Self-reliance

Self-reliance is a must at Apogaea. The only amenity that will be provided is portable toilets. You must bring enough water, food, and shelter to last through the weekend—take responsibility for your survival and comfort. Do not show up expecting that the community will take care of you. Although we will have medical staff on duty, they will not have prescription medications on hand; please bring any allergy, asthma, or other personal medications that you may need. The nearest hospital is about 26 miles away. (Pikes Peak Regional – 16420 W Us Highway 24, Woodland Park, CO 80863-8760)

Water

You must bring all your own water. It will probably be quite hot during the day, so drink water all the time whether you think you need it or not. Try to drink a gallon per day, and bring extra for cooking and cleaning. If you feel tired or cranky, drinking more water will almost always help. Users of alcohol or caffeine are particularly at risk for dehydration. Dehydration can cause headaches, stomach cramps, abdominal pains, constipation, or flu-like symptoms. If someone you know complains of these symptoms or (worse) a case of the chills under the mid-day sun, get them to shade immediately and seek prompt medical help via a Ranger or an EMS staff member. They may be experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Food

You must bring all your own food. Be wise about reduction of packaging. Take any individually wrapped items out of the larger packaging. Remember the concept of Leave No Trace: any trash you generate must be removed by you (biodegradable or not). This even includes the leftovers on your plate! Consider keeping your meals simple and remember that cooking is to be done on propane stoves only (no private campfires). Any preparation of food done ahead of time not only saves you valuable festival fun time, but will also reduce the waste you generate at the event.

Suggestions for simple and easy food:

• precooked and packaged meals (tupperware is your friend!)
• Fruit with minimal waste (watermelons are not ideal)
• Jerky
• Trailmix
• Canned tuna
• Sandwiches
• Cereal
• Ramen

Weather

Apogaea is being held in a forested mountain environment at an elevation of about 9100 feet . Daytime highs in June average in the 80’s but nighttime lows could be anywhere from the 50’s to freezing. Sudden rain storms are a possibility. Please bring plenty of warm clothes, hats, and gloves for your nighttime wanderings, especially if a burn ban is in place and we’re unable to have fire barrels. Bring raingear in the event of afternoon storms. Rain can make the temperatures drop dramatically at this elevation. Those participants traveling from out of state should keep in mind that the elevation means a quick sunburn for unprotected skin and possible altitude sickness from overexertion, insufficient hydration, or alcohol intake. Be sure to bring sunscreen and insect repellent. A wide-brimmed hat is highly suggested. If lightning is present, the safest place to be is in your car. Make sure your camp, structures and personal effects are safe and secure from high winds and rain.

Site-Specific Safety Issues

• The location for Apogaea is BEAR TERRITORY! This means you must be extra-careful with food items. DO NOT store food, garbage, or cooking utensils in or near your tent. Do not sleep in the same clothes you wear while you cook. If you are camped near a car, keep anything that smells of food inside the car. If you have questions about bear mitigation or need more information, stop by the info booth.
• There may be ticks in the grasses. Be sure to check yourself for ticks often, being especially aware of tight, warm spaces such as under socks or underwear. Ask at the information booth if you have questions about the best ways to remove ticks.
• The ground is rocky and uneven. Comfortable closed-toe shoes or boots are recommended.
• Bring extra flashlights and extra batteries. Attaching high-visibility flagging to guy lines is highly recommended. Covering exposed rebar stakes is a necessity (this is the most common source of injury at Burning Man events)
• There will be geodesic domes and other unusual, monkeybar-looking structures at the event. They are not to be climbed on. Doing so can break either the climber or the dome (or both).

Camp Placement

When you arrive at the event, greeters will welcome you and provide guidance on where you may park and camp. There will be VERY limited car camping spaces available. Please be prepared to camp away from your car—we will have separate parking areas. If you are part of a theme camp let the Greeters know so they can direct you to your area.  Theme camps may have one vehicle in their camp space–a special theme camp car pass must be displayed at all times in this vehicle. Place your camp so that cars can get past you to access other sites.

Kids

Apogaea is an all-ages event. The presence of children creates a wonderful atmosphere at the event, and you are more than welcome to bring them along. If you bring your children, you agree to be responsible for their behavior and care at all times. Ultimately, the health and safety of your child is your responsibility. As long as you are prepared to keep your children under constant supervision, the event can be a great experience for them. However, please be aware that there may be activities that may not be suitable for children, or behavior you may not which your children to see. Please consider carefully if this is a proper event for your child. Do not expect the community to watch your kids or to censor their behavior because there are children present. Know that certain events and areas may be off-limits to under-18s.

Volunteer

Apogaea is an effort made by the community for the community; everyone involved purchases a ticket in order to support the event and for the privilege of attending. With this in mind, please join us as a volunteer to participate in making this an amazing event. Go to our volunteer webpage (apogaea.com/volunteer) to sign up for a short workshift ahead of time. If that isn’t convenient, please stop by the Information Booth and sign up during the event.We couldn’t do it all without your help!

Art

Those who come to Apogaea will bring many forms of art to share with other participants. These may include music, dance, visual arts, crafts, workshops, costumes, and more. One of our basic tenets is centered around the concept of the gift economy, so whatever your special talent might be, bring it on and share it with us. Anyone who is interested in bringing any of the following forms of art must register it ahead of time to ensure that we can accommodate your needs: large art installations, theme camps, mutant vehicles, performances that require stage facilities, workshops that require use of shade structures, sound systems, and anything involving fire.