome

[randy4bb]

Thanks Skubes & TRL...
I am sure it will all work out but want to stay & see all of Lil Smokies with our new chairs.... Get to gondola ride & Dierks late. What to do with backpacks & chairs??. I am sure there isnt room inside for my gear!
  Don't want to but is it possible to drive to mnt village conference & find.parking?
    Thanks for input,   Randy4bb & Libertydeb

[skyrunner]

Hello, there is plenty of room in the gondola for all of your gear with no worries. Once you park your car on Wed, that is the last you need to use it. The buses will take you where you need to go from then on. The bus makes several stops in town, High school for showers, Elk park for the side stage, etc,etc.  Trust me when I say, we are all used to everybody taking everything they can carry into the fest on the bus.  Part of the fun. 

 Listening to: Old tv shows

[MissB]

We are camping at Ilium and know we have to lug our chairs and backpacks with us on the bus. Question is we we're thinking of bringing a wagon as well. Will we be able to bring a wagon on the bus? and will we need one once we get to the festival? I haven't been in 20 years and we were in town then and used a wagon every day! Thanks for any festy advice! 

 Listening to: The Kitchen Dwellers

[llyon]

A couple of questions about camping at Mary E. Illium:

1. Is it possible to bike back and forth between Mary E. Illium and the festival? If so, is the ride a steep uphill climb on the return?

2. Is it possible to put a bike on the shuttle to Mary E. Illium?

3. How early does the shuttle start running? I will be volunteering at the festival and am wondering if the shuttle will be able to get me to my opening shift on time.

4. My friends have a vehicle pass for Mary E. Illium and I do not. Will I be able to set up my tent with them, or is the car camping separated from the rest of the camping?

Thanks so much!

 Listening to: Storms - Railroad Earth

[ToddG]

A couple of questions about camping at Mary E. Illium:

1. Is it possible to bike back and forth between Mary E. Illium and the festival? If so, is the ride a steep uphill climb on the return?

2. Is it possible to put a bike on the shuttle to Mary E. Illium?

3. How early does the shuttle start running? I will be volunteering at the festival and am wondering if the shuttle will be able to get me to my opening shift on time.

4. My friends have a vehicle pass for Mary E. Illium and I do not. Will I be able to set up my tent with them, or is the car camping separated from the rest of the camping?

Thanks so much!

If you have a Mountain Bike you can ride from Illium into town on the Galloping Goose Trail Illium trailhead. It's more uphill getting into town than returning. The trailhead is about a mile past the Illium campground entrance on your left side of the road. From the Illium road its about 2-3 miles of nice advanced beginner single track that spits you out at the Lawson Hill campground, from there its a paved trail another 2 miles or so into town. Wouldn't recommend riding it back at night while intoxicated, depending on your experience level, and you'd want a good light. I think if the shuttle busses are not over-loaded they will let you on with a bike, but there are no bike racks on the shuttles. Shuttles start running around 7-8 am starting wednesday. They stop picking up in town around 2-3am. You can camp wherever there is room for your tent. We rode the trail into town twice, if you don't stop its less than an hour one way, but Telluride Brewing is along the way and worth the halfway pit stop!

[SuperK]

Campground opens the Saturday before. Wednesday night starts the official TBF events. If you bring a MTN bike you can ride right out of Illium to some nice trails. Last year we stayed there from opening on Saturday through the entire TBF. By Tuesday people were beginning to fill in more, but even at the peak of campers, tents, vehicles and people, you could find a spot easily. Might not be the best spot but you could find one if you came Thursday morning.

I think part of what makes this festival so great is the people. So getting there earlier helps with meeting people and getting to know the ins and outs of the campground. Also by coming early you have opportunity to experience the wilderness around Telluride without missing musical activities. So I say come as many days early as you possibly can. You already paid for the camping and vehicle pass, take advantage of the time that allots you to spend in the area.

If work, school or life can't allow you the luxury of arriving early I'd say you won't get the greatest spots after Tuesday. Remember that you have to walk from camp, with your daily festival gear to catch the bus at the road. Some folks look for spot closer for bus, some like further away or thicker tree cover. Illium is a big area, and plenty of level cleared camp sites. Get to know your gate keepers, they'll have lots of info.
KInda rambling but hope that helps.

Thanks! Just getting back around to this. Super helpful. I'm going to be in Alaska the week before (wrapping up my week with a fun Chickenstock weekend) and based on this I'm going to do my two trips into two weeks vacation planning to get there Tuesday- from Oregon. I haven't done one of these turnarounds in a while and I'm excited!

[Cindy Lou]

Sully there is plenty of room in the conference center where Travelin McCoury's will play after Lil Smokies. You can stash your stuff outside the main dance hall in any number of places and it will be fine. you won't need much on Wed though. First grass is on a grassy knoll and most folks will be dancin instead of sitting anyway. 

[randy4bb]

Cindy lou
Bet you didn't get up with the roosters this morning!!!  :-)
1st grass till 11
   Stay at mnt. valley conf till 2am. Ride the gondola down to T. Will there be a bus at 3 am going back to Mary E?
Gonna be a late nite to kick it off with.   

[ToddG]

Cindy lou
Bet you didn't get up with the roosters this morning!!!  :-)
1st grass till 11
   Stay at mnt. valley conf till 2am. Ride the gondola down to T. Will there be a bus at 3 am going back to Mary E?
Gonna be a late nite to kick it off with.  

The Wednesday nightgrass with Dierks, after First Grass will start earlier than regular NG, and should be over before 12. I believe it starts at 9pm.

[randy4bb]

Good info. T.Y. ToddG
Think I can handle that!
Sully

[Cindy Lou]

Cindy lou
Bet you didn't get up with the roosters this morning!!!  :-)
1st grass till 11
   Stay at mnt. valley conf till 2am. Ride the gondola down to T. Will there be a bus at 3 am going back to Mary E?
Gonna be a late nite to kick it off with.   

Actually Sully I was up until the sun came up, went to bed about 6:30 this morning. I often see the sunrise, but it's not because I'm just getting up! 

 Listening to: Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats on KSUT.org

[cassiepaup]

Hi!  I am camping at Mary E. Does anyone know about showers?  Can we use the ones in Town Park?  We will probably bring a solar shower or jump in the river, but I'm curious what ya'll do?

Thanks!

 Listening to: Chris Thile

[KaraJean]

Hi!  I am camping at Mary E. Does anyone know about showers?  Can we use the ones in Town Park?  We will probably bring a solar shower or jump in the river, but I'm curious what ya'll do?

Thanks!

Yes, good question. My girl friends are camping at Mary E. I assured them there were showers. I hope I was not wrong?

 Listening to: Ablation catheter burning