Deer Mountain Sanctuary Information & Guidelines

Near Copco Lake, Montague, CA
The Deer Mountain Sanctuary is 2000 acres of sacred land at the very north of California, almost to the Oregon border, in the area Montague, CA. We are east of Highway 5, with the closest town of Yreka (a 30-minute drive from the bottom of the property), and Ashland Oregon is 45 minutes away. At the entry to the property we have the Spiritual Leader’s home and irrigated pastures. A gravel road goes up a little over a mile to the camping areas and ceremonial grounds. The land goes from 2800 – 3500 feet, and we have cold winters (snow comes and goes) and hot & dry summers with cool nights.  We lease a large part of the land for cattle grazing, so fences and gates are important to pay attention to.

Ceremonial Grounds
Our ceremonial grounds are alongside a year-round spring-fed creek in a beautiful meadow surrounded by juniper, oak, cedar, and Ponderosa Pine trees. We have two sweatlodges (a community lodge and a women’s lodge), an open arbor, tipi grounds, and the Earth Peoples United Pop Jay (Council House). There are outhouses, but no other facilities. Anything that comes in with us needs to leave with us so that the space is left clean and natural. We cross the creek to enter the ceremonial grounds and ask that we enter with reverence, allowing a spiritual connection. We have had many ceremonies with many traditions represented, incredible healing, and amazing responses from nature that are engrained in the energy body of this sacred space.

Bear Paw Meadow
Bear Paw Meadow is about a mile and a half up from the main road, where we have developed a beautiful area with a small cabin (with kitchen, loft and bathroom), a 24’ yurt for gathering or sleeping space, and a 16’ dome, both on decks. Solar panels and batteries supply our energy, and spring water supplies all our water needs. We have 2 flush toilets, outhouses, and indoor and outdoor showers with hot water. There is a ceremonial arbor in the middle of the meadow that has been used for youth rites of passage ceremonies.  It is about a 15-minute walk to the ceremonial grounds.  

Road
The road that goes up to the upper parts of the land has been a huge and constant investment.  We ask that you please drive slowly and carefully to help take care of the existing road, and recommend 4WD when possible.  If there are closed gates on the road, please keep them closed behind you.

GUIDELINES
At Deer Mountain Sanctuary, we live and work together in community as family… where all of life is Ceremony. In general, we ask people to be on time, be self-sufficient, to help out with what needs to be done, to be attentive to the needs of our elders, youth and children, and each other. ​​​This is wild land that can be unforgiving, so it is important to always be attentive of your surroundings. In the same way, the gifts that have come from the land have been overwhelmingly beautiful and generous.

We require everyone who enters the property to sign liability waivers.

Transportation
The road up to Bear Paw Meadow and the Ceremonial Grounds is in a condition that is now passable by most vehicles, though 4WD is best.  We ask that you please drive slowly, taking care for the road and the land.

In order to be prepared for your arrival, it is very important that you inform us of your expected arrival time, and to let us know if this changes during your travel. Once you arrive into the driveway, you may follow the gravel road up to Bear Paw Meadows. Here you will be met by one of our team and guided where to park. It is best to arrive before evening so as to have ample time to set up tents and sleeping arrangements before dark.

Intoxicants
We do not allow alcohol or recreational drugs at Deer Mountain Sanctuary, so please respect these guidelines during your time here.  We also encourage participants to pray with tobacco only when in ceremony during this time, and to refrain from smoking at all other times.  

Wildlife
Come prepared to be in the wilderness, and be wilderness aware. There are relatives that share the land with us like rattlesnakes, cougars, bears, wasps, bees, ants. The key is to always be aware of your surroundings, not to be afraid. Pay attention to where you are walking and consider taking someone with you if you are wandering far from camp. We ask that you always let someone know the general area where you will be if you decide to go off on your own. We ask you to be careful with food and especially compost and trash, so as not to attract bears.

Pets
In general, we ask you to leave your pets at home, as the land here is quite wild, there are other dogs and cats in the living spaces, and we want to keep a sacred, quiet, and clean space. We may make exceptions here and there, but our general policy is no pets.

Weather
Deer Mountain is in a high, dry climate zone. It is important to be prepared for the expected weather – we have had people come in the cold season without sufficient gear and put themselves at risk. The summers can be very hot and with strong sun, so we recommend protecting yourself from the sun with hats and clothing. Early summer and fall can also have rain showers and cooler weather, so checking the weather using zip code 96064 is a good idea. Staying hydrated is very important.

Water
At Bear Paw Meadow we have beautiful spring water that is wonderful to drink and is available in all the faucets around the site. There is no need to bring drinking water or use disposable bottles. As you feel called, we invite you to bringing bottles to gather the sacred waters of Deer Mountain.

We also have a year-round spring-fed creek that is accessed by cattle. Though the water is clean and fresh, you do not want to drink it. We prefer that bathing happens away from the creek – even though we may use natural soaps the creek does get affected by many people bathing.

Trash, Recycling, Compost
We have a limited trash service and no recycling service, so ask that you take everything out that you brought in. The closest dump is in Yreka and there is a recycling station there as well. During our events we take care of this, but if you will be holding an event here we expect you will take care of this yourself. We compost and ask that you follow the guidelines.

Fires
Our area has had numerous wildfires, so we ask that you have extreme awareness of fire safety. On our land we request that there is no smoking, no open fires, no propane lanterns, etc by people other than in the designated communal areas. Even smudging is only allowed in the ceremonial fire areas, as one spark in the dry grass can be dangerous.

Emergency Plan/First Aid
The closest hospital to Deer Mountain is in Yreka, and is a 45-minute drive from camp. If you have medical conditions or allergies like bee stings, please let us know ahead of time.

We look forward to welcoming you!