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Camp Storage

We store our gear in four shipping containers and two trailers, which live in Reno, Nevada and come to playa with us every year. 

ID and Name What is it? What's it for? Where is it stored? (*)
*Location Details
FT1 - the bike fort

20' Shipping Container

(Deck on top)

Camp bikes A
FT2 - the tool fort

20' Shipping Container

(Deck on top)

Tools and supplies A
FT3 - the canteen 20' Shipping Container

New for 2026 - Public and private camp furnishings

 

On playa: snacks and meal grab-and-go

A
FT4 - Habitat 20' Shipping Container New for 2026 - Tents and shade structures A
GTM - the pillow fort 24' Bumper Pull Trailer

Public camp furnishings

 

On playa: air conditioned nap & sex space

A
The food fort 24' Bumper Pull Trailer Commercial kitchen  B
The Gayflower (retired) 53' Semi Trailer Water tanks, showers, and restrooms C The Empire Fort (retired) 25' Semi Trailer Storage C

Bike Fort

The Bike Fort stores about 50 camp bikes on two levels. The deck between the levels is made of wood planks which can be slidtaken out and used to construct utility tables behind the bar using four sawhorses, also stored in the Bike Fort.

For simplicity, literally everything bike related is stored here: tools, spare parts, camper bikes that we are storing for them, and a bike trailer for getting ice.

The Bike Fort and Tool Fort have plywood decking on top to create an observation deck. The observation deck uses special 1-3/8" pipes (different size than the rest of our shade) to create a frame with steel wire guardrails. There is a 53' wide shade that goes between the observation decks providing shade for the Turtle Café, and two ladders for getting up and down. These are all stored in the bike fort.

Always be careful not to mix the observation deck pipes and fittings with the camp habitat pipes and fittings; they are different thicknesses!

Also stored in the bike fort in 2026:

  • An antenna mast which might be used for a turtle sign (tbd)
  • The 2025 DJ booth, which has been disassembled and would take some work to reassemble and use

Once the bikes have been removed from the Bike Fort on playa, it will have room to store things like empty totes that won't be needed during the event.

Tool Fort

Our famous tool fort stores everything that we need access to grab and use on playa. It has hundreds of items on shelves on the left and in drawers on the right. Here are the major categories of items you'll find there:

  • First aid kits, narcan, and defibrillator 
  • A huge selection of tools of every type
  • Chargers for all the power tools
  • Plumbing equipment
  • Lights
  • Our village electrical distribution system consisting of 24 spider boxes and tons of 50 amp cables to connect them 
  • Supplies (consumables)
  • Camper comfort items if someone forgot something crucial

The tool fort is actively used throughout build week, event week, and strike. It should be plugged into 120V for lighting and tool chargers.

Keep the aisle of the tool fort free and clear at all times, so it is easy to access anything.

Canteen

New for 2026!

During event week, the canteen will be set up as a place for campers to pick up grab-and-go meals and snacks, and cook their own more elaborate snacks. There will be a glass-front refrigerator, metro shelving with snacks, and tables set up for meal prep with a microwave oven.

The canteen has a double thick shower curtain that can be hung in front allowing easy entrance without too much dust getting in, so that the big container doors do not have be opened and closed all the time. We will install an air conditioner to keep it cooler so that the fridge doesn't struggle.

Outside of event week, the canteen stores a lot of gear that is set up around camp.

This gear includes things like:

  • Turtle café tables and chairs
  • Turtle café bar and minibar
  • The new shower
  • Camper cubbies
  • Folding tables and benches
  • Burn barrels
  • Propane grill
  • The big whiteboard

Only store gear in the canteen that is completely taken out during event week, so that we can free space for food and snack prep.

The canteen also contains ten crates full of extension cords (for no logical reason, they just fit).

