Death Valley '49ers Encampment

We are planning to get to the Death Valley '49ers Encampment this November, runs 6-8th (pre-camp) and 9th - 13th i.e. Sunday to Sunday. In a previous thread we were advised (by Wendy) to 'turn up early'. Now that we are getting to the planning stage, how early is early!
We are flexible, but looking at normal Walk In Sites tactics it means Wednesday before the weekend i.e. 2nd Nov. to guarentee a site.
What chance of getting a site turning up then?
Or how late can you leave it? Is there any point at all in turning up during the week of the Encampment?
Furnace Creek Camp has been full for many months, so I assume Sunset Creek is the best campground to stake a claim in.
Also are there any other RV Forumers who are going to be there who we may be able to meet up with?

As you've already discovered, Furnace Creek is booked up during the Encampment. People reserve those sites the minute they are reservable. Sunset is a great spot to stay during the Encampment. Texas Spring, up the hill from Sunset, is a nice campground but doesn't allow generators. If you get to DEVA early, there is a group that plays every evening in Sunset campground during the "pre-Encampment." How early is early? Well, Sunset and Texas Spgs campgrounds open October 15 and there are RVs waiting at the gate for the rangers to open the gates. People continue to arrive for the next 2 weeks and Furnace Creek, Sunset, and Texas Spring campgrounds are typically full by afternoon the Friday before the "official" dates, which would be 11/4. So I would recomment that if you want a spot at Sunset, you get there 11/1-3. If you arrive after the Furnace Creek campgrounds fill, there is almost always space at Stovepipe Wells which is about 25 miles away and which does have some entertainment at the village there. An alternate spot is 25 miles back out Hwy 190 near the 3000-foot elevation sign. There's an area of slabs that used to be a mining community and folks camp out there, outside the park. It's a good spot if you want to be where there are no generator rules, where you can build a fire ring and have a bonfire, where there are not rules.

I did hear that 2 or 3 years ago, Sunset did not fill but it did fill last year. So early is best. And if you arrive early, there's lots of things to do in DEVA so enjoy.

Wendy

Thank you Wendy, that is exactly the information/confirmation I was hoping for, we will make our plans to arrive on the 2nd.

  We are strongly planning on this one,, am wondering how many forum members are also??>>>Dan

We saw Al and Vel Woods a couple of weeks ago in Moab and they said they're going to be there. We were thinking about it but Mike has an inconvenient VA appointment that will keep us here longer than we planned so we'll miss it.

The Encampment is an awful lot of people in one place at one time but it's a fun event.

Wendy

One of the disadvantages of being flexible is that you might change your plans.
I am afraid that we are going to be party poopers.
Having set a visit to the 49ers in stone, we now find ourselves running out of time and will not be able to get to Death valley by the 2nd of Nov (which I think would ensure us a space).
We have had a major find in our discovery of CBA - California Bluegrass Association. We joined up with them at a festival just outside of Fresno last weekend and had a really fun time with some of them. Putting people before places means we are now going to a little Pick In at Calusa, way north of Sacramento. There is no way we can get back down South in time for the 49ers and also see what we want to see in between, so very reluctantly we will have to give it a miss this year.
Thanks for all your thoughtful advice though.

Just in case someone else might be looking for the CBA Pick In, the proper spelling of the location is Colusa, CA. 

Margi

Well what do you know, it took me three goes to realise there was only one 'l'

It's an unusual spelling.  We just happened to have some shirt-tail relatives in that area.  ;D

Margi