“The Range” in Slab City

As I alluded to in the previous post, Slab City features a “nightclub” made by some of the residents. “The Range” boasts a stage positioned between a bus and an RV, a wooden bar, and numerous couches and chairs for seating. The stage lighting is created from large Christmas lights and buckets.

I visited The Range on a Saturday night during a local talent show. I was completely surprised by the talent. Many single acts performed, along with newly formed and established bands. If a performer was not up to par, they were quickly booed off the stage and replaced with a new act. However, this only happened once.

While the acts played covers and original music, the audience either took in the scene from dilapidated couches you would normally expect to see sitting next to a garbage dump or from the makeshift dance floor. As the night progressed, those same cushion-less, floral couches became resting spots for those who over-indulged. The whole notion of normalcy soon became much more lenient. Weird things seemed normal, while outlandishly unbelievable things became just slightly odd. Clothing became optional, and couples did not shy away from PDA. Still, the acts kept on playing. I made my way back to camp relatively early, but many stayed until morning. When I awoke, I could still see people dispersing from the venue to haphazardly stumble their way back across the desert to their respective campsites or the nearest bush.

Slab City, California

After passing through Salvation Mountain, I drove deeper into the desert through an area known as Slab City. Slab City is named for the many concrete slabs and pylons that remain from an abandoned WWII military base. The area is now used by squatters and snowbirds. The area is mostly uncontrolled and there is no charge for parking or camping, giving it the reputation as “the last free place in America”. In popular culture, Slab City was featured in Jon Krakauer’s “Into the Wild” and was depicted in the movie based on the book.

Because of its peculiarity and reputation, Slab City attracts an eclectic group of individuals, including transients, year-round dwellers, and RVs that stay anywhere from a day to entire winters. The city operates much like other cities. You have the “rich” areas (RVs), “poor” areas (primitive campsites), and “middle-class” areas (tents). People are expected to trade goods, food, alcohol, skills, etc. to get what they need. There are also scandals and rumors, and people are run out of town because of these.

I stayed in a campsite with some local, young squatters. I brought beer, so I was pretty much instantly accepted. I spent the day wandering around and chatting with other campers, including a guy who was living in a boat he hauled into the desert from the Salton Sea. I learned that there are members-only coffee shops, a guy who transmits a Slab City radio station playing entire records at a time, and a “club”. There are hot springs, a church, and a drained pool from the military base that is now a skate park.

As day turned to evening, we all sat around a fire and ate pizza rolls made with homemade dough and baked over the fire. People pulled out their instruments, and beers were consumed in preparation for a rowdy night at the local “club”. The musical talent in the “slabs” was astounding.

Once darkness engulfed the desert, flashlights were pulled out, and we all migrated over to “The Range” to take in a talent show. More on that soon.

Salvation Mountain

Following Bombay Beach, I ventured even further into the Salton Sea area and found myself in Niland, California. After a few days of researching the sea and listening to stories, I didn’t really think I could stumble upon a place any more bizarre than the places I had already been. However, this assumption was completely wrong, and I soon found out that Bombay Beach was really just a buffer for a place known as Slab City.

After I accepted an invitation to spend some time in this elaborate squatters’ camp, I was told to meet my hosts at Salvation Mountain, which, I was told, acts as the entrance to Slab City. I soon pulled up to a colorful “mountain” protruding out of the barren desert and parked my car near cars and trucks matching the decor of the mountain. Thoroughly confusing.

Salvation Mountain was created over many, many years by local resident Leonard Knight. He built the mountain through trial and error, after witnessing his first “mountain” crumble to the ground after 4 years of work, with adobe, straw, and gallons upon gallons of paint donated by visitors. The empty paint buckets are spread all over the site. Salvation Mountain also includes numerous “rooms” that are carved out of the mound and filled with artifacts, murals, and anything else Leonard found and deemed relevant.

Unfortunately, Leonard was recently placed into a care facility for dementia and is no longer adding to his mountain. However, other residents of Slab City watch out for his creation and are committed to maintaining it for future visitors.