Canteen - Rear Storage Area

Anything the camp owns that is not going to be used on playa in any given year is stored in the back of the canteen, behind the extension cords. In 2026 that mainly includes:

    Extra audio and lighting gear Desert HIIT workout equipment

    Habitat

    New for 2026!

    Everything needed to set up the entire camper living area:

      EMT structure:
        Poles Footers and connectors Bungies, climbing hangers, and ratchet straps Tarps and shade mesh Lag screws Shiftpods Cots Camp chairs and stools Welcome mats Hammocks Camper power points

        Other tents are also stored here:

          The high-peak tent in front 20' and 16' Lotus Belle tents in the back rear

          The Pillow Fort

          During event week the pillow fort is set up as an air conditioned nap/sex area.

          Only store gear in the pillow fort that is completely taken out during event week, so that we can set it up properly without moving a lot of stuff.

          Contents:

            Pillow fort furnishings DJ gear and lighting  Wicker chairs Rugs and cushions for Lotus Belle tent


             

            Future Turtles camp gear is stored in six trucks:

            Name
            Description
            Contents
            Location*
            Bike Fort FT1 20' Shipping Container
            (deck on top)

            Camp Bicycles

            Bike tools and spare parts

            Sawhorses

            Deck framing posts, wire guardrails, and Turtle Café shade
            Turtle Pavilion Center Mast

            Sawhorses

            * Old DJ booth, disassembled

            A
            Tool Fort FT2 20' Shipping Container
            (deck on top)

            First Aid

            Tools
            Utility lighting (everything but DJ lights)
            All electrical gear except extension cords

            All plumbing and water gear
            Supplies (consumables)

            A
            Canteen FT3 20' Shipping Container

            New for 2026! Stores equipment that is pulled out into the Turtle Café and the Turtle private high peak tent. Once that gear has been pulled out, the container will be 75% empty and can be used as a kitchenette / snack supply center.


            There is a curtain which can be hung at the entrance so that people can enter and leave during the event without opening and closing the heavy container doors.

             

            Pulled out: 

            Cafe tables, chairs, and lights

            Shower

            Whiteboard

            Folding tables and benches

            Burn barrels

            Camper cubbies

            Neon turtle sign

            Whips

            Bars (steel and mini)

            Grill


            Remains inside for canteen:

            Metro shelving

            Microwave

            Espresso machine

            Glass fridge

            Some tables can be set up for meal prep

             

            Towards the back, a million extension cords. 

             

            Everything behind the extension cords is gear that we are keeping but not planning to use at Burning Man this year, which we might use in future years. 

            A
            Habitat FT4 20' Shipping Container

            New for 2026! Everything needed to build the private tent area for campers

             

            EMT and all EMT parts for shade

            Tarps

            Electrical power strips + extension cords for camper power

            High-peak tent

            Shiftpods

            Cots, hammocks, and camp furniture

            Fans

            A
            Pillow Fort
            24' Bumper-pull Trailer

            Everything is either pulled out and used in the interactive part of camp, or stays inside to create the pillow fort.

             

            Rugs
            Audio gear and DJ lighting used this year (an edited collection)
            Pillows

            Wicker Chairs
            Bar stools

            A
            Food Fort
            24' Bumper-pull Trailer with commercial kitchen
            Cooking equipment
            B
            Empire Fort
            25' Pup Trailer (high deck, like a mini-semi trailer)

            Retired for 2026

            Contains some old, abandoned tarps

            C
            Gayflower
            53' semi trailer
            Retired for 2026
            Water
            Grey Water, and Black Water tanks
            Showers and bathrooms
            Plumbing tools, supplies, and equipment
            C


            Where is it?


            The detailed Where Is It? spreadsheet helps you track down exact locations down to shelf and bin, especially of specific tools and items in the Tool Fort. 

            Camp Supplies

            What we call "supplies" are anything consumable that we stock up on before each burn to have on hand: things like batteries, towels, cleaning supplies, and so forth. This does not include anything used by the food team.